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!
No. 2 – Bucks’ Pick Your Poison Lineup: Carter, Connaughton, Crowder, Portis, G. Antetokounmpo
In my previous article, I mentioned how fired up I am about Bobby Portis and Jae Crowder on the court together. This is the lineup I think The Bucks should have in their arsenal when it comes to those two playing together.
The key factor of this lineup is the floor spacing surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Carter, Connaughton, Crowder, and Portis all have a career 3-point percentage at or above a respectable 34 percent. This is where opposing teams will have to “pick their poison”; teams can either set up that Giannis wall and try to take away Antetokounmpo coming full steam to the rim or stay with the shooters and be at the mercy of Giannis coming downhill.
This lineup also comes with energy and hustle that Bucks fans will absolutely gravitate to; expect this lineup to win most of the 50-50 battles for the basketball and also win in the rebounding factor with Antetokounmpo and Portis both averaging double-digit rebounds per game. This lineup will also feature Antetokounmpos’ unique passing ability that has improved over the past few seasons. Currently, Antetokounmpo is averaging 5.5 assists per game. Playing this “Point-Center” position should keep his assists steady and also pose a matchup nightmare for the opposition.
No. 3 – The Bucks’ Closing Lineup: Holiday, Middleton, Crowder, Portis, G. Antetokounmpo
It’s closing time; no not the catchy tune from the band Semisonic. This is all about the closing lineup I think The Bucks should send out against teams in tight games.
In the 2021 NBA Finals, The Bucks were closing with a similar lineup with Connaughton and Tucker instead of this lineup with Crowder and Portis. This lineup provides multiple weapons and different actions that will give opposing teams headaches.
It features a primary ballhandler in Holiday, shot creation with Middleton, floor spacing with Crowder and Portis, and the big factor…Giannis at the five. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Bucks have an offensive efficiency differential of +15.8 and score an astounding 118.4 points per 100 possessions (would lead the NBA) with Antetokounmpo playing at the center position this season. That is with Giannis only playing center for only 15 percent of his total minutes so far this season. To put it in perspective; the expected win total in an 82-game season is 72! The Bucks have been absolutely dominating teams with Giannis at the center position.
This lineup also allows The Bucks to use the Giannis-Middleton pick and roll, which was massive down the stretch in games during The 2021 Playoffs as well.
Stay tuned to see if Coach Mike Budenholzer utilizes these lineups when Jae Crowder takes the floor for the Milwaukee Bucks.