Matt Velazquez

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

At a practice over the weekend, Milwaukee Bucks forward and charge-taker extraordinaire Ersan Ilyasova – who was stationary, but not trying to take a charge – was caught off guard by an inadvertent blow to the face.

The result was a broken nose, an injury that’s become all too common for him over the years. Ilyasova has broken his nose several times, including during one of his previous stints with the Bucks during the 2014-’15 season when he had to wear a mask upon his return to the court. It’s possible he’ll have to reprise his role as Milwaukee’s masked man when he returns. Exactly when that will be, though, is not yet clear.

“I don’t think that there’s been a timeline set for Ersan,” coach Mike Budenholzer said Wednesday, when Ilyasova missed his second successive game. “It’s the next little while, but I don’t think it’s an extended time that he won’t be there.”

Ilyasova’s misfortune has been a boon for second-year forward D.J. Wilson, who was summoned back from the G League over the weekend and for the first time in his career has become a regular part of the Bucks’ rotation. Before Monday, he had played just 90 minutes over 24 appearances during his first two seasons.

Last season, coaches Jason Kidd and Joe Prunty chose to ride the team’s starters hard and seldom offered Wilson opportunities to gain experience. This season, coach Mike Budenholzer has wanted to get Wilson more involved and virtually since arriving in Milwaukee has spoken highly of Wilson’s progress. However, a right hamstring strain in training camp followed by rehab stints in the G League with the Wisconsin Herd, where his minutes were managed, meant Budenholzer would have to wait for the right time to get Wilson on the floor.

That chance finally came Monday, when star Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up two fouls in the first three minutes in a game against the Detroit Pistons. Wilson was already in line to be part of the rotation, but with Antetokounmpo’s foul trouble, the timeline sped up.

He passed the test, scoring nine points and putting forth a solid defensive performance, despite often being matched up against five-time all-star Blake Griffin. Wilson then proved that effort wasn’t a fluke Wednesday when he again played rotational minutes and played a key role in closing out the New Orleans Pelicans. He put up nine points, including a pair of clutch buckets in the final four minutes, along with 10 rebounds while bowing up defensively against another star player – Pelicans big man Anthony Davis.

A week ago, Milwaukee’s 2017 first-round pick was considered by many to be a bust.

But now, after more than a year of development combined with a pair of games in which he combined to play nearly 50 high-impact minutes, Wilson has for the moment converted doubters into believers.

After Wednesday's game, fans at Fiserv Forum and far beyond were buzzing about Wilson's promising play. His teammates, though, have believed in him throughout.

“D.J.’s done an unbelievable job just playing the game, waiting for his chance, especially guarding Blake Griffin one night then A.D. the next – two monsters,” said Antetokounmpo, who at practices all season has reminded Wilson to stay ready.

“He’s been doing it so far. I’m really happy about that. I think he deserves it. He works hard, he listens, he plays hard and the way he’s responding right now is big for us. He’s helping the team win.”

While Wilson was the next man up when Ilyasova went down, that position wasn’t preordained. While in the G League, Wilson was putting up modest numbers compared to Christian Wood, another Bucks forward on assignment with the Herd. Wood has been on a tear, averaging 27.9 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in nine G League contests, including a 33-point, 17-rebound performance in a loss Thursday.

But this week, Wood remains with the Herd – and has been joined by Bucks rookie guard Donte DiVincenzo at the G League showcase in Las Vegas – while Wilson has shined for the Bucks heading into their clash with the Boston Celtics at 7 p.m. Friday at TD Garden.

“We’ve referenced a lot about how we thought D.J. was having a great September, a great training camp and then had the setback with the hamstring,” Budenholzer said. “He’s someone we’re heavily invested in as a first-round pick last year. We’ve talked about what a great fit we think he is with how we’re playing on both ends of the court.

“Christian had a little bit of an opportunity early and now D.J.’s getting one. We feel like D.J.’s earned it. Christian’s been good down there, I mean, he puts up huge numbers, he plays well. So, it’s nice to actually have two guys that you feel confident that you could bring up and put in a game.”

Wilson has taken his recent breakout with a combination of confidence and humility. While glued to the bench, inactive or in the G League, he never lost faith in his talent or hard work, even when many others did. He also knows that he's just one part of the Bucks' bench mob, a group that performed especially well in Wednesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

“I think the focal point for a lot of guys off the bench is just defense and energy," Wilson said. "I think that’s something we can bring – myself, S.B. (Sterling Brown), Thon (Maker) and the whole gang."

As the Bucks head to Boston, where they have lost five games in a row including four in the playoffs, they'll face a Celtics team well known for its depth of talent. Getting another strong outing from Wilson and the rest of the bench could be integral to earning a win.

“It’s a huge statement, you need that throughout the season," Budenholzer said of his bench Wednesday. "With D.J. and George (Hill) kind of just being recently added in a sense, (it’s) great for those guys. Sterling, Tony (Snell), Thon all doing things and making plays at different times – you need your bench. It’s a really big part.”