Milwaukee Bucks forward Jae Crowder out for two months
The Milwaukee Bucks will be without veteran forward Jae Crowder for at least eight weeks while he recovers from a kidnapping injury.
Crowder suffered a core injury last weekend against the Orlando Magic. At the time, the Bucks said Crowder suffered a groin injury. An MRI showed a more serious condition, a tear in the left abductor and abdomen. Crowder consulted a specialist, who confirmed he needed immediate surgery.
Claude, 33, underwent surgery on Tuesday. The Bucks said he could return in mid-January, but an abdominal injury would be difficult.
Crowder averaged 8.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, mostly coming off the bench as a defensive specialist and accurate three-point shooter. This season he shot 53% from the field with the Bucks, including 52% from three-point range.
Next up: MarJon Beauchamp, Andre Jackson Jr.
Crowder started two games but was primarily the Bucks' sixth man and anchor of the second unit. Before his injury, Crowder was third in minutes played with the Bucks, behind only stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
The Bucks' bench is already thin after acquiring Lillard in a three-team trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that also included the Phoenix Suns. Losing Claude for two months was a huge blow.
Sports can be cruel sometimes," Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin said."Jae comes into training camp in amazing shape. Mind, body and soul. He is a big part of what we want to achieve in the future. "
Griffin will rely on backup forward Majon Beauchamp and rookie swingman Andre Jackson Jr. to replace Crowder.
It hurts, man," Beauchamp said in an interview with The Athletic. "Jae played really well for us. I know he really wants this. He works very hard. He looks just like the Jae Crowder we know. "
The Bucks selected Beauchamp with a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. This season he averaged 7.1 points and 2.6 rebounds off the bench.
Jackson, a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, won an NCAA championship with UConn in March. Since Crowder's loss, he's averaged 13.5 minutes per game, 1.8 points and 1.8 rebounds.
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The Bucks (6-4) currently sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. After the Bucks completed the blockbuster trade for Lillard, their starting five is still trying to develop chemistry.
Meanwhile, the dynamic Indiana Pacers sit first in the Central Division with a 7-4 record. The Pacers average a league-high 126.5 points per game, nearly 10 points more than the Bucks.
The Bucks remain the consensus favorite to win the Central Division at -250 odds. They are seeking a sixth straight division title. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a +240 chance to win the division, something they haven't done since LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in 2018.
After an impressive start, the Pacers improved to +1300 in the Central Division. The Chicago Bulls (4-7) have a +5500 chance to win the Central Division, and the Detroit Pistons (2-10) have an excellent +50000 chance.
After a slow start, the Bucks currently sit third on DraftKings' NBA Futures rankings with odds of +450 to win. The new-look Boston Celtics are the consensus championship favorite at +350, followed by the defending champion Denver Nuggets at +400.
The Celtics (8-2) are the favorite to win the Eastern Conference at +155, but the Bucks are right behind them at +200. The Philadelphia 76ers now have a +600 chance to win the division. The Sixers are off to a solid 8-2 start after trading hapless shooting guard James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Bucks are the worst betting team in the NBA this season. They went 1-8-1 against the spread and fell short of expectations following the Lillard trade.
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Source: www.casino.org
