Recap/Box Score

And we have a new word for the glossary.

The Trap Game.

The trap game is simple.  Let’s say you have a team that’s been hot, really hot, like let’s say 15-2 over their last 17 games hot.  And there were some pretty good wins in that 15, like recent ones over Denver, in Denver nonetheless, and at home against a possible playoff opponent in Atlanta.  There are some tough games coming up too, like the one against another team fighting for playoff positioning in the conference.  But there’s a game before the schedule toughens up.  A game against a team languishing near the bottom of the conference, a team that hasn’t performed up to expectations and is caught in some sort of purgatory, not super bad, but without much of a future.  They come out sluggish and look like they weren’t completely ready for this team and … they blow it.

That’s your trap game and that’s what happened to the Bucks Wednesday night against the Sixers.

Milwaukee had been coming out flat for the last few games, but typically clawed their way back into them and found a way to win.  In Sacramento it took overtime and a little bit of luck, but the Bucks kept it close enough to be lucky.  Against Atlanta, John Salmons got hot and carried the Bucks past the Hawks.  But there was no getting hot against Philadelphia, there was no keeping it close and there was no happy ending, just a disappointing loss that detracts from the impressive win in Denver last Saturday.  Beating the better teams means a lot more when a team takes care of business against the dregs of the league and the Bucks were unable to do that against Philly.

So, losing a trap game is an issue, but I took something else out of this one too, something that means much more.

Coming into the year, the Sixers were supposed to be a good team and it’s possible that’s the team that showed up tonight.  They’re athletic, they have good one on one players, they force turnovers and they’re a tough matchup for a lot of teams.  In short, they remind of me of the Hawks.  The switching on screens, the length all over and athletic front court were all problems for the Bucks offensively.  Sure, Milwaukee was passive going inside or driving to the hoop (see 5-28 3FG), but when they did get in it seemed like Philadelphia had defenders waiting, with length.

Jrue Holiday gave the Milwaukee point guards lots of problems on offense and defense and with his size and wingspan, he’s reminiscent of Joe Johnson, who took the challenge of guarding the Milwaukee point guards in the last two matchups.  Coach Scott Skiles was asked why his Bucks have had problems with the Sixers this year and he was quick to answer:

“They’re very athletic, they’re quicker than we are at some key spots and, you know, they get in some passing lanes, they’re disruptive and it’s bothered us.”

Sound like anyone you know?  Hint: they won Wednesday night. 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…