The Milwaukee Bucks had a disastrous start to the playoffs. Losing both games in Indiana, the Bucks now need to make adjustments. One former guard thinks a certain forgotten player may help.
The biggest issue for the Bucks has been their defense. Tyrese Haliburton has been able to easily piece up the defense and get switches onto Brook Lopez to blow by him for easy baskets. Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam have been brilliant offensively and on the glass.
To fix these issues, former Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings believes Andre Jackson Jr. may be the answer.
Andre Jackson Jr would be good for this series need some type of energy
— Brandon Jennings (@Tuff__Crowd) April 23, 2025
Andre Jackson Jr.'s NBA Cup performance shows he can help Bucks
We have only seen Jackson in the final minute of Game 1, as he has fallen down the pecking order of the Bucks rotation. The sophomore started 43 games for the Bucks this season and looked to be the perfect partner in the backcourt with Damian Lillard. A lack of offensive production saw him slowly phased out of the rotation, but with the Milwaukee Bucks desperate for a win, is he the answer?
The lack of energy and intensity in the first two games caused the Bucks to find themselves in holes and with too much work to do to climb out of them. Doc Rivers has persisted with a starting lineup that doesn't work. The veteran players just can't keep up with the youthful Pacers.
Jackson showed his importance in the NBA Cup win back in December. He held probable MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 21 points on 8-of-24 (33.3 percent) shooting and 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from deep. It wasn't just the shooting of SGA that he slowed down; Jackson held him to four rebounds and just two assists as well. He can be used in the same way to stop Haliburton from getting into his flow. If you stop him from creating, the Pacers tend to struggle as a team.
We have seen how important second-round picks can be in this series, with Andrew Nembhard being a brilliant asset for Indiana. It is a stark difference from the Bucks, who have Jackson, Chris Livingston and Tyler Smith watching from the bench. Milwaukee's talent development is another conversation, but Jackson has shown flashes of his ability, and he has the skill set the Milwaukee Bucks may need.
Even in sporadic spells, bringing him off the bench to guard full-court and upset the Pacers' rhythm would stop the Milwaukee Bucks from having to claw back from huge deficits.
The Bucks haven't upset the Pacers yet, but Jackson's hustle and energy can disrupt them, especially with the next two games at Fiserv Forum. If they want any chance of winning this series, they need to win both games at home. Changes need to be made to the rotation, and Jackson could be the missing piece.
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