After the departure of Luke Ridnour, backup point guard was the last hole on a roster that’s become incredibly deep this off-season. Heading into his 11th season, the 6-foot-3, 195 pound Dooling brings a different dimension to the point guard spot with size the Bucks did not have last season.

Despite the size advantage Dooling has over Ridnour, he’ll be stepping into some pretty big shoes. Ridnour surprised everyone with  by far the best season of his career last year, posting a 17.7 PER while dropping jaws with a shooting percentage line of .478/.381/.909. Of course, that merely boosted Ridnour’s career numbers to .424/.347/.864, so it may be difficult for him to replicate last year’s stellar efforts. And without those shooting percentages, Ridnour becomes considerably less valuable. While he led the Bucks in assist percentage last season and generally showed tons of toughness, his size limits him to having success guarding point guards only.

Dooling likely won’t be able to match what Ridnour did offensively last season, but it stands to reason that he can give the Bucks nearly exactly what Ridnour would give them in a typical Luke Ridnour season. Dooling has a career true shooting percentage of .516 and a career effective field goal percentage of .464. Nearly identical are Ridnour’s career numbers of .512 and .463 respectively.

Essentially, the only area in which one could expect Ridnour to easily outshine Dooling next season is free-throw shooting. Ridnour’s career percentage from the line is .864, while Dooling lags slightly behind at .798. Ridnour helped seal a number of games down the line last season, but with a season of work under Jennings belt and the full season additions of John Salmons and Corey Maggette, it seems safe to say Ridnour wouldn’t be needed at the end of games as much.

After undergoing hip surgery last off-season, Dooling struggled to be Keyon Dooling last season. By that I mean, he wasn’t the bubbly leader he apparently often is. And on last year’s Nets, who can blame him? Here’s an excerpt from a (Nets writer) Dave D’Alessandro story from January in which he spoke with Dooling after a big win in which Dooling was chipper as ever.

“Some days are better than others with the hip. The explosion hasn’t come back yet — talking to the doctor, he said I should be back to normal after a year. So next year I’ll feel great. Wherever I am next year.”

For what it’s worth, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Dooling’s teammate on the Nets last year, was very excited to see Dooling as the Bucks newest addition.

“Keyon is a professional in every sense of the word. Great lockeroom guy & he won’t ever miss any open 3. He’ll be great for BJ. Yes yess!”

For as many additions as the Bucks have made this off season, very few of them have been of the veteran variety. Corey Maggette has the reputation of being a good guy, but a possibly destructive chemistry force on the court overshadows that. Drew Gooden isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a locker room leader and Jon Brockman, the soon-to-be newest Buck assuming a trade goes down for him, is only heading into his second season. Dooling can help step into the roles filled by Jerry Stackhouse and Kurt Thomas last season as Bucks players who have been there before. Guys who have lots of experience with the highs and lows of the NBA season. The Bucks care players, Jennings and Andrew Bogut will each have one more season under their belt and will logically take on more leadership, but it’s always good to have that veteran at the end of the bench who’s seen it and is willing to let his teammates know what to do. In that regard, Dooling is a perfect fit.

Jeremy Schmidt writes the Milwaukee Bucks blog Bucksketball.com

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“I’m extremely competitive, extremely,” CDR said.

And I’ve seen that side of him before. Within seconds of hearing about the Chris Douglas-Roberts to Milwaukee rumors, I thought of the Nets trip to Milwaukee last November 18th.

Things weren’t pretty. The Nets were in the process of blowing yet another lead and Douglas-Roberts was none to pleased about it. He was openly shouting at teammates and his coaches, but in a way that struck me as different. This wasn’t someone simply being a jerk and blaming his teammates, he seemed to just so badly want to avoid another loss that he had a hard time keeping it together when the game was slipping away. I caught up with CDR after last night’s summer league game.

“Yeah, I remember that game. We hadn’t won a game. And we were up, up like 12,” said Douglas-Roberts. “It was the beginning of the second half and we were letting a lead slip. (Assistant coach) Doug Overton was saying, just play, don’t worry about the calls, just play. But I just didn’t want to lose that game. Especially when we were up 12.”

I wish I could in print put as much emphasis on the sentence “but I just didn’t want to lose that game” in writing as Douglas-Roberts did when he said it. The monkey on the back of New Jersey at that point was getting bigger and bigger and with the injuries they were facing, it was CDR that was feeling a lot of the pressure. Despite his best efforts, they did lose the lead, and the game. CDR finished with 31 points and was as interested in the game as any Net.

Actually, he was interested in more than the game.

Appearing none too shy when it comes to letting opponents know how he felt, Douglas-Roberts had a few words for Brandon Jennings throughout the game. It culminated in a back and forth trash talk session between the two of them when Jennings was icing the game at the line in the fourth quarter.

“Me and BJ did get into a lil’ bit, but it’s all love now,” CDR said. “And I want people to know that too. It’s all love. We were competing, it was trash talking at the end of the game. He does that and I do it too. It was nothing more than competing, two guys competing.”

Brandon Jennings penchant for trash talk invigorated Bucks fans last year, but alienated plenty others. Milwaukee was thrilled to have another floor leader willing to stand up to opponents and let them know why his team was here to stay. Not since Sam Cassell had the franchise had such a strut at the point. And now with the addition of Douglas-Roberts, it appears another strutter is in town.

“Me and Brandon are going to have those moments (trash talking), we’re similar personalities,” he said. “I feel like it’ll be a big spark for a conservative city like Milwaukee.”

They certainly could be, but only if they win and keep their teammates on their side. Jennings was a huge success in both those facets last season. Douglas-Roberts is already on the right track when it comes to winning over teammates and the fans. Few players have ever been so excited to leave a big market like New York for the dimmed spotlight that awaits them in Milwaukee. But CDR nearly made Twitter explode with his serious of *CAPS LOCK ON* Tweets about Fearing The Deer and getting ready to work.

“It was a combination of relief and opportunity. It’s a feeling you have when you’re feeling wanted,” he said. “They were interested from day one, as soon as the season was over. Coming from such a struggling situation, it’s a relief, it’s a monkey off my back. To be playing on a playoff team with great fans, it’s great.”

The close knit group that is quickly developing in Milwaukee doesn’t hurt either.

“It does (feel like a tight group). And I haven’t met really anybody other than the guys here, but it just feels like a real team,” he said. “Without even having to play a single game, it just feels like a real team. I’m sure we’re going to embrace each other and the fans are going to embrace us.”

This Bucks revolution continues. Something tells me when players were added in 2005 and 2006 we wouldn’t have been hearing about how those groups “felt like real teams” and we certainly wouldn’t have had players showing up to support summer league teammates. But here we are. Jennings and Douglas-Roberts are in Vegas watching a team that has only two or three potential regular season teammates on it.

Milwaukee has always wanted a group as committed to each other and to winning as the fans were to them. It’s possible that That. Just. Happened.

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The dust has settled and the first stage of the off season is complete. With that, the Bucks summer league roster begins to take shape.

SG: Alando Tucker

Tucker was confirmed some time ago.

SF: Darington Hobson

The Bucks first pick of the second round should be in attendance.

PF: Tiny Gallon

The Bucks second pick of the second round should be in attendance.

PF: Larry Sanders

Summer league presents a great opportunity for first round picks like Sanders to make a good impression on coaching staffs and fan bases en route to a successful season. Sanders athleticism should do him well come mid-July.

PF: Darnell Jackson

Jackson has the leg up on every other member of the squad in terms of experience with the Bucks, but will have his hands full in vying for one of the final bench spots come training camp. A productive summer league stint would be helpful for him.

After those six, nothing is official at the moment yet for Milwaukee. I’d expect to see Trevon Hughes be added to the roster eventually, but that has yet to be confirmed. So who else might Milwaukee be looking to take along to Vegas? Here’s a list of players Milwaukee brought in for workouts that went undrafted and as of now, remain unsigned.  This isn’t the complete list, but what I feel represents the more talented members of the group or players that have worked out twice (Ricky Franklin and Jerry Smith).

PF – Charles Garcia
C – A.J. Ogilvy
SF – Anthony Mason Jr.
SG – Aubrey Coleman
PG – Nic Wise
SG – Jerry Smith
SG – Ricky Franklin

Of that particular group, I’d say Smith, Garcia and Coleman probably are the most likely to at least get an invitation to try out for the team. Milwaukee may fill a couple slots with some journeymen looking to stick or players coming back over from Europe for the summer. More on this when updates become available.

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Travel back in time seven months and four days to November 18th, 2009. The Bucks are waxing the New Jersey Nets and I can’t take my off Chris Douglas Roberts.

The second half was so bad, I thought CDR was going to snap.  He appeared to have gotten in a bit of a shouting match with assistant coach Doug Overton about what was going on on the court.  I couldn’t hear Overton, but my colleague Alex from BrewHoop suggested it had something to do with a stretch where CDR got blocked, turned it over, got it back and missed a lay-up.  CDR shouted at his bench, “we’re losing, what am I supposed to do?!”

I felt for CDR.  He was working hard, he was trying to make plays and he was saddled with some teammates who’ve been injured and/or unable to get the job done to get this team a win.  The whole team had that, “here we go again” look as soon as things started going South in the third quarter.  CDR seemed like he didn’t want to let it happen again.

Later, CDR was seen exchanging words with Brandon Jennings while he was at the free throw line finishing the game off.

Bucksketball: I saw CDR barking at you at the line.  Was that him talking trash to try and get in your head?
Jennings: Oh yeah, just a little trash talk.  On that play where I got fouled, I got fouled pretty hard, so you know, some words exchanged.  It is what it is.
Bucksketball: You just brushing it off?
Jennings: Yeah, just brushing it off.  They’re the one’s 0-12 not us.

Fast forward back to today and this Chad Ford report (below) coupled with some curious tweets from CDR and a report from Yahoo! that future considerations will go to the Nets for Douglas-Roberts.

Finally, it looks like the Bucks aren’t done dealing. This afternoon they traded Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell to the Warriors for Corey Maggette. Now sources say that the Bucks and Nets are in serious negotiations on a deal that would send Chris Douglas-Roberts to the Bucks for a second round pick. With the addition of Maggette and Douglas-Roberts, you have to wonder if the Bucks may look at something other than a wing with the No. 15 pick in the draft.

I’ll say this, CDR seemed like a competitor and someone who was dying to win that night in November. I’m not sure what happened with CDR after that, I’ve heard he dealt with a benching and balked at getting the ball inside to Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez, but wouldn’t you balk at getting the ball to Yi too? Milwaukee just generally balked at everything having to do with Yi in his time here, so this city will likely be sympathetic to that feeling. When you’re a passionate player, one has to imagine losing takes more of a toll. CDR was coming from a winning program in Memphis then spent one mediocre year in New Jersey before everything caved in last year in his sophomore season.

CDR’s numbers aren’t among the best in the league or anything like that, but he seems more than capable of filling the role previously occupied by the Jerry Stackhouse, Charlie Bell duo. I’ll have more on CDR once the trade officially goes through, assuming it does.

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The thought of the Nets once again sans D-Ha sounds good to me.  Good enough that I’d expect it to be just the medicine the Bucks need after a very disappointing home loss against Detroit on Tuesday night.

• Chris Douglas-Roberts, he of the 31 and 10 line in Milwaukee earlier this year, after last night’s game from ESPN.com:

“You get surprised a lot in the league. It is what it is,” Douglas-Roberts said. “Things don’t work out all the time. I guess I’m out of the rotation.”

Douglas-Roberts doesn’t plan on discussing the situation with Vandeweghe.

“Absolutely not. I don’t think talks really do anything,” he said. “I’ve probably had the most talks with him on the team. But they don’t do nothing.”

So, no D-Ha, probably no CD-R and an organization recently thrust even further into turmoil?  I like the Bucks odds a lot.  I’m saying 104-95 Milwaukee.  Check out previews at BrewHoop and Nets Are Scorching

Other Notes

• Hakim Warrick in three words: shy, dunk, Playstation.  Jodie Meeks in three words: rookie, cliche, Kentucky.  Aron Phillips at Dime has the goods on them both.
  

• The Cavs don’t want to part with J.J. Hickson and that may leave the Pacers to pursue other options with Troy Murphy. Could the Bucks be an option?  Word is they are in talks.  I’m not sure how serious it is right now, but things could heat up before next Thursday’s trade deadline.  From Brian Winhorst at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer:

The Pacers, a source said, are also in talks with the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings involving Murphy and both teams can offer expiring contracts.

• Andrew Bogut is approaching some milestones as an Australian.  More on this in the coming weeks.

• Tom Enlund has an update on Joe Alexander’s D-League progress.

• Paul Swaney of StadiumJourney.com recently visited the Bradley Center and made a poor food decision.

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(Probable) Inactives: Joe Alexander and Dan Gadzuric

at

New Jersey Nets (Kiki Vanderwegh) 3-30

(Probable) Inactives: Eduardo Najera, Tony Battie and Sean Williams

Date: 1/5/2010

Time: 6:00 (CST)

TV: Nah, not today

Match-Ups

Point Guard

Brandon Jennings vs. Devin Harris

Like most of these match-ups, this one won’t be quite as easy as the last time these teams met.  In the first game it was Rafer Alston manning the point for the 0-12 Nets.  Jennings burned Alston for 19 points, eight assists and his lone dunk of the season.  That was a different Nets team led by a different man though.  While Devin Harris hasn’t exactly righted the ship since his return from an early season ankle injury, he (along with the many other Nets who have returned from injuries since they last met the Bucks) at least helps make the Nets a competitive team.  Harris has not matched the lofty standard he set for himself last year though.  Shooting under 40 percent and averaging less than 20 points and dishing out fewer assists was probably not what Harris had in mind as a follow up to his all-star season last year.  If Harris can begin to get himself on track, the Nets become more than a team desperate for all the wins they can get.  Physically, Harris is still quick and strong and will be a load for Jennings on both sides of the court.

Advantage: Nets

Shooting Guard

Michael Redd vs. Courtney Lee

Can Michael Redd string together two stellar performances in a row?  Consistency has not been common this season for the Bucks, whether it’s been the ups and downs for the rookie point guard Jennings or the life of a finesse big man in Andrew Bogut, the Bucks key players have had problems performing night in and night out.  We’ve seen Redd be able to bring consistent scoring before, but whether or not that can still be apart of his game remains to be seen.  Courtney Lee is a solid defender, but not a  player for Redd to lose sleep over.  Redd should be able to use his crafty moves to get a few good looks at the rim and hopefully some free-throws.  However he’s going to do it, now is a great opportunity for Redd to get going.  After a strong game against Oklahoma City, Redd has games against New Jersey and Chicago, two weaker teams,  as opportunities to boost his confidence and find his rhythm before a long road trip out west.

Advantage: Bucks

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute vs. Chris Douglas-Roberts

CDR got loose for 31 points in the last Bucks-Nets game, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line (12-14).  Don’t hold your breath on him having that kind of impact again, as LRMAM was absent that game.  Do expect CDR to make some trips to the free throw line and do his best to keep getting to the rim.  CDR attacked the rim repeatedly in that game and has been doing that all year long, averaging roughly seven attempts at the rim per game … or more than anyone on the Bucks.  LRMAM is still figuring out this whole offense thing and might get a few post looks against the smaller CDR.

Advantage: Bucks (LRMAM fits so well!)

Power Forward

Ersan Ilyasova vs. Yi Jianlian

One of the great fears many Bucks fans have is that Easy Yi will one day go on to live up to the vast potential he has, scarring us for life and making us forever rue the day he was given up for what practically amounted to one season of Richard Jefferson. In his last five games, Yi has averaged 20 points and seven rebounds while shooting just a shade under 50 percent.  When he was drafted it was expected those types of performances would be common place for Yi, but he did so little in his one year with Milwaukee that he hardly seemed a better prospect than Charlie Villanueva.  Regardless, he’s looked good lately and that has everyone on watch in Milwaukee, even if it probably wouldn’t have happened here.

Advantage: Nets

Center

Andrew Bogut vs. Brook Lopez

Bogut had the upper hand earlier this year, with 21/11 to Lopez’s 11/4, but that could change with ease in this one.  Lopez has a much better supporting cast around him now and Bogut has yet to show much real consistency this year.  Bogut is coming off a very strong game against the Thunder after a string of four straight mediocre to bad games.  Lopez is one of the league’s best shot-blockers and could give Bogut some problems.  It’ll be important for Milwaukee to stick with the Aussie all night and try and ride him in this one.  Redd and Jennings haven’t been very good on the road and the path to road victories is typically lined with Andrew Bogut touches down low.

Advantage: Milwaukee

Bench

Charlie Bell, Kurt Thomas, Hakim Warrick and Luke Ridnour

vs.

Keyon Dooling, Trenton Hassell, Josh Boone and Terrance Williams

Not a stellar group for the Nets.  Dooling has been known to get hot, Hassell and Boone provide defense in theory if not in practice and since Vanderwegh has taken over, Williams minutes have been as erratic as his personality.  Not the way to get success out of rookies.  Ridnour was crucial for the Bucks against the Thunder and Hakim Warrick actually earned himself some crunch time minutes with his activity around the hoop.  Now if only he was a little better about scoring when he’s by the rim: 57 percent shooting at the rim on the year is a career low.

Advantage: Milwaukee

Prediction: Bucks 98 – Nets 88

I was all set to predict the Bucks would lose this game.  Even had the score: 94-91 Nets.  But the more I thought about it, the more confidence I had in Scott Skiles and the Bucks.  They haven’t really lost many games to teams they’ve been better than.  The Bucks have typically played at or above their talent level all season long and I don’t see why that would change now.  The rough December was largely the product of a more difficult schedule.  To this point, the Bucks have beat all the teams you’d expect them to beat (save for Sacramento) and I don’t see why that would change now.

Milwaukee looked much better defensively for parts of the Charlotte and Orlando game and for all of the Oklahoma City game.  If they were able to put it together for pieces of two of those and a full game in one of those, I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to against an inferior New Jersey team.  Sure, the Nets are much better than they were in November and have some more talent now, but the Bucks remain the more talented squad and that has generally led to wins for Milwaukee this year.

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“In case you haven’t noticed, and judging from the attendance you haven’t … the Bucks have managed to win a few here and there.”

Harry Doyle’s words have rarely rang so true.  On a night where the Bradley Center was as empty as I’ve ever seen it for the Bucks, they pulled out another win, but that’s what they were supposed to do against a team coming in 0-11, right?  I think so.  And one of these days the Bucks are even going to figure this first half thing out.

The most bizarre thing about the Bucks struggles in the first and second quarter recently is the charge they’ve been coming out with immediately after half time.  For visual proof, I present to you the start of the third quarter … after the jump of course.

A 15-0 start to the second half was the catalyst for Bucks victory Wednesday night.  That putrid first half in which they allowed 48 points on 53 percent shooting to a team that had scored over 90 points just three times this year?  Long forgotten when you glance at the win/loss column after this one.  Looking quickly at the box score after this one gives the instant impression that the Bucks won handily.  After all, the Bucks allowed only 12 points in the third quarter and mostly garbage points in the fourth.

But it was a struggle early.  I swear.

Offense

• Andrew Bogut was one of the only Bucks to have anything going early, finishing the first quarter with 10 points on 5/7 shooting on an array of hooks and layups.  It was a very smooth start after a few rough nights chasing around Corey Maggette and Drew Gooden. Finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Bogut was relieved to be playing against an actual center again and it showed. Bogut’s offense seemed to fall into line since he wasn’t forced to step out of his comfort zone on defense.

It’s nice to actually play against a guy who wants to play in there.  We got physical at times and it’s definitely nice to play against a seven footer that’s in the same weight class.

Bogut did appear to be limping after the game.

It’s okay, just a little shin contusion.  I think I’ll be all right.

• When I said Bogut was “one” of the only Bucks, I assure you I had at least one more in mind.  The other I was thinking of?  Carlos Delfino. Delfino had eight first quarter points and finished with 21!  His first regular season double digit game as a Buck!  He was 4/8 from behind the arc and even added six assists!  This is everything we could ever ask for and more out of Delfino.  If he’s providing this kind of offense along with his usual relatively stingy defense, he’s exactly what the Bucks need on one of the wings.  Scott Skiles was preaching consistency and reliability after the game, this is the effort we’d love to see Delfino make consistent.

• The Bucks faced their usual challenge from the free throw line on Wednesday, shooting 11/13 while the Nets finished the evening 22/25.  The Nets owe a large portion of their success to Chris Douglas-Roberts, who finished the game with 31 points, including 12/14 from the line.

• Luke Ridnour is looking like a bonafide back-up point guard specialist for real.  Another strong game which included a number of those sweet pull-up jumpers that Luke seems to specialize in.  7/11 and 2/4 from deep leading to 17 points.  We’ll take that in a heartbeat.

Defense

• Defense was non-existent for large portions of the first half when the Nets had the ball.  The biggest beneficiary of the Bucks charitable efforts on defense was Terrance Williams. In the second quarter Williams shot 8/9 and finished with 16 points.  Williams was having no trouble scoring off the pick and roll, with Bogut struggling to get out on him.  Williams rarely even had to take a tough shot, shooting right up and over Brandon Jennings, Luke Ridnour and Charlie Bell. Surely Williams ended up with a monster night, right?  Not so much.  He finished the second half without making another field goal, adding only four free throws to his total.  Whatever adjustment Skiles made worked wonders.

• It wasn’t Williams alone that struggled in the second half.  The Nets as a team shot 9/38 in the second half.  That’s less than 25 percent for those of you counting at home.  Regardless of how good of a job a team does defensively, a team has to be pretty bad to shoot less than 25 percent for an entire half.  This was a truly awful second half performance.

The second half was so bad, I thought CDR was going to snap.  He appeared to have gotten in a bit of a shouting match with assistant coach Doug Overton about what was going on on the court.  I couldn’t hear Overton, but my colleague Alex from BrewHoop suggested it had something to do with a stretch where CDR got blocked, turned it over, got it back and missed a lay-up.  CDR shouted at his bench, “we’re losing, what am I supposed to do?!”

I felt for CDR.  He was working hard, he was trying to make plays and he was saddled with some teammates who’ve been injured and/or unable to get the job done to get this team a win.  The whole team had that, “here we go again” look as soon as things started going South in the third quarter.  CDR seemed like he didn’t want to let it happen again.

But then I saw him talking to Jennings.

Jennings didn’t have his usual stellar game, finishing with as many turnovers as assists (eight) and 19 points, but he made enough plays to help guide the Bucks to a win.  He didn’t let anything sway him into making this the “Brandon Jennings Show” either.  When the Nets were shutting down the pick and roll, he didn’t force the action, rather he was patient and worked it around and then back down to Bogut.  CDR was talking to Jennings and wouldn’t stop while Jennings was on the free throw line.  This didn’t look like the good natured, “you’re getting it done rook” kind of friendly trash talk either.  I asked Jennings about it after the game.

Bucksketball:  I saw CDR barking at you at the line.  Was that him talking trash to try and get in your head?

Jennings: Oh yeah, just a little trash talk.  On that play where I got fouled, I got fouled pretty hard, so you know, some words exchanged.  It is what it is.

Bucksketball: You just brushing it off?

Jennings: Yeah, just brushing it off.  They’re the one’s 0-12 not us.

Judging from the way the Bucks encouraged Jennings to attack the Warriors for disrespecting him (he says it was Kelvin Sampson that told him they were being disrespectful and to shoot more to make them pay) and the way Jennings kept the Bucks focused and intense down the stretch, upsetting the kid is not the way to attack the Bucks.

Frankly, it’s becoming more and more difficult to figure out how to attack these Bucks, much to the delight of a (hopefully growing) base of fans.

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