Box Score/Recap/Enemy

“We’ve been concentrating on trying to get John(Salmons) going, for lack of a better way of phrasing it,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said last Saturday night.  “Trying to get him in tune offensively, things like that.  The other night, when John starts one for five or one for six, and then goes out, the thought process is, we’d like to get John back in there a little bit quicker than if John was four for six.”

Every man, and coach it seems, has his breaking point though.  At some point, wins and team success take precedent over trying to get one player going.  Milwaukee had been force feeding Salmons for some time, partly in order to apparently get him going, and partly because, with Luc Mbah a Moute playing the three, there just was no other option.

So while it was surprising, it made sense that Skiles seemed to have reached that point in a game he must have sensed was winnable Monday night.  In Milwaukee’s 103-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Coach Skiles did something he rarely does unless an injury occurs: he changed his second half lineup.  To the bench went Mbah a Moute and into the lineup came Chris Douglas-Roberts. CD-R was on the court when the Bucks saw a 20-point deficit shrink to just nine at halftime and gave the Bucks a creator on the opposite side of Salmons who struggled through a one for four first half.  Finally, the pressure to do it all on the wing was off of Salmons.  In addition, CD-R got an opportunity to shine.

And shine he did, scoring the first five points of the third quarter, a quarter the Bucks would win by 10.  And just like that, Milwaukee had more than enough confidence in themselves to step toe-to-toe with the Mavericks, proud owners of a 12-game winning streak coming into Monday night.  It’s amazing what a little confidence can do for a team.

While the Mavs could have been proud of their winning streak coming into the game, the Bucks had to be a bit embarrassed by their offense before Monday night, the worst in the league and one of the worst the NBA has ever seen.  But they showed signs of life in Friday’s tiff with the Rockets and after a shaky first half against the Mavericks, recaptured that good form.  The ball moved, players played crisp and, finally, shots went in.  Milwaukee hit 47.6% of their shots and a sizzling, and kind of remarkable, nine of their 13 3-point attempts.  Most importantly, the Bucks refused to get down after their own misses and rallies from the Mavericks.

After taking a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee trailed by five with 6:47 to go.  Seemingly more unified and aggressive than ever, Milwaukee proceeded to outscore the Mavs 20-11 to close the game, with each field goal made either being a dunk, layup or assisted 3-pointer.  The offensively challenged group that couldn’t make a shot or even get a good look looked like a thing of the past.  When the Bucks move the ball and are hitting their shots, they bare little resemblance to that squad that skidded to start this season.

And a second half lineup that took some of the creating pressure off John Salmons played no small role in the success of the suddenly new look Milwaukee Bucks Monday night. Read more…

Enemy: The Two Man Game

Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Jason Kidd

Kidd leads the Mavs in both 3-pointers made and attempted, so Jennings will need to keep his wits about him in the half court.  80.6% of Kidd’s threes come off assists and 63.2% of his makes overall come on passes from teammates.  Jennings is a study in contrast, as just 34.8% of his makes come off assists.  The Bucks obviously rely upon Jennings to create in the half court much more than the Mavs do with Kidd.  As always, Kidd has bee a willing passer this season.  He won’t be harassed into the easy turnovers Jennings occasionally forces on shakier guards as they are bringing the ball up the court, but he’s a lot less of a risk to blow by Jennings when he is trying to sweat him as some of the more explosive guards in the league.

Advantage: Bucks Read more…

Recap/Box Score

I’ve been told I’m turning into a negative person.

My gut reaction is to feel bad about the Bucks one point heartbreaker of a loss.  I want to complain about the tough shots Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry hit on a regular basis, as I wonder why the Bucks can’t seem to ever find guys to hit those same shots.  I want to question the decision making of the Bucks rookie point guard down the stretch and rue the coaching staff for not letting the better shooter handle the ball when it was clear shots would need to be made.  I want to be a little bitter about the whole experience and that’s what a negative person would do.

Yet I find myself incapable of performing in that role.  I just feel too good about the whole thing to let any negativity interfere.  Sure, some things could have been done better and the Bucks could have come out with a win.  But when Milwaukee can head out on the road into the Western Conference and play a division leader to a virtual standstill it’s hard for me to feel very empty.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) Bogut's play may or may not have been inspiried by the Rum Rebellion on this Australia Day

The Bucks gave Dallas their very best shot – literally.  The 53.3 percent Milwaukee shot in this one was as good a performance as they’ve had on the road all year.  A lot of that had to do with Andrew Bogut’s all-starish 13-14 (6-8 from the stripe) for a career high 32 point performance.

Bogut was matching the superstar Dirk shot for shot in the fourth quarter.  So what was it that allowed the Mavericks to prevail if Bogut was a pseudo-superstar in this one?  Well when the Bucks would have to send double teams over at Dirk, he was able to kick out to guards that combined to shoot 10-16 on threes.  Bogut was skipping it around to guards that finished the night 4-11 on their own three-point shots.  Having a superstar is one thing; having everyone else step up to the plate to make their shots is another. Read more…

Milwaukee Bucks (18-24)

(Probable) Inactives: Michael Redd, Joe Alexander and Francisco Elson

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Dallas Mavericks (29-15)

(Probable) Inactives: Eduardo Najera and Matt Carroll

Game Time: 7:30 (CST)

Date: 1/26/2010

TV: FS Wisconsin

Match-Ups

Point Guard

Brandon Jennings vs. Jason Kidd

Kidd was absent from the Mavs 50 point shellacking of the New York Knicks on Sunday, but should be ready to go when Milwaukee comes to town.  Kidd doesn’t have the necessary quickness to stick with Jennings anymore, so Jennings should be in full on attack mode Tuesday night.  I’ve said it many times before, Jennings needs to get to the rim for the Bucks to get easy shots and he should be able to get into the paint for those shots against Kidd.  The hitch in that plan could come if the Mavs go to Rodrigue Beaubois at all – he has more than enough speed to stay with Jennings.  Of course, the flip side with Kidd is that he can hit the open three if Jennings gets lost, which he’s prone to do on picks.

Advantage: Mavs Read more…

Dallas Mavericks (Rick Carlisle) 6-3

(Likely) Inactives: Josh Howard, Tim Thomas and Shawne Williams

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Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 5-2

(Likely) Inactives: Joe Alexander, Francisco Elson and Michael Redd

Game time: 7:00 (Cnt)

TV: NBA TV

Match-ups

Point Guard

Brandon Jennings vs. Jason Kidd

Scott Skiles said after Jennings’ incredible 55 point game one of the first things he told Jennings after the game was, “Congratulations.  Now go home, you get Jason Kidd on Monday.”  While it may sound terrifying to have to play against Jason Kidd, the reality at this point is much different.  Kidd is essentially a spot up shooter with a high basketball IQ and average defensive ability.  His foot speed as eroded to the point that if he guards Jennings at all before the last few possessions of the game I’ll be surprised.  Yes, Kidd can still ignite and lead a fast break with the best of them.  And he can still run the pick and roll or find Dirk in rhythm.  But his main purpose in the half court offense Dallas runs is to camp outside the three point arc and wait for Dirk to kick it out.  Kidd’s shooting six shots per game, with roughly four of them being three point attempts.  If a body is on him he won’t hurt the Bucks too bad in the half court.  But if the Bucks are missing shots and the Mavs can grab rebounds, Kidd can be a very valuable conductor of the fast break.  Sometimes offense is the most affective neutralizer a defense can have.

Advantage: Bucks Read more…