Amid constant lineups changes, it's clear who Bucks must start at shooting guard

In Saturday's contest against the Charlotte Hornets, Doc Rivers rolled out the sixth different starting five for the Milwaukee Bucks this season.

Injuries are forcing Rivers to constantly switch things up, digging deeper and deeper into his bench to see who fits where. The starting shooting guard spot remains a fascinating puzzle in this regard, with several players taking turns holding the role during these first 13 games. Gary Trent Jr. has started seven games there, AJ Green at two and Andre Jackson Jr. with four.

After Saturday's game, it's clear that while Rivers may need to keep experimenting with his lineups, the starting shooting guard job should belong to one player.

Andre Jackson Jr. is blossoming for the Milwaukee Bucks

There's no denying that Andre Jackson Jr. has been one of Milwaukee's best defenders this season. Currently, players are shooting 27-of-81 (33.3 percent) with Jackson as their primary defender, which is the second-best percentage in the entire league behind Alex Caruso, who is widely regarded as one of the top perimeter defenders in the entire league, among players to defend at least 80 shots.

What's impressive about this is that the Bucks are throwing him at the opposing team's top players far more frequently than many expected. It makes sense, given that Jackson not only has the height and length to match up with opponents of all shapes and sizes, but he also has the athleticism and hustle to make life tough for them in a way that older, slower veterans cannot.

For example, over the last two games, he's embraced the challenge of being the primary defender of Cade Cunningham and LaMelo Ball. With Jackson as his main defender, Cunningham shot a measly 1-of-8 and had two turnovers. Ball was 3-of-7 and had a turnover, but he did draw two shooting fouls on Jackson, to his credit. Still, it was clear that the wing's defense threw off Ball's game.

In total, over these two games, players from Detroit and Charlotte shot 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) when matched up with Andre Jackson Jr. No other role player on the Bucks is making that type of impact.

While Jackson's growth as a defender has been a welcoming lift, questions about his offense and if he can be a threat on that side of the court have lingered. Yet, after looking somewhat timid to shoot at times early this season, Jackson showed against Charlotte that he's no slouch on that end, as he finished with 14 points on an impressive 4-of-5 shooting from behind the arc.

Of course, no one should expect Jackson to sink four triples per game, but this outing showed that not only does he have confidence in this shot but that he can also knock them down. In a lineup with other stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, role players will have open looks, and if Jackson can knock them down while playing this type of defense, the starting job should be his.

Jackson simply fits well with the other starters. He and Taurean Prince can serve as the top perimeter defenders and switch between the toughest matchups, providing resistance to opponents driving to the rim before they meet Brook Lopez. Offensively, he's still more of a work in progress, but he's on the rise, as evidenced by his latest impressive outing.

Some will point to these two games being a small sample size, but the truth is that Jackson is growing with each passing contest. The leaps he has even taken since the start of the season are impressive, and if he can get a grip on his foul trouble, he could be a legitimate weapon for this Milwaukee team. For the time being, he should firmly remain the Milwaukee Bucks starting shooting guard.

Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green are unquestionably solid players, but they need to come off the bench behind the rising Andre Jackson Jr.

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