Bucks Zone

Mike Budenholzer says Jrue Holiday is currently not with the team and might not join them in Indiana for personal reasons

Jrue may not be available for the Bucks for a couple of games.
Matthew Dugandzic|
Mike Budenholzer says Jrue Holiday is currently not with the team and might not join them in Indiana for personal reasons
Mike Budenholzer says Jrue Holiday is currently not with the team and might not join them in Indiana for personal reasons

In this story:

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday is currently not with the team, and according to coach Mike Budenholzer, the veteran playmaker may also not be available on Wednesday when they take on the Indiana Pacers. The reason for Holiday’s absence remains unclear as the injury report indicates it is for “personal reasons.”

A crucial stretch of games

Holiday’s absence comes at a crucial stretch for a Bucks squad that is trying to lock down the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the entire league. This task is challenging albeit rewarding as Milwaukee could claim homecourt advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs.

Right after the Pacers, the Bucks won’t have much time to recuperate as they battle the Boston Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back. The Celtics are currently just a game-and-a-half behind the Bucks in the race for the best record.

After a few days, the Bucks will duke it out with another Eastern Conference contender, the Philadelphia 76ers, in a critical stretch of games that may very well determine where the Bucks will stand once the NBA Playoffs start.

Backcourt depth

With Holiday’s availability up in the air, the Bucks have a few options to turn to in backup guard Jevon Carter, who averages 9.1 points on 40% shooting from beyond the arc, whenever he starts.

The Bucks also recently activated another veteran guard, Goran Dragic, who played in his first game for Milwaukee in the game versus Detroit. In addition, Joe Ingles and Giannis Antetokounmpo have filled in at the guard position when needed.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.