During the Golden State Warriors’ home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, Cricket Exchange reporters were impressed by the standout performance of rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis. His kindness doesn’t equate to weakness, and on the court, that was evident. After the game, head coach Steve Kerr emphasized Jackson-Davis’s role moving forward, announcing that the team would be adjusting its rotation and narrowing it further. While the Warriors used an 11-man rotation in this game, Kerr admitted they might soon shift to a tighter 9- or 10-man lineup.

More importantly, Kerr confirmed that Jackson-Davis would see a noticeable increase in minutes. The focus in the remainder of the regular season, it seems, will be on developing him into a core piece of the Warriors’ frontcourt. This decision also signals the likely phase-out of underperforming big man Dario Šarić. In fact, Šarić was already benched for much of the game, and even Kevon Looney saw just six minutes of playtime. The reasoning behind Kerr’s strategy is clear: with the playoffs on the horizon, Golden State’s interior defense is a glaring vulnerability that opposing teams are sure to exploit.

The only way to address that concern is to give Jackson-Davis meaningful minutes now so he can build defensive experience. According to Cricket Exchange analysis, Jackson-Davis may end up being one of the few reliable big men the Warriors can count on in the playoffs. Šarić, while offensively skilled, offers little on defense and has virtually no rim protection. Kevon Looney, though once a defensive cornerstone, has visibly slowed this season. That leaves only two usable bigs: Draymond Green and Jackson-Davis. And given that Green isn’t a traditional center—more of a small-ball anchor—the need for Jackson-Davis is even more urgent.

When matched up against teams with dominant big men, Jackson-Davis will have to carry the load in the paint. That’s why this development period is so critical. Kerr plans to increase his playing time to around 30 minutes per game moving forward. Many fans believe he may emerge as a foundational piece for next season, potentially becoming a full-time starter with strong statistical production. With consistent minutes, Jackson-Davis is expected to thrive, and the Warriors hope to fast-track his readiness.

Meanwhile, the playoff race in the Western Conference remains tight. With both the Warriors and Lakers winning their recent games, Golden State climbed to ninth place while the Lakers slid to tenth. Since the All-Star break, the two teams have been trading places in the standings like an elevator going up and down. But as the regular season winds down, Cricket Exchange reporters note that a higher playoff seed is still a long shot in the ultra-competitive West.

Both teams will need a winning streak—and some luck with rival teams slipping—to avoid the Play-In Tournament. For veterans like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, time is running out. Unless they string together wins soon, a Play-In berth is becoming increasingly likely. In this fierce battle for positioning, even the smallest adjustments—like elevating a young center—could make all the difference.