The Milwaukee Bucks narrowly defeated the Chicago Bulls 105-102 in their first preseason game without its star players Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Following the victory new rumors surfaced about the team’s potential fifth starter. Head coach Adrian Griffin’s recent comments hint that Malik Beasley, the 26-year-old shooting guard might be the player.
Malik Beasley’s performance in Sunday’s game has left many talking, not just about his 3-point shooting that gave the Bucks their lead in the second quarter but also about his defensive potential. With 13 points and four assists in 22 minutes, Beasley proved he could be an asset on the court. Griffin’s postgame remarks about his defensive contributions added fuel to the speculation.
“First, he was playing hard on defense,” Griffin said. “We talked about this prior to this game and his role going forward into the season, that he’s going to have to take the toughest assignments most nights. With his 3-point shooting capabilities, I think he showcased tonight why he complements our roster.
Griffin added, “It will be fun to see him out there spacing the floor when we get Dame and Giannis back and see how teams play those guys. You just gotta be a threat out there. Every guy that’s on the floor, you gotta be a threat. And he gives us some 3-point shooting and some spacing.”
Could Malik Beasley become the Bucks fifth starter? Head coach Adrian Griffin hinted he might be the front runner.
“I think he showcased tonight why he complements our roster.”@eric_nehm shares three takeaways from Milwaukee’s preseason debut ⤵️https://t.co/rmZflpSiqm pic.twitter.com/qAc2YGfwHs
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 9, 2023
While Beasley has mostly come off the bench in his career, he has also started with teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers. His NBA experience gives him an edge over younger talents like Marjon Beauchamp and makes him a better fit than Jae Crowder or Pat Connaughton.
Can Malik Beasley step up defensively for the Bucks?
However, defense remains the main talking point here. If we see historically Beasley has not been known for his defensive prowess, which means the shooting guard has to put more effort into his defensive play to meet Griffin’s expectations for the role.
“It’s all a mental thing,” Beasley said after Sunday’s game. “There are great players in the world and most of them are shooting guards, so I gotta guard those guys. The best thing you can do is limit them. They’re going to make shots. They’re going to make tough shots. Lke one, Zach LaVine had a tough shot on me today, but I was there. As long as I can make a presence and make sure they don’t get super hot, I did my job. And we can get wins by (me doing) that.”
“His role going into this season, that he’s gonna have to take the toughest assignment most nights”
—Adrian griffin on Malik Beasley’s role on the defensive end #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/rWSbV1bItV
— ³⁴ (@GiannisWorld) October 8, 2023
The crucial play during Sunday’s game was when Beasley made an incredible effort to block LaVine’s pump fake jumper it highlights the kind of physicality and competitiveness Griffin is pushing. As the Bucks gear up for the new season, Beasley’s development as a potential fifth starter and his ability to step up defensively will be interesting to watch.