3 Milwaukee Bucks players with the most to gain down the stretch

The NBA season is heading into the final months of the regular season and the Milwaukee Bucks currently sit second in the Eastern Conference with a 41-22 record.

Coming up, the Bucks have a tough stretch of games, and the results and performances will be integral to what seed they hold heading into the postseason, but also will help Doc Rivers decide what lineups and rotations give them the best chance of making a deep run.

Since the All-Star break, the Bucks won six straight before falling to the Golden State Warriors in a 125-90 defeat. They head into a tough West Coast trip where they take on the Lakers, Clippers and Kings before heading back to Milwaukee to face the Sixers and Suns. March is rounded off with games against the Celtics, Nets, Thunder, Lakers, Pelicans and Hawks.

This gauntlet, especially in the next two weeks, will really show where the Bucks are at as a team and help fine tune their lineups. It is integral for the players to step up in these weeks as the Cleveland Cavaliers are just half a game back in the three seed and this battle is important as the two seed will only have to face the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Championship game should they get there.

It has been a turbulent season for the Bucks, but it feels as though things are starting to settle down; the defense has improved, Giannis Antetokounmpo is continuing to put up MVP-level performances and the wins are becoming more convincing.

With this out of the way, let's take a look at three Milwaukee Bucks with the most to gain down the stretch.

1. AJ Green

During Adrian Griffin's tenure as head coach of the Bucks, guard AJ Green rarely stepped foot on the court despite impressing during his stint as a two-way player last season. Since the All-Star break, Green has seen his minutes increase under Rivers and has contributed massively to the improvement in the contributions from the bench unit.

Green has played in 14 of Rivers' 17 games in charge and is averaging 13.7 minutes per game, hitting the 20-minute mark on three occasions. Under Griffin, he never hit the 20-minute mark once and averaged just 7.5 minutes per game and 3.3 points. That has increased to 6.4 points on 40.7 percent shooting from deep and taking 4.2 attempts beyond the arc per game.

One huge improvement his game has seen has come on the defensive end. He doesn't fill the box score with steals or blocks, but he has massively improved just in terms of shot contesting and being able to stay in front of his opponent, something he struggled with last season.

It is clear that Rivers has trust in Green, and the sharpshooter is not letting him down. If he keeps it up down the stretch, then he may see an even more prominent role off the bench and be a big contributor in the playoffs. With Malik Beasley hitting just two of his last 20 3-pointers, Green could be one to take advantage and be given some of those minutes Beasley sees on the court.

Green is under contract for the next two seasons, but the money is non-guaranteed, so he is still playing for his place on the team next season. I think he has shown enough already to keep him around as a cheap specialist option that can still be impactful.

2. Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis was one of the players that Bucks fans felt should be moved at the trade deadline to make a significant move to improve the roster. He has repaid the faith shown in him by the front office and is back to being the player who has been a contender for Sixth Man of the Year every season since arriving in Wisconsin.

In the 17 games since Rivers arrived, Portis and Patrick Beverley have had a huge impact off the bench. They feed off of each other's energy, and that is beginning to rub off on the rest of the locker room. His minutes have only increased slightly, but he is hitting over 40 percent of his shots from three, adding an extra rebound, and his points have jumped up to 15.5.

In the first 46 games of the season, he scored 20 points on six occasions; since Rivers came in, he has scored 20 on four occasions. This impact off the bench has propelled the Bucks forward, and he looks to be back to his best. In the tough matchup with the Clippers and without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Portis stepped up to score 28 points and register 16 rebounds as he helped power the Bucks to victory.

We know that Portis will be a big part of the team, but after doubts early on, he now has the chance to really push for more minutes off the court as they have seen a noticeable dip from the last two seasons. With Jae Crowder struggling offensively and Khris Middleton expected to be slowly integrated back into the rotation, Portis can really step up and show why he deserves more minutes and should remain in Milwaukee moving forward.

3. Jae Crowder

This is an interesting choice as it could be either most to lose or most to gain with Crowder. He has recently been part of the starting lineup with Middleton out, and down the stretch, he has had an opportunity to claim his spot in the Milwaukee Bucks starting five. There is a potential argument for Middleton to come off the bench once he returns as he looks to get back into the swing of things, as well as offering the Bucks a different dynamic with their early substitutions.

The last two games have seen Crowder play less than 20 minutes, having done that just once in the previous 13 games. He's averaging 24 minutes this season. This could come down to in-game situations, but it shouldn't really be of any concern to Crowder. With him being one of the better defenders on the roster and some star wings taking on the Bucks in the coming weeks, this is his chance to really stamp down on why he should stay in the starting lineup.

Since the All-Star break, he has been shooting just 23.5 percent from three, which needs to improve drastically, but we know he is a 35 percent shooter this season and over his career, so that should jump back up. However, if it doesn't, then he may see his minutes decrease with Portis now stepping up and Middleton returning. This is what I mean by it could be seen as most to lose or most to gain.

The final point on Crowder is that he is a free agent this offseason, so he needs to show why he deserves to have his stay in Milwaukee. I think for his own reputation among Bucks fans, this run will have a big say on how he is perceived as a Bucks player. He was exactly what the team needed last season but was perhaps underutilized, and it seemed as though he would move on.

Down the stretch, there is a lot to play for, not only in terms of where the Bucks sit in the standings but also within the roster and how Rivers tackles the postseason. Many more players have a lot to gain and could find their roles increased or their way into the rotation in the final months of the regular season.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.