Role Playing Game: Bucks 108 – Nets 89
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010One of the many keys to continued success the rest of the way for the Milwaukee Bucks was prominently on display Wednesday night at the Bradley Center. They need balance. A team that lacks a true star to begin with, the Bucks have needed to get something out of everyone all year, even before Andrew Bogut’s injury. Now, they need balance more than ever. And when they get it, good things can happen. Milwaukee was about as balanced as they could be in their 108-89 victory over the Nets Wednesday night – 120 minutes for the starters, 120 minutes for the reserves.
While the Bucks starters were outscored 64-59 on the night, the bench did their part and then some, out-scoring New Jersey’s backups 49-25. This shouldn’t have been surprising though. The Nets are 11-67 for a reason. They have some starters that are above-average players, but their bench is full of young, inexperienced and, as far as I could tell, relatively uninterested players. New Jersey certainly looked the part of the league’s bottom feeder. Everyone was hooting and hollering from the sidelines during a fast start by Devin Harris, but there was a clear sense of indifference as the game began to slip away. But hey, a job is a job, and if I had a stat at my work that said we’d only had a successful day 11 out of the last 77 times we operated, I’d be waiting for a vacation myself. But back to the bench.
Role player was a fitting definition of the Bucks reserves on this evening. (more…)
Game 32 Preview: Bucks at Nets
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 13-18
(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 (more…)
The gift from the scheduling gods: Bucks 99 – Nets 85
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009“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. (more…)
Game Nine Preview: Bucks vs. Nets
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009New Jersey Nets (Lawrence Frank) 0-11
(Likely) Inactives: Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian and Keyon Dooling (but there are about six guys to choose from for these three spots)
at
Milwaukee Bucks (Scott Skiles) 5-3
(Likely) Inactives: Michael Redd, Francisco Elson and Joe Alexander
Game time: 7:00 (CST)
TV: FSN
Match-ups
Point Guard
Brandon Jennings vs. Rafer Alson
Skip is no longer the lightening quick, all handle-no shot, playground legend he was when he first entered the league as a Milwaukee Buck, but he can still hold his own. Over the years he’s actually worked his way into being an adequate three-point shooter and is shooting nearly 40% from deep this year. And the other day he even recorded his very first triple double, so there has been some upside to the rash of injuries that have left the Nets battered, bruised and winless. It would have been something to watch Devin Harris match quickness with Jennings. Maybe next time.
Advantage: Milwaukee (more…)
