Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks have proved the doubters wrong all season. They’re starting to prove to themselves they can win without injured center Andrew Bogut.
The Bucks look for a fourth straight victory Friday night while trying to end a four-game road losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Milwaukee (44-34) has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, clinching its first winning season in seven years and first playoff berth in four. It took a turn for the worse, though, when Bogut - the team’s leading scorer at 15.9 points per game - was lost for the season in Saturday’s 107-98 win over Phoenix with a dislocated right elbow.
The Bucks have won both games since learning the news about their center, topping Chicago 79-74 on Tuesday and beating New Jersey 108-89 on Wednesday. Though both wins came against losing teams, the Bucks remain encouraged.
“It’s two good wins for us,” guard John Salmons(notes) said. “We’ve got to continue to learn how to play without Bogues (Bogut). These first few games is a good step for us and hopefully we can continue doing that.”
Salmons has stepped up to average 24.0 points the last two games, and he’s averaging 20.3 in 26 contests since being acquired from the Bulls on Feb. 18.
Without Bogut, the Bucks are also counting on more from their bench. The reserves came through Wednesday as Jerry Stackhouse(notes) scored 18 points and Ersan Ilyasova(notes) added 15.
“Everybody has to step up and do a little bit more than they did before,” Ilyasova said. “He (Bogut) was really a key player for us. Everybody has to play more aggressive and play better defense and we can win the games.”
Milwaukee is tied with Miami for the No. 5 seed, and the Bucks own the tiebreaker.
Philadelphia (26-52) has won seven of its last eight against Milwaukee, including a 99-86 home victory that spoiled the Bucks’ season opener Oct. 30.
The 76ers seemed to have plenty of promise at that time after losing in the first round of the playoffs the two previous seasons. It’s turned out much differently, with Philadelphia recording its most losses since going 22-60 in 1996-97.
Philadelphia has lost five straight overall after falling 99-95 at Miami on Wednesday. Samuel Dalembert(notes) had 19 points and 16 rebounds while going 8 of 9 from the field.
The 76ers, though, could get back on track against the Bucks. They were missing injured starters Louis Williams(notes) and Thaddeus Young(notes) and led by double digits the entire second half in a 101-86 road win March 24 in the last matchup.
“They really have our number and we just don’t play well against them and they play well against us,” Bogut said after the loss.
Showing posts with label Milwaukee Bucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milwaukee Bucks. Show all posts
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Free Pick: Chicago-6.0 (NBA) L
Preview: The most productive season of Andrew Bogut’s career has helped the Milwaukee Bucks to the cusp of their first playoff appearance in four years.
They’ll have to take the final step without him.
Bogut’s season is likely over after he suffered a scary elbow injury in Milwaukee’s latest win, leaving the Bucks feeling bittersweet as they take their first shot at clinching a postseason berth Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls.
Rookie Brandon Jennings and deadline acquisition John Salmons have certainly done their part in transforming Milwaukee (42-34) into an Eastern Conference playoff contender, but Bogut’s season-long impact has been the most significant.
After a back injury sidelined him for much of last season, the 7-footer returned in 2009-10 and is one of eight players averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds (15.9, 10.2). The Bucks have been a virtual certainty to win when Bogut has a big game, going 16-3 when he scores at least 20 points.
Now, they will have to find a way to win without having him at all. Bogut suffered a broken hand, dislocated elbow and sprained wrist during a fall from the rim in a 107-98 win over Phoenix on Saturday night.
While the official prognosis is that Bogut will be out indefinitely, he is unlikely to play again this season.
“That’s the NBA. Things happen and guys step up,” guard Jerry Stackhouse(notes) said. “We’re all professionals and that’s why we pay these guys in this locker room. When somebody goes down you have an opportunity to step up and help the team and hopefully we’ll find some guys to do that.”
While Bogut has given opponents fits in the paint, Salmons has been doing the same on the perimeter since being acquired from the Bulls (37-39). The veteran swingman, traded to Chicago at last season’s deadline, has averaged 20.0 points in 24 games with Milwaukee - 7.3 more than he was scoring in just five fewer minutes per game with the Bulls.
This is Salmons’ first trip back to the United Center, and he finds himself on the other side of a season series that couldn’t get much tighter. Chicago beat Milwaukee 83-81 on Nov. 3 - its eighth straight home victory in the series - behind 24 points and 20 boards from Luol Deng(notes), but the Bucks won twice in Milwaukee by a combined five points as Bogut averaged 24.5 points and 14.0 rebounds.
The Bucks, a half-game behind Miami for the fifth seed, are five up on ninth-place Chicago - meaning a win Tuesday would lock up their first playoff berth since 2006.
The Bulls’ concern is catching Toronto. They trail the Raptors by one game for the final playoff spot after rallying to beat Charlotte 96-88 on Saturday night.
“We understand the situation and have to keep fighting and keep fighting,” center Joakim Noah(notes), who had 11 points and 16 rebounds, told the NBA’s official Web site. “… I think everybody here really wants to make the playoffs.”
Noah has averaged 10.0 points and 15.7 rebounds this season against the Bucks, who will likely have 37-year-old Kurt Thomas(notes) starting at center with Bogut out.
Derrick Rose(notes) has averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 assists versus Milwaukee in 2009-10, but the game could come down to a battle between Salmons and Deng. Chicago’s small forward, who recently returned from a strained calf, has averaged 19.7 points and 13.7 rebounds in the three meetings.
Milwaukee last won in Chicago on Jan. 2, 2006.
They’ll have to take the final step without him.
Bogut’s season is likely over after he suffered a scary elbow injury in Milwaukee’s latest win, leaving the Bucks feeling bittersweet as they take their first shot at clinching a postseason berth Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls.
Rookie Brandon Jennings and deadline acquisition John Salmons have certainly done their part in transforming Milwaukee (42-34) into an Eastern Conference playoff contender, but Bogut’s season-long impact has been the most significant.
After a back injury sidelined him for much of last season, the 7-footer returned in 2009-10 and is one of eight players averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds (15.9, 10.2). The Bucks have been a virtual certainty to win when Bogut has a big game, going 16-3 when he scores at least 20 points.
Now, they will have to find a way to win without having him at all. Bogut suffered a broken hand, dislocated elbow and sprained wrist during a fall from the rim in a 107-98 win over Phoenix on Saturday night.
While the official prognosis is that Bogut will be out indefinitely, he is unlikely to play again this season.
“That’s the NBA. Things happen and guys step up,” guard Jerry Stackhouse(notes) said. “We’re all professionals and that’s why we pay these guys in this locker room. When somebody goes down you have an opportunity to step up and help the team and hopefully we’ll find some guys to do that.”
While Bogut has given opponents fits in the paint, Salmons has been doing the same on the perimeter since being acquired from the Bulls (37-39). The veteran swingman, traded to Chicago at last season’s deadline, has averaged 20.0 points in 24 games with Milwaukee - 7.3 more than he was scoring in just five fewer minutes per game with the Bulls.
This is Salmons’ first trip back to the United Center, and he finds himself on the other side of a season series that couldn’t get much tighter. Chicago beat Milwaukee 83-81 on Nov. 3 - its eighth straight home victory in the series - behind 24 points and 20 boards from Luol Deng(notes), but the Bucks won twice in Milwaukee by a combined five points as Bogut averaged 24.5 points and 14.0 rebounds.
The Bucks, a half-game behind Miami for the fifth seed, are five up on ninth-place Chicago - meaning a win Tuesday would lock up their first playoff berth since 2006.
The Bulls’ concern is catching Toronto. They trail the Raptors by one game for the final playoff spot after rallying to beat Charlotte 96-88 on Saturday night.
“We understand the situation and have to keep fighting and keep fighting,” center Joakim Noah(notes), who had 11 points and 16 rebounds, told the NBA’s official Web site. “… I think everybody here really wants to make the playoffs.”
Noah has averaged 10.0 points and 15.7 rebounds this season against the Bucks, who will likely have 37-year-old Kurt Thomas(notes) starting at center with Bogut out.
Derrick Rose(notes) has averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 assists versus Milwaukee in 2009-10, but the game could come down to a battle between Salmons and Deng. Chicago’s small forward, who recently returned from a strained calf, has averaged 19.7 points and 13.7 rebounds in the three meetings.
Milwaukee last won in Chicago on Jan. 2, 2006.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Free Pick: Milwaukee+9.5 (NBA) W
Preview: Led by LeBron James, the clear front-runner to win the league MVP, the Cleveland Cavaliers are favored to march through the Eastern Conference playoffs and into the NBA finals.
These final two weeks of the regular season should give them a good idea of what to expect in their pursuit of an East championship.
The Cavaliers are set to begin a string of games against teams they could possibly face in the playoffs beginning Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Of Cleveland’s eight remaining games, seven involve teams that have either already clinched a playoff berth or are in the postseason mix in the East. Over the next two weeks, the Cavaliers (58-16) will play Milwaukee (41-32), Boston, Toronto, Chicago, Orlando and two games against Atlanta. Indiana on April 9 is the only remaining team Cleveland will face that is out of the playoff picture.
“You want to continue to play against the best, especially going down the stretch,” James said.
The Cavs played their last game against a West opponent Sunday, defeating Sacramento 97-90. The game marked Zydrunas Ilgauskas’(notes) return to Cleveland after being traded to Washington in February for Antawn Jamison(notes). The 7-foot-3 center never played for the Wizards, instead deciding to buy out his contract.
Ilgauskas wasn’t the difference in Sunday’s victory, finishing with four points and six rebounds. That distinction went to James, who scored 23 of his 34 points in the second half. The reigning league MVP also had eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Cavaliers split two games James sat out earlier this month with a sprained right ankle, but they have won eight of nine since his return. The one blemish during James’ absence was a 92-85 loss in Milwaukee, which snapped Cleveland’s six-game winning streak in the series.
James, who is averaging a league-best 29.8 points to narrowly lead Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant(notes) (29.6 points per game), has averaged 31.8 points while shooting 16 of 29 (55.2 percent) from 3-point range in his last six games against the Bucks.
While James and the Cavs haven’t had much trouble pushing Milwaukee around in the past, things could be different this time.
One of the league’s biggest surprises, the Bucks are fifth in the East, 1 1/2 games up on sixth-place Miami, and are poised to finish only behind Cleveland in the Central after five straight years of finishing last in the division.
With Tuesday’s 107-89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee is assured of finishing the season .500 or better for the first time since 2004.
“We were picked to finish last by every ‘so-called’ expert in the United States,” said Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 14 points and nine rebounds Tuesday. “That’s an accomplishment in itself. We’ve had a successful season to this point. There’s a lot of room for improvement, no doubt.”
One of the biggest reasons for this season’s turnaround is the addition of John Salmons(notes), who was acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline. Salmons is averaging 19.5 points in 21 games since the trade with the Bucks winning 17.
“He’s a versatile player,” Jamison said of Salmons. “Defensively, he can hold his own, guard you one-on-one. Offensively, he can stretch out the defense and create shots for others. He’s just an overall great team player. He’s done a great job of making the team better.”
Salmons didn’t have one of his better games in the win over the Cavs earlier this month, scoring 12 points on 5 of 17 shooting, but rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) made up for his struggles, finishing with team highs of 25 points and six assists.
These final two weeks of the regular season should give them a good idea of what to expect in their pursuit of an East championship.
The Cavaliers are set to begin a string of games against teams they could possibly face in the playoffs beginning Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Of Cleveland’s eight remaining games, seven involve teams that have either already clinched a playoff berth or are in the postseason mix in the East. Over the next two weeks, the Cavaliers (58-16) will play Milwaukee (41-32), Boston, Toronto, Chicago, Orlando and two games against Atlanta. Indiana on April 9 is the only remaining team Cleveland will face that is out of the playoff picture.
“You want to continue to play against the best, especially going down the stretch,” James said.
The Cavs played their last game against a West opponent Sunday, defeating Sacramento 97-90. The game marked Zydrunas Ilgauskas’(notes) return to Cleveland after being traded to Washington in February for Antawn Jamison(notes). The 7-foot-3 center never played for the Wizards, instead deciding to buy out his contract.
Ilgauskas wasn’t the difference in Sunday’s victory, finishing with four points and six rebounds. That distinction went to James, who scored 23 of his 34 points in the second half. The reigning league MVP also had eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Cavaliers split two games James sat out earlier this month with a sprained right ankle, but they have won eight of nine since his return. The one blemish during James’ absence was a 92-85 loss in Milwaukee, which snapped Cleveland’s six-game winning streak in the series.
James, who is averaging a league-best 29.8 points to narrowly lead Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant(notes) (29.6 points per game), has averaged 31.8 points while shooting 16 of 29 (55.2 percent) from 3-point range in his last six games against the Bucks.
While James and the Cavs haven’t had much trouble pushing Milwaukee around in the past, things could be different this time.
One of the league’s biggest surprises, the Bucks are fifth in the East, 1 1/2 games up on sixth-place Miami, and are poised to finish only behind Cleveland in the Central after five straight years of finishing last in the division.
With Tuesday’s 107-89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee is assured of finishing the season .500 or better for the first time since 2004.
“We were picked to finish last by every ‘so-called’ expert in the United States,” said Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 14 points and nine rebounds Tuesday. “That’s an accomplishment in itself. We’ve had a successful season to this point. There’s a lot of room for improvement, no doubt.”
One of the biggest reasons for this season’s turnaround is the addition of John Salmons(notes), who was acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline. Salmons is averaging 19.5 points in 21 games since the trade with the Bucks winning 17.
“He’s a versatile player,” Jamison said of Salmons. “Defensively, he can hold his own, guard you one-on-one. Offensively, he can stretch out the defense and create shots for others. He’s just an overall great team player. He’s done a great job of making the team better.”
Salmons didn’t have one of his better games in the win over the Cavs earlier this month, scoring 12 points on 5 of 17 shooting, but rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) made up for his struggles, finishing with team highs of 25 points and six assists.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
POD: Indiana+10.0 (NBA) W
POD: Indiana+10.0 @ Milwaukee (3K units) W
Preview: With three impressive wins during this homestand, the Milwaukee Bucks have showed that their run over the last two months isn’t a fluke.
The surging Bucks try for their sixth straight win as they look to sweep the regular-season series against the Indiana Pacers for the first time in 28 years Sunday afternoon.
Milwaukee (35-29) has won 11 of 12 and is 17-4 since late January, but after primarily defeating sub-.500 teams early during that stretch, it’s beaten Cleveland, Boston and Utah in its last three games.
The Bucks haven’t reached the playoffs since 2006, but they sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and seem to be gaining momentum.
“We’re having a great stretch,” coach Scott Skiles said following the 95-87 win over the Jazz on Friday. “I don’t mean to be underplaying it at all, but at the same time we’re 35-29. We’re not 55 and something. We’re battling for a spot. The guys were talking about it now, that we’ve got a game on Sunday and we need to get that one as well. It’s not something I need to bring up that much.”
While the Bucks, who have won six in a row at home, have been especially helped by the their trade with Chicago for John Salmons(notes)—averaging 19.3 points since arriving in Milwaukee—what has been most notable about their current streak is their defense.
The Bucks are allowing 83.4 points per game over the last five and they’ve been especially efficient defending against the 3-pointer. Utah was 0 for 10 from beyond the arc and Milwaukee’s last five opponents are a combined 16 for 62 (25.8 percent).
“It definitely feels good to win games,” said Salmons, who led Milwaukee with 24 points Friday. “I think everybody on the team was contributing and that’s what we need. We need everybody to play well, particularly on defense, and that’s how you win games, by getting stops. I think our confidence has grown, but we still got to take it one game at a time.”
After facing three of the NBA’s best teams, the Bucks will close the homestand against the struggling Pacers.
Indiana (21-44) has lost five of six, falling 122-103 at Boston on Friday. The Pacers have given up 100 or more points in nine of their last 12 and are allowing an average of 111.0 in their last nine. They allowed the Celtics to shoot 58.4 percent.
Roy Hibbert(notes) scored 23 points and Troy Murphy(notes) had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana, which never got closer than 16 in the second half and was short-handed after T.J. Ford(notes) left with 7:33 remaining in the first quarter due to a sore left groin. He did not return and it’s uncertain whether he’ll be available to play Sunday.
“They came out and pounded us and we never recovered from that,” coach Jim O’Brien said.
The loss was the Pacers’ seventh straight on the road. They’ve allowed 120 or more points in four of their last six away from home.
The Bucks are 3-0 against the Pacers and are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since 1981-82, when they won six meetings.
Preview: With three impressive wins during this homestand, the Milwaukee Bucks have showed that their run over the last two months isn’t a fluke.
The surging Bucks try for their sixth straight win as they look to sweep the regular-season series against the Indiana Pacers for the first time in 28 years Sunday afternoon.
Milwaukee (35-29) has won 11 of 12 and is 17-4 since late January, but after primarily defeating sub-.500 teams early during that stretch, it’s beaten Cleveland, Boston and Utah in its last three games.
The Bucks haven’t reached the playoffs since 2006, but they sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and seem to be gaining momentum.
“We’re having a great stretch,” coach Scott Skiles said following the 95-87 win over the Jazz on Friday. “I don’t mean to be underplaying it at all, but at the same time we’re 35-29. We’re not 55 and something. We’re battling for a spot. The guys were talking about it now, that we’ve got a game on Sunday and we need to get that one as well. It’s not something I need to bring up that much.”
While the Bucks, who have won six in a row at home, have been especially helped by the their trade with Chicago for John Salmons(notes)—averaging 19.3 points since arriving in Milwaukee—what has been most notable about their current streak is their defense.
The Bucks are allowing 83.4 points per game over the last five and they’ve been especially efficient defending against the 3-pointer. Utah was 0 for 10 from beyond the arc and Milwaukee’s last five opponents are a combined 16 for 62 (25.8 percent).
“It definitely feels good to win games,” said Salmons, who led Milwaukee with 24 points Friday. “I think everybody on the team was contributing and that’s what we need. We need everybody to play well, particularly on defense, and that’s how you win games, by getting stops. I think our confidence has grown, but we still got to take it one game at a time.”
After facing three of the NBA’s best teams, the Bucks will close the homestand against the struggling Pacers.
Indiana (21-44) has lost five of six, falling 122-103 at Boston on Friday. The Pacers have given up 100 or more points in nine of their last 12 and are allowing an average of 111.0 in their last nine. They allowed the Celtics to shoot 58.4 percent.
Roy Hibbert(notes) scored 23 points and Troy Murphy(notes) had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana, which never got closer than 16 in the second half and was short-handed after T.J. Ford(notes) left with 7:33 remaining in the first quarter due to a sore left groin. He did not return and it’s uncertain whether he’ll be available to play Sunday.
“They came out and pounded us and we never recovered from that,” coach Jim O’Brien said.
The loss was the Pacers’ seventh straight on the road. They’ve allowed 120 or more points in four of their last six away from home.
The Bucks are 3-0 against the Pacers and are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since 1981-82, when they won six meetings.
Friday, March 5, 2010
POD: Milwaukee-4.0 (NBA) W
POD: Milwaukee-4.0 @ Washington (3K units) W
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks posted a relatively easy victory over the Washington Wizards in the opener of this home-and-home set. They’re still hoping for a better effort Friday when the teams meet at the Verizon Center.
Milwaukee (31-29) won for the first time in three games against Washington (21-37) this season, 100-87 on Wednesday, to bounce back after its season-high six-game win streak was snapped with a 106-102 overtime loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
Coach Scott Skiles, though, was concerned with what he considered a lackluster effort.
“We got a win tonight,” Skiles said. “We’re happy, we’ll take it, but we took an overall step back. Our overall intensity wasn’t what it needs to be.”
John Salmons(notes) continued his surge for Milwaukee with 22 points and is averaging 20.8 in starting the last six games. Salmons was acquired from Chicago on Feb. 18 and has replaced struggling Charlie Bell(notes) in the lineup.
The Bucks also received a major contribution from another unheralded player in Ersan Ilyasova(notes), who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists off the bench. Ilyasova is averaging 11.1 points on 55.4 percent shooting over his last 10 games.
“One thing about Ersan is you know every single night he’s going to play hard,” Skiles said. “He was a huge factor for us tonight.”
It’s been a different story for rookie point guard Brandon Jennings(notes), who made 2 of 12 shots for five points and turned the ball over six times. Jennings is averaging 9.9 points and shooting 25.3 percent during the Bucks’ 7-1 stretch.
“Right now, my offense has not been pretty good so far,” he admitted. “I’m struggling pretty bad right now. I don’t even know if I want to shoot the ball.”
Milwaukee has dropped five of its last seven visits to Washington, falling 104-102 on Dec. 2. The Bucks had won six straight on the road before Sunday.
“We need to come out with more energy,” center Andrew Bogut(notes) said. “I think coming out on the road, it’s going to be much tougher to win. It’s going to be a grind it out type game, we need to just come ready to play.”
Bogut has had his share of problems this season against the Wizards, averaging 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 37.8 percent. He played poorly in two losses to Washington in December when the Wizards still had Brendan Haywood(notes), Antawn Jamison(notes) and Caron Butler(notes) in their frontcourt. Bogut had 15 points and five blocks Wednesday.
The Wizards are now led by fifth-year center Andray Blatche(notes), who averaged 26.6 points and 11.7 rebounds while shooting 56.4 percent in six games before he had 18 points and nine boards Wednesday.
“I kind of slacked some,” Blatche said. “I take responsibility for some of the defensive boards and layups they got but, you know, we get them again on Friday.”
Washington was within eight at halftime before scoring 12 points and committing 12 turnovers in the third quarter. The Wizards finished with 22 turnovers.
“We just got beat by turnovers,” coach Flip Saunders said. “We couldn’t stop the turnovers and that hurts.”
Milwaukee (31-29) won for the first time in three games against Washington (21-37) this season, 100-87 on Wednesday, to bounce back after its season-high six-game win streak was snapped with a 106-102 overtime loss at Atlanta on Sunday.
Coach Scott Skiles, though, was concerned with what he considered a lackluster effort.
“We got a win tonight,” Skiles said. “We’re happy, we’ll take it, but we took an overall step back. Our overall intensity wasn’t what it needs to be.”
John Salmons(notes) continued his surge for Milwaukee with 22 points and is averaging 20.8 in starting the last six games. Salmons was acquired from Chicago on Feb. 18 and has replaced struggling Charlie Bell(notes) in the lineup.
The Bucks also received a major contribution from another unheralded player in Ersan Ilyasova(notes), who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists off the bench. Ilyasova is averaging 11.1 points on 55.4 percent shooting over his last 10 games.
“One thing about Ersan is you know every single night he’s going to play hard,” Skiles said. “He was a huge factor for us tonight.”
It’s been a different story for rookie point guard Brandon Jennings(notes), who made 2 of 12 shots for five points and turned the ball over six times. Jennings is averaging 9.9 points and shooting 25.3 percent during the Bucks’ 7-1 stretch.
“Right now, my offense has not been pretty good so far,” he admitted. “I’m struggling pretty bad right now. I don’t even know if I want to shoot the ball.”
Milwaukee has dropped five of its last seven visits to Washington, falling 104-102 on Dec. 2. The Bucks had won six straight on the road before Sunday.
“We need to come out with more energy,” center Andrew Bogut(notes) said. “I think coming out on the road, it’s going to be much tougher to win. It’s going to be a grind it out type game, we need to just come ready to play.”
Bogut has had his share of problems this season against the Wizards, averaging 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 37.8 percent. He played poorly in two losses to Washington in December when the Wizards still had Brendan Haywood(notes), Antawn Jamison(notes) and Caron Butler(notes) in their frontcourt. Bogut had 15 points and five blocks Wednesday.
The Wizards are now led by fifth-year center Andray Blatche(notes), who averaged 26.6 points and 11.7 rebounds while shooting 56.4 percent in six games before he had 18 points and nine boards Wednesday.
“I kind of slacked some,” Blatche said. “I take responsibility for some of the defensive boards and layups they got but, you know, we get them again on Friday.”
Washington was within eight at halftime before scoring 12 points and committing 12 turnovers in the third quarter. The Wizards finished with 22 turnovers.
“We just got beat by turnovers,” coach Flip Saunders said. “We couldn’t stop the turnovers and that hurts.”
Monday, February 22, 2010
POD: New York-1.5 (NBA) L
POD: Milwaukee @ New York-1.5 (3K units) L
Preview: The New York Knicks have their sights set on getting at least one bona fide superstar this summer. They already may have landed one.
Tracy McGrady(notes), following an impressive Knicks debut, tries to help his new team snap a six-game losing streak Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden.
New York (19-35) made three salary-shedding deals prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, creating about $32 million in salary cap space to prepare for a free-agent spending spree in July with LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) expected to headline the list.
The Knicks acquired McGrady in a three-team, nine-player deal Thursday, as his $22.5 million contract expires after this season. However, the seven-time All-Star has claimed he’d take a big pay cut to stay in New York. He’ll have to prove he can come back from microfracture knee surgery that kept him sidelined for all but six games for Houston this season.
McGrady, a two-time scoring champion, made a strong case that he’s well on his way to a full recovery, scoring 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting in a 121-118 overtime loss to Oklahoma City. He was in the starting lineup for his first game in a Knicks uniform and played 32 minutes, but McGrady was on the bench for nearly all of overtime.
“He kind of ran out gas towards the end,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Not having played all year, a couple of years almost, 26 points, kind of not bad.”
His debut put a charge into Madison Square Garden, and there should be another one Saturday as the Knicks honor the 40th anniversary of their 1970 championship team.
Maybe the presence of those players can inspire New York to snap its season high-tying six-game skid, which started with a 114-107 home loss to the Bucks on Feb. 5.
The Knicks haven’t endured a seven-game losing streak since Feb. 29-March 10, 2008. They’ve dropped six of seven to Milwaukee (26-28), including both matchups this season.
David Lee(notes) can’t be blamed for New York’s recent struggles. The center had 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists Saturday, and he’s averaging 25.0 points and 11.2 boards during the losing streak. Lee had 32 points and 15 boards against the Bucks earlier this month.
Milwaukee, winner of five of seven, is also looking to continue getting production from a new addition.
John Salmons(notes), acquired from Chicago in a three-player deal Thursday, had 19 points with seven assists and five rebounds Saturday while making a key steal late to secure a 93-88 win over Charlotte. That came a night after Salmons had 19 points and hit the winning 3-pointer in a 91-85 victory at Detroit.
“He’s been a proven scorer in the NBA and we know what he’s capable of and that’s why we traded for him,” said center Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 18 points and 13 rebounds against the Bobcats. “He knows how to make plays, just look at the steal at the end of the game. That’s really a four-point play and put the game away for us.”
Brandon Jennings(notes) might welcome another meeting with the Knicks after scoring 22 points and handing out eight assists against them Feb. 5. In six games since, the rookie guard is shooting 30.6 percent while averaging 12.0 points and 4.3 assists.
Preview: The New York Knicks have their sights set on getting at least one bona fide superstar this summer. They already may have landed one.
Tracy McGrady(notes), following an impressive Knicks debut, tries to help his new team snap a six-game losing streak Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden.
New York (19-35) made three salary-shedding deals prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, creating about $32 million in salary cap space to prepare for a free-agent spending spree in July with LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) expected to headline the list.
The Knicks acquired McGrady in a three-team, nine-player deal Thursday, as his $22.5 million contract expires after this season. However, the seven-time All-Star has claimed he’d take a big pay cut to stay in New York. He’ll have to prove he can come back from microfracture knee surgery that kept him sidelined for all but six games for Houston this season.
McGrady, a two-time scoring champion, made a strong case that he’s well on his way to a full recovery, scoring 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting in a 121-118 overtime loss to Oklahoma City. He was in the starting lineup for his first game in a Knicks uniform and played 32 minutes, but McGrady was on the bench for nearly all of overtime.
“He kind of ran out gas towards the end,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Not having played all year, a couple of years almost, 26 points, kind of not bad.”
His debut put a charge into Madison Square Garden, and there should be another one Saturday as the Knicks honor the 40th anniversary of their 1970 championship team.
Maybe the presence of those players can inspire New York to snap its season high-tying six-game skid, which started with a 114-107 home loss to the Bucks on Feb. 5.
The Knicks haven’t endured a seven-game losing streak since Feb. 29-March 10, 2008. They’ve dropped six of seven to Milwaukee (26-28), including both matchups this season.
David Lee(notes) can’t be blamed for New York’s recent struggles. The center had 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists Saturday, and he’s averaging 25.0 points and 11.2 boards during the losing streak. Lee had 32 points and 15 boards against the Bucks earlier this month.
Milwaukee, winner of five of seven, is also looking to continue getting production from a new addition.
John Salmons(notes), acquired from Chicago in a three-player deal Thursday, had 19 points with seven assists and five rebounds Saturday while making a key steal late to secure a 93-88 win over Charlotte. That came a night after Salmons had 19 points and hit the winning 3-pointer in a 91-85 victory at Detroit.
“He’s been a proven scorer in the NBA and we know what he’s capable of and that’s why we traded for him,” said center Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 18 points and 13 rebounds against the Bobcats. “He knows how to make plays, just look at the steal at the end of the game. That’s really a four-point play and put the game away for us.”
Brandon Jennings(notes) might welcome another meeting with the Knicks after scoring 22 points and handing out eight assists against them Feb. 5. In six games since, the rookie guard is shooting 30.6 percent while averaging 12.0 points and 4.3 assists.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
POD: Milwaukee-2.5 (NBA) W
POD: Charlotte @ Milwaukee-2.5 (5K units) W
Preview: The Charlotte Bobcats’ two-game homestand included an ugly loss to the NBA’s worst team and an impressive victory over the league’s best club.
It’s anyone’s guess how they’ll do against an opponent that’s right in the middle.
The Bobcats look to continue their improved road play on a four-game trip that starts Saturday night in Milwaukee, where the Bucks hope to claim a key victory over one of the teams they’re chasing in the Eastern Conference.
After coming out of the All-Star break with a 103-94 home loss to the New Jersey Nets - their second defeat to a team that has just five total wins - the Bobcats responded with their third victory over NBA-leading Cleveland, a 110-93 win on Friday night.
While Stephen Jackson(notes) led Charlotte with 29 points, the club also got a major boost from newcomer Tyrus Thomas(notes), who had 12 rebounds and six blocked shots in his Bobcats debut after getting him from Chicago before Thursday’s trade deadline.
“Coach (Larry) Brown made it a lot easier for me just telling me to go play and have fun and don’t really worry about anything else but playing hard,” said Thomas, who had fallen out of favor with the Bulls.
Veteran Theo Ratliff(notes), acquired from San Antonio on Thursday, also helped to hold Cavaliers newcomer Antawn Jamison(notes) to 0-of-12 shooting.
“With me and Theo now, (Jackson) and Gerald (Wallace) can go back to their aggressive nature on defense and not worry about letting a guy get behind him, because they know they have me and Theo back there,” Thomas added.
Charlotte (27-26) made the moves to help solidify its bid for the first playoff berth in franchise history. The Bobcats sit in eighth place in the East, two games ahead of Milwaukee.
Like Charlotte, the Bucks (25-28) began the second half with a disappointing home loss, falling by 28 to Houston on Wednesday. But they, too, bounced back Friday, earning a 91-85 victory at Detroit.
John Salmons(notes) - Thomas’ Chicago teammate a few days ago - also made an impact in his debut with his new team, scoring a team-high 19 points off the bench for the Bucks.
“I didn’t know any of the plays - they tried to teach me a couple at shootaround, but I forgot them as soon as the game started,” Salmons said. “My teammates were great. They were telling me where I was supposed to go on every play.”
Reserve forward Ersan Ilyasova(notes) added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which got 53 bench points to help make up for Brandon Jennings’(notes) dismal night. The standout rookie was a season-worst 1 of 13 from the field, continuing his prolonged shooting slump.
“(Friday) was one of those nights where we had guys that were having off nights, but stepped up down the stretch,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “Brandon got a big steal, even when he couldn’t hit a shot.”
Jennings is shooting 32.1 percent from the field since New Year’s Day, dropping his season mark to 37.4 percent - the lowest in the NBA among players averaging at least 15 points.
He has had no such problems against the Bobcats, averaging 26.5 points while shooting at least 50 percent in each of the two meetings. The home team won both, with the Bucks beating Charlotte 95-88 at the Bradley Center on Nov. 20.
The Bobcats are 1-9 in Milwaukee since their inception, and they lost 14 of their first 15 road games this season, but are 6-5 on the road in 2010.
Preview: The Charlotte Bobcats’ two-game homestand included an ugly loss to the NBA’s worst team and an impressive victory over the league’s best club.
It’s anyone’s guess how they’ll do against an opponent that’s right in the middle.
The Bobcats look to continue their improved road play on a four-game trip that starts Saturday night in Milwaukee, where the Bucks hope to claim a key victory over one of the teams they’re chasing in the Eastern Conference.
After coming out of the All-Star break with a 103-94 home loss to the New Jersey Nets - their second defeat to a team that has just five total wins - the Bobcats responded with their third victory over NBA-leading Cleveland, a 110-93 win on Friday night.
While Stephen Jackson(notes) led Charlotte with 29 points, the club also got a major boost from newcomer Tyrus Thomas(notes), who had 12 rebounds and six blocked shots in his Bobcats debut after getting him from Chicago before Thursday’s trade deadline.
“Coach (Larry) Brown made it a lot easier for me just telling me to go play and have fun and don’t really worry about anything else but playing hard,” said Thomas, who had fallen out of favor with the Bulls.
Veteran Theo Ratliff(notes), acquired from San Antonio on Thursday, also helped to hold Cavaliers newcomer Antawn Jamison(notes) to 0-of-12 shooting.
“With me and Theo now, (Jackson) and Gerald (Wallace) can go back to their aggressive nature on defense and not worry about letting a guy get behind him, because they know they have me and Theo back there,” Thomas added.
Charlotte (27-26) made the moves to help solidify its bid for the first playoff berth in franchise history. The Bobcats sit in eighth place in the East, two games ahead of Milwaukee.
Like Charlotte, the Bucks (25-28) began the second half with a disappointing home loss, falling by 28 to Houston on Wednesday. But they, too, bounced back Friday, earning a 91-85 victory at Detroit.
John Salmons(notes) - Thomas’ Chicago teammate a few days ago - also made an impact in his debut with his new team, scoring a team-high 19 points off the bench for the Bucks.
“I didn’t know any of the plays - they tried to teach me a couple at shootaround, but I forgot them as soon as the game started,” Salmons said. “My teammates were great. They were telling me where I was supposed to go on every play.”
Reserve forward Ersan Ilyasova(notes) added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which got 53 bench points to help make up for Brandon Jennings’(notes) dismal night. The standout rookie was a season-worst 1 of 13 from the field, continuing his prolonged shooting slump.
“(Friday) was one of those nights where we had guys that were having off nights, but stepped up down the stretch,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “Brandon got a big steal, even when he couldn’t hit a shot.”
Jennings is shooting 32.1 percent from the field since New Year’s Day, dropping his season mark to 37.4 percent - the lowest in the NBA among players averaging at least 15 points.
He has had no such problems against the Bobcats, averaging 26.5 points while shooting at least 50 percent in each of the two meetings. The home team won both, with the Bucks beating Charlotte 95-88 at the Bradley Center on Nov. 20.
The Bobcats are 1-9 in Milwaukee since their inception, and they lost 14 of their first 15 road games this season, but are 6-5 on the road in 2010.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
POD: Detroit+8.0 (NBA) W
POD: Detroit+8.0 @ Milwaukee (3K units) W
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks have climbed back into playoff contention. They’re looking to take advantage of a favorable two games before the All-Star break against two of the NBA’s worst teams.
The Bucks can record their first eight-game home win streak in six seasons Tuesday night when they meet the Detroit Pistons.
Milwaukee (23-26) has won five of six to move within percentage points of Miami for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks, who have finished last in the Central Division the previous three seasons, are also one game behind Chicago and Charlotte.
Finishing strong the next two games would aid the Bucks’ push, and the competition isn’t daunting. After hosting Detroit (17-32), Milwaukee plays at 4-46 New Jersey on Wednesday.
“We have a couple more coming up, we have Detroit, which I think we can beat at home and we have New Jersey,” Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes) said. “If we can finish before the All-Star break with a winning note, it’s going to be great for our confidence coming into the following weeks.”
Bogut had 21 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s 93-81 home win over Indiana. He was forced to leave Friday’s 114-107 win at New York due to a migraine headache, which he said he was still feeling the effects of against the Pacers.
With rookie leading scorer Brandon Jennings(notes) struggling to make 2 of 10 shots for five points, the Bucks had other players step up. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes) scored a season-high 18 and Carlos Delfino(notes) added 16.
Jennings has failed to score in double digits three times in the last four games after scoring fewer than 10 five times in his first 45 games.
The Bucks have not won eight straight at home since a 10-game run Dec. 10, 2003-Jan. 15, 2004.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have won two of their last eight games - both against the lowly Nets. Swedish rookie Jonas Jerebko(notes) made all nine shots for 20 points to lead the way in a 99-92 win at New Jersey on Saturday.
“I just felt good tonight,” Jerebko said. “The first 3-pointer went down, and after that, I just kept going. You have to love these games.”
Detroit has sandwiched wins over New Jersey around a 107-83 home loss to Indiana on Friday.
“I wish I knew the answer,” coach John Kuester said. “After we beat New Jersey, I was so looking forward to the Indiana game, but we didn’t play with the intensity we did tonight. We know that we play hard and share the basketball, we give ourselves a chance.”
Kuester appears to finally have a healthy roster after Tayshaun Prince(notes), Ben Gordon(notes) and Richard Hamilton(notes) all missed plenty of action this season. Former Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva(notes), though, has missed two of the last four games with back spasms that have limited his minutes in the other two.
These teams have split two meetings this season. Milwaukee won 96-85 in its home opener Oct. 31 as Jennings scored 24 while Detroit won 105-96 at home on Dec. 4 by placing six players in double figures.
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks have climbed back into playoff contention. They’re looking to take advantage of a favorable two games before the All-Star break against two of the NBA’s worst teams.
The Bucks can record their first eight-game home win streak in six seasons Tuesday night when they meet the Detroit Pistons.
Milwaukee (23-26) has won five of six to move within percentage points of Miami for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks, who have finished last in the Central Division the previous three seasons, are also one game behind Chicago and Charlotte.
Finishing strong the next two games would aid the Bucks’ push, and the competition isn’t daunting. After hosting Detroit (17-32), Milwaukee plays at 4-46 New Jersey on Wednesday.
“We have a couple more coming up, we have Detroit, which I think we can beat at home and we have New Jersey,” Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes) said. “If we can finish before the All-Star break with a winning note, it’s going to be great for our confidence coming into the following weeks.”
Bogut had 21 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s 93-81 home win over Indiana. He was forced to leave Friday’s 114-107 win at New York due to a migraine headache, which he said he was still feeling the effects of against the Pacers.
With rookie leading scorer Brandon Jennings(notes) struggling to make 2 of 10 shots for five points, the Bucks had other players step up. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes) scored a season-high 18 and Carlos Delfino(notes) added 16.
Jennings has failed to score in double digits three times in the last four games after scoring fewer than 10 five times in his first 45 games.
The Bucks have not won eight straight at home since a 10-game run Dec. 10, 2003-Jan. 15, 2004.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have won two of their last eight games - both against the lowly Nets. Swedish rookie Jonas Jerebko(notes) made all nine shots for 20 points to lead the way in a 99-92 win at New Jersey on Saturday.
“I just felt good tonight,” Jerebko said. “The first 3-pointer went down, and after that, I just kept going. You have to love these games.”
Detroit has sandwiched wins over New Jersey around a 107-83 home loss to Indiana on Friday.
“I wish I knew the answer,” coach John Kuester said. “After we beat New Jersey, I was so looking forward to the Indiana game, but we didn’t play with the intensity we did tonight. We know that we play hard and share the basketball, we give ourselves a chance.”
Kuester appears to finally have a healthy roster after Tayshaun Prince(notes), Ben Gordon(notes) and Richard Hamilton(notes) all missed plenty of action this season. Former Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva(notes), though, has missed two of the last four games with back spasms that have limited his minutes in the other two.
These teams have split two meetings this season. Milwaukee won 96-85 in its home opener Oct. 31 as Jennings scored 24 while Detroit won 105-96 at home on Dec. 4 by placing six players in double figures.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
POD: Torronto+3.0 (NBA) L
POD: Toronto+3.0 @ Milwaukee (3K units) L
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks’ road trip couldn’t have gone much worse. They’re hoping a return to the Bradley Center with a new player can help them stay in playoff contention.
Veteran guard Jerry Stackhouse is expected to make his Bucks debut Wednesday night when Milwaukee opens a home-and-home series with the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee (16-23) won three straight from Jan. 2-8 but followed that stretch with a 1-5 western trip that ended with Monday’s 101-98 overtime loss to Houston. The Bucks, who are two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, also lost Michael Redd for the season in the trip’s opener. The star guard tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in a 95-77 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 10.
With Redd out, Milwaukee signed Stackhouse, 35, on Monday to a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum. He played in 10 games for Dallas in 2008-09 before getting acquired and bought out by Memphis in the offseason.
“It’s a low risk move for us that we hope pays off,” said coach Scott Skiles, who was Stackhouse’s teammate in Philadelphia in 1995-96. “One thing that Stack has always had is a level of toughness. He’s not out there in the game to make friends.
“He’s not one of those guys, you’re not going to see him laughing a whole lot with guys on the other team and things like that. He’s out there to compete.”
Milwaukee, though, needs to do more than compete if it is going to avoid missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
“We need to win our fair share of them, for sure,” Skiles said. “We’d like to play over .500 ball leading up to the break and see where that leads us.”
Facing Toronto (21-21) twice in three days could help the Bucks get back on track. In the teams’ first meeting this season, Milwaukee routed the visiting Raptors 117-95 on Dec. 9.
Brandon Jennings(notes) hyperextended his left knee in the third quarter of that game, but he led seven Bucks scoring in double figures with 22 points. In 18 games since that victory, Jennings is averaging 14.3 points and shooting 33.6 percent - well below his season marks of 18.0 and 38.6.
Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 12 points and eight boards in last month’s victory over Toronto, will try to record his sixth straight double-double. He is averaging 13.2 points and 13.6 boards during this stretch.
Bogut could be matched up with Raptors forward Chris Bosh(notes), who leads the NBA with 30 double-doubles after scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s 108-100 loss in Cleveland. The four-time All-Star, though, was held to five points in the final 24 minutes.
“They did a better job of clamping down defensively,” said Bosh, averaging 25.7 points and 10.3 rebounds while posting three straight double-doubles in Milwaukee.
That type of defensive intensity could also help the Raptors, who have given up 108.5 points per game while going 8-15 on the road this season.
Toronto center Andrea Bargnani(notes), who missed the Dec. 9 loss in Milwaukee with a sore right ankle, is averaging 21.7 points and shooting 57.9 percent from 3-point range (11 for 19) in his last three games. The Raptors have won two of those three and 10 of 14 overall.
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks’ road trip couldn’t have gone much worse. They’re hoping a return to the Bradley Center with a new player can help them stay in playoff contention.
Veteran guard Jerry Stackhouse is expected to make his Bucks debut Wednesday night when Milwaukee opens a home-and-home series with the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee (16-23) won three straight from Jan. 2-8 but followed that stretch with a 1-5 western trip that ended with Monday’s 101-98 overtime loss to Houston. The Bucks, who are two games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, also lost Michael Redd for the season in the trip’s opener. The star guard tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in a 95-77 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 10.
With Redd out, Milwaukee signed Stackhouse, 35, on Monday to a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum. He played in 10 games for Dallas in 2008-09 before getting acquired and bought out by Memphis in the offseason.
“It’s a low risk move for us that we hope pays off,” said coach Scott Skiles, who was Stackhouse’s teammate in Philadelphia in 1995-96. “One thing that Stack has always had is a level of toughness. He’s not out there in the game to make friends.
“He’s not one of those guys, you’re not going to see him laughing a whole lot with guys on the other team and things like that. He’s out there to compete.”
Milwaukee, though, needs to do more than compete if it is going to avoid missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
“We need to win our fair share of them, for sure,” Skiles said. “We’d like to play over .500 ball leading up to the break and see where that leads us.”
Facing Toronto (21-21) twice in three days could help the Bucks get back on track. In the teams’ first meeting this season, Milwaukee routed the visiting Raptors 117-95 on Dec. 9.
Brandon Jennings(notes) hyperextended his left knee in the third quarter of that game, but he led seven Bucks scoring in double figures with 22 points. In 18 games since that victory, Jennings is averaging 14.3 points and shooting 33.6 percent - well below his season marks of 18.0 and 38.6.
Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes), who had 12 points and eight boards in last month’s victory over Toronto, will try to record his sixth straight double-double. He is averaging 13.2 points and 13.6 boards during this stretch.
Bogut could be matched up with Raptors forward Chris Bosh(notes), who leads the NBA with 30 double-doubles after scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s 108-100 loss in Cleveland. The four-time All-Star, though, was held to five points in the final 24 minutes.
“They did a better job of clamping down defensively,” said Bosh, averaging 25.7 points and 10.3 rebounds while posting three straight double-doubles in Milwaukee.
That type of defensive intensity could also help the Raptors, who have given up 108.5 points per game while going 8-15 on the road this season.
Toronto center Andrea Bargnani(notes), who missed the Dec. 9 loss in Milwaukee with a sore right ankle, is averaging 21.7 points and shooting 57.9 percent from 3-point range (11 for 19) in his last three games. The Raptors have won two of those three and 10 of 14 overall.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
POD: Milwaukee-1.5 (NBA) W
POD: Milwaukee-1.5 @ New Jersey (3K units) W
Preview: Michael Redd has struggled at times in his return from knee surgery, and the Milwaukee Bucks haven’t experienced much success with him on the court.
Redd, though, had one of his best performances in helping the Bucks win their most recent game. He’ll next try to help them earn back-to-back victories for the second time since Thanksgiving on Tuesday night at the woeful New Jersey Nets.
Redd missed the final 35 games of the 2008-09 season after tearing two ligaments in his left knee, and appeared in only five of the first 21 this season before making his latest return Dec. 12.
The former All-Star swingman has averaged 13.3 points over those 10 games and been held under 10 five times in that span. Before Saturday night’s game against visiting Oklahoma City, Redd had scored a combined 14 points on 5-of-25 shooting in the three previous contests.
Until a 103-97 overtime win over the Thunder, the Bucks were 3-11 when he played and 9-7 when he didn’t, but Redd scored 27 points - including the team’s first six in overtime - to help them snap a four-game slide.
“I’m getting used to playing basketball again. Period,” Redd said. “Tonight was a good night. A good step for me.”
The Bucks (13-18) will try to take their own step with their second win streak since Nov. 21. After a surprising 8-3 start, Milwaukee has dropped 15 of 20, with its only back-to-back wins coming Dec. 9 and 12.
The Bucks are hoping to match that by taking advantage of the league’s worst team again. They beat the Nets 99-85 at home Nov. 18 to launch a three-game win streak.
Redd missed that game against New Jersey (3-30), but Carlos Delfino(notes) and Andrew Bogut(notes) scored 21 points apiece. Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) led New Jersey with a career-high 31, and rookie Terrence Williams(notes) added a season-best 20.
The Nets have gone 1-5 on their season-high seven-game homestand, which ends Tuesday. They couldn’t follow up a victory from Dec. 30 over the Knicks, falling to Cleveland 94-86 on Saturday.
Devin Harris(notes) and Brook Lopez(notes) combined for 42 points, but only two other players scored more than nine as the team shot 38.7 percent. The Nets stayed competitive by holding the Central Division-leading Cavaliers to a 39.5-percent performance, a positive sign for coach Kiki Vandeweghe.
“We kept playing hard defense (and) we stopped them,” Vandeweghe told the team’s Web site. “I’m encouraged, but you’ve got to take this as a learning experience knowing this is one of the best teams in the NBA.”
New Jersey could get a boost with the expected return of forward Jarvis Hayes(notes), who has missed 32 games with a strained left hamstring.
In addition to its win earlier this season over the Nets, Milwaukee also snapped a six-game slide in New Jersey with a 107-78 victory March 30.
The Bucks, however, are 3-11 on the road this season and have dropped consecutive games there.
Preview: Michael Redd has struggled at times in his return from knee surgery, and the Milwaukee Bucks haven’t experienced much success with him on the court.
Redd, though, had one of his best performances in helping the Bucks win their most recent game. He’ll next try to help them earn back-to-back victories for the second time since Thanksgiving on Tuesday night at the woeful New Jersey Nets.
Redd missed the final 35 games of the 2008-09 season after tearing two ligaments in his left knee, and appeared in only five of the first 21 this season before making his latest return Dec. 12.
The former All-Star swingman has averaged 13.3 points over those 10 games and been held under 10 five times in that span. Before Saturday night’s game against visiting Oklahoma City, Redd had scored a combined 14 points on 5-of-25 shooting in the three previous contests.
Until a 103-97 overtime win over the Thunder, the Bucks were 3-11 when he played and 9-7 when he didn’t, but Redd scored 27 points - including the team’s first six in overtime - to help them snap a four-game slide.
“I’m getting used to playing basketball again. Period,” Redd said. “Tonight was a good night. A good step for me.”
The Bucks (13-18) will try to take their own step with their second win streak since Nov. 21. After a surprising 8-3 start, Milwaukee has dropped 15 of 20, with its only back-to-back wins coming Dec. 9 and 12.
The Bucks are hoping to match that by taking advantage of the league’s worst team again. They beat the Nets 99-85 at home Nov. 18 to launch a three-game win streak.
Redd missed that game against New Jersey (3-30), but Carlos Delfino(notes) and Andrew Bogut(notes) scored 21 points apiece. Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) led New Jersey with a career-high 31, and rookie Terrence Williams(notes) added a season-best 20.
The Nets have gone 1-5 on their season-high seven-game homestand, which ends Tuesday. They couldn’t follow up a victory from Dec. 30 over the Knicks, falling to Cleveland 94-86 on Saturday.
Devin Harris(notes) and Brook Lopez(notes) combined for 42 points, but only two other players scored more than nine as the team shot 38.7 percent. The Nets stayed competitive by holding the Central Division-leading Cavaliers to a 39.5-percent performance, a positive sign for coach Kiki Vandeweghe.
“We kept playing hard defense (and) we stopped them,” Vandeweghe told the team’s Web site. “I’m encouraged, but you’ve got to take this as a learning experience knowing this is one of the best teams in the NBA.”
New Jersey could get a boost with the expected return of forward Jarvis Hayes(notes), who has missed 32 games with a strained left hamstring.
In addition to its win earlier this season over the Nets, Milwaukee also snapped a six-game slide in New Jersey with a 107-78 victory March 30.
The Bucks, however, are 3-11 on the road this season and have dropped consecutive games there.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
POD: Milwaukee PK (NBA) W
POD: Oklahoma City @ Milwaukee PK (3K units) W
Preview: The Oklahoma City Thunder are finally finding ways to win following a terrible three-season stretch. Kevin Durant’s(notes) record scoring run certainly isn’t hurting.
Durant, who has tied a franchise mark for consecutive 30-point games, leads the Thunder as they attempt to extend their winning streak to six for the first time in five years in a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
With an 87-86 victory over Utah on Thursday night, the Oklahoma City franchise won five straight for the first time since March 18-25, 2005. The last time it won more than five in a row was in November 2004, when Seattle had a nine-game streak after losing its season opener.
“We’re finding a way to win games,” said Nick Collison(notes), who made the tying and go-ahead free throws with 4.5 seconds left. “We’ve been talented for a long time and now we’re finding a way to win even when we don’t play well.”
Collison has been with the franchise since 2004-05, enduring three straight seasons in which the Thunder (18-14) had winning percentages below .380. The veteran forward is a key part of a bench that hasn’t been needed for much scoring with Durant carrying most of the load.
Durant is coming off his sixth straight 30-point game, tying the franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in January 1972. The third-year forward, averaging 34.0 points during his scoring run, has the Thunder tied with the Jazz for eighth place in the Western Conference.
“It’s early, man. We’re just hitting the new year. Anything can happen in these next three or four months,” Durant said. “We’ve just got to continue to play our brand of basketball and get better and worry about us.”
Durant had 33 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in his first matchup with Milwaukee (12-18) this season, a 108-90 Oklahoma City win Nov. 27. Milwaukee shot 37.8 percent in that contest.
The Bucks have been held under 40 percent shooting three times during a four-game losing streak, and have lost seven of eight following a strong start. They shot 39.2 percent (38 for 97) in a 117-92 loss at Orlando on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee is also struggling defensively during its skid, giving up 108.0 points a contest.
Center Andrew Bogut(notes) and the Bucks’ frontcourt twice disrupted alley-oop dunks by Orlando’s Dwight Howard(notes), but Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles wants his team to be more active. The Magic ended up shooting 55.8 percent (43 for 77).
“We needed some more resistance out of Andrew,” Skiles said.
Bogut had 15 points and 10 rebounds following one of the worst games of his career, posting two points on 1-of-6 shooting in a 94-84 loss to Charlotte on Monday night. He missed this season’s first matchup with Oklahoma City due to a leg injury.
Preview: The Oklahoma City Thunder are finally finding ways to win following a terrible three-season stretch. Kevin Durant’s(notes) record scoring run certainly isn’t hurting.
Durant, who has tied a franchise mark for consecutive 30-point games, leads the Thunder as they attempt to extend their winning streak to six for the first time in five years in a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
With an 87-86 victory over Utah on Thursday night, the Oklahoma City franchise won five straight for the first time since March 18-25, 2005. The last time it won more than five in a row was in November 2004, when Seattle had a nine-game streak after losing its season opener.
“We’re finding a way to win games,” said Nick Collison(notes), who made the tying and go-ahead free throws with 4.5 seconds left. “We’ve been talented for a long time and now we’re finding a way to win even when we don’t play well.”
Collison has been with the franchise since 2004-05, enduring three straight seasons in which the Thunder (18-14) had winning percentages below .380. The veteran forward is a key part of a bench that hasn’t been needed for much scoring with Durant carrying most of the load.
Durant is coming off his sixth straight 30-point game, tying the franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in January 1972. The third-year forward, averaging 34.0 points during his scoring run, has the Thunder tied with the Jazz for eighth place in the Western Conference.
“It’s early, man. We’re just hitting the new year. Anything can happen in these next three or four months,” Durant said. “We’ve just got to continue to play our brand of basketball and get better and worry about us.”
Durant had 33 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in his first matchup with Milwaukee (12-18) this season, a 108-90 Oklahoma City win Nov. 27. Milwaukee shot 37.8 percent in that contest.
The Bucks have been held under 40 percent shooting three times during a four-game losing streak, and have lost seven of eight following a strong start. They shot 39.2 percent (38 for 97) in a 117-92 loss at Orlando on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee is also struggling defensively during its skid, giving up 108.0 points a contest.
Center Andrew Bogut(notes) and the Bucks’ frontcourt twice disrupted alley-oop dunks by Orlando’s Dwight Howard(notes), but Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles wants his team to be more active. The Magic ended up shooting 55.8 percent (43 for 77).
“We needed some more resistance out of Andrew,” Skiles said.
Bogut had 15 points and 10 rebounds following one of the worst games of his career, posting two points on 1-of-6 shooting in a 94-84 loss to Charlotte on Monday night. He missed this season’s first matchup with Oklahoma City due to a leg injury.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
POD: Washington+7.0 (NBA) W
POD: Washington+7.0 @ Milwaukee (4K units) W
Preview: Washington coach Flip Saunders has wondered about his struggling team’s concentration on the court. He’s likely not talking about Gilbert Arenas.
The star guard looks to lead the Wizards to a second straight victory when they open a three-game road trip Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Arenas scored 31 points to help Washington (9-17) rally for a 105-98 home win over Philadelphia on Tuesday. Arenas had 15 points in the first quarter, then scored 12 in the fourth after being held to four in the middle periods.
The victory was Washington’s second in three games after losing six in a row. It came after Saunders seemingly questioned the “concentration level from the guys” before Tuesday’s contest, three days after a 121-95 loss at Phoenix that he called “extremely disappointing and pretty much unacceptable.”
Arenas has not disappointed, averaging 22.4 points on the season and 32.8 on 47.8 percent shooting in his last four games.
“I feel a lot better than I did at the beginning of the season,” said Arenas, who missed all but two games in 2008-09 after three knee operations in 1 1/2 years. “The rhythm, the dribbling in the lane, just moving without the ball: It’s all coming back.”
He had 22 and nine assists in the Wizards’ 104-102 home win over Milwaukee on Dec. 2.
While Arenas is playing well, Washington likely needs captain Antawn Jamison(notes) to get back on track. Jamison is averaging 20.1 points, but has scored 32 total in his last three games after reaching at least 30 points in each of his three games prior to the rough stretch.
Jamison, who had seven points on 1-of-6 shooting against the 76ers, is averaging 20.4 points in 27 career games against the Bucks.
Though Washington won the last meeting between the teams, it’s 4-10 on the road and lost three in a row at Milwaukee, including two games in overtime.
No stranger to close games, Milwaukee (12-14) tries for a second straight victory after winning 84-81 at Indiana on Monday.
Andrew Bogut(notes) had a career-high 31 points with 18 rebounds and rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) scored 16 as the Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak by winning for the fourth time in 15 games.
Milwaukee is 2-8 in games decided by three points or less.
“We’ve had a lot of games like this that went down to the last minute and a half,” coach Scott Skiles told the Bucks’ official Web site. “It’s about making some big plays, making a big shot or getting a key stop.”
Plagued by injuries his first four seasons, the 7-foot Bogut is averaging a career-best 16.0 points with 10.0 rebounds in 20 games. Milwaukee is 6-1 when the former No. 1 overall draft pick scores 20 or more this season.
“I definitely need to be more of a leader within this franchise and have more nights like I did tonight,” Bogut said. “I’m not really thinking about the past couple seasons.”
What he should be thinking of is improving on his last effort against Washington earlier this month when he was held to eight points and seven boards. Bogut is averaging 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in 13 career games versus the Wizards.
Preview: Washington coach Flip Saunders has wondered about his struggling team’s concentration on the court. He’s likely not talking about Gilbert Arenas.
The star guard looks to lead the Wizards to a second straight victory when they open a three-game road trip Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Arenas scored 31 points to help Washington (9-17) rally for a 105-98 home win over Philadelphia on Tuesday. Arenas had 15 points in the first quarter, then scored 12 in the fourth after being held to four in the middle periods.
The victory was Washington’s second in three games after losing six in a row. It came after Saunders seemingly questioned the “concentration level from the guys” before Tuesday’s contest, three days after a 121-95 loss at Phoenix that he called “extremely disappointing and pretty much unacceptable.”
Arenas has not disappointed, averaging 22.4 points on the season and 32.8 on 47.8 percent shooting in his last four games.
“I feel a lot better than I did at the beginning of the season,” said Arenas, who missed all but two games in 2008-09 after three knee operations in 1 1/2 years. “The rhythm, the dribbling in the lane, just moving without the ball: It’s all coming back.”
He had 22 and nine assists in the Wizards’ 104-102 home win over Milwaukee on Dec. 2.
While Arenas is playing well, Washington likely needs captain Antawn Jamison(notes) to get back on track. Jamison is averaging 20.1 points, but has scored 32 total in his last three games after reaching at least 30 points in each of his three games prior to the rough stretch.
Jamison, who had seven points on 1-of-6 shooting against the 76ers, is averaging 20.4 points in 27 career games against the Bucks.
Though Washington won the last meeting between the teams, it’s 4-10 on the road and lost three in a row at Milwaukee, including two games in overtime.
No stranger to close games, Milwaukee (12-14) tries for a second straight victory after winning 84-81 at Indiana on Monday.
Andrew Bogut(notes) had a career-high 31 points with 18 rebounds and rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) scored 16 as the Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak by winning for the fourth time in 15 games.
Milwaukee is 2-8 in games decided by three points or less.
“We’ve had a lot of games like this that went down to the last minute and a half,” coach Scott Skiles told the Bucks’ official Web site. “It’s about making some big plays, making a big shot or getting a key stop.”
Plagued by injuries his first four seasons, the 7-foot Bogut is averaging a career-best 16.0 points with 10.0 rebounds in 20 games. Milwaukee is 6-1 when the former No. 1 overall draft pick scores 20 or more this season.
“I definitely need to be more of a leader within this franchise and have more nights like I did tonight,” Bogut said. “I’m not really thinking about the past couple seasons.”
What he should be thinking of is improving on his last effort against Washington earlier this month when he was held to eight points and seven boards. Bogut is averaging 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in 13 career games versus the Wizards.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
POD: Portland+3.0 (NBA) L
POD: Portland+3.0 @ Milwaukee (3K units) L
Preview: It’s been three years since Milwaukee last beat the Portland Trail Blazers. The Bucks will likely need a healthy Brandon Jennings(notes) to help change that.
Despite a knee injury, the emerging star guard is expected to play Saturday night as the host Bucks try to avoid a sixth consecutive loss to the injury-plagued Trail Blazers.
Averaging a team-leading 21.1 points per game, Jennings hyperextended his knee in the second half Wednesday in Milwaukee’s 117-95 home win over Toronto that snapped a four-game losing streak.
“I went to the rack, came down funny and just hyperextended it,” Jennings said. “I don’t like knee injuries anyway, I’ve never had any, but from seeing other people with knee injures, you can be out a long time.”
Jennings, however, doesn’t believe the injury is serious and expects to start as the Bucks (10-11) try for their first win over Portland since Dec. 6, 2006.
The 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Jennings was shooting 32.5 percent and averaging 16.0 points over his previous nine games before going 8 of 14 from floor to finish with a team-high 22 points as the Bucks shot 52.5 percent and had seven players in double figures for the first time since March 7.
“We were just trying to stop the losing streak, that’s the main thing,” Jennings said. “For me, I think I just have to start attacking more. I come off a little passive at first and I need to be more aggressive.”
Milwaukee will likely need Jennings to be the latter in this contest. The Bucks averaged 95.2 points while losing eight of nine prior to Wednesday’s victory, and 84.5 in a pair of losses to the Trail Blazers last season.
The Bucks, however, could have former All-Star Michael Redd(notes) back after he missed seven straight games with a sore left knee since returning for three after sitting out nine in a row with a strained tendon in the same knee.
Redd, a career 20.4-point scorer, is averaging 9.8 in five games this season, but 21.0 in 13 all-time against Portland.
The Trail Blazers (14-10), also hit hard by injuries, look to bounce back from a 104-99 loss at Cleveland on Friday.
Brandon Roy(notes) scored 23 points, LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) had 22 and Andre Miller(notes) added 20 for Portland, which dressed nine players and fell to 1-2 on a four-game road trip.
With Greg Oden(notes) out for the season with a knee injury suffered last weekend and Travis Outlaw(notes) (foot) unlikely to return until February at the earliest, backup guard Rudy Fernandez(notes) (sciatic pain) could miss a fifth straight game for the Trail Blazers, losers of five of seven.
Injuries aside, Roy knows the Trail Blazers must play better.
“We have to or we’ll get beat by 30,” said Roy, who’s averaging 26.4 points in his last five games and 22.6 in five career contests against the Bucks. “We have no room for error. At the beginning of the season, we thought we did. Now if we relax for one quarter, we can get blown out by any team.”
Roy had 30 in Portland’s 96-84 win at Milwaukee in the teams’ most recent meeting March 21.
Preview: It’s been three years since Milwaukee last beat the Portland Trail Blazers. The Bucks will likely need a healthy Brandon Jennings(notes) to help change that.
Despite a knee injury, the emerging star guard is expected to play Saturday night as the host Bucks try to avoid a sixth consecutive loss to the injury-plagued Trail Blazers.
Averaging a team-leading 21.1 points per game, Jennings hyperextended his knee in the second half Wednesday in Milwaukee’s 117-95 home win over Toronto that snapped a four-game losing streak.
“I went to the rack, came down funny and just hyperextended it,” Jennings said. “I don’t like knee injuries anyway, I’ve never had any, but from seeing other people with knee injures, you can be out a long time.”
Jennings, however, doesn’t believe the injury is serious and expects to start as the Bucks (10-11) try for their first win over Portland since Dec. 6, 2006.
The 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft, Jennings was shooting 32.5 percent and averaging 16.0 points over his previous nine games before going 8 of 14 from floor to finish with a team-high 22 points as the Bucks shot 52.5 percent and had seven players in double figures for the first time since March 7.
“We were just trying to stop the losing streak, that’s the main thing,” Jennings said. “For me, I think I just have to start attacking more. I come off a little passive at first and I need to be more aggressive.”
Milwaukee will likely need Jennings to be the latter in this contest. The Bucks averaged 95.2 points while losing eight of nine prior to Wednesday’s victory, and 84.5 in a pair of losses to the Trail Blazers last season.
The Bucks, however, could have former All-Star Michael Redd(notes) back after he missed seven straight games with a sore left knee since returning for three after sitting out nine in a row with a strained tendon in the same knee.
Redd, a career 20.4-point scorer, is averaging 9.8 in five games this season, but 21.0 in 13 all-time against Portland.
The Trail Blazers (14-10), also hit hard by injuries, look to bounce back from a 104-99 loss at Cleveland on Friday.
Brandon Roy(notes) scored 23 points, LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) had 22 and Andre Miller(notes) added 20 for Portland, which dressed nine players and fell to 1-2 on a four-game road trip.
With Greg Oden(notes) out for the season with a knee injury suffered last weekend and Travis Outlaw(notes) (foot) unlikely to return until February at the earliest, backup guard Rudy Fernandez(notes) (sciatic pain) could miss a fifth straight game for the Trail Blazers, losers of five of seven.
Injuries aside, Roy knows the Trail Blazers must play better.
“We have to or we’ll get beat by 30,” said Roy, who’s averaging 26.4 points in his last five games and 22.6 in five career contests against the Bucks. “We have no room for error. At the beginning of the season, we thought we did. Now if we relax for one quarter, we can get blown out by any team.”
Roy had 30 in Portland’s 96-84 win at Milwaukee in the teams’ most recent meeting March 21.
Friday, December 4, 2009
POD: Detroit-4.5 (NBA) W
POD: Milwaukee @ Detroit-4.5 (3K units) W
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons are both enduring rough stretches.
The Central Division rivals meet for the second time this season Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills with Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva(notes) expected to return against his former team.
Milwaukee (9-8) has lost five of six and Detroit (6-12) eight of nine after both fell Wednesday. The Bucks dropped their fourth straight road game, 104-102 to Washington and the Pistons lost in Chicago, 92-85.
Detroit played its first game without Villanueva, who was out with a nasal fracture suffered in Sunday’s 94-88 win over Atlanta. Villanueva has been fitted with a protective mask and should play Friday.
Villanueva left the Bucks to join Detroit as an unrestricted free agent, signing a five-year, $35 million deal on July 8. He scored 12 points in his return to Milwaukee, a 96-85 loss Oct. 31.
That game was Brandon Jennings’(notes) first in Milwaukee and he made an immediate impression on the home fans by scoring 21 of his 24 points in the second half as the Bucks rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit.
The rookie has continued to shine, leading the Bucks with 21.5 points and 5.8 assists per game. His shooting percentage, though, is down to 30.5 percent over the last six games.
Jennings made 7 of 21 shots for 17 points Wednesday, including a tying 3-pointer with 10.5 seconds left.
“One bad call here, or a missed shot here or there, that’s what’s killing us,” Jennings said. “It’s not that the guys are not playing hard.”
The Bucks will again be without Michael Redd(notes), who is out with a knee injury. Coach Scott Skiles was ejected in the first quarter Wednesday and refused to use Redd’s absence as an excuse.
“We lost this game before the ball even went up tonight,” Skiles said. “We were not ready to play. Our defense was terrible. We had breakdown after breakdown after breakdown.”
The Pistons are hopeful Richard Hamilton(notes) and Tayshaun Price will return after they practiced Thursday. Hamilton has been sidelined by an ankle injury since the season opener while Prince has missed the last 15 games with a back injury.
Ben Gordon(notes) missed the Pistons’ previous two games with a sprained left ankle before returning Wednesday in his first game against the Bulls since signing as a free agent with Detroit on July 9. Gordon scored a team-high 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
“I wasn’t 100 percent, but I figured I’d go out there and make a sacrifice for the team and try to get us a win. … We had a lot of guys out,” Gordon said.
Pistons point guard Rodney Stuckey(notes) is averaging 21.5 points over his last four games and will try to reverse his history of poor play against Milwaukee. Stuckey, who will likely draw the assignment of guarding Jennings, is averaging 10.0 points on 32.3 percent shooting in five career starts against the Bucks.
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons are both enduring rough stretches.
The Central Division rivals meet for the second time this season Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills with Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva(notes) expected to return against his former team.
Milwaukee (9-8) has lost five of six and Detroit (6-12) eight of nine after both fell Wednesday. The Bucks dropped their fourth straight road game, 104-102 to Washington and the Pistons lost in Chicago, 92-85.
Detroit played its first game without Villanueva, who was out with a nasal fracture suffered in Sunday’s 94-88 win over Atlanta. Villanueva has been fitted with a protective mask and should play Friday.
Villanueva left the Bucks to join Detroit as an unrestricted free agent, signing a five-year, $35 million deal on July 8. He scored 12 points in his return to Milwaukee, a 96-85 loss Oct. 31.
That game was Brandon Jennings’(notes) first in Milwaukee and he made an immediate impression on the home fans by scoring 21 of his 24 points in the second half as the Bucks rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit.
The rookie has continued to shine, leading the Bucks with 21.5 points and 5.8 assists per game. His shooting percentage, though, is down to 30.5 percent over the last six games.
Jennings made 7 of 21 shots for 17 points Wednesday, including a tying 3-pointer with 10.5 seconds left.
“One bad call here, or a missed shot here or there, that’s what’s killing us,” Jennings said. “It’s not that the guys are not playing hard.”
The Bucks will again be without Michael Redd(notes), who is out with a knee injury. Coach Scott Skiles was ejected in the first quarter Wednesday and refused to use Redd’s absence as an excuse.
“We lost this game before the ball even went up tonight,” Skiles said. “We were not ready to play. Our defense was terrible. We had breakdown after breakdown after breakdown.”
The Pistons are hopeful Richard Hamilton(notes) and Tayshaun Price will return after they practiced Thursday. Hamilton has been sidelined by an ankle injury since the season opener while Prince has missed the last 15 games with a back injury.
Ben Gordon(notes) missed the Pistons’ previous two games with a sprained left ankle before returning Wednesday in his first game against the Bulls since signing as a free agent with Detroit on July 9. Gordon scored a team-high 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
“I wasn’t 100 percent, but I figured I’d go out there and make a sacrifice for the team and try to get us a win. … We had a lot of guys out,” Gordon said.
Pistons point guard Rodney Stuckey(notes) is averaging 21.5 points over his last four games and will try to reverse his history of poor play against Milwaukee. Stuckey, who will likely draw the assignment of guarding Jennings, is averaging 10.0 points on 32.3 percent shooting in five career starts against the Bucks.
Monday, November 30, 2009
POD: Chicago+3.0 (NBA) W
POD: Chicago+3.0 @ Milwaukee (3K units) W
Preview: The Chicago Bulls opened their extended road trip in encouraging fashion, but nothing has gone right since.
Coming off another blowout defeat, the Bulls conclude a six-game trip Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks in a matchup of teams looking to avoid a fifth straight loss.
After opening the season with five wins in nine games, Chicago (6-8) embarked on a two-week road swing made necessary by the circus occupying the United Center. The Bulls started the trip with a 101-87 victory over Sacramento on Nov. 17, but things went downhill from there.
Chicago is coming off a 105-86 loss to Utah on Thursday, and was outscored by an average of 19.3 points in dropping its last four. The Bulls lost each by at least 15, and have allowed an average of 111.8 points on 52.6 percent shooting during the slide.
“We’re not communicating and we are letting people do whatever,” guard Derrick Rose(notes) said.
The road-weary Bulls hope to rely on recent history as they try to stop the skid. Chicago is 11-2 against Milwaukee (8-7) since the start of the 2006-07 season.
In the teams’ only meeting this season, Chicago rallied from 18 down to win 83-81 at home Nov. 3. Luol Deng(notes) finished with 24 points and a career-best 20 rebounds while Rose scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Rose is showing improvement after getting off to a slow start due to an ankle injury. He has averaged 20.3 points on 50.7 percent shooting during the losing streak after averaging 13.4 points and 43.8 percent in the first 10 games.
Rose was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, and Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings(notes) is emerging as an early favorite for the award this season.
Jennings ranks among the league leaders for first-year players with 22.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, although he hasn’t been particularly sharp during the Bucks’ four-game slide.
The point guard had 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting in a 100-98 loss to Orlando on Saturday, and averaged 14.0 points and 29.0 percent from the field in the last four. In the six games prior to the skid, he scored 31.0 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting, with Milwaukee winning five of those contests.
The Bucks had a chance to end their slide Saturday, but allowed the Magic to come back from a 15-point deficit midway through the third quarter.
“We’ve got to learn how to finish games,” Milwaukee forward Hakim Warrick(notes) said. “When we get a big lead we just have to keep going and playing the way we’ve been playing.”
Although Jennings has hit a bit of a wall, he could have better luck against a Chicago team that will likely be without top defensive player Kirk Hinrich(notes) (sprained left thumb). Jennings had a game-high 25 points against the Bulls four weeks ago.
Preview: The Chicago Bulls opened their extended road trip in encouraging fashion, but nothing has gone right since.
Coming off another blowout defeat, the Bulls conclude a six-game trip Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks in a matchup of teams looking to avoid a fifth straight loss.
After opening the season with five wins in nine games, Chicago (6-8) embarked on a two-week road swing made necessary by the circus occupying the United Center. The Bulls started the trip with a 101-87 victory over Sacramento on Nov. 17, but things went downhill from there.
Chicago is coming off a 105-86 loss to Utah on Thursday, and was outscored by an average of 19.3 points in dropping its last four. The Bulls lost each by at least 15, and have allowed an average of 111.8 points on 52.6 percent shooting during the slide.
“We’re not communicating and we are letting people do whatever,” guard Derrick Rose(notes) said.
The road-weary Bulls hope to rely on recent history as they try to stop the skid. Chicago is 11-2 against Milwaukee (8-7) since the start of the 2006-07 season.
In the teams’ only meeting this season, Chicago rallied from 18 down to win 83-81 at home Nov. 3. Luol Deng(notes) finished with 24 points and a career-best 20 rebounds while Rose scored 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Rose is showing improvement after getting off to a slow start due to an ankle injury. He has averaged 20.3 points on 50.7 percent shooting during the losing streak after averaging 13.4 points and 43.8 percent in the first 10 games.
Rose was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, and Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings(notes) is emerging as an early favorite for the award this season.
Jennings ranks among the league leaders for first-year players with 22.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, although he hasn’t been particularly sharp during the Bucks’ four-game slide.
The point guard had 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting in a 100-98 loss to Orlando on Saturday, and averaged 14.0 points and 29.0 percent from the field in the last four. In the six games prior to the skid, he scored 31.0 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting, with Milwaukee winning five of those contests.
The Bucks had a chance to end their slide Saturday, but allowed the Magic to come back from a 15-point deficit midway through the third quarter.
“We’ve got to learn how to finish games,” Milwaukee forward Hakim Warrick(notes) said. “When we get a big lead we just have to keep going and playing the way we’ve been playing.”
Although Jennings has hit a bit of a wall, he could have better luck against a Chicago team that will likely be without top defensive player Kirk Hinrich(notes) (sprained left thumb). Jennings had a game-high 25 points against the Bulls four weeks ago.
Monday, November 23, 2009
POD: San Antonio-9.0 (NBA) W
POD: Milwaukee @ San Antonio-9.0 (3K units) W
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs have been hit hard by injuries to some of their top players during the season’s first month.
So far, the Bucks have done a better job of overcoming the situation.
Brandon Jennings looks to help lead Milwaukee to its eighth victory in nine games Monday night when it visits the Spurs, who will try to build on their first win in a week and a half.
The Bucks (8-3) have been one of the biggest surprises in the early going, climbing to the top of the Central Division with the franchise’s best start since going 9-1 in 2001-02.
Their record is startling considering guard Michael Redd(notes) and center Andrew Bogut(notes) have missed time with injuries. Redd is expected to return soon from a left knee injury that has kept him out nine games, while Bogut is expected to miss two to four weeks with a left leg strain suffered in Wednesday’s 99-85 win over New Jersey.
With the two stars out, Jennings has been the main reason the team has won three in a row and seven of eight.
The rookie scored 24 of his 26 points after halftime in a 103-98 win over Memphis on Saturday. Jennings is averaging 31.0 points on 54.1 percent shooting (20 of 37) from 3-point range in the last six games, and leads first-year players with 25.3 points and 5.5 assists per contest.
Jennings hasn’t been the only Milwaukee player to step up in the wake of all the injuries.
Charlie Bell(notes) had a season-high 19 points Saturday, Ersan Ilyasova(notes) finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds and reserve Luke Ridnour(notes) added 13 points and a season-high 12 assists.
“We had a lot of guys contribute, which is what we need right now,” coach Scott Skiles said.
While Milwaukee is overcoming its injury woes, San Antonio hasn’t had the same success.
Tim Duncan(notes) (left ankle), Tony Parker(notes) (left ankle) and Manu Ginobili(notes) (left groin) have missed time for the Spurs (5-6), who had their first losing record at the 10-game mark since 1996-97.
Ginobili’s injury is likely to keep him until later this week. Parker played for the second time in six games Saturday, scoring 17 points in a 106-84 victory over Washington that snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was San Antonio’s first win since beating Dallas on Nov. 11, but Duncan said it felt like the team’s first in a year and a half.
Duncan, who has played in four straight games after missing two, had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Wizards and hopes the win will spark a turnaround.
“We have to try to get a streak going,” the 11-time All-Star said.
Improvements on the defensive end could help San Antonio get back on track.
Usually solid defensively, the Spurs have been marginal so far, giving up an average of 97.5 points. San Antonio, though, limited the Wizards to an opponent season-low 33.3 percent shooting and held a team to less than 90 points for only the second time this season.
San Antonio will need to come up with another stout defensive effort against a Milwaukee team averaging 107.0 points in its last seven games.
The Bucks swept the 2008-09 season series from the Spurs. Richard Jefferson(notes), acquired by San Antonio in the offseason, averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in the two games for Milwaukee.
Preview: The Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs have been hit hard by injuries to some of their top players during the season’s first month.
So far, the Bucks have done a better job of overcoming the situation.
Brandon Jennings looks to help lead Milwaukee to its eighth victory in nine games Monday night when it visits the Spurs, who will try to build on their first win in a week and a half.
The Bucks (8-3) have been one of the biggest surprises in the early going, climbing to the top of the Central Division with the franchise’s best start since going 9-1 in 2001-02.
Their record is startling considering guard Michael Redd(notes) and center Andrew Bogut(notes) have missed time with injuries. Redd is expected to return soon from a left knee injury that has kept him out nine games, while Bogut is expected to miss two to four weeks with a left leg strain suffered in Wednesday’s 99-85 win over New Jersey.
With the two stars out, Jennings has been the main reason the team has won three in a row and seven of eight.
The rookie scored 24 of his 26 points after halftime in a 103-98 win over Memphis on Saturday. Jennings is averaging 31.0 points on 54.1 percent shooting (20 of 37) from 3-point range in the last six games, and leads first-year players with 25.3 points and 5.5 assists per contest.
Jennings hasn’t been the only Milwaukee player to step up in the wake of all the injuries.
Charlie Bell(notes) had a season-high 19 points Saturday, Ersan Ilyasova(notes) finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds and reserve Luke Ridnour(notes) added 13 points and a season-high 12 assists.
“We had a lot of guys contribute, which is what we need right now,” coach Scott Skiles said.
While Milwaukee is overcoming its injury woes, San Antonio hasn’t had the same success.
Tim Duncan(notes) (left ankle), Tony Parker(notes) (left ankle) and Manu Ginobili(notes) (left groin) have missed time for the Spurs (5-6), who had their first losing record at the 10-game mark since 1996-97.
Ginobili’s injury is likely to keep him until later this week. Parker played for the second time in six games Saturday, scoring 17 points in a 106-84 victory over Washington that snapped a three-game losing streak.
It was San Antonio’s first win since beating Dallas on Nov. 11, but Duncan said it felt like the team’s first in a year and a half.
Duncan, who has played in four straight games after missing two, had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Wizards and hopes the win will spark a turnaround.
“We have to try to get a streak going,” the 11-time All-Star said.
Improvements on the defensive end could help San Antonio get back on track.
Usually solid defensively, the Spurs have been marginal so far, giving up an average of 97.5 points. San Antonio, though, limited the Wizards to an opponent season-low 33.3 percent shooting and held a team to less than 90 points for only the second time this season.
San Antonio will need to come up with another stout defensive effort against a Milwaukee team averaging 107.0 points in its last seven games.
The Bucks swept the 2008-09 season series from the Spurs. Richard Jefferson(notes), acquired by San Antonio in the offseason, averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in the two games for Milwaukee.
Monday, November 16, 2009
POD: Dallas-1.5 (NBA) W
POD: Dallas-1.5 @ Milwaukee (5K units) W
Preview: There was a good chance the Milwaukee Bucks would struggle without Michael Redd(notes) in the lineup. Rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) has prevented that from happening.
Coming off a club-record performance, Jennings looks to help lead the Bucks to a fifth consecutive victory Monday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks.
In his seventh NBA game, the 20-year-old point guard scored 55 points and shot 21 of 34 in 40 minutes of a 129-125 win over Golden State on Saturday night.
The point total broke the franchise’s previous rookie record mark of 51 set by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - then known as Lew Alcindor - on Feb. 21, 1970. Jennings fell three points shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA rookie record set in 1960.
It was also the most points scored by a rookie since Earl Monroe’s 56 in 1968, and the second-most ever by a player under the age of 21. LeBron James(notes) scored 56 points in March 2005.
“It was a very, very impressive performance for anyone, let alone a rookie in his seventh game,” Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said of Jennings, who did not score in the first quarter. “We just gave the ball to Brandon and let him go to work.”
That’s just what Skiles has had to do with the 10th overall pick who skipped college to play professionally in Italy last season, especially after star scorer Redd suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season. Redd could return as early as Monday or possibly Wednesday against New Jersey, but Skiles may need to keep putting the ball in Jennings’ hands even after that happens.
Jennings, averaging 25.6 points on the season, has scored a combined 87 in his last two games while shooting 32 of 53 from the floor. Thanks largely to their rookie’s heroics, the Bucks are 4-1 in the games Redd has missed.
Jennings credits Skiles with giving him a chance to produce so quickly in his career.
“For him to give me the opportunity to go out there and showcase my talent, I think that’s real big of him, especially because I’m just a rookie,” Jennings said. “A lot of coaches don’t give rookies a lot of chances.”
As the Bucks (5-2) try to win five in a row for the first time since Nov. 14-24, 2007, Jennings is ready to look forward.
“(Saturday) night, that’s the past,” he said.
Off to its best start since winning five of the first seven during its last playoff season of 2005-06, Milwaukee now tries for a third consecutive home win over Dallas (7-3).
That likely won’t be easy against a Mavericks team that has won two in a row to improve to 2-1 on a four-game road trip after beating Detroit 95-90 on Sunday.
Dirk Nowitzki(notes) scored 25 points and Drew Gooden(notes) added 11 with 11 rebounds in place of starting center Erick Dampier(notes), who was scratched due to illness. The Mavericks shot 43.9 percent, but outscored the Pistons 46-36 in the paint.
“Sometimes, things don’t go the way you draw them up and you have to grind a game out,” Dallas forward Shawn Marion(notes) said.
Nowitzki is averaging 25.7 points on the season and 27.1 in his last 14 games against the Bucks. He had 30 in Dallas’ 133-99 loss at Milwaukee on Jan. 21, but 14 in a 116-96 home win over the Bucks on Feb. 25.
Averaging just 5.7 points and 4.3 boards, Gooden will likely get another start with Dampier expected to miss this contest. (Y! Sports)
Preview: There was a good chance the Milwaukee Bucks would struggle without Michael Redd(notes) in the lineup. Rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) has prevented that from happening.
Coming off a club-record performance, Jennings looks to help lead the Bucks to a fifth consecutive victory Monday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks.
In his seventh NBA game, the 20-year-old point guard scored 55 points and shot 21 of 34 in 40 minutes of a 129-125 win over Golden State on Saturday night.
The point total broke the franchise’s previous rookie record mark of 51 set by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - then known as Lew Alcindor - on Feb. 21, 1970. Jennings fell three points shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA rookie record set in 1960.
It was also the most points scored by a rookie since Earl Monroe’s 56 in 1968, and the second-most ever by a player under the age of 21. LeBron James(notes) scored 56 points in March 2005.
“It was a very, very impressive performance for anyone, let alone a rookie in his seventh game,” Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said of Jennings, who did not score in the first quarter. “We just gave the ball to Brandon and let him go to work.”
That’s just what Skiles has had to do with the 10th overall pick who skipped college to play professionally in Italy last season, especially after star scorer Redd suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season. Redd could return as early as Monday or possibly Wednesday against New Jersey, but Skiles may need to keep putting the ball in Jennings’ hands even after that happens.
Jennings, averaging 25.6 points on the season, has scored a combined 87 in his last two games while shooting 32 of 53 from the floor. Thanks largely to their rookie’s heroics, the Bucks are 4-1 in the games Redd has missed.
Jennings credits Skiles with giving him a chance to produce so quickly in his career.
“For him to give me the opportunity to go out there and showcase my talent, I think that’s real big of him, especially because I’m just a rookie,” Jennings said. “A lot of coaches don’t give rookies a lot of chances.”
As the Bucks (5-2) try to win five in a row for the first time since Nov. 14-24, 2007, Jennings is ready to look forward.
“(Saturday) night, that’s the past,” he said.
Off to its best start since winning five of the first seven during its last playoff season of 2005-06, Milwaukee now tries for a third consecutive home win over Dallas (7-3).
That likely won’t be easy against a Mavericks team that has won two in a row to improve to 2-1 on a four-game road trip after beating Detroit 95-90 on Sunday.
Dirk Nowitzki(notes) scored 25 points and Drew Gooden(notes) added 11 with 11 rebounds in place of starting center Erick Dampier(notes), who was scratched due to illness. The Mavericks shot 43.9 percent, but outscored the Pistons 46-36 in the paint.
“Sometimes, things don’t go the way you draw them up and you have to grind a game out,” Dallas forward Shawn Marion(notes) said.
Nowitzki is averaging 25.7 points on the season and 27.1 in his last 14 games against the Bucks. He had 30 in Dallas’ 133-99 loss at Milwaukee on Jan. 21, but 14 in a 116-96 home win over the Bucks on Feb. 25.
Averaging just 5.7 points and 4.3 boards, Gooden will likely get another start with Dampier expected to miss this contest. (Y! Sports)
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