Should we panic about Andrew Bogut?
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Five months after the injury that shelved him for the Bucks first meaningful playoff run in quite some time, we’re still playing the guessing game when it comes to Andrew Bogut’s health. Unlike Scrabble, this game isn’t so fun. And it causes people to start to wonder just what the suits in the ivory towers in St. Francis at the Bucks Headquarters are up to.
What appeared to be a rather simple process of hand surgery, the relocating of a dislocated elbow (this may or may not be so simple) and a month or so of rehab, has turned into another unfortunate Bogut injury problem that threatens the start of the Bucks season. But what was first reported as the area that needed surgery, Bogut’s hand, doesn’t appear to be the problem any more.
When Bogut was first injured, it looked like he’d need a bionic arm to do something as simple as brush his teeth going forward. It was a gruesome, horrific sight that left fans in the stands out of breath and those at home changing the channel. His most serious injury had to be the elbow. Or so we thought. Two days after his fall however, Bogut was having hand surgery, his elbow was dislocated and his wrist was sprained.
A collective, “huh?” was the response. Hand surgery? For a guy who’s elbow was facing the wrong way? Obviously all that weight crashing down onto Bogut’s entire arm would have effects on areas outside of the elbow, but the reported wrist sprain and elbow dislocation seemed less serious than a hand that required surgery. But here we are and it turns out our initial reactions were correct. In an interview (transcribed here) done in August, four months after the initial injury, Bogut doesn’t even mention his hand as an issue, but has bad news on the elbow.
“I’m still not even shooting the basketball,” Bogut said. “I shot the ball a little bit in Europe and got a bunch of fluid down in my elbow so I had to stop shooting. So at the moment I’m just lifting weights and conditioning so we’ll see what happens.” (more…)
Brandon Jennings floater put to better use
Thursday, August 26th, 2010I don’t recall seeing too many videos like this of Elliot Perry, Terrell Brandon, Haywoode Workman, Sam Cassell, Damon Jones or Mo Williams. T.J. Ford probably has some of these floating around somewhere though. But still, it’s fun to see a member of the Milwaukee Bucks hobnobbing on the court with other terrific young players and shining in highlights. (Hat tip to Talkhoops.net) And wouldn’t it be fun next season if we saw less of the Jennings floater shot attempts and more of Jennings floating up lobs like he’s done these past two summers?
Larry Sanders, the challenge awaits you. Earn minutes and dunk lobs. Thanks.
Improvement at the rim could be big for the Bucks
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010| New Bucks | Shooting % at the rim | Ex-Bucks | Shooting % at the rim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corey Maggette | 66.2 | Dan Gadzuric | 56 |
| Chris Douglas-Roberts | 54.7 | Charlie Bell | 46.3 |
| Keyon Dooling | 56.3 | Luke Ridnour | 49.2 |
| Drew Gooden | 55.2 | Kurt Thomas | 54.5 |
| Jon Brockman | 61.6 | Hakim Warrick | 61.6 |
(Percentages from the 2009-10 season)
Scoring was rarely easy for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. Long droughts were the norm, zones were horror movie scary and the rim was a foreign place they rarely explored. The long ball was often the weapon of choice though it wasn’t always reliable. In the end, it worked often enough to keep the Bucks in games and let their defense do the rest. But Milwaukee did little to boost their outside game this off season, focusing mainly on fours while adding Chris Douglas-Roberts and Corey Maggette, two players not proficient from outside.
So are they in danger of losing their touch from outside and watching their scoring woes grow worse?
Not if they can figure out layups and dunks. The easiest shots in basketball. Penetration, offensive rebounds and dishing point guards can create these shots for big men in the NBA. Unfortunately for last season’s Bucks, finishing at the rim was easier said than done. Milwaukee was dead last in shooting percentage at the rim, finishing on just 56.3% of their attempts. So when the Bucks front office spoke at length these past few months about adding length and athleticism (see the Earl Boykins signing), they may as well had been saying they need some guys who can finish. (more…)
Talent? Check. Chemistry? To be determined.
Monday, August 23rd, 2010Regardless of who is discussing the moves the Bucks have made this past off-season, one thing they are sure to mention is the depth Milwaukee has added. At the conclusion of last season, the end of the Bucks bench featured an offensively challenged Royal Ivey, a coordinately challenged Primoz Brezec and Charlie Bell, who couldn’t even find a working alarm clock. While they were a group with some experience in the ways of the league, they certainly weren’t anyone’s idea of a great backup plan.
Now? The Bucks can look down to the end of the bench and see a mix of emerging talents and veterans. Keyon Dooling and Earl Boykins are steady, scoring point guards while Jon Brockman, Larry Sanders and Chris Douglas-Roberts are all looking to establish themselves in the league. And instead of one-year-contract retreads like Ivey and Brezec, Dooling and Brockman are sitting on multi-year deals with the Bucks. Even if they aren’t logging big minutes this season, they’re sure to at least collect a paycheck and have a home in the next couple years. At first glance, the backup situation is looking good in Milwaukee.
First glances have a way of deceiving though. They don’t quite tell the whole story. (more…)
A little move for the Bucks
Thursday, August 19th, 2010Ready for some actual Bucks news leading up to the season? Here goes. From Charles F. Gardner at JSOnline:
The Bucks are near an agreement with veteran point guard Earl Boykins, a move which would complete Milwaukee’s point guard trio for the 2010-’11 season.
Yes, the one time commercial star and household favorite little man, Earl Boykins is apparently going to be suiting up for the Bucks again in 2010-11. Boykins previously played for Milwaukee in the 2006-07 season, arriving for the second half of the season in a deal which landed Steve Blake in Denver. Twice with Milwaukee Boykins scored 36 points, his career high and thrilled crowds with his scoring proficiency despite his diminutive stature.
The NBA’s second smallest player of all-time declined his player option for the 2007-08 season, apparently thinking a strong performance in Milwaukee had elevated his status enough that his $3 million option could be topped in a new deal.
But that didn’t go so well. (more…)
