I’m certain I didn’t realize it at the time, but back when I was watching Jerryd “Baysed God” Bayless on the Bucks back in the 2015-16 season, I was actually watching PRIME Jerry Bayless. The Bayless experience was never better before or since, unless you count that time he was Summer League MVP (I don’t count that because Summer League doesn’t count). The year before that, he hit a game-winner in the playoffs.
Think about that for a second. Jerryd Bayless, career journeyman and overall scrubnugget. Game-winner. Playoffs. That maybe should have been a clue that I was witnessing something special, that I was watching a lifelong role-player play the best basketball of his life, but I remained oblivious. When his time with Milwaukee came to an end, I was neither happy nor sad. He was better than Greivis Vasquez and Jorge Gutierrez. That was about the extent of my thoughts on him.
Now, in Minnesota, Bayless has been trapped behind Teague, Rose, and Tyus Jones in the rotation. He could play shooting guard too, in fact, that might be his natural position, but he’s trapped behind Rose and Josh Okogie there. So, minutes for the Baysed God have been severely reduced. However, with Jones out for a bit and Teague out for just this game, Bayless got the opportunity to play major minutes and he made the most of it. Except for the part where he missed two three-pointers and a layup all in one position. That sucked. But the rest of it was okay I guess.
Damn. A game-winner in the playoffs. Damn.