The acquisition of the newest member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jae Crowder, has sparked big-time excitement throughout the fan base. In my previous article; I discussed three reasons to love the trade; in this one, I will discuss three lineups the Bucks must use now that Crowder is officially on the roster. Personally, I’m fired up about all three options.
No. 1 – Bucks’ Playoff Starting Lineup: Holiday, Middleton, Crowder, G. Antetokounmpo, Lopez
This is a similar lineup the Bucks used during their 2021 championship run in which they used P.J. Tucker as the main defender against the opposing team’s top scorer. Crowder would assume this responsibility here.
While Crowder may equal what Tucker brought defensively, he will provide a much more different threat offensively around the perimeter. Opposing teams were mainly worried about Tucker from the corner spots around the 3-point line; Crowder will force teams to account for him in many other locations.
This lineup has the potential to be very special on the defensive end. According to NBA.com, the Bucks are top three in defensive rating. This lineup already has three of the top 20 players in individual defensive rating in Holiday, Lopez, and Antetokounmpo. Adding Crowder to this mix could make this defense absolutely suffocating. I am currently having shortness of breath just thinking about it!