The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA so far this season as they came into the year with big expectations but are towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference right now. Head coach Jason Kidd changed his starting lineup in an effort to change the team's fortunes a little bit by putting O.J. Mayo and Jerryd Bayless in there for Michael Carter-Williams and Jabari Parker and it seems like Kidd will stick with that lineup moving forward, according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Bucks have run this new starting lineup out there for two games now and although they lost the first one they stopped a three games losing streak in their most recent game with a blowout win over the Denver Nuggets. Parker and Carter-Williams are still getting plenty of minutes off the bench but Kidd likes the way this new lineup has looked so far.
"We're going to go with the vets on the floor, the guys that are talking that are kind of setting the tone for us," said Kidd.
In the game against Denver, Parker had one of his best games of the season as he scored 16 points while adding four rebounds and two blocks. Carter-Williams on the other hand undoubtedly had his best game of the season on Monday coming off the bench as he scored 12 points, dished out nine assists, grabbed six rebounds and added three steals and three blocks.
Carter-Williams was at a point in the season where his play had really become an issue for the Bucks to the point that he was saying he didn't even deserve to be starting so being moved to the bench might have ignited a fire in him. Parker has played well this season in his return from the torn ACL but Kidd is choosing to go younger off the bench and let his veterans start.
This lineup change seems like a fine temporary solution for Milwaukee as they clearly needed something to change to get them out of their early season funk but in the long run Carter-Williams and Parker will likely be starters. Parker is the former number two overall pick and Kidd loves Carter-Williams because he sees a lot of himself in him so while they are coming off the bench right now it is likely just a short-term solution.
