Bucks' Doc Rivers reveals why he changed starting lineup

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After beginning the season with a 1-6 record, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers decided to switch things up against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Rivers decided to insert second-year swingman Andre Jackson Jr. into the starting lineup in place of Gary Trent Jr., who had been struggling to find his shot early on this season.

Jackson, who was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, has always been known for his athleticism and defensive instincts. Due to Rivers searching for a spark to get this team going on both ends, Jackson seemed like the clear and obvious choice to join the starting lineup. It appears as if Rivers’ move worked, as the Bucks wet on to win Thursday night’s game 123-100, with Jackson finishing the game +19 on the floor. He also had seven points, four assists, four steals, and three rebounds.

This performance from Jackson earned Rivers’ stamp of approval.

“Exactly what we wanted from him. He made plays. He was athletic. Defensively, I thought he pitched a shutout almost on anyone he guarded. Got his hand on things and got a couple of offensive rebounds. Ran the floor a couple of times,” Rivers said of Jackson’s performance after the game. “You know, it’s so funny; though he didn’t get the ball, I kept telling him, ‘With your speed, if you sprint down the middle of the floor, someone has to take you.’ A couple of times it was a guard; other times it was a big. And it led us to getting threes.

“He did everything we asked him to do.”

Andre Jackson Jr.’s starting role with Bucks permanent? 

Between his defensive versatility and athleticism, Jackson allows the Bucks to play faster and be a little more scrappy on defense. While Trent is a great player in his own right, he is not the athlete that Jackson can be at the shooting guard position next to Damian Lillard in the backcourt.

Whether or not this move will be permanent for the Bucks not only hinges on their success in games moving forward but also Trent’s response to coming off the bench. The 26-year-old has always been known for his scoring abilities on the perimeter, and the Bucks know that they will need Trent’s contributions throughout the season in order to be the title-contending team they hope to become. Given his early-season skid, Rivers felt it made the most sense to move Trent to the bench.

“I’m just trying to give him room to breathe,” Rivers said, via Jamal Collier of ESPN. “And get out of his little thing because I know he will.”

With Jackson getting the start on Thursday night, Trent only played in a total of eight minutes before departing with what Rivers described as back spasms. He did not play at all during the second half.

Right now, the Bucks are simply looking to win games. They are 1-0 with Jackson in the starting lineup, which is why nothing is expected to change heading into Friday night’s game on the road against the New York Knicks, the second leg of a back-to-back for Milwaukee.

Jackson has played well, and he has earned the respect of so many in the organization because of his hard-nosed play, including Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“He brings energy,” Giannis said of Jackson. “He plays his ass off and 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 Bucks and Jackson will look to build on their recent success and inch close to a .500 record for the season with a win against New York on Friday night in Madison Square Garden.

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