5 Bucks who could become playoff heroes like 2021 Pat Connaughton, P.J. Tucker

The Milwaukee Bucks would not have secured the 2021 NBA Championship without players such as Pat Connaughton and P.J. Tucker.

While players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday were the driving forces behind the win, these two role players stepped up mightily in their own ways. For Tucker, it was being a defensive hound who was willing to take on the tough assignments. For Connaughton, he served as a Swiss Army Knife, knocking down threes, grabbing rebounds and playing defense.

If they will win another title this season, the Milwaukee Bucks will need their role players to take a page out of Connaughton and Tucker's book. Here are five Bucks who could step up to the plate and become Milwaukee legends for the remainder of time.

AJ Green

Upon taking over as head coach, Doc Rivers said that one of Milwaukee's young players would have to step up down the line. Thus far, that player has been AJ Green, an undrafted sophomore who has an electric outside shot. As Milwaukee deals with injuries, Green's minutes have been hot and cold, but in the postseason, perhaps he could get an opportunity under the bright lights.

Opposing squads will lock in on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, leaving open perimeter shooters. That approach is why Green has thrived alongside those players, shooting 27-of-59 (45.8 percent) on his "wide-open" 3-point shots, per NBA.com/stats. If he could keep that up in the postseason, there's no doubt he could make an impact.

Due to his sweet outside shooting, Green is the type of player who could have the type of series that Bryn Forbes had against the Miami Heat in 2021 or Grayson Allen had against the Chicago Bulls back in 2022. If Milwaukee's offense is in a rut, Rivers could potentially throw Green into the mix to try and get the ball through the net a few times.

If given the chance, Green could create an iconic highlight or two, such as knocking down a 3-pointer in the clutch, like what he did against the LA Clippers earlier this season.

Green is already blossoming into a fan-favorite in Milwaukee, but a strong showing in the postseason could promote him to hero status.

Malik Beasley

Sticking with players who could make a difference with their outside shooting, the Milwaukee Bucks need Malik Beasley to get it going. He's been in a massive shooting slump as of late, and it couldn't have come at a more challenging time with the team struggling and the postseason nearing. If these struggles carry over into the playoffs, it could be catastrophic.

Beasley could be the biggest boom or bust candidate in terms of impact. If he can shake this slump and get into a groove, he could provide elite perimeter shooting to make defenses pay when leaving him open and swing a series. If the slump continues, especially this mightily, it may be hard to send him out there for significant minutes.

The guard certainly has what it takes to become a playoff hero. He shattered Ray Allen's record for most games in a season with five or more 3-point makes, and if he could register a few outings like that on the big stage, it could cement his status among the franchise's playoff heroes. It could also help him earn a nice raise in pay this summer when he hits NBA Free Agency.

He's got two regular season games to work on shooting his way out of this grueling shooting slump that has hurt his production mightily since the All-Star break.

Jae Crowder

From the moment the Milwaukee Bucks acquired him in 2023, Jae Crowder has been compared to P.J. Tucker. Both are veteran forwards known for their toughness, versatility and defensive impact. Crowder was not able to help bring Milwaukee a title in his first year like Tucker did, but he could be a useful piece in helping them do so this time around.

The Bucks need defense from just about anywhere they can get it, and Crowder has been one of the team's best contributors on that side of things this season. Opposing players have shot 72-of-178 (40.4 percent) following the NBA All-Star break, which is the best mark on the Bucks among those to defend at least 20 shots, making his presence known.

Crowder should receive some difficult wing assignments in the postseason. Unlike players such as Malik Beasley and Pat Connaughton, Crowder has the height and build to make things more difficult for opposing scorers, just like P.J. Tucker did. If Crowder plays the same brand of hounding defense against big names, it would be a significant boost for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Like Beasley, Crowder could earn himself a nice paycheck in free agency if he comes to play and thrives in his role when the lights are the brightest.

Patrick Beverley

Patrick Beverley is the type of player who could swing a game with a single sequence. He does a little of everything out there, whether it's playing hard-nosed defense, finding the open man, knocking in his own triples or hyping up his teammates. All of those were reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks swung a trade for him at the deadline. They know the impact he can have.

Above all else, Milwaukee will need Beverley's defense. Although he's just 6-foot-3, Beverley can take on players of all shapes and sizes within reason. A lot of good guards stand in the way of a title, and he will draw those assignments. The Bucks will need Beverley to live up to his agitator title, making life as difficult as possible for opposing players.

Now, it should be noted that Beverley is not healthy right now. He's dealing with a wrist injury that will force him to go under the knife when the season is over. That speaks to his toughness and how much he wants to help the Milwaukee Bucks win it all this season. If he helps them reach the mountaintop while battling this injury, it would cement his name in Milwaukee Bucks lore forever.

The guard has taken on a larger role as a starter lately, and he's flat-out thrived. Hopefully he can keep this up down the stretch and into the NBA Playoffs. Beverley is a known beer guy, and if he wins it all with the Milwaukee Bucks, he may never have to buy his own beer in Wisconsin ever again.

Bobby Portis

In the eyes of many, Bobby Portis is already a Milwaukee Bucks legend. He certainly had his share of impactful moments in that 2021 run, but if he can put together a strong showing in these playoffs, he could transcend the talks of 2021 Connaughton and Tucker and enter the conversation of possibly seeing No. 9 head to the Fiserv Forum ceiling down the line.

It's been a turbulent season for Portis, but lately, he's been excellent. In six games this month, the big man has averaged 19.8 points on 56.4 percent field goal shooting and 50 percent shooting from the perimeter, 8.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Milwaukee has been far from healthy in this stretch, and Bobby Portis has stepped up to the plate mightily to fill their shoes.

Speaking of being banged up, there's a Giannis Antetokounmpo-sized question hole in the team's starting lineup right now. The Greek Freak is currently slated to miss the rest of the regular season, and his status for the start of the NBA Playoffs is currently unknown, though B/R and TNT insider Chris Haynes says the Milwaukee Bucks are confident that he will be back.

If Antetokounmpo misses any postseason time, Portis will be tasked with stepping up like he has as of late. No one player can replace Antetokounmpo, but the scoring, rebounding and hustle Portis brings to the table nightly could help the Milwaukee Bucks mightily. Even if Antetokounmpo is back, Portis must continue this recent hot streak to give this team its best shot to win.

This playoff run could certainly be legacy-altering for Bobby Portis.

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