Bucks' Doc Rivers, Damian Lillard, and Giannis Praise Guard For Limiting Tyrese Haliburton

His contributions would be overlooked on the stat sheet.

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

One of the stars of the Milwaukee Bucks' 129-117 win over the Indiana Pacers was a player who did not even score a single point during the win — Andre Jackson Jr.

Though Jackson finished with a stat line of no points, six rebounds, and one assist, he was credited for perhaps one of the most critical aspects of the win — guarding Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Haliburton has not been playing his best basketball to start the season, but Jackson held him from taking over the game once again on Friday. Jackson's defense limited Haliburton to 18.0 points, one rebound, and nine assists. He was held to six of 14 from the field and four of ten on three-point attempts as well.

Jackson's defense earned rave reviews from the Bucks, starting with his head coach Doc Rivers.

I thought our defense was phenomenal tonight ... Loved our defensive effort," Rivers said, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It’s amazing – [Andre Jackson Jr.] had zero points and he had probably one of the biggest impacts in the game, just defending [Tyrese] Haliburton most of the game, making little plays. I just thought defensively, all of us, they were locked in."

Giannis Antetokounmpo added: "[Jackson] plays incredible defense on Tyrese Haliburton today, scored zero points, we gotta have his back. Next time he's wide open or he cuts, gotta give him the ball, we gotta feed him, we gotta make him feel good, because he's sacrificed so much, he sacrificed his body for us."

Though Haliburton has not been playing up to his normal level, his Bucks teammates did not overlook how well the second-year pro did going up against an All-Star.

“I’m mean ‘Dre was handling him, picking him up full court, denying him sometimes," Lillard said of Jackson, via Owczarski. "Once the ball got across half court he was in his face and a player like that you want to take away any comfort and any space. Any all-star level player, you give ‘em space they’re gonna pick you apart, they’re gonna dominate the game. I think if you look at ‘Dre’s stat line, he didn’t even score a point but he was plus-18.”

Along with the defensive performance, the offense worked together as well as they have all season and scored 129 points, also critical to earning their third straight win.

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