The Day The Milwaukee Bucks Died

The topic that I am about to dive into isn’t going to make a lot of sense to the casual NBA fan.  A decent understanding of the economics of the NBA is a must if you are to understand my point.  I will do my best to explain why it is the Milwaukee Bucks are dead as an NBA franchise for at least the next 2 years.  Being irrelevant for the next 2 years likely means that Kohl (Senator Kohl, the owner) will have to sell the team and the team will more than likely move.

Today is the NBA trade deadline for 2009.  Up to the deadline the Bucks have been in a very tough spot when it comes to the future.  In order to solve some (or most) of their problems the Bucks were shopping Richard Jefferson like crazy.  RJ has been a very solid player for the Bucks this season and since Redd went down with a season ending knee injury, RJ has transformed into the player we all thought he was when we got him in a trade prior to the 08/09 season.  He has been shooting lights out, slashing to the hoop and getting a lot of FT attempts.  In combination with RJ, Ramon Sessions has been blowing up and CV has been consistently solid (something that couldn’t be said about him his first 3 years).

Bucks vs. Jazz: Just good enough for the win

The Bucks have been on a really good streak as of late.  They have won 6 of the last 7 and blew out a few teams in the process.  I hadn’t commented on their stellar play as of late because I am a somewhat superstitious fan.  I thought my lack of opinion was helping.  I don’t know how I convinced myself otherwise, but tonight’s win is won worth talking about.  That’s because any win against a Jerry Sloan coached team is a good victory.  The Jazz were without Okur and Boozer.  Milsap took a hard fall in the first half and didn’t return until the 3rd quarter.  the Bucks took advantage early on and played very well.  The lead ballooned to 19 in the third quarter and it looked like the Bucks had their 3rd straight blowout in working order.  But like I said, this is a Jerry Sloan team which means they will not quit and they will play tough defense.  And that’s what they did to get the game to a 5 point deficit to start the 4th quarter.

Bogut does his levitating ball trick

Between the Bucks 3rd and 4th, the offense was sputtering like it has at many times during the season.  At the same time the Jazz were playing excellent defense and hustling like crazy on the offensive end.  It seemed like every miss the Bucks forced, the Jazz would get a reload and a basket.  Thankfully the Bucks were able to get just enough offense in the 4th quarter from Redd and free throws the Bucks pulled out a victory.  No a real test comes, the Pistons at full strength.  The Bucks badly need to beat a team better than them and this would be one of those victories, if they can win.

Running of the Bucks in 4th Quarter leads to win

Uh, this is defense, right coach?

For the second time in the last week, I was unable to watch a Bucks game because it wasn’t televised.  I understand, it’s a Saturday home game and they want to the fans to come out.  But I, like many others, don’t have money to put down on tickets.  So can’t you just show it to me for free?  Preferable in HD if you don’t mind.

As I typically do with non televised games, I sit on the computer doing random things (tonight I was trying to find out where my iTunes library disappeared to) and keep the score up in the background.  Seeing the Bucks leave the first quarter with a 35 to 22 lead, I thought tonight might be easy for the Bucks.  They need a lauger as they haven’t been on the right side of one of those for quite some time.  But as the Bucks always do, the kept in interesting.  With about 4 minutes left Indy got a lead and I was worried the Bucks where in for another loss.  Then something crazy happened in the last 3 minutes.  The Bucks went on a 19 to nothing run.  That’s impressive and it won the game.

The Milwaukee Bucks, making sure Shaq looks young

Another game on the west coast, another loss.  The Suns have been in somewhat of a funk as of late.  They just came of off a 4 game losing streak and there are questions surrounding the team in regards to what direct they are going.  Should they be a running team or do they need to slow it down?  Last night, against the Bucks, they did both and won the game by 15.  This is the second time the Bucks have lost to the Suns this year and the 21st time in 22 years that the Bucks have lost in Phoenix.  The last time the Bucks won a game in Phoenix coach Skiles was playing for the Bucks, though not in that game due to injury.

As I expected, Lakers crush Bucks

I don’t think the defense is what lost this one… It might have something to do with our starters who could not make a shot to save their lives in the first half.  At the intermission the Bucks had all of 31 points and somehow were only down 10.  Then the 3rd quarter started, the Lakers found their stroke and the Bucks got down by 25.  Game over.

Bucks @ Lakers, this might be tough

So tonight the Bucks take on the NBA’s best team, the Los Angelas Lakers.  On one hand, this could be a good test.  The Bucks are nearly at full strength and have had 3 games together with a good week of practice behind them (practice time was hard to come by on the recent road trip).  On the other hand, we are playing the friggin’ Lakers who are on fire, and it might not go well.  Either way you can actually watch this game on Fox Sports WI (unlike the last game) and if the Bucks can keep it close, it might be entertaining.

As always the best place for pre-game info is Brew Hoop, which is really the best source for Bucks info all around.  Checking Brew Hoop reminded me of the first time we played the Lakers last year, when Michael Redd almost out Kobe’d Kobe.  Redd posted 26 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.  If he can do that again, we might have a good shot at this one.  Here’s hoping.