A three-game win streak since the All-Star break has the Milwaukee Bucks in good form as they head into the final stretch of the season.
They currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 32-24 record, just half a game back of the Indiana Pacers in what looks set to be the four vs. five matchup. Sunday night's win over the Miami Heat showed yet again the importance of the new additions to the roster, in particular Kevin Porter Jr.
It was a third straight win after being down double digits at some point, showing the resilience of this Bucks team and the new firepower that Porter, Kyle Kuzma and Jericho Sims have brought to both ends of the floor. However, one player who has found himself falling out of the rotation due to the new faces is breakout candidate Andre Jackson Jr.
Jackson was a key part of the Bucks' first half of the season and has started 43 games this season. He took part in the Dunk Contest at All-Star weekend but since then has found himself falling victim to the talent brought in. He is now getting garbage time minutes at best.
Jackson's lack of offensive threat has caused him to fall out of the mix
Everyone knew the sophomore was far from a polished NBA player. He has the assets to improve his offensive game, but this season, it feels as though Jackson has struggled to do it. The defense was such a vital part of the team in the early part of the season, but we saw AJ Green start at the two guard against the Washington Wizards, with Doc Rivers opting to go with a bigger lineup and have Taurean Prince play the shooting guard spot against the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat.
Kuzma's addition has proven vital on both ends of the floor, even bringing out the best of Brook Lopez, with his versatility and athleticism a big boost to a team that was lacking it in huge parts. Porter is the one, however, who is really keeping Jackson out of the rotation. His defense was invaluable, but offensively, there were many times when he just didn't add enough, which Porter can do.
This season, he is averaging 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists on shooting splits of .469/.386/.556. Jackson has only scored double digits on two occasions and has scored more than five points in 15 games. It's a real issue for someone averaging 16.8 minutes per game and even plays up to 30 minutes some nights.
In the three games since the All-Star break, he did not play against the Clippers and played a combined 4:40 across the other two games. Jackson will still have a part to play for the Bucks this season, with him being the best perimeter defender on the roster. The lack of offense, though, has seen multiple players go above him in the depth chart, and he doesn't have the skill set yet to be that impact off the bench an offense may need.
We will see more of Andre Jackson Jr. this season as he is a specialist the team needs. For now, he has found himself out of the rotation, with the only way to make it back in is by improving his offense output and skillset.
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