Giannis Antetokounmpo drops truth bomb on Bucks' triumphant lineup change
After a 1-6 start to the regular season, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers changed his lineup before facing the Utah Jazz, inserting shooting guard Andre Jackson Jr. into his starting five. They snapped a six-game losing streak, and Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 31 points and 16 rebounds. He also talked about the lineup change and appreciated what Jackson Jr. brought to the game, per ESPN's Jamal Collier.
"He brings energy," Antetokounmpo said. "He plays his ass off, guards the best player. We play faster. He was incredible today. We definitely need that. We need that spark. We need to play with that energy."
The second-year guard finished with seven points on 3-of-4 attempts, four assists, and four steals. Jackson Jr. replaced Gary Trent Jr. in the Bucks' starting lineup. The 2023 second-round pick made his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
"We keep looking for that position just to be a good role player," Rivers said before Thursday's game. "[We want Andre to] just be an athlete. Be quick to the ball. Defend, understand your role."
Trent Jr. struggled in his first seven games with the Bucks, shooting 28% from the field and 23% from deep. Inserting Jackson Jr. into the lineup adds another dimension that strengthens the Bucks' defense. However, Rivers hasn't committed long-term to his latest starting 5.
Injecting Jackson Jr. into the lineup helped Antetokunmpo and Damian Lillard's 31 and 34-point performances. Lillard also finished with seven assists, four rebounds, and four steals in Milwaukee's blowout win against the Jazz.
"Going into this next stretch of games, it was important for us to get back in the win column," Lillard said. "Not just win a game, but do a lot of things we can have some carry-over with."
NBA rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks not seeking trade
After an underwhelming 1-6 start to the 2024-25 regular season, many wondered about the likelihood of seeing the Milwaukee Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo at some point this season . However, that is reportedly not the case, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
"Anytime a team like that is struggling, there's certainly going to be questions about the future of Giannis. He's not looking to be moved. Milwaukee is not looking to move him," Marks said. "They're looking to try to figure out kind of what went wrong with this roster to start the season here. So, I think we can put away the fictional Giannis trade proposals for right now. There's no concern on that front."
The Bucks will face the Knicks on Friday.
