Milwaukee Bucks Thread 2008–2009 (part 1)

[davego]

You do not. That is T-wolves territory. When I lived in EC, I had to get the NBA-Ticket to watch the Bucks. Sadly, I did.

[Gobias Industries]

Yep, Detroit wins this trade, but it isn't terrible for Denver either. AI and Carmelo weren't a good fit, but I don't like Billups long term contract from Denver's perspective. I think this gives Detroit a better chance to do some damage in the playoffs, and if they don't make a huge run, at least they'll have cap room and can blow it up. I don't think the Billups, Hamilton, Sheed core were going to win another championship again.

 

Denver is in a bad position. They have a really good team, but it just can't stack up against the likes of Houston, Utah, LAL, SA, and NO. They should be looking towards the future imo.

[nodakfan17]

My understanding is that the development of Rodney Stuckey also influenced Detroit's decision to deal Billups.

 

So speaking of developing guards ... how many games can Luke Ridnour sit out with back spasms before he loses the starting PG role to Ramon Sessions?

[homer]

Sessions better stop turning the ball over if he wants to be a starting PG. Granted it's only been a couple games but still...

[razzzorsharp]

The 2 PG set looked real nice tonight. I am getting into this team a little.

[giffted1]

I very rarely watch the Bucks but had the game on while is was doing homework. Fun game to watch. I didn't get much homework done, though.

[ILuvDaBush]

I have to admit, tonight seemed like the coming out party for Luc Alphabet. He took the shot at the buzzer and he continues to play hounding (though not lockdown) defense. Tonight was a good statement game for Skiles' group, though the big test is next. But altogether, quite the effort tonight, even if my boy, Bogut, was sporadically used (and abused).

[fstorm1]

Did they ever find out what Butler was chewing on? I was flipping back and forth between Mythbusters and the game, and missed if they ever found out what it was.

[nate82]

Luc Mbah a Moute is the Bucks Tayshaun Prince? At the beginning of the year I thought this was going to be Alexander who looked a lot like Tayshaun. Maybe Luc will be more like Tayshaun it is to early in the season to tell how good Luc actually is.

[Menotti80]

i dont think mbah a moute will ever be near as good a shooter as prince. that said, he does have the potential to become a poor man's rodman maybe?

[fondybrewfan]

MAM has been one of the suprises in the NBA so far. He sounds like a 2nd round steal at this point. The Bucks showed some very good flashes last night. An awful 12 minutes stretch in the 2nd and 3rd quarters really put them in awhile but they fought back playing some good defense and some solid play by Sessions/Ridnour. Jefferson also had his first excellent game as a Buck. They have a very tough next 4 games in which they should be major under dogs in each so this win was pretty important. I just can't see them beating Boston, Phoenix, Cleveland or San Antonio.

 

I also don't understand why Bogut is so bad at free throws. He has progressivly gotten worse, you would think the coaches work big time on this. He had the ability to hit a jump shot in college but since he has gotten to the NBA that skill has all but vanished. Perhaps that was at the advice of his early coaches. He was a 67% FT and 36% 3PT shoooter at Utah so he is capable but I have a suspiciion that Stotts and Larry K were tinkering with his shot to much and now he is completely screwed up.

[ILuvDaBush]

For some reason, Bogut plays down to his competition. He's a finesse banger in the body of a power post player. He's the white Oden, except with better touch and nowhere near the defensive anticipation. As for Luc Alphabet, I would compare him more to a Shane Battier, not style but substance. Both fell in their respective drafts because of their experience and the fact that they were on the national scene for so long, people uber-dissected them. He is what we always hoped Dez would become, though he's not the athlete of Dez, as few are. Nevertheless, very astute pick by Hammond, and I'm sure Skiles appreciates it, as his first pick has become the human victory cigar-and no argument of the fact that he was one of the first off the bench against the Knicks. As the new human victory cigar, he should have started vs. the Knicks.

[nate82]

Anyone catch that post game interview with Mo Williams on ESPN earlier this week? If I remember correctly he said something along the lines of if you want to win you will play defense when he was asked about the Cleveland coaching teaching defense first then offense. So Mo didn't want to win last year and that is why he didn't play defense?

 

I believe that is what he said along those lines. I believe there was more to the interview and he was talking about something about his time in Milwaukee last year but I didn't catch that. I posted this now to cool off a little bit and see if I could see what he was really saying.

[Gobias Industries]

A couple of thoughts since it hasn't been bumped in awhile:

 

- Nice win last night. They looked horrible in the first half, and turned it around. That's something that wouldn't have happened with Coach K last year. Bogut's offensive game has been very suspect, but he's turned into an above average defender and rebounder. He still needs to work on his midrange shot and freethrows. He'd be a nice 17/10 player if he did.

 

- Ramon Sessions is really good. He's basically a rookie, and he's averaging 15 and 5. Love his offensive game. If he can improve his jumper (it already has since last season) and if Skiles can make him an average defender, he's a top 10 PG in the NBA. Gotta give Larry Harris credit for that pick.

 

- I'm happy to see LRMAM starting. He's already so much better offensively since his days at UCLA. I can't remember being this excited about a Bucks' rookie.

 

- I've flip-flopped on Alexander relentlessly, but after finally getting to see him play some minutes (probably a good idea before forming an opinion on a player) I'm sold on the guy. I can't believe how quick he is. He's definitely got the ability to take any 3 off the dribble, and he's already got a nice jumper to boot, which is half the battle. With his talent and work ethic, I think worst case scenario in a few years is a solid 6th man.

 

- A 4-5 start isn't bad at all, considering our best scorer is out, and the very difficult schedule. They're heading in the right direction, that's for sure.

[bbrauch2000]

They are definitely a different team with Sessions on the court. Going into the season, I was solidly in Ridnour's court but i've changed my tune completely. Sessions just has so many assists that lead to easy baskets. He seems to have a knack to get wherever he wants on the court too. His defense is suspect but Ridnour isn't exactly Scottie Pippen either. After the next two games, we'll most likely be 5-6 after already playing the defending champs twice. Not too bad

[yoshii8]

I like what I've seen from both Ridnour and Sessions. I think Ridnour's game has been affected by his bad back, but he still has had some solid performances this season. I think once Redd comes back, we will see less minutes out of Bell w/ Sessions getting most, if not all of the minutes at backup 1/2, which to me is a good thing.

 

I wonder if Skiles will continue to start LRMAM? To me it was nice to bring him off the bench, and letting him finish games, I think CV plays better as a starter for whatever reason.

 

I'd love to see the Bucks get an adequate big man to back up Bogut, I don't think Elson, Gadz or Malik Allen get the job done. I hope for some reason Mcdyess wants to come here, but if not we always have Damon Jones' expiring contract available. Who is out there, maybe the Thunder would be a good match, they seem to have an abundance of big men in Collison/Wilcox and Joe Smith.

[bucks2281]

Well, my Brewers 20-pack fund is going to take a hit. This Bucks team has been fun to watch thus far.

 

I know it's very early, only about 1/8 through the season, but I'm enjoying this team. I hate to use Ned-speak, but they have a grittyness to them. LRMAM just "flies around", Jefferson has been a very solid contributor, and Sessions is a star in the making. I know they've played garbage teams the past couple nights, but the defensive effort is enough to keep me watching. They've been down by double digits in the second half both tonight and against the Spurs, but they've dug themselves out of the hole -- in past years they would have lost by 20 points. The upcoming schedule looks terrifying (BOS, @DEN, @UTA ... @ORL, @ATL, @DET, CLE ... @LAL, @PHX, @GS), but let's hope they can steal a couple of those and stay relevant. I just love the defense and our young core.

[Hammer]

What a game tonight! I write this as OT is about to start...but bucks2281 said it...what a gritty team!!

[homer]

I know it's been said around here already but Jean Luc Picard looks like a a complete steal as a 2nd rounder. He had 19 points and 17 boards tonight. I'm actually looking forward to going to the game tomorrow night.

[danzig6767]

I know it's been said around here already but Jean Luc Picard looks like a a complete steal as a 2nd rounder. He had 19 points and 17 boards tonight. I'm actually looking forward to going to the game tomorrow night.

Yep, what a stellar draft choice and i'm sure glad to be wrong about not being thrilled with the choice when it was made. I loved that he was a good defender in college, but his offensive game is far more advanced than i expected. If the draft was done over, Mbah a Moute likely goes top 10. Plus, even though Alexander only scored 4 points tonight, he's been starting to show glimpses of the skills the Bucks obviously liked in him.

 

Besides the new players, for me at least, the easily most important move made in the offseason was the hiring of Skiles. For multiple years, the Bucks biggest problem has been being so soft, treating defense like it came with a case of herpes, and an overall lack of pride. On nights when the offense wasn't really clicking, the Bucks had very little chance to win because they didn't play any defense, weren't a good rebounding team, and they'd to easily fold when things weren't going well.

 

The last two games though, the Bucks offense struggled badly for long stretches, in past years they'd fold and likely get their ass kicked. Instead of that, this year we won both games by good defense keeping the Bucks in the game until the offense came around. I just see so much more toughness, desire to defend, and playing with heart. I think that starts right with Skiles. Unlike previous coaches who talked tough about demanding everyone on the team play hard defensively, Skiles has actually backed up his words by sitting anyone on the team that he's felt in games weren't playing with the effort he demands.

 

This franchise so badly needed a personality and toughness transplant, soft teams rarely ever amount to much unless blessed with tons of talent. We are finally seeing that transformation starting to take place.

[davego]

I was impressed with the ball movement on offense and the effort on defense. Was a really nice win. I know it's way early but RJ looks like the trade of the year and Moute has done about as much as any other rookie. Hope the effort can last over the next 71 games.

[fondybrewfan]

I think we need to temper our enthusiasm a bit until we actually beat a good team. I like this Bucks team but we haven't beaten a good team yet. OKC, Memphis, New York, SA (With all the injuries), and Washington are all pretty poor teams

[Baldkin]

Maybe they haven't beaten any really good teams yet, but, they didn't beat anyone last year. At least they're beating someone!

[ILuvDaBush]

I would argue that the Washington win was the game of the year so far. I still don't know how we came back. My biggest qualm is...where's Chucky V?? I miss his alopecia-ed dome. He has been far from the instant offense I expected.

[homer]

I would argue that the Washington win was the game of the year so far. I still don't know how we came back. My biggest qualm is...where's Chucky V?? I miss his alopecia-ed dome. He has been far from the instant offense I expected.

 

He was hurt yesterday.