Box Score/Recap

After a first quarter in which the Pistons started 11-11 from the field, I thought this might be business as usual against the Detroit Pistons for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Pistons have had the Bucks number over the past couple seasons.  This year, the Bucks took the opener, but the Pistons out-muscled and out-matched the Bucks in the following two games, exposing the Bucks inability to defend bigger guards or get much penetration.

But then John Salmons made his Bucks debut.  From his very first made basket, you could see he offers a little something that the Bucks previously didn’t offer much.  Salmons caught on the perimeter, crossed over on Tayshaun Prince and hit a floater in the lane.  On his next catch Salmons pump-faked, just like any other Buck would do on a catch, but then again took it into the lane and was able to get to the free-throw line.  Those aren’t big flashy plays and I don’t expect him to be a miracle worker, but if these are his strengths, they mesh perfectly with the Bucks weaknesses.

And while a line of 19 points, one rebound and zeroes in every other category looks like Salmons was out there jackin’, it wasn’t necessarily the case.  Salmons found a cutting Ersan Ilyasova with a very nice pass only to have Charlie V. hack Ersan and send him to the free-throw line.  Another time Salmons got into the lane for the umpteenth time and made a nice drop off pass to a posted up Andrew Bogut – only to have Bogut called for three seconds.  For a guy who says he didn’t know his new team’s plays, that’s not too bad.

And neither was the three-pointer he hit to put the Bucks up four with 16 seconds to go with the Pistons crowd rocking and two defenders in his area.  That, my friends, was the personification of a” SHUT-UP” shot.

Charles Darwin has a message for those making noise while his bearded friend John Salmons hits daggers: "SHUT UP"

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