Recap/Box Score/Enemy
- The skies in Milwaukee lit up after the Bucks hit 40% against Denver.
It truly is a bizarre season for a team when 40% shooting is something of a cause for celebration. Unfortunately, that’s where things are for the Bucks right now. It’s been a task more difficult than anyone imagined, but as strong as they are defensively, Milwaukee should be in line to win a game in which they shoot 40%.
Except when Andrew Bogut is out.
Suddenly, we’re no longer talking about the 2010 Milwaukee Bucks. Suddenly, we’re looking at something closer to the late 90s Milwaukee Bucks, the teams that took the floor under Chris Ford. Those teams weren’t much offensively and were even worse as defensive units. And without Bogut, the Bucks are no longer one of the most dangerous defensive units in the league. Lacking a backup center, Milwaukee struggles on the glass and is incapable of defending more talented big men in one on one situations. Rotations have been missed by those in Bogut’s place and even on a night in which one player blocks eight shots for Milwaukee, they still were beat in points in the paint. For this Bogut-less team, 40% shooting won’t cut it.
Defensive issues loomed large in Milwaukee’s 105-94 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Denver Wednesday night. There is no room for error on the end of the court in which they are supposed to be specializing. Not with this offense, the one that typically flirts with 40% shooting, only to see 40% shooting end up going home with some other guy at the end of the night.
So on the one night Milwaukee was able to finish at exactly 40%, it’s a shame they couldn’t handle things on that other end. Read more…
Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 6-11
Inactive: Andrew Bogut, Carlos Delfino, Michael Redd
at
Denver Nuggets (George Karl) 10-6
Inactive: Kenyon Martin
Date: 12/01/2010
Time: 8:00 PM (CST)
TV: FS Wisconsin
Enemy: Roundball Mining Company
Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Chauncey Billups
Before playing the actual best point guards in the league last season, Jennings said Billups was actually the best point guard in the league. Then he put 30 on Billups and hasn’t said such nonsense since. No, Billups isn’t the best point guard and actually, the 34-year-old Billups may no longer be better than Jennings. Everyone assumes Jennings is the least reliable shot making point guard in the league (and by everyone, of course I mean me), but Billups is giving Jennings a run for his money. Chauncey has hit just 36.6% of his shots this season and only 34.9% of his threes, both worse numbers than Jennings has produced. And, despite playing in the up-tempo Nuggets offense (third in the league in pace), Billups is averaging just 4.9 assists per game against 2.7 turnovers. Perhaps Billups is no longer the best fit for an offense that seems to thrive with a quick point guard like his backup Ty Lawson. Oddly enough, he may be a better fit for a slower team like the Bucks while Jennings could thrive in a more open court game like the one the Nuggets play. Oh well.
Advantage: Milwaukee Read more…
Denver Nuggets (George Karl) 5-2
(Likely) Inactives: Johan Petro
At
Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 3-2
(Likely) Inactives: Michael Redd, Joe Alexander and Francisco Elson
Game Time: 7:00
TV: Fox Sports Wisconsin
Match-ups
Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Chauncey Billups
Billups is the ideal result of any combo point guard in the league. He bounced around, people weren’t sure if he was a scorer or a passer, but he figured things out about six years into his career. The idea of Chauncey Billups is probably as intimidating as any match-up for point guards in the league. Billups is the go-to-guy whenever someone is describing a veteran, muscley, big, winning point guard. Upon arriving in Denver last year, Billups changed the culture and held players accountable as defenders and teammates. At 33, Billups is still going strong thanks to a game that relies on strength and smarts rather than speed. Jennings will learn a lot by watching the tape of this one when it’s done.
Advantage: Nuggets Read more…
