On Friday night, the Milwaukee Bucks barely defeated the New York Knicks 110-105, holding off a 45-point scoring spree from Jalen Brunson. In addition to improving to 3-2 during the regular season, the Bucks also got off to a quick 1-0 lead in pool play of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.

With 30 points, including several clutch baskets in the fourth quarter, Damian Lillard had a fantastic game. Despite having a rough night overall, Giannis Antetokounmpo did show promise when it came to three-point shooting, going 3-3 from beyond the arc. However, it was the efforts of MarJon Beauchamp that made a difference for the Bucks in this one.

In 13 bench minutes, the second-year wing finished the game vs. the Knicks with 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists. However, he shot 5-7 from the field and 3-5 from three while playing excellent defense. Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin had nothing but positive things to say about Beauchamp’s performance. “He’s really establishing himself as a threat on both sides of the ball.”

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have also each spoken highly of Beauchamp. “He’s definitely a big part of this team and he needs to know this,” Antetokounmpo said.

“Not because I said it, because the whole team believes it.”

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Despite the fact that Beauchamp averaged just five points per game as a rookie, the leaders of his team have a lot of faith in him. That’s due to the effort they’ve seen him give in training camp and his versatility on both sides of the ball. If Beauchamp can replicate Friday night’s performance, the Bucks have themselves a strong young talent. After all, they selected him in the first round for a reason.