It’s going to be the next man up for the Milwaukee Bucks following Jae Crowder’s devastating injury. The veteran is expected to sit out at least two months after being required to undergo surgery on his groin.
In the meantime, the Bucks have no other choice but to turn their attention to some of their other wing players. It’s a good thing this squad has options.
Milwaukee Bucks Coach Adrian Griffin Talks Up MarJon Beauchamp
Milwaukee head coach Adrian Griffin admits that losing Crowder is a significant blow for the Bucks, especially considering what he brings to the table for the team:
“We’ll miss his veteran presence in the locker room and on the court, his leadership and voice, but I think he’ll still be able to lead us out there through his rehab,” Griffin said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “We have the best medical staff and we know Jae will come back stronger.”
Unfortunately, the Bucks have no other option but to move on from Crowder — at least for the time being. As it is, it appears that second-year forward MarJon Beauchamp is set for an uptick in minutes:
“I just think, starting with MarJon, he’s done a terrific job on both sides of the ball. Really pleased,” Griffin said. “I’m a defense-first coach, so I just like his athleticism, his length. … He can guard multiple positions. And then offensively, he’s more athletic than what people may think. He’s a strong player. He can get to the rim and finish above the rim and then he’s a capable 3-point shooter.”
Crowder has started two out of Milwaukee’s first nine games, and it would not be a complete shock if Beauchamp also gets the nod to start somewhere down the road.
Rookie Andre Jackson Jr. Will Also Get His Chance
Apart from Beauchamp, Coach Griff also wants to see more from rookie Andre Jackson Jr. The young forward has shown flashes of brilliance in his limited time on the court this season, and he could be given more chances moving forward:
“And then I love what I see out of ‘Dre,” Griffin said. “I think the most important thing with ‘Dre is his competitive spirit. He gets out there and he flies around. He’s gonna make some rookie mistakes. Last game, he stepped out of bounds and stuff like that … So, there’s going to be a learning curve with him, but I feel good with him on the floor.”
The Bucks will be without Crowder for the first time on Monday against the Chicago Bulls. It will be very interesting to see how Griffin facilitates his team’s wing rotation for this contest and of course, moving forward.
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