In Defense of Corey Maggette
Monday, June 28th, 2010There’s rarely a question about whether or not Corey Maggette is a competent offensive player. Debate will likely always rage on about how selfish of a player he is and if Maggette “getting his” necessarily amounts to positive team production, but it’s hard to say that Maggette isn’t skilled at scoring points. He does that in bunches and very efficiently year after year. The big knock on Maggette though, is that he lacks awareness of what’s going on around him. Maggette may bull his way to the hoop and end up scoring or at the free throw line, but more often than not, you won’t be seeing Maggette knifing through the lane and dropping the ball off to an open shooter on the weak side.
Teams and fans alike have more or less learned to accept this as Maggette’s offensive game. The pluses seem to outweigh the minuses, so Maggette continues to collect paychecks and find ample playing time. But that awareness bugaboo rears its ugly head on the defensive end as well and it’s there that the concern that Corey Maggette may destroy everything that was good and fun about the Milwaukee Bucks last year as soon as he steps on the court.
Within seconds of the finalization of the trade that brought him over from Golden State, Maggette was being labeled the Bucks weak link defensively. His poor defensive rating, offensive mindset and the checkered success of the teams he’s played on make him an easy target for those worried about the Bucks messing with the good thing that was last season’s team. Immediately after the trade, I noted that Maggette’s field goal percentage against and defensive rating both were considerably worse than Carlos Delfino, the Bucks primary small forward last season. But it’s possible the change of scenery may do wonders for Maggette the defender and that I underestimated just how damaging playing in Golden State’s system was for him, his lack of awareness be damned. (more…)
Under Pressure
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Pressure.
Is it real? Is it imagined? I guess it depends on who you ask. If you ask Scott Skiles, he scoffs at the notion that such a thing exists. In the world of Scott Skiles, pressure is the force that causes a door to open when he pushes on it. In the world of Scott Skiles, athletes are playing a game and the media doesn’t exist. He doesn’t strike me as someone who wakes up in the morning and reads the papers to see what was said and hear about what teams are being forecasted to advance far. So the pressure in a playoffs series placed on teams by media predictions and the interests of their fans, now, that doesn’t mean anything to Scott Skiles.
“I have a hard time talking about that (pressure),” remarked Coach Skiles after the game. “It’s all just perceived, it’s all just made up by other people. I don’t buy into the whole pressure thing. I know it does exist, I know some times athletes fall prey to it, but you gotta get past it.”
But Scott Skiles has been around basketball for about 40 years. Of course the pressures of the basketball court are no longer relevant to him. Brandon Jennings is still a baby faced rookie of just 20 years on Earth. The story is a bit different for him.
“I feel the pressure now. It’s game seven now. We’ve worked all hard for this so we gotta go in there and know that we can win. We didn’t prepare all year just to get to the playoffs and say forget it. It’s game seven, we gotta go in there and give them everything we’ve got. I know I am.”
Call it being a wide-eyed youth in a grown mans game if you will, but rarely will you find an athlete more forthcoming than Brandon Jennings. He’s willing to admit he’s feeling the heat. I guess that’s part of being a leader. Jennings wanted to win this one, he wanted to do it for the home crowd, for his teammates and for himself. That’s what being a point guard is all about, taking responsibility. So Jennings is willing to admit he’s feeling pressure the same way he’s willing to admit he’s thrilled with wins.
Skiles saw it in game six.
“We thought he was feeling it a little bit early in the game, he played eight minutes and we took him out, hoped he could rest and shake it off a little bit. This is his first time going through this, this is the biggest game he’s ever played in.”
Perhaps it’s troubling that the Bucks point guard is feeling the heat as he heads down to Atlanta for game seven. If it shows in his performance the way it appeared to on Friday’s game six loss, it could spell another defeat for the Bucks and the end to their unbelievable season. But just as making the playoffs wasn’t just about this year, his willingness to take on and feel that heat isn’t just about this season either. Jennings knows he’s the leader and wants that responsibility. Even if it negatively affects his game right now, it’s something that should prove to be a terrific learning experience for the rest of his career.
Whether or not he’s the only Bucks player feeling the pressure is tough to say. The veteran Bucks won’t cede to much and you’d be hard pressed to find looser guys after this one than Jerry Stackhouse or Kurt Thomas.
“I’ve been in this situation,” Stackhouse said. “There isn’t anything sweeter than that — to go in and win a game seven in another team’s building.”
Not many rookies get to experience two series clinching games in their first season. Much less as a starter. Even fewer as a starting point guard. Of all the lessons Jennings has had the opportunity to learn this season, this could prove to be the most important, not to mention the one that keeps him going this summer.
So while I’m as disappointed as any Bucks fan in the game six loss, you won’t find me burying my head in the sand or walking into traffic. I’m excited to see development in action.
And you should be too.
A few thoughts during a few days off
Friday, April 23rd, 2010- Why on Earth is there so much time between games in the playoffs? Is it me, or has the little amount of air that was in this series been let out? Imagine that the Bucks and Hawks had a real competitive, back and forth series. How frustrating would it be to have to wait two and three days before each game then? I guess I don’t understand how the NBA makes more money this way, but I’m sure they do some how, because money dictates everything obviously. Game four should have been Thursday and game five Saturday. Instead, the Bucks play Saturday and go up against a Brewers game that matters roughly fifty times more to people than the Bucks game. Well done NBA. I’m looking forward to all the jokes about the Bucks inability to fill their arena for a playoff game.
- Josh Smith became the latest in a long line of athletes to rip Milwaukee for it’s general lack of things to do.
“Would you go there?” Smith asked. “Everybody knows there ain’t nothing to do in Milwaukee, man. Everybody knows that, (even) the people that live there.”
I’m not going to waste my time being offended that Smith isn’t excited to come to Milwaukee, but this did get me thinking. Not more than a week or so ago, Joakim Noah had similar comments about the city of Cleveland. So it would seem players have the same general perception of Milwaukee that they do of Cleveland. In recent history, this hasn’t stopped free agents and those interested in being traded from being open about wanting to head to Cleveland. Obviously that has something to do with playing with Lebron, but I think it’s more about wanting to win titles. A while back, John Hammond said something to the effect of he didn’t think players valued the city they are playing in as much as they value the chance to win as a factor when choosing teams in free agency. I’m starting to come around on this. I’m now slightly hopeful that Milwaukee will land a mediocre free agent in the off-season following next instead of a bad free agent.
- I’m not sold on the process for end of the season award voting. And by not sold I mean I can’t stand it. The big issue I have with letting media members vote is that they simply aren’t able to see enough games. For example, if a television announcer votes, they are basing their vote off seeing one team for 82 games and other teams for no more than four. So they end up going to statistics and making their choices based on numbers. That’s why Scott Brooks wins coach of the year. His team had the largest improvement, therefore he won. Everyone ignores the fact that the Thunder have gobs of talent, more than the Bucks could ever dream of. Why not let scouts vote on these types of awards? Who is watching more teams play, with a better understanding than scouts? Perhaps that would rectify the silly results we often see in coach of the year voting. Judging from recent history (Byron Scott, Sam Mitchell) I wouldn’t be shocked to see Brooks dismissed sooner rather than later. Such is life in the NBA.
- Wouldn’t it be nice if Andrew Bogut were healthy?
Celtics showing how it’s done: Celtics 105 – Bucks 90
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
Between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, things are getting a tad chippy.
(For more on the Celtics, check out TrueHoop Network Boston Celtics blog, CelticsHub)
Well, I’ll give the Celtics one thing. As far as a team the Bucks can learn from, they won’t be a bad playoff opponent. It looks like it’ll make for an entertaining series to boot.
In another game that had a couple chippy moments, the Bucks lost a game that didn’t really mean all that much in front of a sold out Bradley Center crowd Saturday night, 105-90. And when I say it didn’t mean all that much, I’m referring to the fact that it’s looking more and more like these two teams are going to end up seeing each other in the first round of the playoffs. Atlanta won again Saturday, they’ll likely beat out Boston for the third seed and while the Bucks lost, they still hold a half game lead for fifth and have a tiebreaker over Miami. But I think a few things in this one meant a little something.
Teams that play hard defense can occasionally rub their opponents the wrong way and both the Celtics and the Bucks do this. Teams that have won a championship with a core that’s slipping off the top of its perch often give the impression to new challengers that they aren’t worthy. Boston has won a title with this core. Teams that haven’t made the playoffs in some time and are making their first run together often want to prove like they belong. That’d be the Bucks. So we’re looking at a first round series between the “Old Irish” and the “Young Bucks”, one on the way down, the other on the way up. They’ll meet in the middle, chips on shoulders in tow.
So believe me when I write that the miniature dust-ups mean at least mean a little something. No one wants to be disrespected in the NBA. No one.
But the Celtics are a great first round opponent for tons of reasons. Not just because they appear most beatable, but because the Bucks can learn lots from their guys. They can see the intensity they’ll need. They can feel the type of defense pressure that wins games in the playoffs. They can see a star at work in fourth quarters in Paul Pierce, watch what he does and how he operates.
But not all the Celtics serve that purpose. Some of the Celtics are in need of some learning themselves. Frankly, on Saturday night, Glen “Big Baby” Davis looked like, well, pardon the obvious pun, but, a Big Baby. His reaction to a hard foul by Kurt Thomas led to a technical for his time, an on court talking to by Celtics Coach Doc Rivers and … a flagrant foul on Thomas? Perhaps Davis did know what he was doing. It’s possible he was just working the refs.
Ah, working the refs. Few skills seem more difficult to develop in the NBA or as valuable. The Celtics are always reminding the refs which team has a title under the belt, though not so obviously. Constantly, you’ll see a Celtic put their arm around the ref, scowl after a call or, in Rasheed Wallace’s case, scream “and one” every shot attempt. This was a Michael Redd specialty and, truth be told, may be the area where the Bucks will miss him most during the playoffs. But playing the masters of this craft will give the Bucks an up close and personal tutoring session on this ever so necessary skill.
Of course, Milwaukee will have plenty of time to watch and learn once this regular season gets out of the way and the playoffs start. This was simply the appetizer before round one. Hopefully Milwaukee was paying attention. (more…)
You Know What This Is…: Bucks 79 – Bulls 74
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010(UPDATE: Easy baskets were hard to come by in last night’s Bucks-Bulls game, so Sebastian Pruiti of NBA Playbook takes a look at the play that swung the game in the Bucks favor. A Brandon Jennings to Ersan Ilyasova fastbreak basket.)
It’s a celebration. Take it away Kanye (more accurately, some kid lip-syncing Kanye).
Now everyone can take a breath. The worst case scenario cannot come to pass. The Milwaukee Bucks are officially going to be in the playoffs.
It was fitting the Bucks clinched in a game filled with errant jumpers, ball-control, defense and anything else that’s unsexy about basketball. After all, this is a team that’s second from the bottom of the league in field goal percentage, has turned the ball over the fifth fewest times and has the third highest defensive rating. “Fear the Deer” has been the team’s calling card of late, but Tuesday’s victory was certainly more the “Work Hard, Play Hard” variety.
Certainly, sub-40% shooting (36.4% on the night for Milwaukee) efforts will not strike fear into the hearts of future Bucks opponents. But right now Milwaukee is anything but a finished project heading into the playoffs. As nice as it is to sit back and enjoy the clinch, Milwaukee still has a considerable amount of work ahead of them before April 17th. Near the top of that list is figuring out how the remaining pieces fit together.
Milwaukee tried out some different lineups Tuesday and they’ll likely do some mixing and matching again Wednesday. The playoffs will not wait until the Bucks are comfortable in their new roles, so there is no time for Milwaukee to wait to figure out who’s going to need to do what. (more…)
