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Jared Dudley undergoes X-ray on troublesome kneecap

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

As much as they've surprised and succeeded this season, the Milwaukee Bucks have done so through a good deal of tumult.

Between the absence, suspension and subsequent release of Larry Sanders, the season-ending injuries to Jabari Parker, Kendall Marshall and Damien Inglis, nagging issues for Ersan Ilyasova and Zaza Pachulia and a major trade deadline shake-up, head coach Jason Kidd has been left to constantly juggle his rotation.

And now, he could be faced with tweaking his frontcourt rotation further, as veteran combo-forward Jared Dudley is dealing with soreness in his left knee. Dudley underwent an X-ray on the knee following Friday's game.

While he played 32 minutes Friday, a left knee flare-up for Dudley is a concern. He played through soreness in the kneecap for most of last season, ultimately citing the issue for a serious drop in performance with the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I can't bend me knee, all my shots are short, I can't move laterally," Dudley said earlier this month in describing how his knee felt in 2013-14, though he played through it at the request of head coach Doc Rivers.

Losing Dudley for a short stretch wouldn't be a huge blow to the Bucks as they jockey for playoff position in the East, but they're fairly thin on the wing. An extended absence or an issue that could linger would stand to hurt the Bucks more appreciably, especially if it comes with a dip in performance for Dudley.

In 57 games, Dudley's numbers have rebounded from a year ago. He's averaging eight points and 3.1 rebounds in 24.1 minutes, shooting a career-high 49.1 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from long range. The Bucks have been 9.7 points per-100 possessions better with him on the floor than off of it, an effect that's held whether he starts or comes off the bench.

Were he to miss time, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton could see more time at the three than the two and Ilyasova could masquerade as an enormous small forward.

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