boederbucks

We're Moving! New Blog...

2007-10-31T09:36:00.000-05:00

After spending a great summer and start of fall here I am moving on to a new project: Brew Hoop.

The new site is a boederbucks/Just Another Bucks Fan collaboration, so I'm excited to join forces with Frank, who has already written a welcome message and Wednesday notes.

Brew Hoop is also a part of SB Nation, a network which already includes some of the top basketball blogs like Blog A Bull, Blazers Edge, and Golden State Of Mind.

boederbucks will stay here as a reference. And here's an RSS Feed for the new blog... Hope to see you there.

Mason, Yi To Start

2007-10-29T23:54:00.000-05:00

The big news is that Desmond Mason and Yi Jianlian will start for the Bucks in the opener, as reported in the Journal Sentinel.

Throughout the exhibition season, Krystkowiak downplayed the importance of starting. In fact, he didn't make a big deal of informing his players as to who would be starting, merely mentioning it in an off-handed way, during a drill in which the Bucks were playing defense against some of the things Orlando does on offense.

"I remember playing," Krystkowiak said. "So I understand the starting talk. But the five starters don't mean they're our best five players. It's not a horse race to see which guy started, which guy had the most effective preseason. There's been hundreds of cases where a guy just makes sense to get out there and start.

I've been pretty consistent in my support of Villanueva starting at power forward because he's the superior player as things stand right now and Yi has enough pressure to perform as it is. However, both will see similar minutes and Coach Krystkowiak seems to be going out of his way to explain Yi and Villanueva are in this together and who starts isn't of huge importance. If Yi struggles, we'll probably see that who starts becomes a little more important but at this point I'm not terribly worried about it.

Commenting On A Preview

2007-10-29T23:39:00.001-05:00

The Bratwurst spent some time giving a rundown of the Bucks' roster with player-by-player previews.

A sample:

"Mo Williams: I’ve never really bought into the whole “pure point guard” vs. “shoot-first point guard” thing for two reasons: first, the most important thing is for the team to score more points than the opposition and, second, there isnt really any good way to objectively measure how good a passer a player is. Assists, for example, has as much to do with the point guards’ pass as it does with the finishing ability of the recipient and the decision of the official scorer. So does Mo shoot too much? Last season he took the 5th most shots per 40 minutes of all point guards (behind Arenas, Parker, Cassell and Davis) with 16.87, but the difference between him and the #21 point guard (Stephon Marbury) was only 2.81 shots per 40! That’s less than 1 per quarter! Also, Mo had several games where he was the only starter in uniform, so his scoring was necessary. No, his shooting was fine. Mo’s new contract is reasonable given his production and age, and he still has room to improve. Point guards often take years and years to reach their peaks, so while Williams will most likely plateau as a slightly below-all-star level player, there is always the outside chance that he could have a Chanuncey Billups-like career."

Good stuff as always. I tend to agree that while there are different types of players at every position who possess different strengths and weaknesses, and point guard is no different, it is sometimes an exaggerated concept. If Williams is going to help the team score, and use his strengths to do so, he shouldn't be condemned. Not everyone can be like Jason Kidd or Steve Nash and I'd sure rather have Williams than Brevin Knight, or a number of other "pure point guards" running Milwaukee's show.

That said, hopefully he will continue to play to his strengths while developing better distribution skills. Like it was noted, point guards take time to progress, so it's certainly not out of the question, and in fact is likely that Williams will develop as a passer. That shows that players shouldn't be labeled so generically, because labels stick, but players change.

Adjusted Plus-Minus Scores

2007-10-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

82games.com's Steve Ilardi unveils adjusted plus-minus scores for the 2006-07 season.

"This is exactly what the adjusted plus-minus stat does: it reflects the impact of each player on his team's bottom line (scoring margin), after controlling statistically for the strength of every teammate and every opponent during each minute he's on the court."

That's just a very small part of the explanation, so it's worth reading some of the details. For instance, the 2005-06 season is given some weight and last year's playoffs were doubly weighted.

Michael Redd is ranked 20th among players who played at least 20 minutes per game out of 175 qualified players.

Others of note:

63/175. Andrew Bogut
115/175. Charlie Bell
124/175. Mo Williams
170/175. Desmond Mason

And some from the under-20 minute group:

16/167. Charlie Villanueva
66/167. Jake Voskuhl
82/167. Dan Gadzuric
163/167. David Noel

There are noted error margins which Ilardi goes into detail about and might help explain some of the more questionable ratings, such as:

17/175. Rajon Rondo
30/175. Brad Miller
41/175. Tim Thomas
80/175. Carmelo Anthony
150/175. Richard Jefferson

Like all mathematical statistical measurements, this one doesn't quite answer definitively questions about player rankings, despite what Ilardi says. Adjusted plus-minus ratings are however another valuable tool that one can use in player comparisons.

In considering the Bucks' ratings, one that jumps out right away is Mason's, who also had a low, -4.9 Roland Rating last year. Perhaps more surprising is Williams' low rating, which contrats his solid 1.4 Roland Rating.

Odds And Wins

2007-10-29T11:10:00.000-05:00

The Painted Area recently made some over/under picks based on Sportsbook. Considering they went 6-1 in their picks last year, it’s probably worth taking a look.

Here’s a sample:

"San Antonio: Over 54.5 (58 wins last year)
Just look here. Since Tim Duncan entered the NBA in 1997, the Spurs have won at least 56 every year (if you pro-rate the lockout season) except 1999-00, when they won 53. Further, they have won at least 58 for seven straight seasons. I'm gonna keep riding this horse until I get thrown off."

The author doesn’t make a pick for the Bucks, who are listed as 36.5 in the article but are now at 35.5.

Here are a few other Bucks' mentions:

Michael Redd is 15-1 to win the scoring title and 75-1 to win the MVP.

Andrew Bogut is 35-1 to lead the league in rebounding.

The Bucks are 35-1 to win the Eastern Conference and 100-1 to win the NBA Championship.

My picks on the over/under:

Los Angeles Lakers Under 44.5
Is this assuming they are going to land Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and Tyrus Thomas?

Milwaukee Bucks Over 35.5
A Bucks blog taking the over on the Bucks? (elaboration on predictions coming soon)

Orlando Magic Under 47.5
Who inspires confidence other than Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis here?

Seattle Supersonics Under 27.5
In the last five years, an average of four teams per year have finished with 27 wins or fewer. How do they not fit in that equation?

Toronto Raptors Over 41.5
Chris Bosh, T.J. Ford, Jose Calderon, and Andrea Bargnani are on the way up, not down, right?

HoopsWorld Interviews Redd

2007-10-27T16:53:00.000-05:00

HoopsWorld interviewed Michael Redd after the Bucks’ final preseason game.

Perhaps the most interesting part:

So, of course, what's this team's biggest weakness right now?

"Weakness? Obviously, I think our offense still needs a lot of work. We haven't put all of our sets in yet, so we're still working on our offense. Playing hard and playing defense will cover up the offense on a lot of nights."

Well, okay. There have been some offensively challenged preseason games to be sure, but that’s definitely a new take on Bucks basketball. Here’s to hoping that the offense is indeed the team’s biggest worry.

Preseason Game #8: Timberwolves Blow Out Bucks

2007-10-26T21:34:00.001-05:00

The Minnesota Timberwolves rocked the Milwaukee Bucks 106-85 to conclude the Bucks' preseason schedule.

Michael Redd and Mo Williams returned in backup roles, and played team-leading 27 minutes each. Andrew Bogut sat out again with a sprained left wrist.

Six stats:

Dan Gadzuric started and scored a team-high 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds, four off the offensive glass.
Charlie Bell started and scored 10 points on 3-4 shooting in nine minutes.
Charlie Villanueva scored six points on 2-7 shooting along with two rebounds in 22 minutes. He had a team-high three steals.
The Bucks only had one block total, courtesy of Michael Redd. The Timberwolves only had two blocks as a team.
Mo Williams scored eight points and had six assists and two steals in 27 points. He turned the ball over five times.
The Timberwolves shot 32-49 (.653) from the field and 4-6 (.667) from the three-point line.

More Rookie Rankings

2007-10-26T18:55:00.000-05:00

NBA.com's Dave McMenamin got into the rookie rankings party with a top ten, plus ten.

It's a very different list than Burns', as McMenamin based his rankings only off preseason performances. As such, he is forced to make some interesting choices, like ranking Aaron Gray fifth.

Yi Jianlian doesn't make the first ten, instead falling into the alphabetically listed "next ten."

Rookie Rankings

2007-10-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

SI.com's Marty Burns ranked ten impact rookies for this year. It's not exactly a preseason Rookie of the Year list, because he said that his number one, Luis Scola, probably won't win the award. He rates Yi Jianlian number nine.

A sample:

"But he's been up and down in preseason, and the Bucks already have Charlie Villanueva at the power forward position. With the Bucks seeking to return to the playoffs, the guess here is that Yi finds himself in the same limited role as Law."

While that's not quite what voters on this site think, judging by the last couple games, Yi does seem most likely to come off the bench. But he's going to see at least 20 minutes per game, which is probably more of an impact than Burns' number eight choice, Joakim Noah.

Roster Talk

2007-10-26T12:23:00.000-05:00

HoopsHype found a couple articles speculating about the Bucks' looming roster decisions:

The Charlotte Observer noted the Bucks might cut Michael Ruffin.

"NBA teams have until Friday to trim their rosters to 15 or fewer players. There's been some speculation the Milwaukee Bucks might cut Michael Ruffin, a player Vincent wanted over the summer. Still, no roster spot means no wiggle room for the Bobcats."

With the tough-luck Bobcats already witnessing big injuries to Sean May and Adam Morrison, they could use a forward. Ruffin has played about as well as Jake Voskuhl this preseason, which is to say he's been borderline adequate.

Meanwhile, Gery Woelfel writes about Ramon Sessions' possible future with the Bucks.
The Bucks are expected to keep second-round draft pick Ramon Sessions. Sessions, a point guard, has been solid throughout training camp.

"It is believed Sessions will start the season with the Bucks and then around the second week of November will likely be assigned to Tulsa, the Bucks' D-League affiliate."

I liked the Sessions pick on draft day and nothing I've seen so far has dissuaded me of that opinion. Then again, Royal Ivey has been one of the most pleasant preseason surprises so there doesn't appear to be a lot of point guard minutes available for Sessions yet. Sessions is averaging the fewest minutes per gam e of any Buck this preseason.

Preseason Game #7: Bulls Defeat Bucks

2007-10-25T22:22:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks 97-81 on Thursday night.

The Bucks tried a very different rotation, with Michael Redd, Mo Williams, Andrew Bogut, Awvee Storey, and Michael Ruffin not playing.

Six statistics:

Charlie Villanueva started and scored a team-high 19 points on 6-10 shooting in 27 minutes. He also led the team in rebounds with eight and blocks with two.
Bobby Simmons scored just three points on 1-5 shooting in 28 minutes. He committed a team-high four turnovers.
The Bucks did not win any quarters, tying the second quarter 22-22 and losing the other three quarters.
David Noel played 25 minutes off the bench and scored five points on 2-7 shooting. He was the only Buck to not turn the ball over.
The Bucks had fewer team rebounds (38-32), assists (24-18), steals (10-4), blocks (8-3), and committed more turnovers (20-15). They also shot a worse percentage from the field (.494-.433), and from the free-throw line (.684-.621).
The Bucks shot 5-11 (.455) on three-pointers.

Preseason Game #6: Nuggets Top Bucks

2007-10-24T12:47:00.000-05:00

The Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 114-102 on Tuesday night. If the team’s previous game was characterized by Yi Jianlian’s impressive performance, then last night spotlighted the other previously struggling power forward, Charlie Villanueva.

Yi currently leads Villanueva by a pretty fair margin in the poll asking who should start at power forward. Most of the votes came after Yi’s big game and before Villanueva’s however. I've maintained Villanueva should get the nod. Let’s just hope they both play well at the same time eventually because the up-and-down performances don't distinguish either of them, and make it hard to tell if the Bucks have no starting power forwards on the roster or two.

Six stats:

Villanueva shot 9-16 from the field and scored a team-high 21 points in 29 minutes off the bench. He also grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out five assists. His only struggle came from outside, making 1-5 three-pointers. After hitting two out of three from outside in the first preseason game, Villanueva has made only 3-20 since.
The Bucks scored 37 points and allowed 34 in the second quarter, their highest offensive and defensive quarter of the preseason.
Desmond Mason got to the free-throw line 11 times, after getting to the line 12 times in the previous game. He’s 16-23 in the two games.
Mo Williams shot 0-5 from the field in 17 minutes before being ejected in the third quarter.
Michael Redd scored 19 points and had a team-high seven assists and 38 minutes played.
Royal Ivey scored 10 points, shot 5-6 from the free-throw line, dished out two assists, and didn’t turn the ball over in 22 minutes.

Preseason Game #5: Bucks Defeat Timberwolves

2007-10-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks topped the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-97 to win the 31st annual MACC Fund game on Saturday night.

On cue, after I attempted to anoint Charlie Villanueva the starting power forward, Yi Jianlian delivered easily his best performance since coming to Milwaukee.

As I'll detail below, he had a very good game statistically and all indications are that the numbers aren't lying in this case. We must remember, even though the starters played big minutes last night, that it's still preseason. A lot of young players around the league have put up big numbers in a game here and there this preseason. It is worth getting excited about, just with a little caution. Last night's performance shows that Yi has the potential to be a very capable player on the NBA level. It's safe to say we'll be seeing a lot of Villanueva, Yi, and Dan Gadzuric on the court (probably not at the same time) this season.

Six more stats:

Yi Jianlian scored 15 points on only nine shots from the field in 27 minutes. He also pulled down 12 rebounds and committed just one turnover.
Charlie Villanueva scored eight points on 15 shots from the field in 21 minutes and missed all five of his three-point attempts. However, he grabbed 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.
The Bucks made twice as many free throws (32) as the Timberwolves (16).
The bench (Desmond Mason, Charlie Bell, Dan Gadzuric, Royal Ivey, and Villanueva) shot a combined 7-31 (.226) from the field with four assists and eight turnovers.
Mo Williams scored 20 points, made all three of his three-point attempts, dished out 12 assists, and committed only one turnover.
Desmond Mason shot just 3-10 from the field but got to the free-throw line 12 times, making eight, in 24 minutes.

Ranking The Bucks' Options At Power Forward

2007-10-20T15:42:00.000-05:00

There’s some debate about who should start at power forward this season, and who should even be called one. Michael Ruffin is the fourth choice, but despite his willingness to the dirty work, there isn’t quite enough of a case to make for him. The latest is that there are three contenders, so my task is to rank them:

1. Charlie Villanueva

One could argue he shouldn’t start. His versatility and lack of go-to game make him a natural to come off the bench. Further, his shooting percentages were better across the board not starting last year:

"Starting: FG: .469 FT: .735 3PT: .265

Off Bench: FG: .471 FT: .925 3PT: .385"

Just twenty-three years old, he would only now be a rookie if he had stayed in school four years at Connecticut. But he was NBA-ready out of college as evidenced by his easy second place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2005.

Many were encouraged when Larry Harris traded away T.J. Ford because of his deficiencies and injuries. Villanueva proved there were two similar sides of that coin. Injuries stunted his growth last season, but he says his shoulder is “100 % ready.” Entering his third year in the NBA, the next step is develop more consistency. The injuries are out of his control, but the Bucks can’t afford to rotate starting lineups so frequently this season. It's important to have a variety of capable lineups, but the starting one should be have consistency.

In the end, he’s the most logical choice to start alongside Andrew Bogut in the frontcourt given his superior talent. Villanueva’s youthful athleticism makes him a good fit on a first-string that will push the ball early and often. His all-around skill set exceeds the other competitors. While others have some specific areas of strength, Villanueva can do a little of everything: rebound, run the floor, and shoot from outside. The realistic best-case scenario for Yi Jianlian is to duplicate Villanueva’s rookie season. Granted, Villanueva has yet to take a firm step forward since his rookie year, but there’s little chance he’ll regress now in his third year.

Keep in mind, injuries marred a strong start last year by Villanueva. In November, he averaged 14.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals and shot .495 from the field. He didn’t match any of those statistics in any other month the rest of the season. A fresh beginning and the confidence that comes with a starting role will help him find the fast track he has been on intermittently the last couple years.

2. Yi Jianlian

At 6'11" and 238 pounds, he’s virtually the identical size of Villanueva. Contrary to official records, there are some whispers that he might be the about the same age too. One thing we do know is that he’s played four accomplished years of professional basketball in the Chinese Basketball Association. Last year, he averaged 24.9 points and 11.5 rebounds.

The question is how those numbers will translate to the NBA. If the open scrimmage and preseason is any indication, Yi has some ability to score on this new level (though not more than Villanueva at present), but will frequently be overmatched defensively. In the open scrimmage, he didn't provide any real resistance guarding Bogut. It's not as though Villanueva's expertise is defense either, but he's at least had some experience. Yi won’t have to guard centers, but consider some Eastern Conference power forwards that he’d be forced to defend: Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, and Jermaine O’Neal. While they are lean, they are premier rebounders and aren’t hesitant to attack the basket. Yi's tendency to pick up fouls and turnovers at a high rate so far doesn't inspire confidence either.

The Bucks have a powerful offense, but can’t afford to fall behind in the first quarter each night because they have below-average defenders all over the court at the same time. Again, Villanueva is no defensive star, but letting Yi start and pick up fouls quickly will slow down the tempo of the game, which won’t work in the Bucks’ favor. He’s best served to come off the bench, where he can get more playing time against opposing team’s backups. With the pressure of potentially 1.3 billion onlookers back home and a skeptical American media, the Bucks need to allow Yi some comfort and room to grow initially. That will ultimately expedite the process of Yi’s ascent to legitimate starting-caliber power forward status anyway. And then we can more seriously revisit this debate.

3. Dan Gadzuric

If Gadzuric would have progressed even moderately since his solid 2004-05 campaign, he’d have a decent case to start, like he did 81 times that year for the Bucks.

Unfortunately, he’s inexplicably regressed in what should be his prime years. Even his old strengths, like activity on the offensive glass and a high shooting percentage, have taken a turn for the worse.

Then again, his preseason performances give some reason to believe he’s ready to return to form. And coming off a defensively-challenged season, a frontcourt of Bogut and Gadzuric is the team’s best bet to create some semblance of a defensive identity. Bogut looks ready to step up as a more consistent scorer, further minimizing the problem of Gadzuric’s offensive limitations. Plus, unlike Villanueva, he played better as a starter last year, averaging 10.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.75 blocks, and 1.13 steals on .508 shooting from the field.

However, those statistics need some context. They came at the end of the year and against teams with a combined record of 249-413 (.376). And the Bucks only went 2-6 in the games.

The Bucks have more depth at power forward than center, making Gadzuric more valuable serving as the team’s primary backup center. A Bogut/Gadzuric pairing makes sense depending on matchups and circumstance, and Yi looks poised to mature into a starting-worthy player before too long, but for now at least, Villanueva is the best power forward available. That might not be ideal, or exciting, but it's reality.

Bucks Host Timberwolves In MACC Fund Game

2007-10-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Bradley Center tonight for the 31st annual MACC Fund Game. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. central time.

The MACC Fund, with the support of the Bucks, has raised huge amounts of money and awareness in an effort to combat cancer. It’s truly a great cause, something the team and city should be very proud of.

Just Another Bucks Fan has a lot more information about the the MACC Fund, the event/game, and how you can make a donation.

Players Visit MPS

2007-10-19T14:44:00.000-05:00

(Photo by Gary Dineen - Getty Images/NBAE)

Andrew Bogut, Yi Jianlian, and Ramon Sessions visited three Milwaukee Public Schools and delivered school supplies on October 18 according to Bucks.com.

The visit was a key element of the Bucks Read to Achieve program, which encourages students to maintain good attendance and develop a life-long habit of reading.

It's always good to see such notable figures in the city serving the community in multiple ways. Good stuff, guys.

Team USA Talk

2007-10-19T14:05:00.000-05:00

SI.com’s Chris Mannix speculates about one of my favorite subjects: USA Basketball.

After a stellar performance at the FIBA Americas tournament, the opportunity to reclaim the Olympic gold medal is well within the United States' grasp. Players recognize it too, which is why the competition for spots on the U.S. team is going to be as fierce as it has ever been.

"It's going to be a battle," Bucks guard Michael Redd told me last week. "This is a big Olympics, a big chance for everyone. But I welcome the competition. It's going to make everyone who makes the team better."

The gist of the article is that roster spots for Beijing are in high demand. And there are some big names that are potentially going to be in the mix that didn’t play this summer, like Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, and Elton Brand.

Michael Redd’s spot should be safe after delivering excellent numbers in his shooting specialty role:

FG%: .667
3PT%: .453
FT%: 1.000

Tyson Chandler and Mike Miller are the popular picks to not return. Dwyane Wade and Carlos Boozer are the likeliest choices to replace them. Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups, and Deron Williams are probably the only others who are in realdanger, and all three of them played well.

If there isn’t room for three points guards, Billups might be the one to go, as Williams picked up where he left off in his coming out party in the playoffs, accumulating as many assists as Jason Kidd (46) in 16 fewer minutes in the FIBA’s. Billups has high-pressure experience and success including a Finals MVP, and his reputation as a tough defender working in his favor, but Team USA obviously isn't afraid to go young and Williams might be the better choice, especially after another year of improvement.

Making Up A Bryant Trade

2007-10-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

The headline intends to stress the fact there is no actual rumor or reason that indicates Kobe Bryant would come to Milwaukee before November 21 when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Bradley Center.

Mostly inspired by Rob Peterson’s post on NBA.com’s great new blog, The Court Reporters, I decided to use ESPN.com’s Trade Machine to put together a perfectly impossible and ridiculous trade (because that's what the machine was made for, I think): Michael Redd and Charlie Villanueva (plus draft picks) for Kobe Bryant.

Here’s how the new Bucks lineup would look:

C- Andrew Bogut
PF- Yi Jianlian
SF- Bobby Simmons
SG- Kobe Bryant
PG- Mo Williams

Something tells me that offer wouldn’t exactly floor the Lakers, and that the Bucks aren’t on Bryant’s “list.” Perhaps a Redd/Bogut/Yi (plus draft picks) for Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovich would be juicier, Rob? Well, I tried...

I like Redd and Villanueva anyway.

Williams Interviewed

2007-10-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

Gery Woelfel interviewed Milwaukee Bucks guard Mo Williams and it’s up on HoopsHype.

He doesn’t exactly dismiss being a shoot-first point guard, which is truthful, and says his shoulder is fine, which is good.

“The Bucks were decimated by injuries last season and you missed 14 games, mostly because of an injured left shoulder. On the first day of practice this season, you dinged your shoulder and started wearing a protective shoulder pad. How is your shoulder now?

MW: It’s fine. It’s just part of the game, part of training camp. You get banged up. This is the most physical action I’ve had since last season, so the shoulder hasn’t had that physical element since then.”

Villanueva Blogs For NBA.com

2007-10-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

Forward Charlie Villanueva blogged for NBA.com on October 10. It's worth reading in its entirety. I've quoted one section where he spoke very kindly about Yi Jianlian, in addition to a lineup he recommends the Bucks use this year.

"I like Yi a lot. He is a good ball handler who has no problem taking opposing defenders off the dribble. He is a great finisher around the basket. He has a great understanding of the game and good court awareness. Rarely does Yi force the play. Instead he lets the game come to him naturally. Yi's game reminds me a bit of myself. I think Yi and I play similarly. We both have good offensive outside and inside games. And we both can create mismatch problems on any given night. It's going to be a great year for us. Coach K (Larry Krystkowiak) has a lot of good options on the frontcourt. The addition of Desmond Mason gives our frontcourt immediate hard defense. Mason is an awesome athlete. He can not only dunk it on you, but his jumpshot has improved as well. You may also possibly see all bigs on the frontcourt, having me at the 3-spot, Yi at the 4 and Bogut at the 5. That's a nice big lineup. I played the Small Forward position the majority of the time while I was with the Toronto Raptors. I love playing both the Small & Power Forward positions."

There are certainly times when that big lineup could work, and of course many other times when it wouldn't. It's definitely worth trying in some situations, but with Bobby Simmons and Desmond Mason in town, the best spot for Villanueva is at power forward, an argument which I'll elaborate on soon.

Preseason Game #4: Bucks Lose To Nuggets

2007-10-17T13:37:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Denver Nuggets 104-78 last night, subduing any unfounded optimism that resulted from winning the first two preseason games.

Anyway, six stats from the game:

The Bucks were outscored in each quarter of the game including a particularly damaging 33-15 third quarter.
Guard Royal Ivey came off the bench to play a team-high 32 minutes and scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, but didn’t dish out any assists.
Yi Jianlian scored six points along with six rebounds in the first quarter.
The Bucks tallied 19 offensive rebounds compared to just nine for the Nuggets.
Starters Dan Gadzuric, Yi Jianlian, Desmond Mason, Charlie Bell, and Mo Williams totaled just three assists in 105 minutes combined.
Jake Voskuhl grabbed seven rebounds in just 15 minutes but turned the ball over four times and didn’t score.

Preseason Game #3: Bucks Fall To Jazz

2007-10-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

Six stats from Saturday’s 92-78 preseason loss to the Utah Jazz:

Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer scored 28 points off the bench, four more points than the entire Bucks bench totaled.
Desmond Mason shot 0-4 from the field and scored one point in 22 minutes in a starting role.
After holding the Jazz to nine fourth quarter points in their first preseason meeting, they allowed 31 points in the fourth quarter.
Dan Gadzuric’s three assists placed him in the top two on the team for the second consecutive preseason game.
Yi Jianlian’s first start resulted in some pretty big numbers: 29 minutes, 13 points, 13 shots, eight turnovers, and five fouls.
The Bucks shot 2-15 (.133) on three-pointers, but 20-24 (.833) from the free-throw line.

Preseason Game #2: Bucks Defeat Jazz

2007-10-10T23:16:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Utah Jazz 90-81 to improve to 2-0 in the preseason.

Staying with the preseason six stats theme:

The Bucks won despite starting and ending slowly, scoring 13 and 18 points in the first and fourth quarters respectively.
Yi Jianlian scored 11 of his 12 points in the second quarter.
Dan Gadzuric tied Royal Ivey for the team lead with three assists.
David Noel notched eight points, three rebounds, an assist, a block, and no turnovers in 21 minutes.
Playing single-digit minutes individually, Michael Ruffin, Jake Voskuhl, Awvee Storey, and Ramon Sessions shot a combined 1-6 from the field.
For the second game in a row, Charlie Bell struggled from the field (1-4) and was perfect from the line (4-4).

Bucks Top Bulls In Preseason Opener

2007-10-10T00:27:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Chicago Bulls 93-88 in their first preseason game of the year.

Just for fun, because it’s preseason after all, here are six statistical oddities:

Thomas Gardner started at shooting guard for the Bulls and led them in minutes played with 25.
Bobby Simmons made all five shots he took (three two-pointers and two free-throws) and fouled out in 13 minutes.
Michael Ruffin, who shot .368 from the free-throw line last year, made both of his free-throws.
Chris Duhon blocked as many shots (2) in 22 minutes as Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace, Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni, Aaron Gray, Andrew Bogut, Desmond Mason, and Awvee Storey did in 140 minutes combined.
The Bucks won despite shooting .417 from the field and .651 from the free-throw line.
Combined, guards Royal Ivey and Awvee Storey made more shots from the field (8-12) on fewer than half as many attempts as guards Michael Redd, Mo Williams, and Charlie Bell (7-25).

Observations From The Open Scrimmage

2007-10-06T17:31:00.001-05:00

(I took the above picture, which centers Yi among his new teammates during warmups.)

“I’d be very surprised if a team outworks us this year.”

Those were the words from coach Larry Krystkowiak that preceded the team’s open scrimmage, which occurred on October 6 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The intra-squad scrimmage divided the players into teams called Team Black and Team Grey. Here are the teams, with the starting fives listed first.

Team Black:

Andrew Bogut
Dan Gadzuric
Desmond Mason
Royal Ivey
Mo Williams

Awvee Storey
Jake Voskuhl
Samaki Walker

Team Grey:

Yi Jianlian
Charlie Villanueva
Bobby Simmons
Michael Redd
Charlie Bell

David Noel
Michael Ruffin
Ramon Sessions

Team Black defeated Team Grey 77-64 in the game, which featured eight-minute quarters. Despite appearing evenly matched on paper, Team Black cruised to victory after building a 24-13 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Here are five observations:

Yi tallied ten points overall. Unofficially, by my count, he shot 4-9 from the field and 2-3 from the free-throw line, and grabbed five rebounds. He started the game slowly, struggling to find any rhythm offensively in the first half. Worse, he had no answers defensively while matched up against an aggressive Bogut, whose twelve first-quarter points almost matched Team Grey’s output. Yi did break loose for a two-handed dunk in the second quarter, but didn’t really get on track until an intermission activity which preceded the fourth quarter. Teamed with a group of kids who slowly made the necessary layup, free-throw, and three-pointer, Yi floated a perfect shot from half-court into the basket in his first attempt. The crowd erupted, Yi smiled, and more importantly, he loosened up, setting up a smooth final quarter. His fourth quarter highlights included a pretty jumper, attacking the basket for an and-one, and a post up, spin, and successful shot over Williams.

As noted in the Yi recap, Bogut set the tone early, attacking the basket with authority. He led all scorers with 24 points in the game. He looked and played like the most focused guy in the building. Aside from picking up an offensive foul after attempting to run the point on a fast break in the third quarter, he couldn’t do much wrong. In fitting fashion, Bogut emphatically rejected a shot from Yi at the buzzer to conclude his authoritative game.

Williams and Bell started as opposing point guards, and while Ivey started at the two alongside Williams, he also got some run at the point. Ivey only scored five points, but looked composed with the ball in his hands, delivering mostly on-point passes. His active hands defensively also stood out on a team that still appears more offensively-focused. Sessions also got minutes at the point and appeared a little more hesitant than Ivey at times, getting caught up in the air and turning the ball over at one point. But he showed quickness with the ball and an impressive jolt of athleticism in throwing down a nice dunk in the second quarter.

Villanueva certainly didn’t overly impress, causing a little reason for concern considering he’s one of the big boys coming off an injury. He didn’t distinguish himself at all in an out-of-sync first half. Like Yi, he looked a little more comfortable in the second half but finished with just seven points. On the other hand, Gadzuric was pretty active for his standards, notching nine points. Simmons neither stood out nor disappointed.

Redd (17 points), Mason (14 points), and Williams (13 points) played as well you'd expect. Mason didn't take long to remind Milwaukeeans of his open-court prowess and Redd's first-minute three-pointer also reinforced his best attribute. Bell, while not getting Yi-level attention, remains a fan favorite, at least based on the player introductions. And that is a good sign that the eventful/ridiculous offseason is behind us and the real season in front of us.

Mason Signing Draws Praise

2007-10-05T16:21:00.000-05:00

SI.com’s Jack McCallum gives a sunnier outlook on the Bucks’ offseason.

“Which team made the best under-the-radar free-agent signing?
The one signing that didn't get enough attention was Desmond Mason, a former Slam Dunk champion, returning to Milwaukee. I'm not suggesting it's a balance-of-power-changer in the East, but swingman Mason is a proven double-figure scorer who had his best pro season in Milwaukee in 2004-05 when he averaged 17.2 points per game. Combine the acquisition with their retention of guards Charlie Bell and Mo Williams, and the Bucks had a promising offseason. Now, if they can only find a way to make Yi Jianlian happy in Suds City ...”

Most of Bucks Nation seems pretty lukewarm on the reacquisition of Mason. His statistical drops in conventional numbers combined with a low, -4.9 Roland Rating last year have some wondering how much of a positive impact he’ll make.

Still, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mason revert back to his Milwaukee form of years past. McCallum notes he had his best years here, and while personnel has changed a lot, it’s still the same city he was so comfortable in, and the up-tempo offense should suit him well.

Bucks Previews

2007-10-04T21:10:00.000-05:00

A couple of team previews from around the web along with my commentary:

1. NBA.com previews the Milwaukee Bucks season.

Here’s a sample:

“Scouting Report

Yi should help them. Charlie Villanueva is coming off of surgery. Bobby Simmons is coming off surgery. Andrew Bogut, look for him. He has had two good first years, but everyone will agree that he could have done better. I think this is the year that you will see the better Andrew Bogut.

Maurice Williams and Michael Redd, both those guys can go for 25 any night. Then you have Bogut, Villanueva and Yi on the front line. All three can pass, all three can face up and shoot it and all three can put on the floor and take it to the hole. That will be their strength. They will be tough to match up with.

Weaknesses, last two years they were very poor defensively. The focus of Krystkowiak this year is team defense. I am sure teams looked at the Bucks as of last year and said we have got to do these things, we can score easy. We got to really attack them. So hopefully they can change that.
-- Eastern Conference Scout”

It’s encouraging to hear that at least this particular scout is a Bogut believer.

The preview contains the basics, like a rundown of the frontcourt, backcourt, coach, and starting lineup. However, the only predictions come from an NBA Live 2008 simulation. The simulation has the Bucks going 40-42, and slipping into the playoffs as an eight seed. Yi Jianlian also makes the All-Rookie First Team.

That all sounds pretty realistic. Until it shows the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors winning 39 and 36 games respectively, at which point you remember that it’s probably not wise to take video game predictions too seriously.

2. Tom Ziller of Ballhype took his NBA Festivus to the Central Division and didn’t have many good things to say about the Bucks.

Here’s a taste:

“All that risk, all that helter skelter negotiating -- and for what? Williams and Bell are the same two point guards Michael Redd went to war with last year. Ruben Patterson is gone, Brian Skinner is gone, Earl Boykins is gone. Yi is the only addition... and he comes with guaranteed playing time (25 minutes a game). If he's good, great. If he sucks? Adam Morrison Part 2. Last year, this team won a grand total of... 28 games. And you could argue they got worse. It would take unprecedented health from Redd, Bobby Simmons and Charlie Villanueva, combined with an electric debut for Yi, for this team to even think about the playoffs.”

He picks the Bucks to finish 31-51. Although the article is a highly entertaining read overall, it’s hard to understand how he thinks someone could make an argument that the Bucks got worse. For one thing, Yi was not the only addition. If Skinner and Boykins are going to be considered losses, then Desmond Mason is most certainly an addition. And as discussed repeatedly here, the entire team is young and improving. Sure, we’ve seen Dan Gadzuric stagnate, but who really thinks Bogut, Williams, and Villanueva won’t get at least a little bit better this year?

Making the playoffs will be a tough task to say the least, but I would like to hear the argument stating how the Bucks won’t match 28 wins.

Exclusive David Noel Interview

2007-10-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward David Noel was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule and answer ten of my questions recently. Thanks, David!

The interview:

Alex: As an NBA rookie last year, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced adjusting from the college game?

David Noel: Some of the biggest challenges I faced that were different from the college game were just the length of the game and going from 40 to 48 minutes is a big jump. Then also the three-point line. I was never really a three-point shooter but wanted to add that to my game so that was a big adjustment. Last but not least just playing 82 games. And all the travel.

Alex: Michael Redd and Mo Williams were both second-round picks, and Charlie Bell wasn’t drafted at all. Each of them emerged in their second season in the NBA. As a second-round pick entering your second year, what is it like having star teammates that were in a similar situation to yours not long ago?

David Noel: It’s great having those guys on the team because it gives me someone to look up to. In this case I have three guys I can look up to. And to see their success in the NBA is great and I’m just praying that I can be just as blessed those guys are today.

Alex: You got a chance to play a lot last April, when you averaged over 22 minutes per game. And when you finally got starter’s minutes (36) on April 11 against the Pacers, you had 18 points on 7-10 shooting along with five rebounds and three assists. How high is your confidence heading into the new season?

David Noel: Very high, I can’t wait to get started. I just want to do anything I can to help this team win games. So if I can score, I want to do that. Rebound, I want to do that. Cheer from the bench, I’ll do that. Just as long as when I step on the court I’m giving my all I’m being productive. That’s all I can ask from myself.

Alex: You’re playing in a division with the top three teams (Pistons, Bulls, Cavaliers) in the conference from last year. And a lot of teams in the East have improved, making the playoff picture very crowded. What goals do you have as a team this year?

David Noel: Very high goals. We expect to make the playoffs. Nothing less. And as a team we want to protect home court and give our fans something to cheer for all year.

Alex: Why should other teams worry about playing the Bucks when they come to the Bradley Center?

David Noel: Just like I started in the last answer, because we want to protect our home. This is our house and no one is going to beat us here. That’s the attitude that we are going to have all year. That way we can give our fans something to cheer for and they can become our sixth man when we need them to be.

Alex: You have a reputation as a strong defensive player, and the Bucks have added players this offseason like Desmond Mason with defense in mind. Do you think as a team you will improve defensively?

David Noel: Yes, we have no choice but to if we want to win games. We didn’t do a great job last year on that end so we are preaching it a little more this year and hopefully guys will buy into it for all 82 games, not just the first ten.

Alex: Do you still talk to any of your teammates from your North Carolina national championship team that are in the NBA like Rashad McCants, Sean May, Raymond Felton, or Marvin Williams?

David Noel: Yes, all the time, and when I go to their city or they come to Milwaukee we always get up and do something. Just that family type thing we have at UNC.

Alex: Are there any teams or players in particular that you are looking forward to playing against this season?

David Noel: Always Charlotte and Atlanta because of the Carolina guys that I played with. Other than that I think I can’t wait to play Boston, not only because of what they added but because another one of the Carolina guys that I played with is with them now. His name is Jackie Manuel.

Alex: Who were your basketball idols when you were growing up?

David Noel: I like Grant Hill and Ray Allen... Another reason I want to play Boston too. (Laughs)

Alex: At North Carolina, you won the college slam dunk contest. A couple of the NBA’s most famous dunk contest winners are North Carolina alums, Michael Jordan and Vince Carter. Would you like to follow in their footsteps and take a shot at the NBA’s dunk contest this year?

David Noel: That would be great and hopefully I will be blessed with that shot one day. The only thing is I think I’ve run out of dunks. So I might need to call those guys to get some ideas. (Laughs)

Bucks Rankings, Player Profiles, More

2007-10-01T20:40:00.000-05:00

1. Just a reminder that the Milwaukee Bucks start their preseason this month against the Chicago Bulls on October 9 and their regular season at the Orlando Magic on October 31.

2. SI.com’s Marty Burns examines the key question for each team in the East and, not surprisingly, focuses on Yi Jianlian for the Bucks.

“Key camp question: Was Yi worth all the bother?After waiting months for him to finally agree to play in Milwaukee, the Bucks at last get a look at their 6-11 Chinese prospect. It will be interesting to see how much the 19-year-old phenom can step in and contribute to a Milwaukee squad that is healthy again and poised to bounce back in the East.”

Interesting indeed. With Greg Oden out for the season, expect a good deal of preseason Yi coverage nationally, likely trailing only Kevin Durant among rookies in that department. The Bucks are healthy now, but that doesn't exactly put them in a minority. Aside from the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trailblazers, most teams are in good health and have reason for optimism. Then again, not many teams were hit as hard by injuries last season as the Bucks.

3. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein delivered his first power rankings of the year and ranked the Bucks 17th, with more comments on Yi.

“The Bucks were busier than most teams over the summer and spent a lot more than they usually do. So Sen. Kohl will inevitably demand big things from the team GM Larry Harris has assembled, starting with the Big Yi.”

Yi is the most unknown and thus intriguing player to track heading into camp. There isn’t much debate about that. However, he isn’t likely to be even one of the biggest five things in Milwaukee, if we’re talking about production this season. NBA rookies don’t typically assume a prominent role immediately, especially teenage ones. Of course, Yi is anything but a typical rookie, and perhaps not a teenager either. Still, even though we don’t know much of anything about Yi and we know all about Michael Redd, Desmond Mason and company, expect Stein to be talking more about big things from the latter rather than the former in a few months.

As for the ranking, 17th is a pretty fair, happy medium preseason ranking for a team that could realistically end the year in the same spot or eight spots higher or lower. The conference appears very competitive and crowded, as evidenced by eight of Stein’s eleven teams from 10-20 hailing from the East.

4. Just Another Bucks Fan links to a story written by Gery Woelfel in which assistant coach Jarinn Akana talks about Yi. The article is a very good read, with Akana providing some particularly informative commentary on Yi's cultural transition as it relates to basketball.

5. The Bratwurst writes very well-done individual player breakdowns, like this one:

“Bobby Simmons: The most misunderstood of all Bucks players to put on a jersey in recent years. At the start of the 2005-2006 campaign, he was attacking the basket, the team was winning close games, he was playing good defense, and he looked worth every penny. Then he got some weird foot/ankle/joint injury, nagged him, he quit attacking the basket, and the Bucks quit winning close games. That problem led him to having surgery and missing all of last year. If he were to count as an off-season pickup, he’s easily the best one we’ve got and is going to have the biggest impact of any player that didn’t wear a jersey last year. I fully expect him to earn his keep this year, unlike everyone else in Milwaukee.”

I’ve been considering Simmons one of the team’s new players when comparing to last season, and why not, considering he didn't play last year any more with the Bucks than Yi or Mason did. But whereas Yi and Mason have stolen most of the spotlight, Simmons might be the biggest wild-card for Bucks success of the new bunch.

6. Mke Bucks Diary writes a colorful article critiquing the direction of the Bucks.

“What exactly is Harris' plan to get the Bucks to the NBA Finals?

Let's say you divided the NBA talent pool as Bob McGinn does the NFL talent pool: into Blue chips (All-stars or borderline All-Stars), Purple chips (productive starters or backups who will probably never make an All-Star team but whom you can live with), Red chips (inadequate players, players with marginal skills whom you would replace as soon as the opportunity presents), and Yellow chips (young players with potential on whom the jury is still out).

In my opinion, you cannot win an NBA title without at least 2 Blues and a bunch of high Purples. Ideally you would have 3 Blues (as the Bucks did early this decade) and then a bunch of purples. Then you fill out the rest of your roster with Yellows. There is no room for Reds. Reds get you nowhere. As such, your goal should always be to discard all but the most necessary few Reds.”

Ty essentially takes the championship-or-nothing mentality, which is an admirable stance for the hardcore fan.

However, what should be considered is the possibility of upward mobility of certain players on the Bucks within his color-based player rating system. He correctly cites the limits of Charlie Bell, Desmond Mason, and others. But they are guys that could potentially play on a high-playoff team, and it's not like they are starting even now. Though recently signed Samaki Walker did start on a champion, throwing into question the whole thought.

More importantly though, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Mo Williams could eventually combine with another star or two to make a pretty special team. We know what Redd is capable of, but Bogut, Williams, and even Villanueva haven't yet piqued. It's far from a sure thing that they'll eventually form the nucleus of a championship-level club, but it's possible. Blowing up this team seems a bit premature.

The Atlanta Hawks, who always seem to stay young and full of promising players, might also serve as a cautionary tale for following the better off terrible-than-okay strategy.

NBA Blog Carnival

2007-09-27T16:01:00.000-05:00

Blogabull.com, one of the all-time premier NBA blogs, today hosted Carnival of the NBA #50.

It's a very cool collection of links that takes you all over the best from the current NBA blogosphere.

Check it out if you didn't already after True Hoop (which hosted a previous Carnival) linked to it on Thursday.

The Carnival kindly singles out the current state of Bucks blogging, linking to this blog and three other prominent ones, in addition to a ton of other great blogs.

Bucks Sign Walker

2007-09-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Samaki Walker.

“Originally drafted by Dallas with the ninth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Walker (6-9, 250) has spent time with six separate teams during his 10-year playing career. He wore a Dallas uniform during his first three seasons and enjoyed his best statistical season during the 1997-98 campaign when he averaged 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 41 games with the Mavericks.”

So we’ve got a ten-year NBA veteran who was a lottery pick (selected a few spots ahead of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Jermaine O’Neal) and started for a championship team.

That’s no guarantee that Walker will make the team though. Especially since 2000-01 was the last time he had a good year, and he didn’t even play last season.

The Bucks now have an interesting assortment of backup power forwards fighting for roster spots with Michael Ruffin, Angelo Reyes, and now Walker. While Ruffin might be the least interesting of the three, he’s also probably the most likely to make the team.

An old NBA.com profile of Walker reveals some entertaining personal tidbits, not the least of which is his apparent affinity for "unusual hats," which alone makes me a pretty big fan.

"· His full name is Samaki Ijuma Walker

· in Swahili, Samaki means “fish” and Ijuma means “beautiful river”

· his nickname is “Mak” short for Samaki

· he is the youngest of seven children

· he has one son, Dabaji, and one daughter, Sakima

· he continues to work toward his degree in communications by taking summer classes at Louisville

· he would like to be a motivational speaker when his playing career is over

· he enjoys fishing, reading and conversing in his free time

· he lists the Dallas Cowboys as his favorite team and football and boxing as his favorite sport

· he opened a clothing store, Lady's and Gent's, in Columbus, Ohio, in September 2000

· during Christmas 1999, he purchased 400 tickets, dressed as Santa and then distributed the tickets and some gifts to underprivileged families

· he enjoys wearing unusual hats

· he lists To Kill a Mockingbird as his favorite book

· he wears a size 17 shoe."

Suns Sign Skinner

2007-09-25T16:46:00.000-05:00

The Phoenix Suns have signed former Milwaukee Bucks forward Brian Skinner.

Skinner, who started 44 games for the Bucks last season, is OK with the part-time role and had the Suns atop his wish list because he wanted to play for a title contender.

"This is an opportunity to be on the inside looking out," Skinner said last week.

Just Another Bucks Fan notes that Skinner’s unguaranteed $1.1 million contract with the Suns is less than what he could have gotten from the Bucks.

Skinner sounds excited to play in Phoenix and the Bucks got a comparable replacement in Voskuhl at a lower price so this may have benefitted both parties ultimately.

With the loss of Skinner, the Bucks will now have at least five different players from last year’s 12-man opening-night roster that propelled them to a teasing win over the Detroit Pistons. The recently departed Lynn Greer played an important role eventually but was not on the 12-man roster to start the season.

In gauging whether the Bucks have really improved, we should consider the roster changes.

Projecting this year’s team, the seven likely returnees from last year’s opening night squad are Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villanueva, Mo Williams, Charlie Bell, Dan Gadzuric, and David Noel.

Gone are Ruben Patterson, Ersan Ilyasova, Steve Blake, Damir Markota, and Skinner.

Replacing them (again, projected) are Bobby Simmons, Desmond Mason, Yi Jianlian, Jake Voskuhl, and Royal Ivey.

A glance is all that’s necessary to see that the Bucks are in a lot better shape entering this season. Ivey/Voskuhl and Blake/Skinner is pretty close to a wash, but the new Bucks come out clearly ahead with Simmons/Mason/Jianlian versus Patterson/Ilyasova/Markota. That’s of course a subjective claim but one that wouldn’t be argued by many.

Most of the aforementioned returners are likely to improve as well. Bogut, Villanueva, Williams, and Noel are some of the young Bucks who are almost certain to improve. Repeat performances from Redd and Bell would do nicely. It’s difficult to predict Gadzuric’s progression after a disappointing year last season.

Despite the rock-solid reasons for optimism, what remains to be seen is how much the Bucks improve. Ten more wins after all won’t result in a playoff spot.

Greer Leaves Bucks For Olympiacos

2007-09-24T18:08:00.000-05:00

Guard Lynn Greer is leaving the Milwaukee Bucks to play for Olympiacos in Greece, according The Philadelphia Inquirer.

"Greer would have been paid $770,610 this season in Milwaukee. He will be making close to $7 million over the next two years in Greece, according to a source."

Olympiacos is the club team that Charlie Bell flirted with just a couple weeks ago.

Like Bell, Greer has already played in Europe, so he knows what he’s getting himself into. After a distinguished college career at Temple, he bounced around Europe and improved his stock enough to make the Bucks. Even after realizing his NBA dream, Europe clearly tempted Greer with passionate fans, big money, and a starring role, just as it tempted Bell. The difference is this time the Bucks have actually lost a backup guard to that temptation.

Also from the Inquirer article:

"One of my concerns was that the role I had last year with Milwaukee wasn't going to change," Greer said. "The Bucks didn't give an impression it would change much, so I think this is a great opportunity for me."

With a healthy team, Bell resigned, and added point guard competition in Royal Ivey and Ramon Sessions, it would have been generous to think that Greer’s role on the Bucks wouldn’t have changed much from last year.

The Bucks’ recent summer maneuvers clearly show they are trying to develop a defensive identity, particularly coming off the bench. In that regard, Ivey fits the mold better than Greer. Offense is another story, but the Bucks are perhaps rightfully less concerned about that.

This also means one less difficult cut to make for the 12-man active roster. Ramon Sessions has a better shot to make the team now, although the Bucks could still go with just Mo Williams, Ivey, and Bell as point guards.

And good luck to Greer, who I always liked. And with the money and minutes available overseas, he should enjoy his new basketball home.

Update: The Bucks actually waived Greer, though his sudden signing with Olympiacos indicates the two sides mutually agreed on the terms.

Trade Ideas From Utah

2007-09-23T14:53:00.000-05:00

The Salt Lake Tribune’s Steve Luhm recently wrote about a trade proposal sent in by a reader involving the Jazz and Bucks.

This is not to be confused with an actual trade offer. Still, the writer points out that the deal would work financially and personnel-wise, so it’s worth considering just for fun.

The scenario:

“Utah gets Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons and Damir Markota (a throw-in). Milwaukee gets AK-47 and Ronnie Brewer."

Andrei Kirilenko wants out of Utah.

He doesn’t consider himself a good fit with the Jazz anymore, and has even indicated he would consider playing Europe, where he played and starred before coming to the NBA.

From the ESPN article:

He says he would like to play in Russia, although as long as he is under contract with Utah, that cannot happen as NBA and FIBA teams must honor each other's contracts. Kirilenko starred for CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague before coming to the NBA, but he says he'd also consider other European teams.

"I would like to be where I am needed and right now I feel that my country needs me," Kirilenko told Sport Express. "But I cannot exclude some European clubs. Trust me, I really am prepared to leave NBA. It certainly does not mean that I'm dying to go to Europe. I'm just ready."

This of course draws some parallels to the Charlie Bell situation. The difference being Kirilenko’s discontent apparently is based more on in-game issues. Whereas Bell's problems with the Bucks were business-focused, Kirilenko’s decreasing minutes and shots are seemingly the important factors. He also doesn’t feel suited for the club’s more methodical pace, and doesn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with coach Jerry Sloan.

If a more wide-open offense is what Kirilenko wants, then Milwaukee is a great fit. Kirilenko’s defensive ability also would benefit the Bucks.

He’s certainly a better player than his numbers from last season indicate. However, it’s a little worrisome that he was seemingly fine when he was the starring on a non-contending team and only became upset after a down individual year in which his team succeeded.

Luhm does make a decent case for why the Bucks would make the deal.

“As a result of this trade, the Bucks would get a starter who could battle every season for the Defensive Player of the Year award and would also contribute some offense. Their lineup would be Michael Redd, Mo Williams, AK, Yi and Bogut with Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Bell, Brewer and some other decent role players. All of their big-money contracts would belong to guys who start or play a lot of minutes. They would have a nice blend of offensive skills, and AK would head up the defense.”

He neglects to mention Desmond Mason as one of the key role players, but his point is made: The Bucks would gain a player many consider one of the most talented forwards in basketball and improve defensively.

In the end however, the Bucks aren’t likely keen on giving up Villanueva. Not only because they want to make good on trading away T.J. Ford for him, but because it would force Yi Jianlian or Jake Voskuhl into the starting lineup.

In addition, the Jazz would surely be hesitant to trade away someone they recently considered their franchise player for a couple players coming off injuries in Villanueva and Simmons.

Bucks Sign Ruffin

2007-09-22T17:13:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Michael Ruffin.

"Michael has made a career out of being a high-character, high-energy player who does the little things to help his team," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said. "He is a very good rebounder and excels on the defensive end of the court."

Ruffin is indeed a defensive-minded player who is very low on offensive ability.

He’s also the guy who threw the ball up in the air a little too early in a game last year, costing the Washington Wizards a win in the thick of the playoff race:

“The Wizards appeared to have a victory secured until Michael Ruffin's celebratory heave toward the rafters landed in the hands of Raptors guard Morris Peterson, whose 3-pointer from 31 feet tied the score at 109 as the horn sounded ending regulation.”

His assist to Peterson was one more assist than he had to his own team in that game. He also managed to not score in 26 minutes.

To be fair, that’s not exactly a fair representation of a typical Ruffin game.

For an end-of-the-bench type, he’s a solid player, because like Harris said, he can rebound and play defense. Particularly on the Bucks, those are valued, all-too-often missing attributes.

However, considering the Bucks already signed Jake Voskuhl this summer, there won’t be many minutes available for Ruffin. In fact, he’s probably on the outside looking in at an active roster spot.

Offseason Evaluation

2007-09-21T18:31:00.000-05:00

ESPN’s Marc Stein ranked all fifteen Eastern Conference teams “based on who has done the East's finest shopping and trading” this offseason. He rated the Milwaukee Bucks a very respectable fourth.

An excerpt from the article:

“Is Mo Williams really a $52 milion player? Was Yi Jianlian worthy of the sixth overall pick in the June draft? You have to believe "yes" to like what Milwaukee did this summer.

Yet you can understand why the Bucks feel victorious no matter what skeptics say. For awhile there, it looked as though they were going to get neither of their top two offseason targets, with Williams threatening to bolt for Miami because the Bucks' initial offer wasn't close to where it ended up ... and with Yi seemingly determined to hold out well into the season in an attempt to force Milwaukee to trade him.

To have secured both signatures by Sept. 1? A dream double for Milwaukee.”

At a time when most fans feel refreshingly optimistic about their team’s chances, Bucks fans are sure to feel a little worn out as summer nears its end, following the nonstop drama of negotiations. In times like this, it’s important to look at the bottom line, and what happened rather than how it happened.

Another way to think about this is to ask yourself what priorities you had for the team entering the offseason and reflect on whether or not they fulfilled those priorities.

When you think in these terms, you see the team added more than subtracted, and retained the important parts. While simplistic, this much is not terribly debatable.

As intense followers, sometimes we are prone to overly critical views. It’s difficult to take a step back from the situation. In this case, Stein offers a more removed perspective, and finds a lot more that went right than wrong. That’s not to say he’s correct, but it’s a view certainly worth considering after an exhausting summer.

Villanueva Interviewed

2007-09-21T18:26:00.000-05:00

HoopsHype interviewed Charlie Villanueva, who said his shoulder is “100 percent ready.”

That’s obviously very encouraging news, as the Bucks aren’t yet good enough to fight through another injury-plagued season

Also from the interview:

“Do you think Michael Redd will take most of the shots this season again or do you expect a more balanced attack?

CV: Mike is the best player on the team and everybody knows he's one of the best shooters in the NBA. He's our leader and will take a lot of shots. But I'm expecting a more balanced attack this season, with Mike leading us. We have enough talent on the team so that other players can take responsibility. We have Maurice Williams out there, Charlie Bell too... A lot of guys.”

Perhaps a question about commitment to team defense would have been more discussion-worthy than one about how the Bucks are going to score, after allowing 104.1 points per game last season.

In any event, adding Desmond Mason, Bobby Simmons, and Yi Jianlian and losing Ruben Patterson should spread the offense around a little more. Michael Redd might not average 26.7 points again, but the team has a good shot to eclipse last year’s mark of 99.7 points per game.

Bucks Match Heat's Offer For Bell

2007-09-20T16:51:00.000-05:00

Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the Milwaukee Bucks have matched the Miami Heat’s offer for guard Charlie Bell.

Bell's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he talked with Bell today and that the 6-foot-3 guard was "kind of digesting it."

"This is all part of the business," Bartelstein said. "They (the Bucks) realize Charlie Bell is a heck of a player, a huge piece of their present and future. They decided they wanted and needed to have Charlie with them."

I have been atypically optimistic about Bell’s chances of staying in Milwaukee throughout most of this ordeal.

Fom September 15:

“For now however, the NBA, and in this case the Bucks, have the upper-hand. Bell could slip away, but there is reason to be optimistic that he'll stay in Milwaukee.”

And from September 17:

“It’s safe to say Larry Harris and the Bucks know this, and judging by the team’s suave handling of the Yi situation, they aren’t likely to suddenly cave in and overpay for Bell. That increasingly makes it look like Bell won’t be playing for the Bucks this year, but I’ve cautioned before, and still maintain, that there’s a possibility he’ll ultimately resign, with the fact that he's a restricted free-agent playing a big role in that possibility.”

I must admit however, Bell’s public pleading to the Bucks to not match the Heat’s offer almost turned me into a disbeliever.

In an offseason of a lot more boom than bust, the Bucks again delivered.

The bad news is that apparently they could have signed Bell at a lower price if they would have negotiated the terms more seriously, and faster.

The good news is that possible playoff discussion can now be reintroduced in Milwaukee.

The offseason must be considered at least a mild success now. Resigning Mo Williams was the first priority, and that was accomplished. And now, the Bucks have locked up two players, Yi Jianlian and Bell, whose public desire to play elsewhere has been sometimes outrageously intense, sometimes intensely outrageous. As a small-market team and with little public pressure relative to the giants of the NBA, management has steadfastly proved their tenacity and intent to win is level with anyone.

And the relationship between Bell and the Bucks is repairable, with the $18.5 million working effectively to expedite any necessary healing process. However, as a sidenote, for those who have been following the Bell MySpace page part of the story, his mood today is currently “sore.”

Many considered the Royal Ivey acquisition a sign that Bell would not return. Now that he is back in the fold, cutting the active roster to twelve becomes a little more difficult. Here is one shot at the opening-night depth chart:

C- Andrew Bogut/Dan Gadzuric
PF- Charlie Villanueva/Yi Jianlian/Jake Voskuhl
SF- Desmond Mason/Bobby Simmons
SG- Michael Redd/David Noel
PG- Mo Williams/Charlie Bell/Royal Ivey

In this scenario, the three inactive players to produce the necessary fifteen total are Lynn Greer, Awvee Storey, and Ramon Sessions.

Bucks Sign Ivey

2007-09-18T22:56:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Royal Ivey.

“Royal has shown that he can play both the point and off-guard positions,” said Harris. “He has good size and athleticism, and brings a defensive mentality to our roster.”

With the comments about guard versatility, Harris seems to hint that Ivey will assume the role of the possibly departing Charlie Bell.

However, as Just Another Bucks Fan notes, a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article reveals a quote from Harris that flies in the face of that implication.

"There's no direct correlation at all, Bucks general manager Larry Harris said of Ivey's signing. We already had planned to do this, regardless of the Charlie Bell situation. "

While it’s reasonable to believe the Bucks were interested in bolstering their backcourt depth regardless of Bell’s situation, Bell’s signing with the Heat yesterday and the addition of Ivey today hardly looks coincidental. Harris might not refute that anyway, because if you read his words closely, you’ll find that he doesn’t say there isn’t a correlation, rather that there isn’t a direct correlation.

The Bucks don’t likely have any interest in matching the Heat’s offer. That doesn’t mean they are going to publically admit that for the next six days or so, probably preferring to methodically weigh their options and let Bell fret over the mere possibility.

Regardless, it’s probably time to concentrate on players that are actually going to play for the Bucks, like Ivey. Here are a few things to consider about the newest Buck:

Ivey has mostly played point guard in the NBA. At 6'4" and 215 pounds, he becomes the team’s biggest point guard. He’s taller and weighs more than Mo Williams, Lynn Greer, and Ramon Sessions. More importantly, his size doesn't come at the expense of speed, and he's regarded as a solid defensive player.

Not a dynamic offensive player even in college, Ivey averaged 9.4 points as a senior on Texas. Naturally, he hasn’t been a big scorer in the NBA, averaging just 3.4 points in three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks. However, in his second pro season he did go far toward earning the treasured point guard label of expert decision-maker, with a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2005-06. At the same time he became a viable outside threat, shooting .400 on three-pointers. Unfortunately, last year saw his assist-to-turnover ratio dip to a very mediocre 1.5, a numbered bettered by Williams and Greer. His three-point percentage also fell to .313.

The Bradley Center might be a happy home for Ivey, considering he scored a season-high 16 points in 42 minutes in the Bucks' backyard last year. His 9.0 point average against the Bucks was also his highest against any opponent on the season. Granted, the small sample-size and bloated minutes are probably the determining factors for the increased numbers.

Ivey is a decent signing given the timing and circumstances. It’ll be interesting to see how the point guard bench minutes are distributed among Ivey, Greer, and perhaps Sessions if Bell doesn't return.

Heat Sign Bell To Offer Sheet

2007-09-17T18:42:00.000-05:00

The Miami Heat have signed Charlie Bell to a five-year, $18.5 million offer sheet.

Since Bell is a restricted free-agent, the Bucks have seven days to match the Heat’s offer. If not, Bell will get his wish to leave Milwaukee.

"I hope they don't match it," Bell said Monday afternoon in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The Bucks said they didn't have this kind of money and didn't want to give me a long-term deal, so I would hope they stick to what they said and let me go. ... I'm really thankful Miami stepped up."

The Bucks didn’t budge with a seemingly disgruntled Yi Jianlian earlier this summer, eventually winning him over and signing him. Don’t expect the entire Bucks organization to go so far out of the for Bell though, especially now. The difference in the two situations is that the Bucks are extremely high on Yi and are lukewarm on Bell. Making Yi the sixth pick in the draft and offering Bell only a three-year contract are reflections of that.

But it's not a matter of the Bucks neglecting to realize Bell's true value and importance. Rather, the progressive direction of the team cannot be bogged down by risky, low-reward, long-term contracts. The Bucks surely couldn’t have envisioned signing Bell would be so difficult, especially as a restricted free-agent. He fits in well on the team. The Bucks and Bell both know that. But that doesn’t mean he’s such a perfect fit in four or five years. The Bucks need to put the future of the franchise first, and by not overpaying they will have done that.

This season is another story. Losing Bell, arguably one of the top backup guards in the Eastern Conference, would only damage the team's already shaky playoff aspirations. Potentially losing him to a contender within the conference would only compound the problem.

Still, if the Bucks were going to lose a free-agent guard to the Heat, they picked the right one. Mo Williams will combine with Michael Redd to form an excellent starting backcourt. Lynn Greer and perhaps recently signed Ramon Sessions will play increased roles off the bench. It’s also been reported that the Bucks have recently worked out Dee Brown and other guards.

The Bucks play the Heat for the first time this season on January 2. Even if Bell is playing against the Bucks in that game, he won’t be the most important former Milwaukee basketball guard to hold in check, as Dwyane Wade still holds that title.

In any event, my cautious optimism that Bell will remain in Milwaukee has officially been downgraded more than a few levels, but this story isn’t quite over.

Bell's Milwaukee Farewell?

2007-09-17T00:11:00.000-05:00

Charlie Bell seems intent on surpassing Yi Jianlian for the title-holder of most bizarre holdout of the Bucks this summer. As reported on Just Another Bucks Fan, a seemingly authentic Bell MySpace page has provided a unique twist to the story and telling details about the player’s thought-process.

The latest is that Bell’s current moniker reads:

“Thank you Milwaukee for the last 2 years!”

Either he really is done with the Bucks, or is just on a melodramatic kick.

From a blog post on Sept 15:

“I also want everyone to know that its not about the money at this point. It's about my heart. This summer has been long and trying for me and my family with many ups and downs. I am grateful for the offer by milwaukee last week and I was willing to accept it with a minor change. But the ultimatum and take it or leave it approach permanently poisened me and changed my desire to even be in Milwaukee anymore. I know that because my heart is no longer there I will not be able to be the player they want or need. They could offer me 10 million dollars/yr now and it would not change my heart. I can't play to the best of my ability if I'm miserable. I can't sabotage myself or a team like that. The Bucks will sign a player whose heart will be with the team. Good luck this season.”

And in a reply to his own post, he wrote:

“I don't threaten. It's immature. I really wanted to go to Greece. What upset me though is when I told my mother that I was going and she cried. She had already spent 3 years not seeing her grandchildren when I was in Europe and told me she couldn't do it again. I was taking the offer in Olympiacos, the team is wonderful and the fans are loyal, it wasn't a threat. The Bucks upped their offer to 3/year when I was there. It made me rethink my decision. And now? If I do decide to go to Europe or whatever I decide, don't worry, I will be happy. Thanks for your concern.”

It’s interesting how he tries to clarify that his trip to Greece wasn’t a threat, but then conceded that he had to rethink his decision after the Bucks upped their offer while he was there. Call it what you want, but the trip was another part of playing the bargaining game with the team he wanted to play for ideally and initially: the Bucks. Obviously he’s genuinely interested in playing for Olympiakos, but the fact that the increased Bucks’ offer made him rethink his decision makes it pretty clear the Bucks are very much on his radar, even if that’s not how it comes off, or what the headlines say.

While his flirtation with Olympiakos is winning him new fans overseas, the ridiculousness of the situation is turning off many in Bucks Nation, and what else could he expect? The Bratwurst speculates that Bell’s sour attitude toward the Bucks and admission that his heart wouldn’t be in Milwaukee is a ploy to warn the Bucks against matching potential offers from other NBA teams.

“So maybe Bell is holding out for an offer from an NBA team that is closer to winning than the Bucks but isn’t willing/able to exceed the contract that the Bucks have already offered? So now he is trying to poison his relationship with Milwaukee, trying to ensure that when someone else brings an offer the Bucks won’t match it.”

In a recent Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, Bell talked more about his unwillingness to play for the Bucks.

“Bell said he was not sure of his next destination, but he hoped to know within the next week.

"I think it's going to be soon," Bell said. "Teams over in Europe, they don't want to let it drag on too long.

"My agent knows I don't want to be in Milwaukee anymore. So, we're just trying to see if we can make that happen."

Although the Bucks have the ability to match any other NBA offers for Bell, he said he hoped they would not.

"That's going to be on them," Bell said. "I don't think it would be a good situation.

"If I was a general manager, I wouldn't want a player who doesn't want to be there. It's hard to coach that type of player."

I’m not sure how agent Mark Bartelstein is guiding Bell through this process, but allowing his client to admit that he wouldn’t be trying his hardest in what amounts to a rather typical situation certainly won’t be a good bargaining chip in future negotiations. And while Bell is a solid backup NBA player, it’s not like we’re talking about the football equivalent of Terrell Owens, talent-wise.

It’s safe to say Larry Harris and the Bucks know this, and judging by the team’s suave handling of the Yi situation, they aren’t likely to suddenly cave in and overpay for Bell. That increasingly makes it look like Bell won’t be playing for the Bucks this year, but I’ve cautioned before, and still maintain, that there’s a possibility he’ll ultimately resign, with the fact that he's a restricted free-agent playing a big role in that possibility.

Bucks, Harris Still Pursuing Bell

2007-09-15T12:59:00.000-05:00

Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that GM Larry Harris remains interested in resigning guard Charlie Bell.

“Harris said he spoke with Bartelstein on Friday, and the general manager indicated his desire to keep working toward an agreement.”

Hearing this is very disappointing from an organizational standpoint, Harris said. We understand what Charlie meant to the team last year.

It's an emotional time, for him as well as for us. We still want him to be part of this team this season."

This news comes after Bell’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, vowed that Bell would not be back with the Bucks.

"We're not sure what we're going to do, but he will not sign a contract with the Bucks, Bartelstein said. Charlie has a lot of pride, and he has to do what's best for him and his family.

Charlie wants to feel wanted and appreciated, and I don't see any way to repair it at this point."

The fact that Bell might remain in Milwaukee shouldn’t really surprise anyone, particularly drawing on the Yi saga from earlier this summer. Just like most rookies don’t effectively force their way out of town because they would rather play in a more diverse market, most respectable restricted free agents don’t spurn the NBA for Greece. It’s just not how things work.

Unfortunately, the news updates we clamor for, and get regarding these situations tend to come from sources like agents and general managers. This information is useful, but we must recognize that it comes within a certain context. And that context is one of negotiation, illustrated dramatically in this case when negotiations had supposedly ended.

Keeping that in mind, Harris’ comments must also be judged with a certain skepticism. But it’s evident that negotiations are in fact ongoing, because if Bell were really gone, Harris wouldn’t bother playing these media games. Harris’ comments also might indicate that none of the guards the Bucks recently worked out were sufficiently intriguing.

A while back, I wrote:

“Retaining Bell is a key for the Bucks because as encouraging as the offseason retooling has been, they need Bell’s valuable minutes at both guard positions coming off the bench. Management knows this, and I’m confident Bell will remain in Milwaukee as a result.”

Harris’ most recent comments attest to the fact that management does recognize Bell’s importance. And while I’m not nearly as confident that he’ll resign now as I was a month and a half ago, it certainly remains a possibility.

Still, Bell’s previous success in Europe shouldn’t be overlooked. The potential to both get paid and be a superstar naturally holds a lot of intrigue. It’s not like he would lose the glitz and glamor of being an NBA player. The top teams in Europe have intense followings, as Bell proudly talked about in a recent Dime interview.

“When I was in Spain and leading the league in scoring, I was really popular there. People would come up to me like, ‘Charlie Bell, you’re the greatest.’ Everybody called me ‘Santo Dios,’ which is like a saint. I was the Michael Jordan of Spain at the time. I’d go downtown and have crowd of kids following me around.”

That might not happen in Milwaukee anytime soon, but after working his way into an important role on an NBA team, you have to figure he prefers to stay. If Bell does end up in Greece, it'll be an interesting moment in NBA history. We've already heard Stephon Marbury's plan to play in Italy in a few years. Ten years from now, don't be surprised if there are legitimate bidding wars for good basketball players among clubs around the world. The NBA will always be the premier league, but as basketball continues to grow in popularity, European leagues will grow financially and in ability. Also down the road, like in soccer, we may eventually see elite international club teams compete against one another.

For now however, the NBA, and in this case the Bucks, have the upper-hand. Bell could slip away, but there is reason to be optimistic that he'll stay in Milwaukee.

Brown Works Out For Bucks

2007-09-13T18:50:00.000-05:00

Dee Brown was among at least four guards that recently worked out for the Bucks, according to Brown’s personal blog.

From a blog posting on September 10:

“I'm back working out right now and received an invite to workout for the Milwaukee Bucks. Today, the first workout went really well for me. Scoonie Penn, Mike Wilks, Royale Ivey were the great guards I went up against. I got injured in the first one on one drill (bruise rib), but that didn't stop me from competing. Those are the things that stands out about me is I work hard and compete every time I step on the floor. That's one thing people will never question that's my work ethic. That's the first thing my mother taught me, WORK, WORK and WORK some more. I have another workout tomorrow with the Milwaukee Bucks and I'm resting and have ice on my ribs right now, so I can be ready to compete another day. That's what I love about my life, I had to work for everything that I have and it's a great feeling.”

For a while now, The Bratwurst has advocated the Bucks take a look at Brown.

Brown brings tons of energy and quickness, but is small at 6'0" and 185 pounds. He also isn’t the purest of point guards and lacks shooting accuracy. Since he wouldn’t be asked to run the starting unit however, Brown would bring a nice change of pace off the bench.

Scoonie Penn is an interesting name not only because it’s an interesting name, but because he teamed with Michael Redd to lead Ohio St. to the Final Four in 2000 and was a fellow second-round pick in 2000. Not only that, in 2005-06 Penn played with European giant Cibona Zagreb, whose roster included none other than Damir Markota.

The Young Bucks

2007-09-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

When the Bucks signed Awvee Storey, he shot to the top of the team in one area perhaps even more interesting than punches of teammates and arrests: age.

As an NBA rookie in the 2004-05 season and one NBA start to his name, Storey’s story is not typically one that starts “veteran.” And for good reason, because he very well could be the youngest, oldest player on an NBA team this year if he makes the team’s roster. Born on April 18, 1977, Storey is the only Buck who is 30 years old. Certainly no one thought the Bucks were an aged group before I exposed this tidbit, but it’s still a pretty striking fact that helps put into perspective how young they are heading into 2007-08.

The youth is not going to be buried on the bench this year either. If anything, some of the older guys will have a hard time finding minutes. The projected starting lineup of Mo Williams, Michael Redd, Desmond Mason, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut averages 26 years and will be one of the youngest in the NBA. And three of the team’s four oldest players, Storey, Jake Voskuhl, and Dan Gadzuric, are some of its least integral parts.

What does this all mean for the Bucks?

The good news is that basketball is increasingly a young man’s game. Witness LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and many others in the under-24 crowd. The bad news? Older teams win, with last season providing a great example.

The San Antonio Spurs, who finished the season as NBA champions, started last year as the oldest team in the league according to RPIRatings.

The NBA average age last year was 26.2 years.

Below are last year’s top ten NBA regular season teams with last year’s average age:

1. Dallas Mavericks (27.51)
2. Phoenix Suns (28.98)
3. San Antonio Spurs (30.37)
4. Detroit Pistons (28.28)
5. Houston Rockets (28.11)
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (27.65)
7. Chicago Bulls (25.88)
8. Toronto Raptors (26.10)
9. Denver Nuggets (26.47)
10. Miami Heat (28.17)

Not only were eight of the league’s top ten older than average, the list features the league’s four oldest teams: the Spurs, Suns, Pistons, and Rockets.

And the bottom five records:

26. Seattle Supersonics (25.56)
27. Atlanta Hawks (24.52)
28. Milwaukee Bucks (25.25)
29. Boston Celtics (25.10)
30. Memphis Grizzlies (26.57)

The contrast is stark, with only the Grizzlies rating above the league average among the league's five worst.

That doesn’t mean that as a young club the Bucks are doomed. The Golden St. Warriors (24.93) were younger than the Bucks and made the Western Conference’s final four. And the contending Bulls (25.88) weren't much older than the Bucks. Clearly, and fortunately for the Bucks, the age/success relationship is a trend rather than a rule.

There isn’t meaningful statistical data for team average age yet for this season because final rosters have not been set. Still, it’s a good bet that the Bucks will again be among the league’s youngest. Obviously talent is the leading factor in determining success, but the young Bucks will be working against the odds.

Bucks Sign Sessions

2007-09-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Ramon Sessions.

Known predominantly as a court general his first two years in Nevada, he upped his offensive performance last year while maintaining his trademark court savvy. In his final season in college he posted career highs in points (12.3), field goal percentage (.452), free-throw percentage (.825), and three-point percentage (.380).

Still, he managed to fall to the 56th overall pick in the 2007 draft. From what I’ve seen of him, he looks like the type of impressive, composed, yet underwhelming player that could be a successful second-round pick and backup NBA point guard. Perhaps in the mold of Chris Duhon. On draft day, I was quite pleased that he fell to the Bucks. Obviously there’s a chance he won’t make an impact. But I like that he’s a natural on the court, and that his offensive game is a work in progress, rather than the other way around. Some prefer to take the guy in the second round who has all the physical attributes in the world but can’t really play basketball. Especially as a point guard, I’m happy we got Sessions.

For what it’s worth, he didn’t exactly stand out in Summer League play, averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 assists in 19.5 minutes.

Of course, he’s obviously way behind Mo Williams and Lynn Greer on the point guard depth chart. If Charlie Bell doesn’t re-sign, which I highly doubt, Sessions could become a valuable commodity for the Bucks. As confident I was about Yi eventually signing, I remain at least that confident that Bell will sign. In any event, it’s good to have promising young guards like Sessions in the fold.

Bucks Waive Markota

2007-09-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have waived forward Damir Markota.

82games.com’s Roland Ratings are a very useful way to measure a player’s worth. Only occasionally do they produce head-scratching results. Markota’s rating is not one that helps inspire doubt in the statistical rating system. In fact, Markota’s Roland Rating of -17 in the 2006-07 season pretty accurately describes his worth on the basketball court.

To give some perspective, here is a sampling of five players that rated higher than Markota: Cedric Bozeman, Michael Olowokandi, Scott Padget, Marcus Vinicius, and Stephen Graham.

This helps verify that Markota was indeed one of the worst players in the NBA. More importantly for the Bucks, it shows that whoever takes his spot on the roster, perhaps Awvee Storey, is absolutely an upgrade. That may not seem like a big deal, but even the smallest of steps in the right direction help. This is a small-scale success story, but a success nonetheless in the big picture of upgrading and downgrading.

When Michael Jordan retired, the Chicago Bulls suddenly managed to find roster space and minutes for guys like Corey Benjamin, Dedri Willoughby, Matt Maloney, and Dalibor Bagaric. Today, the Eastern Conference-contending Bulls wouldn’t consider players on that level. So it’s good to see the Bucks appear to no longer be in the business of giving time and money to clearly overmatched “NBA” players.

More Redd Evaluation

2007-09-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

In a previous post about Team USA clinching an Olympic spot, I quoted ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, who gave Michael Redd a B+ for his performance in the FIBA Americas.

SI.com's Chris Mannix also recently graded each player on Team USA. Mannix thought even more highly of Redd, rating him an A-, on level with Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, and trailing only LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, who received A's.

"Michael Redd: The long search for a steady perimeter threat is over thanks to Redd, the purest shooter to don a USA uniform since Ray Allen. Redd admits even he is noticing his impact on the floor. In a preliminary round game against Venezuela, James drove to the basket against single coverage thanks to the help defender being afraid to leave Redd open. Redd could pick up his defense a little, but any deficiencies are probably more noticeable due to the fact that he is usually replacing the ball-hawking Bryant in games."

These high marks are simply continued reinforcement that Redd is a near-lock to make the Olympic team. Taking a step back from the situation, it's pretty amazing to think that Redd is likely to go to Beijing next summer and play on what should be one of the greatest basketball teams ever put together. Further, his roster spot will likely come at the expense of superstars like Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce. He's certainly representing the city of Milwaukee and the Bucks franchise pretty well for a second-round pick.

Team USA Answers With Gold

2007-09-03T19:13:00.000-05:00

Team USA defeated Argentina 118-81 to win the FIBA Americas championship.

LeBron James led all scorers with 31 points, the most by an American in an Olympic qualifier.

Michael Redd added 5 points on 2-4 shooting in 18 minutes.

In a tournament full of authoritative victories for Team USA, they managed to save their most impressive showing for the gold medal game. Any lingering questions that arose after Team USA’s convincing but relatively narrow fifteen-point win over Argentina on Friday were quickly answered:

No, there was no leftover momentum for Argentina after outscoring Team USA in the second half on Friday. Unlike some recent Team USA’s, this one played one game at a time, never dwelling on previous games or overconfidently looking past an opponent.

Yes, Team USA can effectively keep the pressure on for a full 40 minutes even after accumulating a massive lead. It’s often said that the hardest thing to do is maintain intensity and sharpness after going up big early. On the biggest stage in the tournament against the most dangerous opponent, Team USA stayed in fifth gear throughout, decisively winning all four quarters.

No, Argentina didn’t lose because they were without regulars like Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni. If the missing Argentine stars watched the gold medal game, they must have felt more relieved than regretful that they didn’t play.

Yes, James was the MVP, not to take anything away from actual winner Luis Scola. He shot .847 from the field and .622 on three-pointers in the tournament. Seriously. He also averaged 18.1 points and 4.7 assists in 22.2 minutes.

Team USA Clinches Olympic Berth

2007-09-02T16:25:00.000-05:00

Team USA clinched a berth in the 2008 Olympics with a 135-91 win over Puerto Rico.

In recapping the Argentina game, I warned that Michael Redd was due to find his momentarily missing shooting touch:

“Redd is far too good of a shooter to continue in this funk much longer, especially with the short three-point line, so watch for him to break out in Saturday’s all-important semifinal game against Puerto Rico.”

Redd certainly broke out against Puerto Rico, shooting 7-8 on three-pointers. If you’re wondering how it’s possible for a team to score 135 points in 40 minutes, check out Redd’s ultra-efficient statline: 23 points on 10 shots in 19 minutes. And he wasn’t alone in catching fire. Team USA made an amazing 23-36 three-pointers, further dispelling the myth that Americans can’t shoot.

Consider that Team USA shot the same percentage from the field (69.6) as from the free-throw line. And their percentage on three-pointers (63.9) wasn’t far behind. Granted, the free-throw shooting wasn’t great, but that’s just amazing stuff that simply doesn’t happen in the game of basketball.

Chris Sheridan handed out player grades for the tournament and assumed that Redd will be playing in Beijing next summer:

“Michael Redd: Started the tournament well, then cooled off, then knocked down seven of eight 3-point shots against Puerto Rico. He's fourth on the team with a 15.4 average, and he'll be a key contributor off the bench next summer. Also, coach Mike Krzyzewski has been praising his defense quite a bit. Grade: B+"

Team USA plays Argentina for gold tonight.

We’ve heard a lot about how it’s an anticlimactic final because both teams have clinched Olympic berths. But the well-earned momentum going into Beijing will be lost if Team USA fails to beat Argentina. Nothing would create more doubt and distress than if a full-strength, in-form Team USA loses the gold to Argentina of all teams. Fortunately, this team is too good and too focused to let that happen. Instead, expect a fitting culmination (read: convincing Team USA win) to a spectacular tournament for a team looking dream-like heading into Beijing next summer.

Team USA Rocks Argentina

2007-08-31T12:09:00.000-05:00

Team USA beat Argentina 91-76 to improve to 8-0. In the official standings, they are listed as 7-0 because the Virgin Islands didn’t make it out of group play, and therefore that win was discounted under FIBA rules. That’s confusing, so I’m counting all of the games.

In a possible preview of Saturday’s gold medal game, Team USA easily controlled Argentina, building another insurmountable first-half lead. The game was decided in the first quarter, when Kobe Bryant single-handedly outscored Argentina 15-13. Bryant finished with 27 points and four steals in 23 minutes.

Like LeBron James a day earlier, Bryant toyed with the opponent with a series of magnificent drives to the basket and smooth long-range shots. Similar to their trouncing of Brazil, Team USA put away Argentina with more ease than expected. It’s increasingly evident that an in-form Team USA is unbeatable. The final score isn’t indicative of their dominance, as the point spread never sunk to single digits after midway through the first quarter.

To Argentina’s credit, they did outscore the Americans in the second half. In nitpicking Team USA’s performance, they once again attempted too many careless, dangerous passes after accumulating a comfortable lead. They were vulnerable to Luis Scola, who scored 20 points in only 18 minutes. That could spell trouble when Scola is just another one of the stars alongside Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, and company next year. Scola couldn’t carry his team tonight, but with help, it’s obvious Argentina is still one of the main threats to Team USA. After one of their best quarters in the tournament in the first quarter, Team USA also wasn’t able to sustain the high level of play to truly demoralize their rival.

Michael Redd scored just three points on 1-5 shooting in 13 minutes. 20 Second Timeout crunched some numbers:

“In fact, Team USA was outscored 28-15 when Redd was in the game and outscored Argentina 76-48 when he was off the court.”

After starting the tournament in such impressive fashion, Redd has struggled shooting the last few games. Thankfully, the beauty of this Team USA is that different players step up on different nights and they’ve been able to effectively ride the hot shooting hand of different players early in games, from Redd to James to Bryant last night. As long as it's detected early who in fact has the hot hand, it's a solid formula for success.

Redd is far too good of a shooter to continue in this funk much longer, especially with the short three-point line, so watch for him to break out in Saturday’s all-important semifinal game against Puerto Rico.

James Leads Team USA Over Uruguay

2007-08-30T01:03:00.000-05:00

Team USA improved to 7-0 after defeating Uruguay 118-79.

Carmelo Anthony did not play due to a bruised right heal suffered against Puerto Rico. Michael Redd took his place in the starting lineup, marking his first start. That meant Redd was slotted in the small forward position, and LeBron James was pushed to power forward.

The decision to start Redd, coming off two rough shooting nights and playing out of his natural shooting guard position, reaffirmed how highly Team USA regards him. Redd scored 9 points on 3-6 shooting from the field and 2-4 on three-pointers in 24 minutes. He added two assists, two steals, and one rebound. The most important three games are yet to come, and Redd won’t be displacing Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup anytime soon. But he’s established himself in Team USA’s rotation to the extent that it will be borderline shocking if he doesn’t make the 2008 Olympic team.

James mesmerized in the first half, scoring 26 points on a perfect 11-11 from the field. Blending a deft outside stroke with his patented open-court virtuosity, he left his mark on the tournament and easily vaulted into the top spot of the previously discussed FIBA Americas MVP watch. Apparently Team USA’s staff either thought James played a game’s worth in the first half or felt bad for Uruguay because he didn’t play in the second half. Amazingly, James packed all of his production into just 14 first-half minutes.

Earlier, Argentina escaped with an overtime victory over Brazil. Team USA faces Argentina next in a game showcasing two undefeated teams on Thursday, August 30.

Clippers Sign Patterson

2007-08-29T23:57:00.000-05:00

The Los Angeles Clippers have signed forward Ruben Patterson.

Patterson is a solid addition to a team reeling from Elton Brand’s injury. Although not a power forward, Patterson will help a Clippers team with a thin frontcourt attempt to stay within playoff striking distance while waiting for Brand to return.

The Bucks suffered through a disappointing season last year that would have been a lot worse had Patterson not stayed healthy and stepped up with a career year. But the team is going in a different direction, and should be able to match the production of Patterson with the tandem of Bobby Simmons and Desmond Mason.

Five Observations After Team USA's Win Over Puerto Rico

2007-08-29T16:09:00.000-05:00

Team USA defeated Puerto Rico 117-78, pushing their record to 6-0 in the FIBA Americas Championship.

LeBron James led Team USA with 21 points on 8-10 shooting from the field and 3-5 on three-pointers. He also added four rebounds and four assists.

Michael Redd scored 15 points in a team-leading 20 minutes off the bench. He made only 1-8 three-pointers, but connected on 5-6 two-pointers for a respectable 6-14 from the field.

Five more observations:

If Kobe Bryant wasn’t satisfied with his teammates in Los Angeles before, how do you think he is going to feel after playing in the FIBA’s for Team USA? It’s sure going to be an adjustment going back to the Lakers after spending the summer enjoying Jason Kidd’s pinpoint passing, Dwight Howard’s dominance on the glass, no double teams, fastbreaking with LeBron James, playing twenty minutes per game, and winning by forty every night.

Puerto Rico somewhat effectively slowed down the pace in the first quarter, limiting transition opportunities and holding Team USA to 24 points. Team USA had no problem dictating the pace by the second quarter, when they outscored Puerto Rico 39-12. The opposition has been so overmatched thus far that we haven’t seen how Team USA responds in a competitive, slowed-down, half-court type of game. Granted, they force the opposition into shootouts thanks to their swarming, turnover-creating defense. And since they’ve had no trouble scoring in half-court sets when necessary, this shouldn’t be too much of a worry. Still, it should be interesting to see how Argentina tries to stop Team USA’s offensive onslaught on Thursday, August 30.

Amare Stoudemire, whom Bill Walton said is trying to add a three-point shot to his offensive arsenal, looked pretty good making one in the second quarter against Puerto Rico. Putting aside the fact that Stoudemire thinking he should spend time working on his three-point accuracy is mildly ridiculous, we should remember that the international three-point line is also a few feet closer than the NBA line.

What happened at the free-throw line against Puerto Rico? 11-23 is the stuff that kills gold medal hopes against serious competition. Team USA’s 72.2 percent from the line overall ranks in the middle of the FIBA’s pack. Interestingly, tonight’s opponent, Uruguay, is the only team in the field making and attempting more free-throws per game than Team USA.

After six games it's no longer too early to start surveying the FIBA Americas MVP field. Carmelo Anthony, averaging 21.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game might be the leading contender. Every minute on the floor he’s played authoritatively, dunking frequently and often rebounding his own misses. Other contenders include James, Bryant, Argentina’s Luis Scola, and Mexico’s Romel Beck.

Yi Signs With Bucks

2007-08-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Yi Jianlian.

Yi was signed to a standard rookie scale contract, on Wednesday, August 29 in Hong Kong, China. Progress was made on negotiations after Milwaukee Bucks management, including owner Herb Kohl and general manager Larry Harris met with both Yi’s family and Chen Haitao, owner of Yi’s Chinese professional team.

“Kohl, Bucks general manager Larry Harris and team vice president Ron Walter met with Yi, Chinese Basketball Association officials and Guangdong Tigers owner Chen Haitao on Wednesday in Hong Kong.”

The commitment on the Bucks end to get Yi to Milwaukee has been impressive, culminating in the trip to China. The next step is to get Yi to his new basketball home.

"We all anticipate Yi's arrival and welcome him and his family to Milwaukee," Kohl said. "We look forward to a successful relationship for many years to come."

It’s a winning situation for the Bucks and the NBA that this matter didn’t turn out to be a Steve Francis-situation when he forced his way out of Vancouver. Preserving the value of the NBA draft is important, and it’s a damaging situation whenever a smaller-market team is pushed around by an individual. The Francis saga was the beginning of the end for the Grizzlies in Vancouver, really serving as the final straw for a franchise already lacking legitimacy. The Grizzlies ended up in Memphis and Francis hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations, having recently had his contract bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers after being traded away by the New York Knicks. It’s a huge relief the Bucks avoided such a potentially damaging situation for all parties involved.

Furthermore, Yi alleviated a tremendous amount of pressure for himself. As the second most hyped Chinese basketball player ever and sixth overall pick in the draft, he is already entering the NBA with huge expectations. Forcing a trade to a big-market team and defying the NBA system would have created a very difficult situation.

Bucks management must be lauded for their coolness in handling the Yi situation. In the new, globalized NBA, effective front office communication with players and clubs is more critical than ever. Thankfully, Kohl, Harris, and company delivered in strong form.

Team USA Tops Mexico

2007-08-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

Team USA improved to 5-0 after beating Mexico 127-100.

Carmelo Anthony again led the scoring barrage with 28 points. LeBron James added 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, two blocks and a steal in 21 minutes. James shot 6-7 from the field, 3-3 on three-pointers, and 4-4 from the line.

Michael Redd struggled for the first time in the FIBA’s. While he scored 15 points, Redd lost his outside touch, making only 1-6 three-pointers. Coach Mike Krzyzewski continued to show confidence in the Milwaukee Bucks star however. Redd's 21 minutes led all Team USA non-starters. And even on an off-night shooting, he again outplayed fellow backup guard Mike Miller, who shot 1-6 from the field and 0-4 on three-pointers in 15 minutes.

Team USA played out of sync offensively after a brilliant, 45-point first quarter outburst.

The usually poised Americans occasionally lacked court awareness and focus. Kobe Bryant continued his high-intensity play, but appeared flustered after missing a couple forced shots early and appealing to the referees for help to no avail. Bryant committed three turnovers. Redd, James, and Amare Stoudemire had two each against a Mexico team without one NBA player.

It was the first time this Team USA seemed to play overconfidently. They connected on their requisite highlight-reel plays, but too often made dangerous, lazy passes. Mexico was sharp, but Team USA would’ve been burned for more than their 12 turnovers against a better opponent.

Still, when you score 127 points and allow 100 in 40 minutes, offense isn’t the main problem. Defensively, Team USA looked very mediocre, proving to be vulnerable against Mexico’s pick-and-roll and three-point shooting. Even international defensive stalwart Bryant got crossed-over before fouling Mexico’s Romel Beck on a three-pointer, resulting in a four-point play. It’s not worth singling anyone out though, because this defensive breakdown was a team effort.

Like most 27-point wins, not everything went wrong. Despite Bryant’s rough game, he determinedly got to the free-throw line ten times, making nine. And on a cold outside shooting night for Team USA, they easily withstood Mexico’s 15 three-pointers, cruising to a victory that was never in doubt.

Jason Kidd showed again why he is the perfect Team USA court general, notching seven assists, three rebounds, three steals, and no turnovers in 19 minutes. Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard also were unstoppable in the post.

Four nearly flawless Team USA games made last night look questionable: Did they really figure out how to defend the pick-and-roll after the Greece debacle? Does this team have a problem keeping the pressure on for a full game after accumulating a big lead?

They can help answer some of those questions tonight against a Puerto Rico team rounding into form after a convincing win over Brazil.

Four Things Learned After Four Team USA Games

2007-08-27T00:29:00.000-05:00

Team USA concluded group play 4-0 after rocking Brazil 113-76.

Here are four things we’ve learned after Team USA’s first four games:

1. USA is to basketball what Brazil is to soccer, and then some.

The hyped Team USA/Brazil match of undefeated teams resulted in Team USA’s fourth consecutive blowout and a thoroughly humbling first loss for Brazil. Even though Brazil was considered a pre-tournament contender, the wise understood that given the personnel in this tournament, Team USA would win this game. Not many people thought Team USA would lead by 47 points entering the fourth quarter though.

On September 9, Brazil’s soccer team will face the United States in an exhibition match. Brazil is the unequaled world soccer power, with more World Cups won than any other nation. Its players, like Pele and Ronaldinho, are the supreme talents of past and present. Its soccer talent runs so deep that not one player on the solid United States soccer team would make Brazil’s roster, much less be a part of the starting eleven. The real beauty of Brazilian soccer is not only the results, but the flair and ease with which they demoralize their opponents. They lose on occasion, but it’s almost always an upset when they do.

Sound familiar if you flip the script, turning soccer into football, and Brazil into U.S.A. basketball? The fact is, despite recent disappointment, Team USA remains the singular basketball world superpower. Their talent level is unmatched, and when the right mix is found, they are virtually unbeatable. They are an even sturdier, prettier superpower than Brazilian soccer, with fewer teams capable of challenging them.

2. Kobe can play team ball.

When Kobe Bryant was in his early twenties, leading the Lakers in assists and winning championships, life was all good in Los Angeles. Somewhere along the way, the sidekick grew up to the master (Shaq), at least in ability and ego, and the rest is history... or perhaps a current event in the NBA.

With LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and company at his side, Bryant has seemingly bought into the team concept now more than ever. Through four games with Team USA, Bryant has stood out as one of the most passionate and team-oriented, making it a habit to jump on the floor after loose balls, play squared-up and arms-up defense, and defer to open teammates on the offensive end.

He knows that these national teams are the greatest teams he’ll ever play on, and it’s refreshing to see that he’s genuinely excited by that fact. He also senses that while the degree to which he can succeed from here on out in the NBA on a team level depends largely on the puzzling pieces surrounding him, he doesn’t have that dilemma playing for Team USA. He knows that restoring basketball glory to the United States is firmly within his grasp, and he’s not going to let that opportunity slip away.

3. Keep this group together, mostly.

I’ve had some different ideas about what Team USA should like look this summer and in Beijing 2008. I will say now, that even though it’s only been four games against less-than-stellar competition, this is a strong mix of players.

In fact, I spot eight virtual locks on this team for next summer’s Olympic team: Bryant, James, Anthony, Jason Kidd, Amare Stoudemire, Michael Redd, Dwight Howard, and Chauncey Billups. Two of Tayshaun Prince, Deron Williams, Mike Miller, and Tyson Chandler should probably be there as well, most likely the first two. That leaves room for only two guys not in currently Las Vegas, probably Dwyane Wade and a post player, like Chris Bosh.

4. Everything looks golden, but...

The wonders of Argentina’s basketball system, rooted in rich talent and dynamic team/player familiarity, isn’t going to be enough this time around. If the Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto, Walter Herrmann-led team couldn’t top Team USA while playing for a medal last summer, it would be a lot to ask for the Argentine’s to pull of a victory without the aforementioned stars.

And I’m pretty sure Brazil isn’t going to make up this much ground that fast.

But what isn’t discussed enough is that the these tournaments are decidedly upset-prone, meaning the best team won’t always win. We are accustomed to the marathon NBA Playoffs, that while sometimes are anti-climactic, always crowns the best team. The one-and-done format of international basketball is exciting, but much more kind to the hot-shooting underdog.

Team USA might not lose for quite a while, and won’t lose more than one game in Las Vegas and Beijing combined. But one untimely loss is all it takes.

Redd, Team USA Blow Past Canada

2007-08-26T19:15:00.000-05:00

Team USA opened its weekend by defeating Canada 113-63. The fifty-point victory margin fell in between their first two games against Venezuela and the Virgin Islands, which they won by forty-three and sixty-four points respectively. But Canada was easily the most qualified foe of the first three. They entered the game 2-1, losing only to Brazil by eight points.

And Canada hung around for one quarter. They trailed by only seven points before Team USA unveiled a defense so suffocating and an offense so dazzling that even Canadian basketball savior Steve Nash would have been rendered helpless had he suited up. Because with all due respect to Nash, Team USA was another level.

Team USA notched 37 points in the second quarter, a particularly impressive mark considering the international game’s 10-minute quarters.

Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd again piled up points in bunches. Anthony led all scorers with 25 points. Redd added 19 points, shooting 6-14 from the field and 5-10 on three-pointers.

Redd, who also totaled three rebounds, two steals, and one assist in the game, came off the bench but led Team USA in minutes played, with 22.

Team USA also continued to loudly proclaim a fact that unfortunately needs repeating: Americans can in fact shoot. The three-point shooting (15-30) was great, but more encouraging yet was the free-throw shooting (20-22) prowess displayed, particularly by big men Amare Stoudemire (6-6) and Dwight Howard (2-2).

Around The Blogosphere, Plus Reaction

2007-08-25T01:04:00.000-05:00

The following are some intriguing recent posts from around the web along with my reaction:

The Bratwurst: Patterson to Boston?

Excerpt:

“Patterson will be a much better fit for Boston than the other players they are apparently chasing now that Reggie Miller figured out that he has no business suiting up any longer. James Posey is a moderately better defender than Patterson but nowhere near the offensive player, and Dahntay Jones has no business being in the NBA. He was the worst player on Memphis last year, which really says something.”

Reaction:

The Celtics indeed would be wise to pursue Ruben Patterson, who quietly had a very strong season in Milwaukee last year. It’s true that his career year did happen to coincide with his contract year and he’s had disturbing off-court problems, but he’s always been a competitive, tough player. And at 32 years old, his game and character have seemingly matured. From the Bucks' perspective, with Bobby Simmons, Desmond Mason, and hopefully Yi in the fold, there is reason to believe Patterson won’t be sorely missed, but the article does accurately point out that he was the team’s most consistent player last season.

Loy’s Place: Patterson, Posey or Jones?

Excerpt:

“Patterson was also convicted of misdemeanor assault outside a Cleveland night club in 2001 and arrested in 2002 on felony charges of domestic abuse that were later dropped. Patterson has said his struggles with alcoholism were the culprit for his past problems and reiterated to the Bucks staff that he's moved on. Harris agreed. Now, maybe it is just me, but we just got a player who had a drinking problem off the books and I don't feel like spinning the wheel and taking a chance on another.”

Reaction:

Okay, so Celtics Nation isn’t completely sold on Patterson. Even with all the new talented faces in Beantown, it’ll take both time and cooperation to create the necessary chemistry to produce a juggernaut. So it’s understandable there would be some hesitancy in taking in someone with Patterson’s past troubles. But there isn't much about the Celtics offseason that says "not going for it," and this might be the gamble that puts them in charge of the East. Plus, isn't mortgaging your franchise's future to take a shot or two at the Finals and then signing an inferior player (Dahntay Jones=not the answer) because you're scared off by some old off-court troubles kind of a risky thing in itself?

Bucks Fans: Yi, Ilyasova, and Markota in Turkey

Excerpt:

“China fell 96-76 to Serbia in their second game of the EFES World Cup 6, with Yi Jianlian once again the best player on the court for the Chinese. Yi tallied 17 points and 9 rebounds on 8/12 shooting from the field and 1/2 from the line."

Reaction:

Yao Ming isn’t playing for China in this tournament, meaning Yi Jianlian is the go-to guy. It also means China has trouble keeping up with some of the talented teams in Europe, like Serbia. Individually though, Yi impressed, as his statline and the video highlights in the linked story attest to. He certainly has a smoothness to his game that makes it easy to see why Milwaukee Bucks brass is so enamored with him.

Sports Illustrated: Brazil blasts Venezuela

Excerpt:

“Machado hit four of the 3s in the first half when Brazil (2-0) took a 43-36 lead. Leandro Barbosa, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, picked up his play in the second half, scoring 12 of his 15 points as the Brazilians pulled away. A layup by Tiago Splitter with 3:07 left in the third quarter gave them a 68-45 lead."

Reaction:

As one of the few threats to Team USA in the FIBA Americas, it’s worth tracking Brazil. They topped Venezuela 101-75, a twenty-six point victory. Impressive, but not quite as dominant as the Americans forty-three point crushing of them a couple days earlier. The Team USA/ Brazil showdown takes place Sunday, August 26.

Team USA Dominates Virgin Islands

2007-08-24T13:06:00.000-05:00

Team USA ran its record to 2-0 in the FIBA Americas Championship after demolishing the Virgin Islands 123-59.

Michael Redd and Carmelo Anthony again led all scorers, this time with 22 points each. Redd shot 7-12 from the field, 4-9 on three-pointers, and 4-4 on free-throws. Redd was instrumental in Team USA’s supercharged first quarter, scoring 15 points in just 5 minutes. As a team they scored 42 points in the first quarter, exactly twice as many as they scored in the first quarter against Venezuela.

Redd’s deft outside touch is garnering him praise. Dubbing him "the missing piece," SportsIlustrated.com's Chris Mannix gushes about Redd:

“Shooters, as you may have noticed, are a valuable commodity in international competition, where zone defenses are less the exception than the rule. With teams stuffing the lane to avoid surrendering easy baskets, the perimeter is usually unguarded territory. Problem was, the United States recently didn't have anyone who could capitalize on it.

Enter Michael Redd. The Milwaukee Bucks' sharpshooter has not just taken advantage of the breathing room on the outside -- he's staked his claim to it early in the FIBA Americas tournament. He scored a team-leading 39 points through two games, including a 15-point flurry in a little more than five minutes during the first half against the Virgin Islands on Thursday night.”

NBA.com's Jeff Dengate also takes notice of Michael's "Redd Hot" play:

"Yes, folks, five first-quarter minutes of Michael Redd and fans not wearing red, white and blue might as well have headed for the exits. Nothing to see here but a Team USA practice for the next 30 minutes of game clock, at the end of which the scoreboard read: ISV 59, USA 123. And for the second straight night, Redd tied Carmelo Anthony as the team's top scorer, pouring in 22 tonight."

While the performances must be considered within the context that Venezuela and the Virgin Islands are two of the poorest teams in the competition, Team USA and Redd look like a match made in basketball heaven so far.

The combination of the close three-point line and the defensive attention his teammates demand means Redd's torrid shooting is likely to continue. And just as Kobe Bryant is the established and deserved starting shooting guard for Team USA this year and next, Redd is working fast to sew up the backup role.

It’s still early, but if Team USA is serious about developing a real team, they must find room for ultimate role-players Redd and Tayshaun Prince (13 rebounds in 19 minutes against the Virgin Islands) on next year’s Olympic team. I'd be more comfortable entering Beijing with Prince as the 11th or 12th man than I would be with Anthony as the starting power forward. Just as I'd be more comfortable with Redd as a backup guard than Gilbert Arenas.

Team USA next plays Canada on Saturday, August 25.

Team USA Trounces Venezuela

2007-08-23T10:44:00.000-05:00

Team USA opened its FIBA Americas Championship schedule by defeating Venezuela 112-69.

Venezuela, ranked eighth out of ten teams in The Painted Area’s tournament preview, didn’t provide any sustained competition from the opening tip.

Michael Redd and Carmelo Anthony led the scoring with 17 points each.

Redd shot 7-12 from the field and 3-5 on three’s in 20 minutes off the bench. He also added three assists and two rebounds. He played the part of perfect ingredient off the bench, and continued performances like that will make him a prime contender to make next year’s Olympic team.

Jason Kidd set the tone in the first quarter, orchestrating Team USA’s poised offensive attack. He played a step ahead of everyone on the court, swiping the ball from an unsuspecting Venezuelan and delivering perfect no-look passes to Americans sometimes slow to react. Kidd’s superior court presence stood out, essentially putting the game out of Venezuela’s reach in the first five minutes.

Kobe Bryant’s much-anticipated debut for Team USA also went smoothly. Bryant lived up to his vows to play the team game first, dishing out a team-high five assists, along with 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals in just 16 minutes.

Sure, it was only Venezuela, but this version of Team USA reminded more of the classic Dream Teams than recent disappointments.

Up next is the Virgin Islands.

More On Redd, Team USA

2007-08-22T11:33:00.000-05:00

Truman Reed, a special to Bucks.com, interviews Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd, focusing on his busy summer and experiences with Team USA.

An excerpt:

“Duke University’s Mike Krzyzewski is head coach of the USA Senior Team program, and is being assisted by Syracuse University’s Jim Boeheim, the Phoenix Suns' Mike D'Antoni and the Portland Trail Blazers' Nate McMillan. They are working with an All-Star cast, but each one of its members have sacrificed their ordinary roles for the greater good of this team and their country, Redd said.

“Everybody has,” Redd said. “It’s been terrific to see the unselfishness these guys have shown. There are no egos. I think that permeates from our leadership – the coaching staff and the veterans on the team, guys like Kobe (Bryant), LeBron (James), Jason Kidd. It really has helped our team.”

Preparing For Venezuela

2007-08-22T10:29:00.000-05:00

SportsIllustrated.com’s Chris Mannix notes four keys to Team USA success in the FIBA Americas Championship.

His first key involves featuring Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd:

“Play your shooters

What do the numbers 31.4 and 36.9 have in common? They are the three-point shooting percentages of the U.S. teams in the '04 and '06 international competitions, respectively. This summer, however, USA coach Mike Krzyzewski has two of the NBA's most dangerous three-point shooters in Michael Redd (career 39.2 percent) and Mike Miller (39.8 percent). Coach K also has a proven clutch shooter in Chauncey Billups, who also has the potential to extend or break a zone defense and open up the floor for the U.S. slashers.”

That brings up the discussion about what Team USA’s rotation should be. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has already indicated that Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony will start throughout the tournament:

"I think the three guys you could say would start every game would be Carmelo, Kobe and LeBron," Krzyzewski said. "And then we would look at other people. The main thing is just so they can develop a feel of playing with one another."

Bryant and James are excellent, if not obvious picks to start. And since Team USA’s opponents aren’t going to have a lot of quality post players in this tournament, starting Anthony at power forward is reasonable.

My Team USA depth chart:

C- Amare Stoudemire
PF- Carmelo Anthony
SF- LeBron James
SG- Kobe Bryant
PG- Jason Kidd

6- Dwight Howard
7- Chauncey Billups
8- Michael Redd
9- Tyson Chandler
10- Deron Williams
11- Tayshaun Prince
12- Mike Miller

The trouble is that since this Team USA roster is so good, and the competition is so limited, it might not matter what the lineup looks like. That’s problematic because they won’t have such a luxury in 2008. Anthony could shine playing power forward this summer, but not next summer. Since it’s assumed Team USA will secure an Olympic spot, the real order of business this summer is to figure out who fits where next summer.

On another note, Team USA’s first opponent, Venezuela, is coming off a rough showing in the Stankovic Cup, where they went 0-5, including a loss to the U.S. D-League Ambassadors. Turns out, they didn’t take that particular defeat in stride:

“The Venezuela national team blamed the loss on the referees' poor judgments made at "the key moment" in the fourth period when the score gap was only five points.

"We would not lose the match if it was not for them (the referees)," said Gabriel Alejandro Ruda, coach of the Venezuela team.”

What is like being basketball referee right now? In any event, Team USA won’t be leaving any doubt about this game.

Redd, White, And Blue

2007-08-21T09:15:00.000-05:00

USABasketball.com reports Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd is part of the 12-man roster that will represent Team USA in the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship.

Seattle Supersonics forwards Kevin Durant and Nick Collison were the two players cut.

The roster:

“Named to the USA Basketball Senior National Team were Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets); Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).”

Update: Bucks.com likes my headline, or great minds think alike. Or something. They now have a "Redd, White and Blue" headline.

Update #2: Same "Redd, White and Blue" headline in the Team USA NBA.com blog.

Redd Impressive For Team USA

2007-08-20T14:48:00.000-05:00

John Schuhmann, blogging about Team USA for NBA.com, gives a rundown of roster hopefuls, and notes about Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd:

“Redd has shot the ball pretty well in camp. No one on the roster can get a shot up quicker than he can, so he's obviously a key weapon off the bench. If there weren't as many injuries, he might be battling with Mike Miller for the designated shooter's role, but with only 14 healthy bodies, there looks to be room for both of them on the roster.”

USAToday.com’s David DuPree also reports on Redd and Team USA. The article reveals encouraging quotes from Redd, coach Mike Krzyzewski, and particularly managing director Jerry Colangelo:

"One of the biggest drawbacks or limitations our teams in the past have had in world championships and the Olympics has been lack of shooters," Colangelo says. "And Michael Redd is a terrific shooter, no question about that."

"It makes all the difference in the world, and that's pretty evident when the shooters like Redd are out there on the court. The more shooters you have, the easier it is for everyone else. Michael enjoys shooting. It's his job, and it's a nice job to have."

Redd, while still not a sure thing, appears to be a very good bet to make the team’s final 12-man roster. Team USA starts play against Venezuela on Wednesday, August 22.

Ranking The Dream Teams

2007-08-19T11:38:00.000-05:00

Okay, there really only was one Dream Team. We all know the story. 1992. Barcelona. MJ. Bird. Magic. Sir Charles. +43.8.

To this day it’s uniformly considered the greatest basketball team ever assembled.

Since then, there have essentially been eight different versions of Team USA, with the current senior team training in Las Vegas, Nevada for the this week’s FIBA Americas Championship soon to be the tenth overall.

For ranking purposes, I'm only considering Team USA's that featured different groups of professional players that played in competitive tournaments. Judging by that criteria, there are nine to compare:

1992 Olympics
1996 Olympics
2000 Olympics
2004 Olympics
1994 World Championships
2002 World Championships
2006 World Championships
1999 FIBA Americas
2003 FIBA Americas

There is a lot of hype surrounding 2007's Team USA, and rightfully so. But where will history rank this team? The Olympic team next year is of greater importance than this summer’s team. And it should challenge the top three. But it’s too difficult to forecast that roster, and the games must first be played.

Ranking the Dream Teams:

1. 1992 Olympics
8-0, Gold Medal

This is the team that we can in large part thank for the rest of the world falling in love with, and ultimately becoming very good at basketball. The Dream Team that traveled to Barcelona, Spain showcased not only the greatest collection of basketball talent the world has ever witnessed, but revealed what happens when maximum individual talent conforms perfectly to the concept of unity.

The roster is the most striking ever assembled, doubly impressive considering the legendary players all fell between ages 26-32 aside from Larry Bird (35) and Christian Laettner (22).

Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Chris Mullin were each 29. Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, and John Stockton each 30. These guys were not only the ultimate superstars, they were in prime condition.

The team’s run to gold medal was also the most convincing. Their first Olympic game was a 116-48 trouncing of Angola and they finished with 117-85 win over Croatia. They went 8-0, winning by an average of 43.8 points. It is fair to note that the competition Team USA faces now is far superior on the whole. But don’t overlook the Croatian team they beat twice in 1992. It featured more-than-capable players like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, and Dino Radja.

2. 1996 Olympics
8-0, Gold Medal

Still living up to the Dream Team nickname, this group featured five holdovers from the original: Barkley, Malone, Pippen, Stockton, and David Robinson.

This is a good time to bring up the fact that Barkley is the greatest of all Team USA performers, and not just for bringing home two Olympic gold medals. In the 1992 Olympics, Barkley shot 59-83 (.711) from the field including 7-8 (.875) on three-pointers. In addition, he led the team in scoring (18.0). He followed that up in 1996 by shooting 31-38 (.816) from the field and 2-4 (.500) from beyond the arc. He also led the team in scoring (12.4) and rebounding (6.6).

On paper this team rivals the original Dream Team. Barkley was joined in the post by Malone, Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and a spry, 24 year-old Shaquille O’Neal.

Reggie Miller replaced Mullin as the designated sharpshooter.

They also rivaled the 1992 squad on the court by easily winning all eight games, culminating in a 95-69 gold medal victory over previously unbeaten Yugoslavia.

3. 1994 World Championships
8-0, Gold Medal

Team USA’s most devastating inside-outside duo yet? Try 1994's Shaquille O’Neal and Reggie Miller.

O’Neal shot 62-87 (.713) from the field, and led the team in scoring (18.0), rebounding (8.5), and blocked shots (1.8). Meanwhile, Miller connected on 30-57 (.526) three-pointers and 19-20 (.950) free-throws.

And this group was tough. Joe Dumars, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, and Alonzo Mourning typified the won’t-back-down grit of this team.

Strong outside shooting also stood out, with Team USA making nearly twice as many (103-55) three-pointers as its opponents, led by Miller, Majerle, Dumars, and Mark Price. Steve Smith, Derrick Coleman, and Dominique Wilkens added to the onslaught for this offensive machine. They averaged over 120 points per game and annihilated Russia 137-91 to win the gold medal.

4. 2003 FIBA Americas
10-0, Gold Medal

This is a glimpse of what could have been in the disappointing 2004 Olympics. Unfortunately, the most dominant modern (post-2000) Team USA did not stick together long enough to win anything of great importance.

Key pieces of this team like Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Jermaine O’Neal and Mike Bibby were not a part of the Olympic team a year later.

Playing in the FIBA Americas, competition was limited, but strong nonetheless. They started off by dominating a strong Brazil team 110-76. And finished with a gold medal, the prize for a thirty-three point crushing of rival Argentina, whom they had also beaten earlier in the tournament.

Considering this tournament occurred only four years ago, it’s difficult to understand how the stereotype that Americans can't shoot persists. This team was much more selective than its opponents shooting from the outside (158 to 215 attempts), and much more effective (.468 to.363).

5. 2000 Olympics
8-0, Gold Medal

Marking Team USA’s final unblemished run to gold medal before the ugly 2002 World Championships, Team 2000 faced the new era of upgraded international competition and still prevailed.

Vince Carter starred, leading the team in scoring (14.8). At some point, as people recognize the increasing relevance of international basketball, performances like Carter’s in the 2000 Olympics (YouTube evidence here) will be properly appreciated. As it stands, players are judged by performances in the NBA playoffs first, NBA regular season second, and college third. With basketball becoming more global every day, performances for national teams must now enter into discussions with great prominence.

In soccer, club play is valued religiously, never overlooked. However, leading one’s nation to glory is unmatched. Basketball is heading in the same direction. Kobe Bryant knows it. LeBron James know it. Jason Kidd knows it. International basketball is already supremely relevant. It’s only a matter of time before we all realize it.

Back to Team 2000. This group jived. Carter, with his explosiveness, outside shooting, and ability to defer, was a perfect fit for Team USA. As was Kevin Garnett. Don’t let anyone tell you those two guys aren’t winners. Throw in the ultimate pass-first point guard (Kidd), a dominant defensive center (Mourning), a deadly outside shooter or two (Ray Allen and Allan Houston), and you have Team USA gold. It’s not really that simple, but it’s not just by chance that this was the last time our basketball heroes made us proud.

6. 1999 FIBA Americas
10-0, Gold Medal

Characterized by its defense, something people inexplicably and incorrectly think Americans cannot effectively play, the 1999 team ran the table. The roster was built around defensive stalwarts Garnett, Kidd, Tim Duncan, and Gary Payton. each of whom started all ten games. They were joined in the consistent starting lineup by Houston.

Team USA was never threatened, winning by an average of 31.6 points while defensively dominating, holding opponents to just 66.2 points.

7. 2006 World Championships
8-1, Bronze Medal

After failing in previous international competitions, Team USA got serious in 2006. And they mostly dominated before coming up a little short against the Greek pick-and-roll.

In a tournament that Team USA came out on top against stars from around the world such as Carlos Arroyo, Yao Ming, Marco Bellinelli, Andrew Bogut, Dirk Nowitzki, and Manu Ginobili, their undoing was their inability to defend the simplest of offensive plays against a team (Greece) with a big player (Sofoklis Schortsanitis), a lot of big sounding names (Panayotis Vassilopoulos), but no real big names (LeBron James).

Aside from that game, Team USA mostly shined, including a forty-point drubbing of Australia and an impressive, face-saving win over Argentina.

8. 2004 Olympics
5-3, Bronze Medal

The Olympic failure in 2004 was an extension of the 2002 World Championships disaster, in that highly questionable personnel decisions deserve blame, rather than failing basketball talent in the United States.

Gunning guards Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury shot Team USA mostly into the ground.

Youngsters Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Emeka Okafor weren’t ready. In fact, next time someone insists that Anthony be a part of the 2008 team because of his exceptional performance in 2006, ask how Anthony was invited back in 2006 after his dreadful showing in 2004, when he shot 7-28 (.250) from the field.

9. 2002 World Championships
6-3, Sixth Place

The low point in USA Basketball, without a doubt. After opening 5-0, the United States lost to Argentina 87-80, ending the 58-game winning streak. To compound the misery, they lost twice more. Team USA ended up finishing sixth out of the sixteen teams, two spots behind a New Zealand team they beat by 48 points earlier in the tournament.

And all this happened at home, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

A lot went wrong in 2002. Mostly before anyone played. The lack of focus and preparation was apparent. And there were some nice players on the team: Elton Brand, Ben Wallace, and Paul Pierce. Then there were some, that in modern international basketball, didn’t belong on: Raef LaFrentz and Jay Williams.

Unfortunately, it took such a drastic and devastating blow to USA Basketball for the whole system to be overhauled. Thankfully, the present direction of Team USA leads me to believe a disaster of 2002's proportions is the remotest possibility heading into the FIBA Americas and 2008 Olympics.

Redd Talks About Team USA

2007-08-16T15:46:00.000-05:00

USABasketball.com recently profiled and interviewed eight members of the current senior team, including Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd.

The 1999 team Redd broke into the national program with consisted of college players only. Looking back at that team, Redd turned out to be the best pro, with Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin the other success story, though Martin entered the NBA with much loftier expectations as the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft.

Highlights of the interview include Redd excitedly talking about playing for Team USA in the Olympics next year, and the intensely anti-American crowds he faced in Europe as a 19 year-old playing for the USA World University Games Team.

Here's an excerpt:

"In 1999 Michael Redd and the USA Basketball World University Games Team traveled to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and eventually won the gold medal with a perfect 8-0 mark. Of course it was the middle of the summer, the rooms were small and featured bunk beds that were a little small for basketball players, there was no air conditioning in the rooms or the arena and the crowds were definitely cheering against the Americans."

"What did you think about the international game when you were playing in the World University Games?
I felt comfortable. I felt really comfortable. Coach talks about how the game is more physical over there, which it is. We were in college, we were kids still. But we excelled, we won a gold medal. I enjoyed it, it was different going overseas. I had been overseas before, but this was different. From the Opening Ceremonies and everything, I'm sure the Olympics will be even greater. I'm looking forward to it. I look forward to playing against the best teams in the world.

What do you remember about the crowds?
They were hostile! We had pennies thrown at us and stuff like that. I remember playing Spain, we beat Spain and it was crazy in there. They were yelling ‘we hate Americans!' and all sorts of stuff, it was bananas. Then we played Yugoslavia in the gold medal game, we beat them and it was crazy during that game. I don't think we're liked very much overseas. They think we're arrogant and we have everything, but we just have to go over there and let our basketball do the talking."

Redd OK After Fall

2007-08-15T23:54:00.000-05:00

John Schuhmann, blogging for NBA.com, about Team USA's July 15 practice:

"The scare of the day was Michael Redd going down in a heap after his feet came out from under him on a breakaway dunk. He got up and was OK though."

After writing about the virtues of Redd playing with Team USA this summer and beyond, I'm especially happy to see disaster was averted.

In related news, Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh withdrew from Team USA's summer camp and will not participate in the FIBA Americas Championship due to plantar fasciitis.

Without Bosh there are now only 14 senior team players, meaning just two will be cut. It's looking increasingly like Redd will be on Team USA at the FIBA's.

Bucks Preseason Schedule Released

2007-08-14T13:53:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks preseason schedule is set.

The Bucks open their eight-game slate on Tuesday, October 9 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin against the Chicago Bulls.

They will also travel to the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Tuesday, October 16 where they’ll face the Denver Nuggets. The game could mark the first time the Bucks face the Carmelo Anthony/Allen Iverson tandem. Last year, Anthony was suspended the first time they met and Iverson was hurt the second game.

Their other two home games, against the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves, will be played at the Bradley Center.

The Bucks play the Bulls, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Jazz twice each.

Team USA and Michael Redd

2007-08-10T15:30:00.000-05:00

Team USA will have another training session August 15-20. It will help determine which of the 17 eligible players will make the 12-man roster for the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship.

A group of ten promising young Americans were chosen to help the senior team prepare.

In an earlier post, I made my picks for Team USA’s 12-man roster.

Included in my picks was Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd. He’s a sensible choice to back up Kobe Bryant given the importance of outside shooting in international competitions. His main competition appears to be Memphis Grizzlies guard and fellow sharpshooter Mike Miller. Some have argued Team USA wouldn’t mind bringing along both.

In a recent blog post, NBA.com’s Dave McMenamin chose Miller over Redd, based on Redd’s relatively poor performance in practice.

An excerpt of McMenamin’s response to a question regarding the Miller/Redd issue:

“The reason I went with Miller over Redd had very little to do with the intrasquad scrimmage at the end of the mini-camp and a lot to do with how both players performed on Friday and Saturday in practice. On Friday Redd looked out of shape and pulled himself from the fullcourt games to go shoot on a side hoop. Meanwhile, on both days, Miller was not only making shots from deep but finishing when he took it to the tin and showing very active hands on defense."

Sure, the July mini-camp/practice was three months before the start of the regular season. And Redd has the upcoming training session to redeem himself. But seeing the Bucks only star described as out of shape any time is a little disconcerting.

Looking past the FIBA’s, the out-of-shape comment brings up the old debate about whether international duty wears on players the following NBA season. This type of chatter commences whenever someone plays international ball in the summer and hits the slightest of a lull a couple months into the NBA’s regular season.

But is there reason to worry? Let’s examine how last summer’s Team USA followed up their bronze-winning effort:

Carmelo Anthony: He hyperextended his knee while playing for Team USA but was easily ready for the Nuggets season. He also exploded for career-best 28.9 point per game and played 65 regular season games.

Shane Battier: Played all 82 games, in consistent, Battier-like fashion.

Chris Bosh: Had career-year in leading Toronto Raptors to division title. Missed some time in the regular season due to knee injury suffered in a game versus the Chicago Bulls.

Elton Brand: Appeared in 80 very strong games. Proved this summer that offseason injuries happen in simple, daily workouts sometimes.

Kirk Hinrich: Also played 80 of 82 regular season games. Posted career-high s in points per game (16.6), field goal percentage (.448), three-point percentage (.415), and free-throw percentage (.835).

Dwight Howard: Played all 82 games. Stepped up with career-year.

LeBron James: Played 78 amazing regular season games... And had enough left over in the tank to play 20 more in the playoffs, including a dominant performance or two.

Antawn Jamison: Had another very good year, appearing in 70 games. Carried an overmatched and depleted Washington Wizards team admirably in the playoffs.

Joe Johnson: Started the season in strong fashion, averaging 27.8 point per game in the first month. Missed time toward the end of the season due to calf strain suffered March 5 versus the Miami Heat.

Brad Miller: Never the model of perfect health, Miller did play 63 games for the Sacramento Kings. Had a down year for his standards, but is on the way down in general.

Chris Paul: He missed time due to a severely sprained ankle. Still, he played 64 games in an impressive sophomore campaign.

Dwyane Wade: When healthy he was one of the league's brightest. But he played only 51 games thanks to shoulder and knee surgery. Came back for playoffs.

In all, that recapping-exercise doesn’t lend much support to the idea that playing international basketball in the summer before an NBA season produces adverse results.

I’d love to see Redd represent Team USA this summer. Helping restore some basketball glory to his country could give him the positive energy to jumpstart his season with the Bucks. If the likes of Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant aren’t too worried about playing, there shouldn’t be much of a problem. And the benefits of playing competitive games with such a great team outweigh the worry that he’ll suffer from playing a little too much offseason basketball.

Furthermore, I stand by my choice that Redd should make the team.

Buck Sign Storey

2007-08-07T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard/forward Awvee Storey.

“Awvee is a hard-nosed, aggressive player who brings depth to our roster at the guard and small forward positions,” said Bucks GM Larry Harris. “He’s an excellent athlete and a solid defender who will be a good addition to our team.”

Storey, who performed well in Summer League for the Bucks, has bounced around the basketball world, including brief stints with the New Jersey Nets and Washington Wizards.

It’s difficult to see him ultimately fitting into the team’s active 12-man roster. If he does slide in, it’ll be a minimal role, focusing on giving energy, rebounding, and defense.

If history is any indication, Storey might serve as an intimidator of sorts, hopefully channeling the intimidation in a constructive manner.

Storey is most noted for his punch of teammate Martynas Andriuskevicius while in the NBDL.

He also was arrested along with Gilbert Arenas on charges of disobeying police.

NBA's Top 2007-08 Games

2007-08-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

With the recent announcement of the 2007-08 NBA schedule, writers across the web have profiled some of the most intriguing games of the upcoming season.

I already highlighted five Milwaukee Bucks games. Not that any of us would be missing those.

Marty Burns picked ten compelling games for SportsIllustrated.com

The wild playoffs and busy offseason made for some easy choices. One juicy pick was the Dallas Mavericks at Golden St. Warriors playoff rematch on November 8. He also pinpointed Kevin Garnett’s return to Minnesota on February 8.

ESPN.com’s Marc Stein went further, circling seemingly every date on the NBA calendar. Well, forty-two days by my count.

He even picked a Bucks game:

"Feb. 2: Houston at Milwaukee (NBA TV)

Yao Ming -- and the Chinese media armada -- goes to Brewtown to square off with The Big Yi . . . assuming Yi Jianlian is a Buck by then. (On Nov. 9 the Bucks are in Houston, incidentally, if Yi makes it to Milwaukee for the start of the season.)"

Still, a handful of games with interesting, perhaps more subtle story lines, went unmentioned. To avoid overlap, I’ve compiled a list of five games chosen by neither Burns nor Stein:

Wednesday, November 21 – Toronto Raptors at Memphis Grizzlies

These two franchises, born in 1995-96, are natural, mutual measuring sticks.

The Raptors got a quicker jump out of the gate, winning five more games behind Rookie of the Year point guard Damon Stoudamire.

The trend continues today, with the Raptors coming off a division title and the Grizzlies now the longest of shots for postseason play.

Nevertheless, there are intriguing parallels entering 2007-08. Both clubs are led by star, often overshadowed, power forwards in Chris Bosh and Pau Gasol. In addition, this game should offer us the first NBA game pitting two of Spain’s finest guards. Juan Carlos Navarro is headed to Memphis and Jose Calderon is already a valuable component of the Raptors.

Tuesday, January 8 – New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls

The Knicks have remodeled yet again, but repeated recent failures haven’t lent much optimism that the latest mixture of talent, now starring Zach Randolph, will suddenly mesh. Talent resides in The Big Apple, but this game, the team’s third consecutive road game following daunting stops in San Antonio and Houston, could be the tipping point of the team’s yearling unraveling.

On the flipside, if the Knicks are rolling a couple months into the season, this classic big-city rivalry could be reborn on this night.

Sunday, March 30 – Washington Wizards at Los Angeles Lakers

In last year’s Staples Center showdown between two of the most entertaining players in the NBA, Gilbert Arenas out-Kobe’d Kobe Bryant 60-45 and a came away with a win.

Bryant partially returned the favor by winning both the individual competition 39-37 and the team game in the nation's capital a month and a half later.

Still, Bryant isn’t one to be outdone and Arenas got the better of him last year. Combine the personal rivalry with the fact both stars are coming off frustrating ends to their seasons and you can expect more scintillation.

Tuesday, April 8 – Utah Jazz at New Orleans Hornets

The Jazz visit New Orleans, where they called home from 1974-78.

Pete Maravich typified the virtuosity of Duke Ellington's jazz in his five magical years when the Jazz more naturally played in New Orleans.

This present-day game will showcase a couple of wondrous court wizards that would make Pistol Pete proud. Picked third and fourth in the 2005 NBA Draft respectively, Deron Williams and Chris Paul make this a must-see.

Wednesday, April 16 – New Jersey Nets at Boston Celtics

It’s difficult to forecast which final regular season games will matter, but something tells me that in the suddenly crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture these two teams could be playing for important seeding down to the wire.

Just in case, check out the first three times they meet, starting Saturday, November 10. Both teams are well-known for their star trios, and lack of depth. But while the Celtics are the chic pick in the East, the return of Nenad Krstic and addition of Jamaal Magloire indicates the Nets might have the more support to surround their Big Three.

Bucks Schedule Announced

2007-08-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks 2007-08 schedule is now set.

Here’s a short breakdown of five noteworthy games:

Wednesday, October 31 at Orlando Magic

The season starts on Halloween in Florida for the Bucks. The Magic are improved thanks to the acquisition of Rashard Lewis and the inevitable development of young star Dwight Howard. These two teams are possible challengers for the final couple playoff spots in the East.

Saturday, November 3 vs Chicago Bulls

This is the first game at the Bradley Center for the Bucks. They have won their past four home openers but extending the streak won’t be easy against this Eastern Conference favorite.

Friday, January 11 at Los Angeles Lakers

The Bucks head west for their only appearance of the season on ESPN.

Wednesday, March 12 vs Utah Jazz

Last time the Jazz came to Milwaukee they saw Michael Redd drop 57 points on them... and still escaped with a win.

Saturday, March 15 vs Boston Celtics

By this time we’ll know plenty about the new-look Celtics, but it’s the first time they come to the Bradley Center.

Gauging Charlie Bell

2007-08-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

As a restricted free agent, the Milwaukee Bucks have a chance to match any offer to guard Charlie Bell. And all indications are they will do just that. Still, it’s being reported that teams are showing interest, putting the onus on the Bucks.

"He had a great year," Agent Mark Bartelstein said. "He happens to be restricted. We are determining what will be our best options for his long-term interests.”

The Boston Celtics were said to be one possible suitor for Bell, but not after they signed guards Eddie House and Jackie Manuel.

Retaining Bell is a key for the Bucks because as encouraging as the offseason retooling has been, they need Bell’s valuable minutes at both guard positions coming off the bench. Management knows this, and I’m confident Bell will remain in Milwaukee as a result.

Another quote from Bartelstein:

"He's proven he's a terrific player in this league. Worst case, he's one of the best third guards in the NBA. And he certainly has not shown he can't be a starter."

Naturally, agents have more than a little bias when it comes to the players they represent. But is there some truth to Bartelstein’s remarks? While Bell only really arrived last season, he has played admirably the last two years and is still on the way up. Without getting into the starter-material part of the comment, and limiting it to Eastern Conference third guards, let’s briefly consider a few other intriguing backup guards heading into the 2007-08 campaign.

Last year with the Toronto Raptors, Jose Calderon truly stepped up, teaming with T.J. Ford to form an excellent two-headed point guard attack that the team rode to a division title. Just 25 years old and still improving, Calderon is easily one of the top third guards in the league, and one of the few in the conference I’d clearly pick over Bell.

Veteran Washington Wizards guard Antonio Daniels hasn’t quite lived up to his fourth overall selection in the 1997 draft but is a heady performer who routinely ranks among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. In fact, he had the best ratio in the NBA last season. Also, watch for rookie teammate Nick Young to earn minutes and contribute sooner rather than later.

The Indiana Pacers have a couple of able backups in Marquis Daniels and Fond du Lac native Travis Diener, but Bell is superior to both as things stand.

The Miami Heat recently signed guard Smush Parker, a comparable player to Bell. I’d give Bell the edge.

Others up-and-coming types worth keeping an eye on this year include New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson, Philadelphia 76ers guard Louis Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson, Chicago Bulls guard Thabo Sefolosha, and New Jersey Nets guard Marcus Williams.

I’m not going to tackle the entire league in this discussion, as my player rankings will give more light to this debate. And it didn’t take this little roster-crunching exercise to know that Bell is a real piece of the Bucks’ puzzle. But it does show that even agents possess, at least occassionally, the ability to refrain from complete hyperbole when describing their clients. More importantly it reaffirms the importance of Bell staying in Milwaukee.

Chinese Chief Involved In Yi Talks

2007-08-01T11:15:00.000-05:00

Chinese Basketball Association chief Li Yuanwei is planning a trip to the United States in hopes of solving the ongoing communication problems between Yi Jianlian and the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I will go to the United States in the coming days to help Yi solve the problem," Li told China Daily. "I will have a talk with Yi at the Stankovic Cup to see what he thinks."

Thankfully, it appears someone on Yi’s end is starting to recognize the urgency of this matter. Unfortunately, in this ultimate communication breakdown neither side ever is on the same page.

"The Bucks side didn't send their officials to China this time as they promised, so I will take some time to get this resolved, Li said."

What is lost on the part of Yi’s camp is that the longer he’s in a sense holding out on the NBA and the Bucks, the more pressure is going to mount on the young player to perform.

Then again, his camp wanted him in a huge market from the beginning so clearly they aren’t worried about pressure or expectation.

Celtics Nearing Trade For Garnett

2007-07-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Boston Celtics are close to acquiring Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves according to SportsIllustrated.com.

Apparent centerpieces of the trade are Garnett, Al Jefferson, and Gerald Green.

“Boston and the Minnesota Timberwolves are still haggling over the pieces that will accompany Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff and Gerald Green to Minnesota, with the Celtics trying to hold onto second-year point guard Rajon Rondo and keep him out of the trade.”

If this trade occurs the Celtics become instant and serious contenders in the Eastern Conference behind the trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Garnett.

This could also mean a hit to the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff chances. One must consider the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, and New Jersey Nets as pretty steady playoff choices right now. If you add the Garnett-Celtics to the list that makes six out of eight possible spots difficult to break into. And that's without mentioning strong contenders like the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic.

The Bucks have legitimate postseason aspirations, but they'll need to tread what appears to be an increasingly crowded East playoff path.

2007 Team USA: More Than One Right Answer

2007-07-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

Team USA will participate in the FIBA Americas Championship, held from August 22 to September 2.

Team USA will play, in order, Venezuela, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Brazil in group play. A final showdown with Argentina is probable, assuming both powers can escape the single-elimination tournament that follows group play.

Team USA brought 17 players for training from July 20 to July 22.

“Members of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team expected to participate in the July 20-22 training include: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Shane Battier (Houston Rockets); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets); Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics); Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets); Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic); Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).”

The roster must be trimmed to 12 for the actual tournament. With the options available, cuts won’t be easy. This is a very good group, with Redick being the only player that clearly doesn’t belong.

The players squared off in a scrimmage on July 22. Team Blue topped Team White 105-104 after Bryant’s game-winning shot with six seconds remaining.

Bryant’s presence is huge in light of the many recent disappointments of Team USA. Having Kidd, 28-0 all-time for Team USA run the show is also of paramount importance. Not all choices are so obvious though. Here’s one shot at what the 2007 version should look like:

C- Dwight Howard/Tyson Chandler
PF- Chris Bosh/Amare Stoudemire
SF- LeBron James/Tayshaun Prince/Kevin Durant
SG- Kobe Bryant/Michael Redd
PG- Jason Kidd/Chauncey Billups/Deron Williams

Cuts: Carmelo Anthony/Kirk Hinrich/Mike Miller/Shane Battier/J.J. Redick

The important thing to remember here is that there is more than one right answer for Team USA. With recent failures, it may seem like there aren’t any right answers. This is a very different group however, and great options are plentiful.

The glaring omission from the above team is Anthony, who was named 2006 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.

I like Anthony, and would be confident about the team’s chances if he played a prominent role. Just like I’d have no huge qualms if Hinrich or Miller made the team. Again, there are multiple roster combinations that should bring the same result: victory.

I know Anthony is going to make the team. ESPN.com’s Chris Sheridan told me as much:

“Alex (Milwaukee, Wisconsin): What are the chances Carmelo Anthony does not make the 12-man team? I know he's talented, and played well last year. But I like LeBron/Kobe/Kidd to start, and he shouldn't be coming off the bench. Plus, looking ahead to 2008 with Wade and company back in the mix, he probably won't be a good fit.

SportsNation Chris Sheridan: (12:10 PM ET ) He was by far, and I mean BY FAR, the best player on the 2006 team. He's a lock for 2008.

And when I make my player rankings here before the regular season, he will be ahead some of the guys on my roster. But the whole idea behind the new Team USA is to put together the best team. And here’s why I believe I did that:

Howard and Chandler are givens at center for now. With Elton Brand, Carlos Boozer and others out of the mix for this competition, they are the only viable options. And good ones they are. Howard shot 9-9 from the field in the recent scrimmage and Chandler gives the team a strong defensive presence and shot-blocking ability.

I prefer the more natural power forwards in Bosh and Stoudemire rather than having Anthony take up a spot here. There are only four real post players in the group, so they all need to be there.

Next is a crowded small forward position. James is the best fit alongside Kidd and Bryant to start. Prince is a defensive stopper and an excellent team player; exactly the attributes necessary for coming off the bench on a team like this. Finally, Durant is a great pick for a few reasons. First, he’s good enough to play. This isn’t the case of bringing along someone that’s not ready at the expense of someone that is. And Durant, as a rookie, won’t expect big minutes, meaning he won’t be a threat to team-cohesiveness. Finally, it would be a great learning experience for a player that is likely to play a integral role for Team USA over the next decade.

Bryant obviously starts at shooting guard. Redd is the pick to back him up over Miller because he is a more dynamic offensive force and superior overall player.

Kidd already has taken a leadership role, putting his undefeated record on the line. Billups is another ultra-steady court general. Williams gets the nod over Hinrich because he is more likely to step up as a serious option for the 2008 Olympics.

There is more than one right answer for Team USA in 2007. But it’s important to examine the options carefully, because it will be a lot easier to slip up once the competition improves so greatly in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

Summer League Success Stories

2007-07-26T15:02:00.000-05:00

As explained earlier, keeping an eye on star Summer League performers is a wise method to help gauge early favorites for surprise successes in the upcoming regular season.

Jonathan Givony of Draft Express wrote a nice article backing up his first First-Team Summer League picks:

“Jose Juan Barea, Point Guard, Mavericks

Rodney Stuckey, Shooting Guard/Point Guard, Pistons

Marco Belinelli, Shooting Guard, Warriors

Paul Millsap, Power Forward, Jazz

LaMarcus Aldridge, Power Forward/Center, Trail Blazers”

It’s good to see Aldridge made such an impression despite playing just two games. He is a player that isn’t quite getting enough press. Sure, he’s casually mentioned as the other half of the team’s exciting young frontcourt when Greg Oden makes the headlines. Yet Aldridge is the one, with an NBA year under his belt, more likely to step up as an All-Star-level player first.

Also from Givony’s article:

“Aldridge showed a package of offensive skills that was unmatched among any big man in the summer league. He’s added a good deal of weight to his frame over the past year, and is now doing a much better job using his body to carve out space in the post and attack the offensive glass.”

Meanwhile, New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson was honored as Summer League MVP on NBA.com and won the official Most Outstanding Player trophy. And he led the Draft Express Second-Team.

Mo Williams Inks Deal With Bucks

2007-07-24T23:40:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Mo Williams to a six-year, $51.5 million deal.

"Basically in my mind, it's my team," Williams said. "Things don't go right, I'm the point guard. I'm the leader on the floor, an extension of the coach."

For some time there was speculation that Williams could be headed to the Miami Heat, who were very seriously courting him. However, most of us have known better for some time now.

Locking up Williams is a strong move. Just 24 years old, he’s shown the kind of dramatic improvement in his first four years in the league that point to a very promising next six.

Hopefully Williams will live up to his above quote and truly be the team’s leader on the floor. His ability to spread the ball around and distribute has been good but not excellent. Too often last year the Bucks played a two-man game that placed too much reliance on Michael Redd and Williams.

Granted, most of that two-man game was out of necessity due to a lack of other options. Andrew Bogut, for one, needs to step up as a more consistent offensive player before one can be overly critical of Williams’ lack of point guard purity. With Bobby Simmons and Desmond Mason on the wings the chance to spread the ball around more should be available.

Summer League, Bucks-Style

2007-07-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

Still catching up on summer news...

The Milwaukee Bucks concluded their five-game Summer League campaign with a 79-67 loss to the Washington Wizards on July 15.

The Bucks jumped out to a 20-9 lead before being undone by a second quarter in which they were outscored 30-13. Performances like that remind us of the bad old days of Milwaukee Bucks basketball.... you know, the 2006-07 season. Yes, the one that finished with Jared Reiner starting at center.

The Bucks concluded their brief campaign at 2-3 overall. Thankfully, Summer League isn’t about team results. After all, Summer League teams don’t even resemble regular season, or (gasp) post-season ones. For the sake of verifying the nothingness of team results: the Knicks glittering 5-0 record.

Individual performances are worth noting however. Unfortunately for the Summer League Bucks, there were no real standout performers by most accounts.

With Earl Boykins out of the picture, an opportunity arises for Lynn Greer to step up this season. He led the team in scoring in Las Vegas, averaging 15.0 points per game in four games. But his .438 field goal percentage against Summer League competition isn’t exactly awe-inspiring. And his equal number of assists and turnovers, 13, further reduces the remaining optimism that he’s poised to become a consistent contributor off the bench for the Bucks, based on this performance anyway. Granted, the four games are a small sample-size, but his play doesn't exactly scream Most Improved Player.

David Noel, Damir Markota, and Ramon Sessions, three others worth keeping an eye on, had mostly up-and-down performances.

Yi Jianlian actually suited up and played five games for Team China Basketball in this competition. In his first game, an 86-77 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, he notched 23 points on 7-15 shooting from the field in 28 minutes. He also made 9-12 from the free-throw line. He did commit seven fouls had seven turnovers however.

It was mostly downhill from there. In his next game he shot 2-14 from the field. Then 3-11. Then 0-6. And finally 1-5. His overall stat line wasn’t pretty.

Mason Back In Milwaukee

2007-07-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Desmond Mason to a two-year contract.

"We're really happy to be back in Milwaukee, and we're looking forward to what the future holds for us," Mason said.

The two-year deal is a good one because it keeps him in Milwaukee for ages 30-32, making it a good bet he’ll maintain his superior athleticism while here. This is important for a couple reasons. First, he’ll continue to thrive in the open court in what’s shaping up to be a fast, up-tempo team. Second, his defensive abilities aren’t likely to fade in the next two seasons. As a player who lacks in some areas, like outside shooting, Mason may struggle more than others when he slows. It’s reassuring that the Bucks locked him up for what should be his prime, still explosive years.

Mason lagged a bit the last two years in New Orleans, which is a little troubling. His free-throw shooting really dipped, all the way to .663 from .802 in his last season in Milwaukee.

Fluctuations like that in free-throw shooting are strange, and difficult to explain. It’s encouraging that his best years came in Milwaukee, where he was most comfortable and wanted to stay. Now back, Mason should again excel.

Voskuhl In, Ilyasova Out

2007-07-23T01:19:00.000-05:00

In catching up on some more recent summer news, the Milwaukee Bucks signed center Jake Voskuhl to a one-year, $3 million contract on Thursday, July 19. This came along with the news that Ersan Ilyasova was leaving the club to play for Barcelona in Spain.

Ilyasova played promisingly at times but never was a consistent or smooth fit in the Bucks gameplan and with the team’s recent moves probably figured to get only more lost in the shuffle. It’s worth keeping any eye on Ilyasova’s progress in his new environment. Just 20 years old, he still may find real success in Europe, and perhaps even back with the Bucks.

“Ilyasova agreed to a two-year contract worth approximately $5 million, when bonuses are included, according to agent Max Ergul. The Barcelona contract does not contain a buyout clause, making it easier for Ilyasova to return to the NBA when he is ready.”

You can count on updates here on his progress once his season is underway.

Voskuhl is a decent bench player who will adequately spell Andrew Bogut in the post. His stat lines don’t overwhelm, averaging 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds on .475 shooting from the field in 14.2 minutes over seven seasons in his career. But he can be counted on for solid rebounding and defense and can hit an open mid-range jumper.

And Jared Reiner won’t be starting late in the season again, right.

Summer League, Vegas-Style

2007-07-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

Maybe I’m a little late on this Summer League-promotion thing.

First off, Summer League came and went. The brief competition ran from July 6 to July 15.

Second, Page 2's Bill Simmons already explained the virtues of Las Vegas hosting the competition.

“When the NBA moved its annual Summer League to Vegas, on paper the combination of basketball and gambling was right in my wheelhouse."

And he did it in timely fashion, arguing the beauty of Vegas’ potential juicy relationship pairing basketball and gambling two days before news broke that the FBI was investigating an NBA referee for betting on games.

Simmons’ underlying point was a valuable one though; Summer League is relevant now that it’s in Vegas because big-time young talents come and play. Regardless of motive, they come. Guys like Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Randy Foye offer the competition serious credibility from a player’s perspective. That fact shouldn’t be lost on the media or the critical fan.

The draft and free agency clearly highlight the NBA’s summer offseason. But wise eyes should turn to Summer League action in order to catch a glimpse of bubbling NBA talent.

After last year’s competition, Dennis Rogers did an informative write-up honoring some of the top players. He named Foye his MVP. Other notables on his first team included Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Martin, and Brandon Roy. His notes gushing about Stoudemire’s fitness, Martin’s poise to break out, and the NBA-readiness of Foye and Roy, while not completely unpredictable, do give credence to the revealing nature of often-overlooked Summer League games.