NBA journeyman Jamal Crawford is expected to make his debut with the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, while Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe will make his first appearance in the bubble.
Bledsoe is expected to play “relatively low minutes” on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews, and Crawford will come off the bench and play “short stints.”
Many patiently awaited for an NBA team to call Crawford in need of his services, and the Nets finally dialed his digits after several roster shortcomings ahead of the restart.
Brooklyn has split two games since coming into the bubble, losing to the Orlando Magic by 10 points on Friday and managing to outpace the Washington Wizards on Sunday for a vital eight-point win.
Crawford had been held out of action after being away from the game for more than a year, but now the franchise is confident his conditioning is up to par.
The Nets will need his scoring prowess after their two best scorers — Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie — were unable to take part in the restart. Kevin Durant, who was acquired in the offseason, was still ruled out for the remainder of the season.
As for Bledsoe, the Bucks are happy to get him back to take some pressure off their superstar. Giannis Antetokounmpo shouldered a lot of the load against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, but fell short of bringing home the win after some questionable decisions down the stretch.
Even if he only plays a handful of minutes, incorporating Eric Bledsoe will prove key as the Bucks tune up for the playoffs in these upcoming games.
Pat Connaughton will also be making his bubble debut after missing the first two games. The Bucks will clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference if they beat the shorthanded Nets.
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