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Jared Dudley: The Godfather Of Grind Grabs A Win

By Adam McGee

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They might not know it, but every team in the NBA needs a Jared Dudley. It’s just the Milwaukee Bucks that are lucky enough to have him on their side right now.

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The man who nicknamed this team the Milwaukee Grinders is a special type of competitor that can’t be easily found.

He understands when it’s the time for him to step up and make the big play, yet he’s equally comfortable to sit back and help guide those around him to execute successfully either.

Dudley is a leader and a culture setter, and as this young Bucks’ squad continues to mature in front of our eyes, there’s no telling just how significant his influence will prove to be when this Bucks’ squad is further down the road on its journey.

Last night’s Game 4 wasn’t about passive Dudley though, it was the 29-year-old letting his actions lead by example in a way that his words have done throughout the season.

Dudley has spoken in the past on how he had to step up and be a voice of this team in practices and on the floor, when he first arrived in Milwaukee he found that to be a particular surprise:

"It was quiet. It. Was. Silent. Because they didn’t have anyone."

Perhaps in many ways this was the night that saw the evolution of this young Milwaukee squad come full circle though, on their way to the franchise’s first post-season win in five years.

TNT’s sideline reporter Allie LaForce summed this up following a timeout midway through the fourth quarter:

"To start the series the team wasn’t communicating in the huddles. Jason Kidd said “I want them to be comfortable enough and confident enough to be able to communicate.” I was just behind their bench, guys, and they never stopped talking the entire time. They know they can do it, and they continue to remind themselves of that."

If that’s anything to go by, it sounds like a lot of Dudley’s work off-the-court has finally paid dividends, so maybe now was the time for him to step his contribution up on the court. And how he delivered.

In 28 minutes, the former Boston College Eagle did a little of everything. He had 13 points, two rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Not only that but he achieved those numbers shooting 5-9 from the field and 3-4 from downtown.

With a plus/minus of +12, only the red hot O.J. Mayo had a more measurable positive impact on the outcome of this game than Dudley, and that shows clearly in Dudley’s defensive rating of 82.8 on the night.

As excellent, and decisive as his offense was (and I’ll get to that later), it truly was Dudley’s defense that was the difference-maker.

It wasn’t that he locked down on a specific player, it was more that Dudley utilized all the basketball intelligence that we know he has to allow Milwaukee to offer a more complete coverage.

In commentary, TNT’s Brian Anderson referred to Dudley as working in what was almost a free safety role, and he was spot on.

In the spell where Milwaukee put their stamp on the game, the Bucks went really small and allowed Dudley, naturally a wing, to guard off of Joakim Noah on defensive possessions. If Noah was going to be the guy to beat you you’d live with that, but Dudley read the schemes so well, that there wasn’t even opportunity for that.

Instead guys like Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol found themselves turning into dead ends as Dudley rotated over to smother with help defense.

Dudley’s piece de resistance was still to come though. After an opportunistic steal by Khris Middleton, and after Jason Kidd calling for one of the most alert and important timeouts that the NBA has seen this season, the Bucks had one last chance to seal the win in regulation.

With 1.2 seconds remaining, Dudley held the ball to inbounds, and all eyes were fixed on the hot shooting O.J. Mayo and the clutch specialist Khris Middleton. Dudley had other ideas though, and over the outstretched arms of the lengthy Joakim Noah, he found the perfect pass to find Jerryd Bayless and extend the Bucks’ season.

Dudley relived the moment afterwards saying:

"I just saw Rose on the top side — I was kind of shocked. I thought he’d be behind him. I made the good pass but Bayless made the play and scored. I knew there was not going to be anyone helpside because Noah is always on the ball. There’s only one other big and that’s Taj (Gibson) and he was up top."

It didn’t go unappreciated by his coach either. One of the greatest passers ever to play the game, Jason Kidd recognizes a good pass when he sees one:

"Everybody talks about the shot, but it is the guy who throws the ball in that has to have the nerve to throw that pass. Duds made a heck of a pass. Bayless did the important thing by putting it in, but I think he sold the cut very well on Rose."

On a night where the young Bucks picked up a big win that could have ramifications long beyond this series in this new era of Bucks’ basketball, it just seemed right for Jared Dudley to be at the center of proceedings.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks Need To Start Winning Momentum Shifts

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