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.

Bucks choke, Sixers win

I am just going to post some quick thoughts on this one.  The Bucks let this one slip away.

• Elton Brand does not fit on the Sixers  They played much better when he was off the court.  It still sucks to see him get hurt, however.
• Redd, Bogut and RJ were no shows tonight.  Thank God for the Bench and LRMAM otherwise this would’ve been a total blowout.
• I don’t know if Iggy is worth that contract.  This the first time I have seen him this year and he didn’t even look average.  Lots of missed shots and some lazy D that lead to fouls.
• Skiles should’ve went to LRMAM to finish out the game.  He absolutely contained Louis Williams in the 3rd and maybe he could’ve done the same in the 4th.
• Our 4th quarter offense was brutal.  The Bucks have been prone to offensive lapses here and there and this one came at the worst time.  If we should a little better we probably could’ve won it.
• I don’t feel good about the upcoming Knicks game.  It’s on the road and the Knicks are playing pretty well right now.

Bucks bring the cold from Milwaukee to cool the Heat

Tonight the Bucks ended their 6 game road losing streak and the Heat’s 3 game home winning streak.  Here are quick thoughts from tonight’s game.

• We saw the real Heat team tonight.  They are not very good.  The reason they are at .500 is due to the weakest schedule in the NBA.  Their bench couldn’t win a D-League game and the center may have a hard time finding a d-league spot once the Heat find a better center.
• Redd played a good game, pretty effecient.  All his points came in the first half, but we didn’t need him in the second, so that’s OK.  He also had 3 board and 2 assists.
• RJ was crap tonight with the exception of a 5 minute period on the 3rd.
• The Heat had good runs in the 3rd and 4th, Bucks did a wonderful job of sustaining
• CV continues to be a beast of the bench.
• Marion lost himself a ton (A TON) of money with this trade.  He wanted out of Phoenix so bad, but that system was set to make him look good.  Within in the Heat’s system, it’s not going well.
• I like Wade… I do.  But that man complains way too much about non-calls.  For someone who was gifted an NBA championship ring thanks to the refs he really needs to learn his place.

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.

Man hugs for everyone, Bucks win 2 in a row

I was neither able to watch this game (thanks Fox Sports WI) or attend (thanks economy), but the Bucks pulled out a win they had to have.  Why did they have to have it?  Well, the NBA continues is attempts in screwing the Bucks as hard as they can with a 3 game road trip (and 8 of the next 12 on the road, and the Bucks are already proud owners of the “most road games played” title) out west against some of the NBA’s best..

This is the second time we got to play the ‘Cats and this time they had their full compliment.  There was even a Sean May sighting, which is amazing because I forgot he was still alive.

I Luve Ya Man!

Thank you, Ball Don’t Lie

In what was possibly the greatest moment of his life… Scott Skiles now has photo evidence of providing a facial (not that kind, get your mind out of the gutter) on then team mate Shaquille O’Neal.  Yeah he probably got a boost and yeah Shaq looks like a willing participant, but come on!  How many people in the world can say the have a picture of themselves dunking on Shaq?

Via: Ball Don’t Lie

Bogut uncertain for game tonight

Two nights ago the Bucks were healthy for the first time in what seemed like forever.  With the exception of Charlie Bell, all of the rotation players were there and the starting lineup was set.  Then Andrew Bogut only played the first half and no update was given on his situation during the game.  Now, two days later, we find out that Bogut had a migraine triggered by a hit to the face.  He missed practice yesterday and his status for tonight’s game against the ‘Cats is up in the air.

Assuming he will play, because he is a pretty tough dude, I had to take the opportunity to say that I feel for the guy.  While I am sure there are some who will say “It’s just a headache, play through it”, people who have actually had a migraine more than once in their life are more likely to be sympathetic.  I have had chronic headaches since I was 15 (now 26) with a handful of those headaches turning into migraines.  I can’t leave the house and sit in front of a computer, much less play professional basketball with a migraine.  I pretty much so sit in the dark and try to sleep it off.  To imagine running up and down the court with large, fast, strong people running into me and at me… well, it makes me want to cry.  But here is hoping Bogut is OK and makes his return tonight.  Emeka Okafor has been on a tear the last two games and Bogut typically shuts him down.  I’ll have an update after the game, which I cannot watch because it’s not on TV and I can’t justify paying to see the Bobcats when I have little to no extra cash to spend in today’s wonderful economy.