Enemy: Philadunkia

Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Jrue Holiday

In six March games, Holiday is averaging nearly 40 minutes a night, as Coach Collins has shortened the Sixer rotation.  Holiday’s responded with improved rebound and assist numbers, but has struggled to make threes or free throws with much consistency.  While he has good size, he’s more speed and quickness than power at this early point in his career.  Power point guards often give Jennings loads of trouble, but he has success with ones that rely on quickness he typically can match.  I hesitate to even mention it for fear of a jinx, but Jennings has shot well over 40% from the field in March while averaging over 20 points per outing.  In addition, he has made 50% of his shots or better in each of his last two games.

Advantage: Sixers

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Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 5-6
Inactive: Chris Douglas Roberts, Michael Redd, Darington Hobson

at

Philadelphia 76ers (Doug Collins) 2-10
Inactive: Andre Iguodala

Date: 11/19/2010
Game Time: 6:00 PM (CST)
TV: Nah

The Other Guys: Philadunkia

Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Jrue Holiday

For as impressive some of Jennings’ games have been, Holiday is a better comparison for him than the Russell Westbrook’s and Derrick Rose’s of the world.  While Jennings has had significantly more success in the league than Holiday, their numbers matchup pretty closely.  Holiday’s perimeter shooting, thought to be his biggest weakness coming into the draft last season, has come around this year.  He still isn’t likely to hit more than one or two in a game, but he must be paid attention to all over the court.  His size and athleticism have people projecting great things for him defensively.  Jennings is coming off a very good game against the Lakers and has been the Bucks best offensive player lately.

Advantage: Bucks Read more…

Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 39-30

Vs.

Philadelphia 76ers (Eddie Jordan) 24-47

Date: 3/24/2010
Time: 7:00 PM (CST)
TV: FS Wisconsin

Matchups

Point Guard

Brandon Jennings vs. Jrue Holiday

And why wasn’t Holiday getting more minutes earlier this year?  Because the Sixers wanted to trot Lou Williams out there like a point guard and play lip-service to the deteriorated talent of Allen Iverson?  Ah, well that makes sense.  Few things puzzle me more than franchises refusing to give it a go with their first round picks.  I guess in the case of the Sixers, better late than never, because Holiday’s been very good over the last month.  In March, Holiday is averaging 13.5 points, five assists and four and half rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 50%.  All while playing defense that’s very advanced for his age.  Ah, his age.  He’s the youngest player in the league.  It’s becoming more clear why the Bucks gave him such consideration at number ten.  I’m still okay with how things worked out though.

Advantage: Bucks Read more…

Recap/Box Score

Fortunately for the Milwaukee Bucks, one team had to emerge victorious Wednesday night.  It’s a rule.  Otherwise, the powers that be may have juts called the game at halftime to spare the crowd, because after an ugly looking first half, things rarely got much prettier in the second.

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) Good Brandon Jennings hits these. It was Good Jennings Wednesday.

But basketball isn’t always a beauty contest and sometimes it’s just about pushing through tired legs and out-lasting the opposing team.  That seems like a fit way to describe Wednesday night’s game, it wasn’t so much a win for Milwaukee as it was an out-lasting effort in a proverbial scrum of a game.

And when I say this game wasn’t a thing of beauty, I mean right from the start it was hard on the eyes.  The Sixers were handling the ball with little worry on where it was ending up, at one point turning it over or having their shot blocked on five consecutive possessions in the first quarter.  The problem was that the Bucks couldn’t do anything on the other end after causing problems with their defense, thanks to three misses, a block and a turnover themselves at that point.  Milwaukee shot just 30.8 percent in the first quarter, yet led by one after winning the turnover battle 7-2.

Turnovers would end up being the theme all night.  While the game continued to be as sloppy an affair as the Bucks have been apart of all year, Milwaukee did their best to take care of the ball and not let the Sixers get out and run off turnovers.  The Bucks turned it over nine times in all, resulting in just six Philadelphia points, whereas the Sixers coughed it up 18 times, turning into 23 Milwaukee points.  In a one point game in which they lost the rebounding battle by 16, were outshot 46.2-43.5 and missed nine of 21 free-throws, that plus 17 points of turnovers differential was huge. Read more…

Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 18-25

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

Vs.

Philadelphia 76ers (Eddie Jordan) 15-29

(Probable) Inactives:  Primoz Brezec and Jason Kapono

Date: 1/27/2010

Game Time: 7:00 (CST)

TV: FS Wisconsin

Match-Ups

Point Guard

Brandon Jennings vs. Jrue Holiday

The guy the Bucks drafted versus the guy they thought about drafting.  It’s safe to say, that for this year the Bucks should be glad they went with Jennings.  Holiday is already a better defender than Jennings, but not the playmaker or shot-taker (and occasional shot-maker) that BJ is.  Holiday has only recently been given the keys to the car that is the starting line-up and is kind of taking on the “Royal Ivey Memorial Starting Point Guard” role.  He’s getting around 15 minutes, is expected to play defense, distribute the ball and not make mistakes.  It will be interesting to see if Jennings has a little extra pep in his step going at another rookie.

Advantage: Bucks Read more…