Josh Smith, Tracy McGrady and Marvin Williams took turns depantsing Delfino throughout the night. Smith was especially cruel. Delfino had no rhythm on offense and no tenacity on defense.

Frankensova rose in time for a timely tip-in to put tie the game at 94 all. But then he lost his fellow vampire, Vladimir Radmanovic, who then hit a wide open game winning three. Besides those last two plays, it was a very non-descriptive night for Ilyasova.

Jennings was spitting hot fire in the second and third. He had one stunning sequence: three, three, steal, floater. It was everything that Bucks fans want him to be. The question remains as to why he wasn’t heavily involved late in the game. Jennings never took a shot within the last 2 minutes of the game. Down 97-94, Jennings wasn’t trying very hard to get away from his man, a play that resulted in Drew Gooden’s Drew Goodenness.

23 minutes of playing four on five on offense. The clamor for Moute to develop an 18 footer has been going on for years. But why have the worst offensive player in a century take the worst possible shot on the court? In the past, I would say that they should just have Moute shoot at the rim, but he’s not even doing that well anymore. So the only answer may be not to play him.

Carlos Delfino has quietly been the best perimeter defender the Bucks have. Good thing too since Moute needs to play heavy power forward minutes with Bogut out. He bodies up hard on his man. And against everyone except Kobe Bryant, he plays the passing lanes aggressively.

Seriously, how versatile is Moute. Guards Kobe one game, the next he has to guard Greg Monroe. He used his long arms to deny Monroe the ball. And when Monroe was backing up, those same arms pestered Monroe’s dribble resulting in a few turnovers.

Didn’t think it was possible, but Drew Gooden pump fakes on defense. Will Bynum’s just scorching to the basket and Gooden’s all like, “I’m going to get in your way. . . no I’m not.” It’s a lot of fun to watch.

The Pistons’ point guards had the audacity to step onto the same floor as Jennings. This infuriated him greatly. He scorched Bynum and Walker Russell Jr. around the corner, but was often met with a horde of Pistons big men. No matter. Jennings just torched the Pistons from three. And after each one, he defiantly strutted back on defense.

The Bucks ran a sweet pindown for Dunleavy in the fourth. It was a swish. And it put the Pistons away for good. But Dunleavy had no mercy and kept burying them. If they pindown that play a lot more often, some good things are in store for the future. It’s not a coincidence that since Dunleavy started replacing Jackson’s minutes that the ball movement and offense has been off the charts.

Sanders did a very simple power move to the basket and converted a lay-up. No foul. No travel. No double dribble. I don’t know how to say this in any way that won’t sound condescending, but I was so proud of him. I wasn’t the only one in the Bradley Center that felt this way, he got a few cheers when he checked out in the middle of the fourth.

Livingston has a very specific game and he executed it tonight. In his first start of the season for the suspended Stephen Jackson, Livingston made six of seven shots in the paint. He uses his size so well and is quick to move the ball too. It helps when he’s on the court with guys who can shoot the three, as it mitigates his inability from deep.

Delfino and Luc Mbah a Moute did a stellar defensive job on Carmelo Anthony. They stayed with him, played physical and frustrated him into two technical fouls and a fairly inefficient line that saw him score 35 points on 26 shots. They made him stick with the long jumper, a shot he can make, but a short worth ceding.

Four shots. Jennings took just four shots against the Knicks that weren’t in the paint or from three-point range. With 26 attempts, that’s a pretty terrific ratio. He’s always seemed to like playing the Garden and Friday was certainly no exception. When he’s hitting threes, he’s a very difficult cover. New York’s patchwork point guards certainly were no match.

In a backup role, with plenty of other talented players on the court, that allows him to focus on rebounding and put-backs, Gooden works well. He’s generally ridiculous to watch when he’s taking on a real active role, but he’s always been a useful rebounder. Rebounds, put-backs and the free throws that result from them can be his thing.

It seemed we never went more than a few seconds without hearing Ilyasova’s name when he was in the game tonight. He battled for rebounds all night and pestered the Knicks pricey frontline. He earned every one of his nine rebounds.

This is as good as it gets for Stephen Jackson. Don’t take that as me saying it can’t happen again. Just take it as me saying this is what Milwaukee envisioned from him when the team acquired him. He was willing to share, making the extra pass and making a high percentage of his shots. When Jackson is moving the ball as well as he was Tuesday, you live with the bad shots he’ll inevitably take.

Bogut was back, in a big enough way. For the first time all season, Bogut was making some of his baby hooks. He was getting more looks at the rim and he even showed some of that explosion he occasionally finds on a dunk over DeJuan Blair. Tim Duncan’s mid-range jumper gave him trouble, but it was an acceptable first game back against a tough opponent for Bogut. And in true Bogut fashion, he took a crucial charge on Duncan to help put things away for the Bucks.

Someone had to start making threes. Milwaukee couldn’t keep shooting under 30% forever. So it figures it would be Carlos Delfino that would step up. The Argentinian connected on four of six from deep and took the burden off Milwaukee’s mid-range game. It’s amazing how much more relaxed the whole team looks when one member starts hitting some threes.

I don’t know that Jennings was really doing anything all that different tonight than he usually does. Sure, his results were different, but his execution was nearly the same. The biggest difference? His teammates played well. That’s why Jennings had eight first half assists and five first half shots. More teammate makes are always a good thing for Jennings.

It could be a chicken or the egg thing with Jennings’ assists and his teammates shooting a high percentage, but I suspect his numbers simply benefitted from his teammates making shots rather than his teammates benefitting from him creating something different for them on Tuesday.

Leuer parlayed a smart first half into a starting spot when the second half began. Quick rotations, rolls after picks, moving into open spaces, Leuer does these things well. If he’s making open shots and finishing around the rim (which he was doing often Tuesday), the ability to know what’s going on and limit mistakes is what separates him from other Bucks power forward candidates.