text:
Posts for November, 2007
Bucks to ship Sessions to D-League
Charlotte - With virtually little chance to get Ramon Sessions any playing time at point guard behind veterans Mo Williams and Charlie Bell, the Milwaukee Bucks plan on shipping the rookie second-round draft choice out to their Tulsa affiliate in the NBA's Development League.
Sessions, from Nevada and the 56th overall pick in the 2007 draft, will probably join Tulsa sometime next week.
Sessions, along with forwards David Noel and Awvee Storey, were on the inactive list for the team's regular-season opener in Orlando on Wednesday and will probably be inactive again for Friday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Bucks feel Sessions' time would be better spent getting some game experience in Tulsa.
"With Sessions, it was a situation where he's a guy down the road in the future," said general manager Larry Harris. "All of us agreed that we would keep him and possibly send him to the D-League here shortly to get some time down there and get a chance to see him play in an NBA setting and do more evaluating that way."
Sessions played in five exhibition games, averaging 1.4 points, 1.4 assists and 7.0 minutes per game.$
Bucks offer opening night hoopla
The Milwaukee Bucks will meet the Chicago Bulls in the home opener on Saturday night at the Bradley Center.
This is the franchise's 40th anniversary. With that in mind, the Bucks have a number of new features this season. They include:
* A new player intro video, put together by Purple Onion Studios.
* The Bucks' Energee dancers have new uniforms. And Bango, the team's mascot, will be accompanied by the Rim Rockers, a dunk team.
* Inside the Bradley Center, a new club, called Club '71, will be open for business on the south end. Seats are sold on a season package basis as well as individually. Club Cambria, an all-inclusive club now in its third season, will be open for business as well.
* Outside the Bradley Center, suiteholders have a new valet parking location off of W. State St., near N. 6th St. By mid-season, all suites will have new large flat-panel TVs installed.
The Bucks also have announced that 35 games will be shown in China this season. Twenty-one of those games will be home games.$ (3)
Charlotte beats Bucks
That's because Friday's game was the second of three straight home openers in which the Bucks would play. On Wednesday, the Bucks were in
Emotions can run high for both teams in such games
"You can look at it both ways," said Krystkowiak. "We had a nice opener last year (winning in
Sometimes you can be a little tight and try to do too much on opening night. Sometimes those emotions can be bad and sometimes they can be good. It kind of depends on how it works out."
In Friday's game, the Bobcats made seven of their first 10 shots and took an early seven-point lead. A layup and dunk by forward Gerald Wallace pushed
After helping Orlando and Charlotte open their seasons, the Bucks will experience some home cooking for the first time Saturday night.
"You don't really pay too much attention (to the opening-night hoopla), I think, when you're on the road because you're kind of going through another person's program and what they have scheduled," said Krystkowiak. "Tomorrow will be the only time we'll do introductions (of the entire team and staff) and give a little speech before the game.
"There's a few extra things that come with it. Tomorrow should be a packed house with the Bulls and it's a time to be excited about it."
$ (1)
Yi's debut much better than Yao's
While Yi Jianlian's first game as a Milwaukee Buck wasn't exactly a masterpiece, Tony Mejia of CBS Sportsline reminds us that Yao Ming didn't even score a point in his first regular season appearance in a Houston Rockets uniform.
For more analysis on Yi's first 25 minutes, read Mejia's column.$ (7)
Feeling a sense of urgency
It's safe to say both teams are urgently searching for a victory tonight at the Bradley Center.
The Bucks went 0-2 on their season-opening trip, including a disappointing 102-99 loss at Charlotte on Friday night.
The Bucks' foe in their 40th home opener, the Central Division rival Chicago Bulls, also entered with an 0-2 record. The Bulls lost in overtime at New Jersey on Wednesday and dropped a 96-85 decision in their home opener against Philadelphia on Friday.
After losing to the 76ers, Bulls coach Scott Skiles told the Chicago Tribune, "That's the second game in a row we looked dead out there."
Center Ben Wallace had one point and four rebounds, and the Bulls shot just 38.4% against a 76ers team expected to finish toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
As for the Bucks, point guard Mo Williams admitted he thought his team was behind by two points in the final seconds in Charlotte, so he made a drive to the basket. Trouble was, the Bucks trailed by three and desperately needed to put up a three-pointer to try to force overtime.
The Bobcats had kindly kept the Bucks in the game by making only 22 of 43 free throws.
The Bucks are hoping the home court will make a positive difference in their play. They are 28-11 all-time in home openers, and 4-0 in the last four seasons. The last time they played a division rival in their home opener, the Bucks pounded the Bulls, 98-68, in 2003.
Of course, there is the matter of the Bucks' 15-game losing streak against Central Division teams. The last time they beat a member of their own division was on opening night of the season last year, when they topped the Detroit Pistons, 105-97, at the Palace of Auburn Hills. That was more than one year ago, on Nov. 1, 2006.
"It's not just the division," Bucks center Andrew Bogut said. "Last year we were losing teams to we should beat. This year is just much of the same thing. We need to go out there and get that winning feeling back.
"There's no better night to do it than in your home opener against a great team like the Bulls. If we go out there and get a win, the season could turn.
"But we could lose five or six in a row, or we could lose three or four in a row. Once we start picking up momentum, I think we're going to keep going. We can't get down on ourselves. It's a new coach and a new system, and it's going to take time for us to learn. Once we get it, we'll be all right."
$ (2)
Redd, Yi lead way past Bulls
The long losing streak against Central Division foes is finally over.
The Bucks, playing their home opener before a sellout crowd at the Bradley Center, stifled the Chicago Bulls en route to a 78-72 victory. Milwaukee ended its 15-game losing streak within its own division, dating to the season opener last year when it won at Detroit.
Michael Redd and Yi Jianlian led the way with 27 and 16 points, respectively, as the Bucks improved to 1-2, after falling in road games at Orlando and Charlotte. Charlie Bell had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench.
The Bulls (0-3) were led by Ben Gordon with 15 points and former Bucks player Joe Smith, who came off the bench to score 14.
Chicago pulled within 75-70 on a reverse layup by Andres Nocioni with 2:07 left, and the Bucks had misses by Bobby Simmons and Redd, before a charging foul called on Redd with 33.7 seconds remaining.
After a Chicago timeout, Nocioni missed a three-pointer after a wild scramble, and Bell rebounded with 11.4 seconds to go and was fouled by Gordon.
Bell hit one of two free throws for a 76-70 lead. Bulls forward Luol Deng scored inside with nine seconds left, but Redd clinched the victory with a pair of free throws.
Bell finished the game at point guard and played 29 minutes while also spending time defending against Gordon.
"I thought Charlie Bell did a terrific job at both ends of the floor," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "He really guarded and set the tone for us out front."
The Bucks shot only 27% in the first half and were limited to two baskets in the second quarter, but they trailed just 35-32 at halftime.
Milwaukee fell behind, 33-21, before Yi and Redd led a second-quarter comeback that brought the Bucks within three.
In the third quarter, Yi kept up his solid play. He followed a blocked shot by teammate Desmond Mason with a jumper that gave the Bucks a 39-37 lead with 7:07 left in the period, getting the crowd out of its seats and forcing a Bulls timeout.
Later, Redd hit back-to-back three-pointers, the first off a Yi screen and the second boosting the Bucks' lead to 49-43 with 2:39 left in the quarter.
Reserve center Michael Ruffin started the final quarter with a dunk off a pass from Bell, pushing the margin to 58-48.
Bulls guards Kirk Hinrich and Gordon struggled with their shooting touch, and Deng was ineffective and spent much of the game on the bench. Deng finished with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes.
Hinrich was 3 for 12 and Gordon was 5 for 14 from the field. The Bulls shot 35%, sinking just 27 of 77 shots, while the Bucks were even worse at 33%, on 25 of 76 attempts.
But Milwaukee held a 10-point edge at the free throw line.
"I wouldn't say it was just one of those nights," Krystkowiak said. "I think there was a lot of energy on both teams. I don't think either team wanted to start out the season 0-3.
"It was a classic old heavyweight fight, really, Central Division. It set the game back a couple years. There weren't many open shots, a lot of challenges late in the shot clock. It kind of went down to the final rounds, and we made shots when we needed to."
Yi played a season-high 33 minutes and sank 6 of 15 from the field and 4 of 4 at the foul line, while grabbing eight rebounds and committing just three fouls.(4)
Yi shows his stuff in home opener
Michael Redd had a running mate in the third quarter in Saturday's home opener - none other than 7-foot rookie Yi Jianlian.
The Chinese power forward hit 4 of 7 shots for eight points in the decisive third quarter, to go along with four rebounds and two steals, on the way to his best performance since joining the Bucks.
Yi's showing - 16 points and eight rebounds in 33 productive minutes - helped the Bucks claim a 78-72 victory over the Chicago Bulls before a sellout Bradley Center crowd.
"He's full of energy," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "He's like a young colt running around. He hit some big shots for us. He's got a really nice stroke. He got his hands on a bunch of rebounds and battled inside against a formidable front line.
"There's been an awful lot of focus on this young man. It's a marathon for him. This was the third game, and finding some consistency is going to be a huge thing for him. Certainly this was big for his confidence. It's good for our team."
Yi set a few screens for Redd and popped out for wide-open jumpers just inside the arc, and he also helped free up Redd, who had 12 of his game-high 27 points in the third quarter. The Bucks trailed, 35-32, at halftime in the defensive struggle but outscored the Bulls, 24-13, in the third quarter.
One of the largest ovations of the night came when Desmond Mason swatted away a shot by Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas, and Yi took a pass from Mo Williams on the other end of the court and drained a jump shot, giving the Bucks a 39-37 lead.
Yi later found Williams in the corner for an open three-pointer, and the Bucks guard sank the shot for an eight-point lead late in the quarter.
"Their players are very strong, so I was boxing out and trying to get some rebounds," Yi said. "In the third quarter I was setting some screens for Michael Redd and getting the open shot off the pass. It feels good."
$ (6)
Raptors, red-hot Ford are next
The Bucks will face one of their former teammates on Tuesday night at the Bradley Center, when point guard T.J. Ford leads the Toronto Raptors into town.
Ford had a sensational game on Sunday at the Air Canada Centre, finishing with 32 points in the Raptors' 98-95 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics. Toronto rallied in the final quarter to send the game to overtime but was beaten on Ray Allen's three-pointer with 2 seconds left in the extra period.
Allen scored a game-high 33 points as Boston improved to 2-0, while Toronto dropped to 2-1. Kevin Garnett added 23 points and 13 rebounds for the vastly improved Celtics, and Chris Bosh had a double-double for Toronto with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Ford sank 3 three-pointers in overtime, including one that tied the score at 95 with 4 seconds to go. He had 11 points in the overtime period.
The eighth overall pick in the 2003 draft, Ford was with the Bucks for three seasons, although he missed the entire 2004-'05 campaign after undergoing spinal surgery. He was traded to Toronto in the summer of 2006 in the deal that brought forward Charlie Villanueva to the Bucks.$
Welcoming gesture
After the Milwaukee Bucks rewarded a sellout crowd in their home opener by holding off the suddenly charging Chicago Bulls, 78-72, last night in the Bradley Center, very excited fans exited the arena with smiles, along with green and red confetti draped around their necks.
Inside the bowels of the arena, where media scramble to get quotes to accompany their stories, there was a new look. A contingent of at least six Chinese members of the media were trying to figure out what undoubtedly was their first encounter with a NBA game.
Charles F. Gardner, who along with Tom Enlund, covers the Bucks and the NBA for the Journal Sentinel, saw this "confusion" and stepped in to offer advice.
He took the time to explain to the group that the locker rooms for both teams would not open up for interviews with players until 15 minutes after the game had ended. He added that interviews with coaches would happen right away (Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak walks past at this moment). As Charles continued to explain to one male member of the group, that person would then, in turn, translate it in Chinese to the group. This is the 14th season that I have been covering the Bucks and never, ever have I witnessed this type of exchange. And it was, well, very nice to see.
Yes, as Sports Editor of the Journal Sentinel, Charles does work for me. But it was, in my opinion, a wonderful gesture by a reporter who was on deadline himself at that time (and he knows full well that he simply can not miss a deadline, ever). Still, there he was, with a kind patience, explaining things so that the new media could navigate these waters, and file stories and video back to their respective news organizations.
Now, I know I have embarrassed Charlie G., but hey, he made the deadline and, considering the time constraints, it was that impressive an example of international diplomacy.$ (3)
Bucks pleased with defense
Were there actually signs of the Milwaukee Bucks playing defense in their season-opening, 78-72 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at the Bradley Center?
The Bucks sure thought so.
"We had some open shots and we missed some shots," said Bucks forward Desmond Mason. "Some of those shots were contested and some were open. Same on their end ... some of their shots were contested and some were open and they missed shots. If we're going to miss shots, we've got to play defense and I think we came through on that end."
Said guard Michael Redd: "We did a great job of really playing good defense. We got open shots and just couldn't make them and they defended too. Give them credit. They had open shots and they couldn't knock some shots down but we defended as well. So it was the balance of both."
Not only did the Bucks limit Chicago to a low point total, but the Bulls also managed to shoot just 35.1% for the game. The Bucks seemed to be in danger of being blown out in the second quarter when they made only 2-of-19 shots (10.5%) and scored 12 points, but Chicago was able to score only 16 points in that quarter on 31.7% shooting. The Bulls made only 4-of-16 shots in the third quarter (25.0%) as the Bucks started pulling away.
The Bucks even threw a little zone at the Bulls.
"We played 10 possessions of zone in the second quarter," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "It was effective. They only scored once. We played zone 10 times in the first half and they scored once. And it was similar to that in the second half. I think you can find a little bit of a mixure with zone.
"We fell back in zone after we scored, when we had an opportunity to get back. We came back man-to-man when we didn't score. That's too good of a team to let them run their stuff. They run some really good stuff. I thought maybe that was just enough (zone) to throw them a curveball."$ (2)
100 million Chinese watch Yi, Bucks
According to the official China Daily, all of basketball-mad China is excited about Yi Jianlian of the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to the report, which you can read here, Chinese television reported that 100 million Chinese watched the game between the Bucks and the Chicago Bulls.
In that game, which the Bucks won, 78-72, Yi had eight rebounds and scored 16 points.
$ (1)
Todd knows Raptors quite well
St. Francis - It's no surprise that Bucks assistant Jim Todd has played a special part in the preparations for Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors.
The coach everyone calls "JT" is quite familiar with the Raptors, after serving as an assistant under head coach Sam Mitchell in Toronto for the past three seasons.
So when Todd spoke about Andrea Bargnani, Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford during the Bucks' practice session today at the Cousins Center, he definitely had the players' attention.
Todd served on Mitchell's staff last season as Toronto won a franchise-record 47 games and captured the Atlantic Division title. Thus far this season, the Raptors are 2-1, with the loss coming in overtime against Boston on Sunday.
"They're one of the few teams in the league that can put five small guys out there, relatively speaking, with Chris (Bosh) being the 5 man and put four other shooters around him," Todd said. "You have five guys that can shoot the three.
"Or they can go big with (Jorge) Garbajosa, Andrea and Chris, with three-point shooters, also. There's not many teams that can do that. I think they're a better team than last year."
Todd said Ford has made big strides since coming to Toronto in a 2006 trade with the Bucks.
"T.J. has worked religiously on his shot since he was here (in Milwaukee) with coach Porter originally," Todd said. "If you saw him yesterday, he hit three crucial threes. He has more than adequate three-point range, and he and AI (Allen Iverson) are two of the quickest guys in the league. He causes a problem for everybody."
On Tuesday, Bucks rookie power forward Yi Jianlian will match up primarily against Bargnani, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, while Bucks center Andrew Bogut will more often be matched against Bosh.
"I think they're both very similiar," Todd said of Yi and Bargnani, two of the top foreign players to enter the NBA in the last two years. "It will be an interesting matchup.
"They both shoot the three. They both play inside. They both pass it well; they both handle it fairly well. They're both young and learning how to play better defense in the league. It's good for TV, too."
The game will be the first of three games between the Bucks and Raptors this season, and the only one to be played at the Bradley Center. The Bucks play in Toronto on Jan. 25 and April 9.
Toronto is among the league statistical leaders in several categories: first in three-point field goal percentage (50.8%), first in free throw percentage (86%), second in points allowed (88.0) and ninth in scoring (102.3).
$ (7)
About that new Bucks video
Fans who went to the Milwaukee Bucks' home opener on Saturday night were treated to the team's new player introduction video.
Produced by Purple Onion, a talented film and comercial production company in Milwaukee, the video features the music of Juelz Santana and his song, "The 2nd Coming."
You can see the video by going to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgzeLYQ4e-s.
Santana's tune, by the way, was featured in a Nike ad, which you can watch by going to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KLc9NeHq6o$ (1)
Brown takes reins in Coach K's absence
Bucks assistant coach Tony Brown received a call on his cell phone while he was shopping at a downtown Pick n' Save store this afternoon.
The caller was Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak, who was on his way to the hospital with his wife, Jan. She was due at any time in the past week to deliver twin girls, and apparently the time had arrived.
That meant Brown would take over as the Bucks acting head coach for the team's game tonight against the Toronto Raptors at the Bradley Center.
"I've got a feel for the talent on this team," Brown said, "the Michael Redds of the world, the (Andrew) Boguts, Mo Williams. Obviously we've got some good role players in Bobby Simmons and Charlie Bell.
"Hopefully I will come up with a plan to use those guys to help me win a game. I feel like I'm comfortable in those situations. Hopefully whatever's in my brain will come out the right way."
Brown said he coached a game for Boston last season when head coach Doc Rivers was absent due to the death of his father-in-law. The Celtics won that game at Indiana, but he said they lost two others when he subbed for Rivers after the Boston coach was ejected.
Brown said Krystkowiak offered no special advice before hurrying to the hospital.
"I think he probably just wanted to give me my room to figure it out for myself," Brown said. "Obviously, he wants our guys to play hard. We've had a couple ball games so far this year where our energy was a problem.
"Being at home, I hope our energy will be up and our focus will be a little bit better and we can get a complete game, instead of going through stretches where we're not playing well."
Brown, a Chicago native, played for the Bucks from 1988-'90 and spent seven seasons as an NBA player. He was a teammate of Krystkowiak's during his time in Milwaukee.
Brown is in his 11th season as an NBA assistant coach, following three years on the Celtics staff. He also spent one year in Toronto as the lead assistant to Kevin O'Neill, in 2003-'04.
During the game, the Bucks announced that the Krystkowiak twins had arrived at 7:42 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital.
$ (6)
Bucks rout Raptors, 112-85
Coach Larry Krystkowiak missed a good one on Tuesday night.
Krystkowiak was with his wife, Jan, who delivered twin girls at about the time the Bucks were starting their 112-85 rout of the Toronto Raptors at the Bradley Center. Assistant Tony Brown served as head coach in Krystkowiak's absence.
All five Bucks starters scored in double figures, led by Desmond Mason, who had 21 points and was 10 for 10 from the field. Michael Redd added 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists before exiting with 9 minutes 53 seconds left and the Bucks leading, 91-64.
Center Andrew Bogut had 12 points and 11 rebounds, while power forward Yi Jianlian added 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots. Point guard Mo Williams had 13 points and six assists as the Bucks improved to 2-2.
Mason and Bobby Simmons combined for 15-of-16 shooting at the small forward position and 32 points.
Toronto (2-2) lost its second straight game, following an overtime defeat against Boston on Sunday.
The Bucks led by as many as 36 points and shot 60.3% from the field. The last time Milwaukee shot 60% or better from the field was on March 28, 2006 against Phoenix (60.5%).
Raptors power forward Chris Bosh was limited to one point on 0-for-4 shooting and played just 16 minutes, and point guard T.J. Ford finished with eight points and six assists. The Bucks limited the high-powered Raptors offense to 41.6% shooting (32 of 77).
Reserve guard Juan Dixon led Toronto with 20 points, and Kris Humphries added 16.
Mason came close to the franchise record set by Vin Baker in 1997, who sank 13 of 13 shots in a single game.
$ (4)
Nothing but net for Mason
Bucks forward Desmond Mason is not known as a sharpshooter, but he certainly was on Tuesday night.
Mason hit all 10 shots he attempted from the field and finished with a game-high 21 points as the Bucks rolled past the Toronto Raptors, 112-85, at the Bradley Center.
The 6-foot-5 Mason scored 11 consecutive points for Milwaukee during the first quarter, helping the home team grab a 37-23 advantage. He scored on dunks, jump hooks and fadeaways, taking advantage of an early matchup against Raptors forward Jason Kapono.
"I got fouled on two but I still made them," Mason said. "Those are some lucky ones. Tonight the rim was big for me, and it was my night.
"My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball in places where I can operate. When I felt like I was doubled, I tried to get the ball out and guys were knocking shots down all over the place."
Mason has what looks like a drop shot from the baseline, one he used with great success against Toronto.
"It's a jump hook," Mason said. "I've been doing that jump hook since high school. I was a center in high school playing against a lot bigger guys, so I had to learn how to do something to get the ball over them.
"One of them was behind the backboard about 12 feet, and I have no idea how it went in, but I'll take it."
Mason was not far off the Bucks franchise record for perfection in a single game: Vin Baker sank 13 of 13 shots against the Charlotte Hornets in April 1997.
All of the Bucks starters shot 50% or better from the field: Mo Williams was 6 of 7, Michael Redd 7 of 14, Yi Jianlian 5 of 10 and Andrew Bogut 5 of 9. Bobby Simmons hit 5 of 6 shots as Mason's backup, and the team shot 60.3% (47 of 78).
"We really moved the ball and everybody got involved in the game," Mason said. "And the main thing is we had fun doing it."
Houston hype building for Yao vs. Yi
Yes, this is a big game in China.
Houston Rockets all-star center Yao Ming, fresh off a sterling performance in a victory over San Antonio on Tuesday, will play against 7-foot Bucks rookie and countryman Yi Jianlian on Friday night in Houston.
More than 100 million Chinese fans are expected to watch the game via a national telecast on CCTV or regional telecasts on networks in Shanghai and Guangdong province, to be aired live on Saturday morning in China. Yao is from Shanghai, and Yi played the past five seasons for the Guangdong Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.
"Yi and Yao. I'm sure there's going to be more Chinese media there than American media," Bucks guard Charlie Bell said of the probable scene at the Toyota Center. "Just to see how he (Yi) is handling it. Sometimes you look at him, you don't know he's that young, just the way he plays out there on the court.
"He's really unshaken by everything. He's so long, and he knows how to use his length. That's the key; he's smart. He's young, but his knowledge of basketball is huge."
Yi scored 12 points and added four rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in the Bucks' 112-85 victory over Toronto on Tuesday night. That followed his 16-point, eight rebound performance on Saturday in a victory over the Chicago Bulls.
"We've just got to keep him focused, though," Bucks guard Michael Redd of the hoopla surrounding Friday's game. "You've got to play basketball; it's Houston vs. Milwaukee. It's not Yi vs. Yao, even though it will be built up like that.
"We'll continue to shelter Yi from that as much as we can, within our team. I don't think he's worried about that at all, though. He's focusing on trying to win the game. It's big for the country, absolutely. It's a lot of pressure he's under, and Yao is obviously used to it now. But Yi is performing well under it."
Redd said he liked Yi's performance against Toronto, which included a strong defensive effort against Raptors center Andrea Bargnani. Yi hit 5 of 10 shots from the field and again showed his range from the perimeter.
"He's improving," Redd said. "If he can continue to stretch the defense the way he's doing, and at the same time be a playmaker out of it, it's going to make us extra, extra good."
Yao scored 28 points and also had 13 rebounds and six assists in the Rockets' 89-81 victory over the defending league champion Spurs on Tuesday.
"Yao definitely is a force now," Redd said. "You've got to double-team him now. Tracy (McGrady) has helped that, too. He's definitely somebody you've got to worry about, which frees up Yao sometimes and frees up Tracy sometimes."
Houston is off to an impressive 4-1 start under new coach Rick Adelman, with its only loss coming at Dallas on Monday night.
"Houston is one of those teams, when they're healthy, they're tough to beat," Bell said. "They remind you of the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe. They've got that inside-outside presence. You've got to double-team the post, and you've got to watch where McGrady is. It's going to be tough."
$ (8)
Coach K sees circle of life
St. Francis - Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak was back with his team during today's practice session at the Cousins Center.
It had been a whirlwind in less than 48 hours for Krystkowiak, who was on hand as his wife, Jan, gave birth to twin daughters at a Milwaukee hospital Tuesday night. Then he got a private plane Wednesday morning and flew to Shelby, Mont., where he attended the funeral of his uncle, Marion "Swede" Krystkowiak.
Now it's on to Houston and San Antonio, where the Bucks will face two of the NBA's top teams this weekend.
"I'm running on a little adrenaline," Krystkowiak said. "We go out on the road for a couple games and focus a little bit, and everything is in order at home. Life is great. I couldn't ask for anything better."
Krystkowiak said the daughters are Samantha Ann and Finley Jo. They will join three brothers in the Krystkowiak household: Cameron, 8, Luc, 6, and Ben, 5.
"We liked (the name) Fin for a boy or a girl," Krystkowiak said. "Finny seems like it might work over the years, Finny and Sam. They're stuck with them now.
"She (Jan) had about six different choices, and I told her from the beginning it would be her final decision on the names. She went through all the work with them. She told me last night when I got back from Montana what we were naming the girls."
Krystkowiak traveled back to his boyhood hometown to attend the funeral for his uncle, who served as a father figure to him. Marion Krystkowiak, 79, was living with coach Krystkowiak's brother, Bernie.
"It was really a surprising deal," Krystkowiak said. "It was the fifth night at my brother's house, and my brother went to get him up, and he had his arms crossed with a smile on his face.
"He was a roofer, and he was doing that as recently as four or five weeks ago. He was a young 79. It took a little air out of sails.
"But symbolically, we were in the delivery room having the girls at the same moment that my brother was in Montana during the rosary at the service the night before. So it was kind of like passing the torch from one person to the next."
$ (2)
Sessions sent to D-League
St. Francis - The Bucks assigned rookie point guard Ramon Sessions to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, general manager Larry Harris announced today.
The move was made following practice today at the Cousins Center, and Sessions took part in the entire practice session.
The 21-year-old Sessions was the 56th overall pick in the June draft. He played with the Bucks' summer league team in Las Vegas and also appeared during the exhibition season, but he was inactive for all four of the Bucks' regular-season games.
The Bucks are using Royal Ivey as their third point guard, behind Mo Williams and Charlie Bell.
"This is an opportunity for Ramon to see regular minutes and further develop his skills," Harris said.
Sessions will play under coach Joey Meyer in Tulsa. The 66ers have served as the Bucks' D-League affiliate since the 2005-'06 season.
The 6-foot-3 Sessions played three seasons at Nevada and was a second-team all-Western Athletic Conference player as a junior.
Yi, Yao sound wakeup call for China
St. Francis - Yi Jianlian is fully aware that millions of his countrymen - possibly up to 250 million - will turn on their television sets Saturday morning in China to see history in the making.
They will witness the first on-court meeting between Yi and Houston Rockets all-star center Yao Ming, as the Bucks visit the Rockets at Houston's Toyota Center. Game time will be 7:30 p.m. Friday here.
"You just play a game, though," Yi said after the Bucks' practice session today. "Your mind just thinks about playing a game."
Among the millions watching will be Yi's parents, who live in Shenzhen in Guangdong province, in southern China.
"They're at home," Yi said. "They'll wake up early and watch the game."
Yi has played with Yao as a member of the Chinese national team, but never against him as a player for another team.
"He is a success in the NBA right now," Yi said. "He's one of the best centers in the league, and the Chinese fans are proud of him."
Yao has taken an interest in Yi's early showing and asked for video clips of Yi's 16-point, eight-rebound performance against the Chicago Bulls.
"The first time I saw him, in 2004 for the Olympic training camp, I knew one day he would play here," Yao told the Houston Chronicle. "Already, he's shown some part of it, in his first four games."
Yi likely will match up against Rockets starting power forward Chuck Hayes and another international player in his first year in the league - Luis Scola of Argentina. Bucks 7-foot center Andrew Bogut will draw the primary defensive assignment against Yao, although Yi and Yao could be matched up on occasion.
All the media attention is unlikely to rattle Yi or the Bucks, who face a tough Texas trip to Houston and defending NBA champion San Antonio this weekend.
"I think there were 100 million (Chinese fans) watching our Bulls game," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "As long as they're not in my ear yelling at me, it makes it pretty easy.
"It's exciting for us. It has raised the level of awareness in a lot of different ways. I think our guys know they're being watched a bit closer.
"It doesn't hurt our effort at all. I think it's important to know there are people following you and keeping track of you. It creates a little more sense of urgency and accountability for all of us."
Kohl optimistic about Bucks
U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, who is the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, made an appearance the other day on Marty Greenberg's sports business TV show, which is carried on Channel 32 in Milwaukee on the Time Warner Cable system.
Kohl normally doesn't say much about his business. But Greenberg, who is an old friend of Kohl's, got the Democratic senator to open up a little about his legacy and this year's version of the Bucks.
Here are a couple of comments that Kohl made:
* Kohl said his greatest accomplishment as an owner (he bought the team in 1985 for $18.7 million) is that the Bucks "are still here."
* He said this year's team "if the fortunes are not against us" has a chance to "send people home happy on a regular basis."
* He described recent changes in revenue sharing in the National Basketball Association as "very modest" and "fairly meager." He said he hoped that, in five years, there will be a more "munificent" adustment to revenue sharing. "I'm optimistic it will grow in the years to come," he said.
Kohl is among a group of owners who has pushed for more revenue sharing. In the NBA, revenue sharing among teams lags badly behind Major League Baseball and the National Football League.
Kohl reiterated his pledge that when the day comes to sell the franchise, he would make sure the new owner keeps the team in Milwaukee.
In an earlier interview with the Journal Sentinel, Kohl credited the Bucks business and basketball staffs for their work during the off-season.
"Our business operation has worked really hard to see to it that our sales were up to standard," Kohl said. "It's always a little harder after a tough season. That's the way it works, you know.
"Last year we had a tough season, and the off-season requirements were working harder than we've ever worked before. We had a lot of help from the basketball people, the players, the coaches, the general manager.
"Everyone understood we had to have a pedal-to-the-metal kind of approach to make sure we maintained our revenue base, which we did."
Kohl played a critical role in the team's negotiations to bring Chinese power forward and first-round draft choice Yi Jianlian to the Bucks. After expressing initial reluctance to join the Bucks, Yi and his representatives met with Kohl and general manager Larry Harris in Hong Kong and signed a contract on Aug. 29.
Tonight, Yi will face all-star center Yao Ming in an eagerly awaited matchup as the Bucks play the Rockets in Houston, and it's possible 200 to 250 million fans will watch telecasts of the game in China.
"Yi is going to be great," Kohl said. "He really does bring a lot of excitement to our franchise. He's a personality as well as a player.
"He's very athletic, with a lot of skills. And his attitude is such that it will promote his growth."
Houston beats Bucks
Houston - Yes, there finally was a National Basketball Association game played here Friday night and it was a good one.
After days of hype and with millions watching on television in China, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets defeated Yi Jianlian and the Milwaukee Bucks, 104-88, at the Toyota Center.
It was the first time the two Chinese players went against each other in the NBA.
"Somebody said something about maybe 500 million people in China watching the game," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "I can't comprehend that many people, but it's exciting for us, exciting for Yi, and obviously, it's good for NBA basketball. It's kind of a win-win for everyone involved."
Friday's victory, though, went to the Rockets. Yao led Houston with 28 while Michael Redd scored 26 for Milwaukee. Yi finished with 19 points and nine rebounds.
Both teams had trouble finding the range early in the game as Milwaukee made two of its first 12 shots while Houston sank three of its first 10 shots. Neither team led by more than five and Houston held a 25-24 lead after one quarter.
With McGrady on the bench, Houston went off on a 16-1 run to start the second quarter. Yao scored eight of those points. The Bucks missed their first six shots and turned the ball over three times. A jumper by Yi with 7:52 left was the Bucks first basket of the quarter and cut Houston's lead to 40-28 but, shooting 34.7%, the Bucks trailed at halftime, 50-41.
Yi, who had a quiet two-point first half, got hot in the third quarter. He sank his first four shots - one a three-pointer - and two free throws as Milwaukee cut Houston's lead to 66-60 with 5:34 left. The Bucks later closed to within five but Houston guard Mike James banked in a three-pointer in the final minute to give the Rockets a 78-70 lead after three quarters.
A three-pointer by forward Charlie Villanueva helped the Bucks trim the lead to three early in the fourth quarter, and a three by Yi cut the lead to 84-82 with 6:12 left. But the Rockets then scored the next 14 points.
Different kind of matchup for Yi
The 6-foot-6, 238-pounds Hayes is averaging 8.2 rebounds per game and is known for his physical style of play.
"It's going to be a challenge for (Yi)," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak at the team's morning shoot around. "Chucky is smaller and stronger and is an offensive rebounder…a banger. It'll be a little different look than (
Said Yi, "He's a strong rebounder and a strong player overall. He's a good opponent."
Krystkowiak had some fun with some of the international reporters who were hoping to see Yi matched up against
"You want to see Yi and
According to the NBA, 14 reporters from 10 Chinese media outlets (television and print) were credentialed to cover the game, including CCTV, GDTV, Shanghai TV and Sohu.com.
The game will air on 19 television stations in Greater China (including CCTV5), two websites (NBA.com/China and Sohu.com) and Kong will make the game available on a live basis via the NBA mobile site in China. All will take the game live, except for ESPN in
The NBA is conducting a viewing party in
About those millions of Chinese viewers
The wire-service coverage of the big matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets - featuring Yi Jianlian and Yao Ming - noted that an estimated 100 to 200 million people watched the game Friday night.
Says who? we wondered. So we asked the National Basketball Association how the world's most populous and its TV networks measure audience share. According to an NBA spokesman, the Chinese networks, just like their American counterparts, get their numbers from Chinese companies that track viewership.
Just like Nielsen does in this country, we were told.
As the season unfolds for Yi and the Bucks, we'll track those numbers and hopefully find out more. In the meantime, it's safe to say a whole lot of Chinese enjoyed Friday night's game.
$ (1)
Bucks to take on the Spurs
San Antonio - The Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to continue an amazing run of success against San Antonio when they take on the defending-champion Spurs at the AT&T Center on Sunday night.
Over the last eight seasons, the Bucks have posted a league-best 10-6 record against San Antonio. No other team in the league has a winning record against the Spurs over that span and no other team has won the season series with San Antonio four times, as the Bucks have done during that time.
Last season, the Bucks shot 56.8% - a Spurs opponent season-high - in their victory at San Antonio. The Bucks also beat San Antonio on March 15 at the Bradley Center in Larry Krystkowiak's first game since taking over for Terry Stotts.
"We match up pretty well against them," said Bucks center Andrew Bogut. "I think it'll be a close game (Sunday) because every time we play them it's a good game."
If the Bucks are going to have any chance of beating San Antonio, they will have to shoot better than they did in Friday's loss to Houston. The Bucks shot 38.1% against the Rockets and felt they missed far too many open looks.
"I had great looks but I couldn't knock them down," said guard Michael Redd who made 8-of-22 shots against Houston. "It was a challenge and you have to give their defense credit. I'll be back."$ (3)
Spurs rout Bucks
With millions of new fans now watching their games in China and drawing large crowds so far in NBA arenas, the Bucks have been under the spotlight much more this season than they have in seasons past.
"I think it's a benefit for our guys…to have extra attention and people following us around," said Krystkowiak during the team's weekend trip through
The Bucks scored a big victory here last season but had no such luck this time as the Spurs dominated from beginning to end. Manu Ginobili led a balance Spurs attack with 21 points while Mo Williams led the Bucks with 17.
The Spurs stuck it to the Bucks early, making 10 of their first 12 shots and jumping out to a 23-14 lead. Getting to the hoop with ease, the Spurs shot 68.2%, scored 20 points in the paint, and led after one quarter, 36-24. Ginobili sank a lean-in, one handed, off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Spurs their 12-point lead.
After last Friday's loss in Houston, Krystkowiak said that he wanted to try a different combination of players at the start of the second quarter and he did just that, going with a unit consisting of Royal Ivey, Charlie Bell, Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons, and Michael Ruffin. But the Spurs kept the hammer down anyway and, scoring from inside and out, held a 54-31 lead midway through the second quarter.
Ginobili scored 18 points for
The Spurs led by 40 late in the third quarter as fans amused themselves by trying to get the wave started.
$ (3)
Voskuhl makes most of chance
St. Francis - Veteran center Jake Voskuhl played a total of 5 minutes 7 seconds in the Bucks' first five games.
But the 6-foot-11 Voskuhl got his chance in the Bucks' blowout loss to San Antonio on Sunday night, and he made a positive impression with five points and seven rebounds in 10 minutes, while matching up against Spurs all-star power forward Tim Duncan.
That could translate into more playing time as the team returns home for games against Memphis on Wednesday and Atlanta on Saturday.
"I thought he did great," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "He worked his tail off and he boarded and defended.
"He was one of the people who had the approach to the game that he wasn't willing to accept getting kicked. We just kind of took every one of their punches and really didn't fight back. I thought Jake was one of the few people who was really trying to make a statement."
Michael Ruffin played 12 minutes off the bench, but Dan Gadzuric did not play against San Antonio after appearing in the Bucks' first five games. Gadzuric has been bothered by a left knee injury, but he was able to take part in the team's afternoon practice at the Cousins Center.
"We're going to have to start shortening the rotation," said Krystkowiak, who is trying to find a bench unit that will produce consistently. "I'm not saying that Danny is one of the guys, but there's going to be a few guys on the outside looking in, I'm afraid. That's the nature of it.
"Hopefully, we'll get some guys to rise up and start clicking."
Voskuhl said it's not a surprise the Bucks are having a few problems developing the right chemistry, considering the new players on the roster. He also pointed out that some of the returning Bucks players were injured most of last season.
"It's important for us not to get wrapped up in the moment, that oh, man, we had a horrible game against San Antonio," Voskuhl said. "That's over and done with. We just have to move forward on coming together as a team."
Voskuhl, who signed a one-year deal as a free agent in the off-season, said he was not frustrated about his lack of playing time in the first few games.
"Mentally I've taken the approach that I'm going to work hard every day," the former Connecticut player said. "I haven't really spoken with coach about it.
"Sometimes you don't need to talk about it, you've just got to throw it up and go play. I'm grateful I was given the opportunity, and I had fun out there."
$ (6)
Ruffin out 4 to 6 weeks
St. Francis - Bucks backup center/forward Michael Ruffin fractured his left wrist in the team's 113-88 loss at San Antonio on Sunday, and he will be out from four to six weeks, according to team officials.
Ruffin showed up at practice today with his left hand in a cast, after a medical exam revealed the fracture.
"Unfortunately, it's part of the game," Ruffin said. "You have to take the good with the bad. It gives other people an opportunity to come in, step up and play well. I'll do whatever I can to be ready when I come back."
Ruffin suffered the injury in the second half against San Antonio when he went high to block a shot.
"I had my legs taken out from under me and I landed on my left wrist," Ruffin said.
Ruffin had played in all six games this season and was averaging 0.8 points and 1.0 rebounds. He had played a total of 46 minutes in a backup role.
"He's been working his tail off, as have a lot of guys on this team, and it's unfortunate but it's an opportunity for some other guys to step up," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "It's really the first significant injury we've had, so this is where some of the depth of our roster comes in with Jake (Voskuhl) and Danny (Gadzuric).
"When you're allowed to hold onto 15 guys, it makes a big difference. This opportunity allows another guy to step forward."
The Bucks held a spirited practice as they prepared for Wednesday night's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
"They've got a solid team," Krystkowiak said. "They've got (Pau) Gasol and (Darko) Milicic inside, and they have (Mike) Miller, who is a heck of a shooter. Rudy Gay is playing with a lot of confidence on the perimeter."
The Grizzlies (1-4) are at home tonight against the Houston Rockets, off to a 6-1 start. Memphis just completed a three-game swing against Western Conference foes - it beat Seattle in the opening game of the trip before losing to Portland and Utah.
$ (2)
Grizzlies cool off Rockets
The Memphis Grizzlies are heading to Milwaukee tonight after posting an impressive 105-99 victory over the Houston Rockets at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
Power forward Pau Gasol led the Grizzlies with 26 points and six rebounds, and center Darko Milicic added 20 points (9-of-14 shooting) and six rebounds. Shooting guard Mike Miller had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Memphis (2-4) was able to withstand a 41-point showing by Rockets guard Tracy McGrady, and center Yao Ming added 22 points.
The Grizzlies had a huge advantage at the foul line, sinking 34 of 41 attempts while the Rockets (6-2) converted 17 of 24. Gasol was 14 of 17 from the line.
Second-year point guard Kyle Lowry came off the bench for Memphis and contributed nine points, eight rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes.
The Bucks and Grizzlies will play at the Bradley Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday, in the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They will meet in Memphis on Feb. 5.
Four Bucks on all-star ballot
Voting for the NBA All-Star Game officially begins on Thursday, after the ballot was unveiled at a ceremony in New Orleans today.
The Bucks have four players on the Eastern Conference ballot: guards Michael Redd and Mo Williams, forward Charlie Villanueva and center Andrew Bogut.
A total of 60 players were listed in each conference, and those names were picked by a panel of media experts. The panel consisted of Ric Bucher of ESPN the Magazine, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, David DuPree of USA Today, Ernie Johnson of TNT, Jack McCallum of Sports Illustrated, Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express News and Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune.
Fans will be able to vote at NBA arenas, at T-Mobile retail locations and online at NBA.com. Online voting continues through Jan. 20, and other balloting ends on Jan. 13. The All-Star Game is scheduled to be played at New Orleans Arena on Feb. 17.
The Hornets have returned to New Orleans on a fulltime basis this season after playing a majority of games the past two seasons in Oklahoma City, due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
The Bucks have not had an all-star representative since 2004, when Redd played in the game in Los Angeles and contributed 13 points, three steals and three rebounds for the East squad.
Absent from the ballot were Bucks rookie power forward Yi Jianlian and starting small forward Desmond Mason.
$ (19)
Bucks hold off Grizzlies, 102-99
The Milwaukee Bucks stayed perfect at the Bradley Center with a 102-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
The Bucks improved to 3-4 overall and 3-0 at home behind Michael Redd's 31 points, and center Andrew Bogut contributed a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Desmond Mason sank a 14-foot jump shot with 13.6 seconds left, giving the Bucks a 100-98 edge. Mason took a handoff from point guard Mo Williams and worked off Williams' screen to sink the shot over Memphis forward Darko Milicic.
Williams then stripped the ball from Grizzlies guard Kyle Lowry on a drive to the basket, and Williams was fouled with 7.1 seconds remaining and sank both free throws.
Bogut blocked a shot by Mike Miller but was called for a foul, and Miller sank one of two free throws with 2.5 seconds to go, missing the second intentionally.
Pau Gasol wound up with a potential game-tying three-pointer from the right corner, but his shot was challenged by Yi Jianlian, and the attempt bounced off the rim as time expired..
Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies (2-5) with 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting, Miller added 17 points and Gasol 16.
Milwaukee held a 89-78 lead when Bogut sank two free throws with 8:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Memphis rallied with a 8-0 run, keyed by Miller's three-point basket after a Grizzlies offensive rebound.
A three-point shot by Gay tied the score at 98 with 34.4 seconds left, setting up the wild finish.
The Bucks shot only 34.6% in the first half yet held a 47-41 lead at intermission. Milwaukee improved to 64.7% shooting (22 of 34) in the second half. Redd sank 7 of 10 shots in the half and 4 of 5 from three-point range.
"We wanted to try to establish the post a little bit, and we got Desmond some looks," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "We tried to be a little more aggressive, and obviously Michael got heated up from the perimeter, and that certainly helped.
"I thought we did a decent job defending. They had a lot of different weapons, and the defense is basically what kept us in the game and gave us a chance."
Mason had 15 points, five rebounds and three steals, and Charlie Villanueva added 13 points off the bench. Yi had six points and a team-high 13 rebounds in 34 minutes.
Abdul-Jabbar is coming back
Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be back in Milwaukee on Nov. 21 to attend the Milwaukee Bucks-Los Angeles Lakers game.
Abdul-Jabbar will participate in a halftime ceremony to re-dedicate his retired jersey number banner. Abdul-Jabbar wore the number 33.
The ceremony is the first of the 40th anniversary season which will feature retired banner number re-dedication ceremonies.
Abdul-Jabbar played six seasons with the Bucks, helping the team win four division titles, two conference titles and one NBA championship.
$ (22)
Conley makes a contribution
Mike Conley didn't play at all in the Memphis Grizzlies' 105-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
But one night later, he was on the court for 18 minutes and played a key role in a comeback that fell just short against the Bucks in the Grizzlies' 102-99 defeat at the Bradley Center. The rookie from Ohio State and No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft had six points and six assists in 18 minutes, and he played in tandem with point guard Kyle Lowry in the fourth quarter.
"It's going to be game-to-game, but I think they can play effectively together," Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said of the two point guards. "They had (Michael) Redd out and that allowed us to go with that matchup, but once they brought Redd back in we had to make a decision and we decided to go back traditional."
That meant when Redd replaced guard Charlie Bell with 3:16 remaining, Conley left the game about a minute later.
Conley had two points and three assists in an 8-minute stint in the final quarter, and he helped rally the Grizzlies from an 11-point deficit.
"We fought back in it with our two guards, Lowry and Conley," Iavaroni said. "They got us back into it and made some big plays. Rudy Gay was a definite force out there. He carried us on his shoulders offensively. We just couldn't make the big play at the end."
Conley, who helped lead Ohio State to the national championship game last season as a freshman, has played in four of Memphis' seven games. He had 10 points and nine assists while playing 23 minutes at Utah on Saturday.
"It would be nice if he were getting minutes every single night," Iavaroni said. "He's playing very well in practice. If there's a guy who understands the big picture, Mike Conley is the guy."
Gay, the second-year forward from Connecticut, finished with a team-high 26 points. Lowry had six points, three rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes, while starting point guard Damon Stoudamire played just 16 minutes (seven points, five assists).
It doesn't get any easier for the Grizzlies (2-5), who have back-to-back games against Southwest Division rivals New Orleans and Dallas on Friday and Saturday.
$ (1)
Yi continues to impress
Bucks officials have to be smiling about the play of rookie Yi Jianlian, who has adapted quickly to the NBA game and fit smoothly into the team's starting lineup.
The 7-footer from China has emerged as one of the league's best rookies in the early stages of the season, and already a few observers think he is the best.
Yi scored only six points in the Bucks' 102-99 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, but he grabbed 13 rebounds while playing 34 minutes. His shooting touch was off (3 of 12), but Yi still found ways to contribute, including grabbing seven offensive rebounds.
"He's done a great job," said Bucks center Andrew Bogut. "He's going to have games where he doesn't score the ball well. Once he learns that getting rebounds, blocking shots and playing 'D', you can still stay on the court.
"A lot of guys don't understand that in the league. It takes guys two or three years to figure that out. Just because you're not scoring, you can still do other things. That's what I've been trying to do; the games I haven't been scoring well, I try to play defense and rebound."
Yi used his length to contest a right-handed hook shot by Pau Gasol down the stretch, forcing a key miss as the Bucks held on to a narrow lead.
"He looks very calm and confident; he knows his game," said Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni, who also saw Yi with the Chinese national team in the NBA Summer League. "He doesn't hesitate very much at all.
"He goes a little bit like (countryman) Yao Ming; one step at a time. You never see him expecting so much from himself."
Gasol, the 7-foot power forward who helped lead Spain to the gold medal in the 2006 World Championships, entered the NBA during the 2001-'02 season and won the league's rookie of the year award.
"I'm not really good on comparisons," Iavaroni said. "I see a poise in both of them. That's something you see from players who are going to be very, very good in this league.
"They start off with a poise, and now they build on that. They get respect from officials, they make successful plays and their confidence grows quickly."
Do international players have the ability to make a quicker adjustment to the league than young players coming out of the American college game?
"I don't think it has to do with borders," Iavaroni said. "It has to do with temperament and personality and talent and skill."
$ (8)
Yi not star-struck over ballot
Rookie forward Yi Jianlian was left off the NBA's all-star ballot, an oversight that might not suit the league's burgeoning fan base in China.
But Yi professed not to be bothered by the slight, even though Yao Ming was on the ballot as a rookie and was elected to the 2003 All-Star Game. Yao was the No. 1 overall selection by Houston in the 2002 draft, while Yi was taken sixth overall by the Bucks this year.
"For me, the most important thing is the games (with the Bucks)," Yi said after practice today, as the team prepared for Saturday night's home game against Atlanta. "Not the All-Star Game. The rookie year is for me to enjoy, and maybe I can be in the All-Star Game next year or later.
"I'll still have a chance. For me, it's not very important right now."
The only rookies listed on the ballot were Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics and Luis Scola of the Houston Rockets, both in the Western Conference. The 120 names on the ballot (60 in each conference) were selected by a media panel.
"I think we all know what would have happened had he been on the ballot, based on population numbers," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "I don't think it matters to Yi if he's an all-star. Nobody knew at the time he would be playing.
"With all the trials and tribulations over the summer, we didn't know he was going to be in a Bucks uniform."
There is a place for a write-in vote on the online ballot, so it will be interesting to see if Yi still gets a boost from Chinese fans. And it's possible that Bucks guard Michael Redd, a member of Team USA but absent from the All-Star Game since 2004, could get some votes from basketball fans in Asia.
The four Bucks on the ballot are Redd, center Andrew Bogut, guard Mo Williams and forward Charlie Villanueva.
By the way, how did Yao do in his initial all-star appearance? He had two points and two rebounds in 17 minutes in the game played in Atlanta.
Yao has appeared in four all-star games, with his best showing coming in 2004 when he scored 16 points.
$ (6)
Bucks hold off Hawks, 105-96
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith was nearly unstoppable with 38 points, but the Milwaukee Bucks made clutch plays down the stretch to take a 105-96 victory at the Bradley Center on Saturday night.
The Bucks (4-4) stayed perfect at home with a 4-0 mark, behind 21 points each from Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd. Charlie Villanueva scored 17 points in a key reserve role, and he added seven rebounds and three assists.
Bogut also pulled down 10 rebounds, giving him a second consecutive double-double, and had four blocked shots and three steals.
Point guard Mo Williams added 11 points and 10 assists, and Desmond Mason and Bobby Simmons each had 10 points.
The Hawks' Smith hit 13 of 22 shots from the field and 12 of 16 free throws, and it wasn't a certainty he would play due to a quadriceps injury that sidelined him on Friday against Seattle.
"It was incredible," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "He didn't play last night, and he got himself charged up.
"When you see some buckets going in and you're dunking like he was dunking, I think a guy plays with an awful lot of energy. That was a little bit of a new experience for us, to have a team attack you the way they did tonight."
A flagrant-1 foul called against Bogut helped the Hawks get within a point, as Smith sank two free throws to bring the Hawks within 95-94 with 3:03 remaining. Moments later, Bogut took a charge on a drive by Joe Johnson, even though the Bucks center had five fouls.
A tip-in by Bogut off a Redd miss made it 97-94, but Smith countered with a scoop shot for Atlanta (3-6) to pull the Hawks within one.
The Bucks then scored the final eight points of the game, getting a driving layup by Redd for a 99-96 lead with 1:56 left. Williams found Bogut with a nice feed inside for a basket, pushing the Bucks' margin to 101-96 with 1:14 to go.
"Mo is doing a real good job of penetrating," Bogut said. "He's not looking to score as much, and I think it's really helping us. He's probing a bit more and trying to hit guys and get other guys going."
Williams sank two free throws after being fouled by Childress with 33.4 seconds left, then stole an inbounds pass from Childress and raced in uncontested for a layup to finish the scoring with 28.8 seconds to go.
The Bucks held a 57-46 halftime lead, helped by 12 points each from Redd and Bogut. Villanueva came off the bench and contributed 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in 13 minutes, after starter Yi Jianlian encountered early foul trouble.
Atlanta shot 57% in the first half but had 16 fewer shot attempts than the Bucks and was outrebounded, 24-14.
A dunk by Bogut and jump hook by Mason helped the Bucks extend their lead to 66-51 with 8:25 left in the third quarter.
"It was great to win at home," Bogut said. "The fans were cheering and it was loud in the building for once. I think if we can keep doing that, the fans will come in truckloads and we can get some sellouts."
$ (3)
An energy game
Milwaukee Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak could sense that his players were tired during their game against the Memphis Grizzlies last Wednesday. The Bucks were not playing as actively against
The Bucks managed to beat the Grizzlies and Krystkowiak then obliged his players by giving them a day off on Thursday which helped them re-charge their batteries for Saturday's game against
"I just remember thinking during the
Krystkowiak thinks the Bucks got worn down after returning from last weekend's trip to
"I sensed that guys got rid of their little hitch in their giddy-up," said Krystkowiak. "It looked like we got our kinks out. There was a little more spark to us. The thing I think that might have gotten us more than anything was when we got back from that trip. We practiced late in the day and we ended up leaving the gym at 5 at night. Then we came in and practiced at 11 the next morning. So you're basically in the middle of preseason (situation) with two-a-days where we had a 15 hour turnaround to the next practice. I thought that took a bit of the air out of our sails."
$ (1)
Stars will be out this week
St. Francis - It's time to see some stars for the Bucks, who will face LeBron James and Kobe Bryant on back-to-back nights this week.
The Bucks play at Cleveland on Tuesday night, then turn around to face Bryant and the Lakers at the Bradley Center on Wednesday night. If that isn't enough, they get Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks at home on Saturday night.
"LeBron obviously is going to be a load," Bucks guard Michael Redd said. "We've got to be able to hinder him. The thing about it is, he had eight points (in a game at Milwaukee) last year and they still beat us. We've got to be able to contain everybody else around us, too. Drew Gooden and (Zydrunas) Ilgauskas, they'll go to them more because of Larry Hughes being out and a couple other guys being out."
The Bucks are coming off back-to-back home-court victories, but they remain winless (0-4) on the road.
"We've got to get a win on the road; I can't emphasize that enough," Redd said. "We've got to be able to win on the road in order to be true contenders.
"And if you look at the standings, we've got an opportunity to move up in the standings, too. These are two good games we could definitely win."
The Bucks (4-4) will enter play on Tuesday tied with the Cavaliers (5-5), one game behind Central Division leader Detroit (6-4).
The Lakers and Cavaliers rank Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the league in rebounding, so that will be a major focus for the Bucks. Los Angeles is averaging 46.8 rebounds and Cleveland is at 46.6, while Milwaukee ranks 10th in the league at 44.3 and is allowing opponents just 41.6 rebounds per game.
"Both those teams do a nice job of getting on the glass, and they have some bigger bodies," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "If you think about playing with LeBron, there's going to be a lot of opportunities, a lot of attention on him.
"If I were a big playing with him, I'd probably be trying to get my hands on some rebounds, and the same thing goes with Kobe. You can't lose sight of the five-person attack. You've got to stay locked in with those guys to the end of the possession."
The Bucks have lost eight straight games to the Cavaliers in Cleveland, a streak that dates to Jan. 6, 2003, when George Karl was still Milwaukee's coach.
Kareem recalls Milwaukee days
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA most valuable player awards, and three of those MVP trophies came while he played for the Bucks at the start of his Hall of Fame career.
Now 60 years old and serving as a special assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar talked about the state of the game and his time in Milwaukee at an informal news conference today at the Bradley Center. He will have his retired jersey No. 33 re-dedicated at a halftime ceremony when the Bucks meet the Lakers on Wednesday night.
Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to their only league championship, during the 1970-''71 season, and to a Western Conference title in 1973-'74, when the Bucks lost in a memorable finals series to Boston in seven games.
"Beating the (Baltimore) Bullets in 1971, you can't do any better than that," Abdul-Jabbar said. "I think even more memorable in some ways was the close call we had in '74 where we almost beat the Celtics.
"That's one I've remembered over the years as one that got away. We really had the better team when we were at full strength."
Abdul-Jabbar's famed sky hook won Game 6 in overtime at Boston Garden, but the Celtics won Game 7 in Milwaukee at the Arena.
"I played the whole game, including the overtime, and I remember how tired I was," Abdul-Jabbar said. "We had to come back home and play Game 7. The first night home I was so wired that I couldn't sleep. It was tough to try to come back and win that, but we just didn't have the horses."
Abdul-Jabbar recalled the difference guard Oscar Robertson made after being acquired by the Bucks in a trade in April 1970.
"When you play with a player like Oscar, you're playing with a master," Abdul-Jabbar said. "Oscar could run the break, and that was our trademark, speed.
"We didn't have bruiser guys; I certainly wasn't a bruiser. Look at the picture out there of me and Wilt (Chamberlain), and I'm the skinny guy in all these photos. I also was the fastest guy out there at my position. We used our speed to great advantage. Our front line was probably the fastest, with Greg Smith and Bobby Dandridge, and Oscar knew how to orchestrate the offense and exploit that. Oscar's basketball I.Q., he was like Einstein."
Kareem went on to win five more NBA championships with the Lakers, finally ending his NBA career in 1989, at the age of 42.
Asked if any NBA big men have come along to rival him or Bill Russell or Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar was frank.
"I don't see anyone," he said. "Not that has the basketball I.Q. and physical gifts. The young man playing for Orlando (Dwight Howard), wow. He's a physical specimen, but he's still learning.
"I started playing organized ball in the fourth grade, and by the time I was in the ninth grade, I was a vet. It sounds strange, but it's true. That's what these kids miss out on."
Abdul-Jabbar said players coming directly out of high school to the NBA are missing out on valuable experiences. He cited the mentoring done while he was at UCLA by the legendary coach, John Wooden.
"He was an English teacher, and I remember being on road trips with him," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He talked to me about the correct use of the semi-colon and parentheses. You guys have got spell-check; I had John Wooden."
Abdul-Jabbar has served as a mentor to Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who was selected out of high school in the 2005 draft and was the youngest player to play in an NBA regular-season game (18 years, 6 days).
"He didn't start playing basketball until he got into high school, and he never played a complete high school season," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He ended up coming into the professional ranks with a great physical gift - his size and agility - but he knew very little about the game.
"My job basically was to shorten his learning time, and he's really having a significant impact on the games this year. He seems to have gotten it."
Abdul-Jabbar has written six books, including one on a World War II tank battalion and another about his time on the White Mountain Apache reservation in Arizona. He believes professional athletes have an obligation to speak about social concerns and share with others.
"They're so gifted and privileged," he said. "To not understand that and be active in that way, I think is a shame.
"I rarely see any of them reading books. They'll have an Xbox and a Blackberry and two phones. That's what they deal with every day. They're not growing up here (he pointed to his brain), and that's important.
"Some of them do a great job. Dikembe Mutombo built a hospital in his home country (Zaire) where there aren't any roads. That's an extraordinary idea that he made happen."
At age 60 when he looks in the mirror, Abdul-Jabbar said, "I'm just happy to be in that mirror. I can see my life in a totally different perspective. It's great to know I've achieved something on the court and been able to achieve something off the court. The priority is to focus on things I can do now."
$ (3)
Bucks beat Cavaliers
Cleveland - The Milwaukee Bucks snapped a number of losing streaks Tuesday night at the Quicken Loans Arena where they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 111-107
The Bucks had lost seven straight games overall to
Michael Redd led
The Bucks took an 84-80 lead into the fourth quarter. Milwaukee extended its lead to 93-86 after two baskets by guard Mo Williams, and a short lean-in jumper by Williams gave Milwaukee a 99-91 lead with 4:44 left. Charlie Villanueva banked in a three-pointer to give the Bucks a 102-93 lead with 3 minutes left and the Bucks held on from there.
The Bucks didn't have much going on either end of the court early as
Cleveland led by 14 early in the second quarter but the Bucks rallied and a jumper and a three-point play by Royal Ivey helped Milwaukee trim the lead to 45-41. A steal by Redd led to a layup by Ivey that cut the lead to 49-47 before a dunk by Drew Gooden gave
Redd heated up in the third quarter as he sank a layup that tied the game, 59-59, and later converted a four-point play that tied it, 63-63, with 7:30 left. A three-pointer by Redd gave
$ (10)
Bucks take on the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers will be without two of their top forwards from last season – unsigned free agent Anderson Varejao and the injured Donyell Marshall.
"They're very, very light in the big-man department," said Bucks center Andrew Bogut. "There's 'Z' and Drew…I think it really hurts them not resigning Varejao and Donyell's injured. So I think it's good if we can get at their bigs."
Ilgauskas and Gooden both played well against the Bucks last season and are off to good starts this season. Ilgauskas is averaging 16.0 points and 12.1 rebounds per game while Gooden is averaging 14.3 points and 10.1 rebounds.
"I thought their bigs last year particularly did a good job – Gooden and 'Z' - did a lot of damage," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "They're one of leading teams in the league rebounding-wise. Ilgauskas gets five offensive rebounds a game. That'll be a big focus for us."
Shaq not done yet, says Phil
Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers are in town tonight to meet the Milwaukee Bucks, and the veteran coach has his team riding high with a 7-3 record. The Lakers are coming off a 134-114 pasting of the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on Tuesday night.
The pre-game conversation touched on a few subjects, including Lakers center Andrew Bynum, Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian and a former Lakers center known as Shaquille O'Neal.
A reporter asked Jackson what he thought of Miami Heat coach Pat Riley benching Shaq less than a minute into a game with the New Jersey Nets on Saturday, after O'Neal blew a pick-and-roll coverage.
"Wasn't it a back-to-back, with Boston and New Jersey?" Jackson asked. "He didn't even let the big guy get warmed up, huh?
"I think it's sending a message. It probably helped the team all the way around."
Jackson said he never did anything similar with O'Neal when the big man was playing in Los Angeles.
"No, I confronted Shaq a few times," Jackson said. "He was a guy that didn't like to be embarrassed. The biggest thing I probably ever did was stop him when he was coming off the court one time and ask him what he thought was the greatest record that Wilt (Chamberlain) had.
"He said, "Oh, averaging 50 points a game.' This was all during a timeout, as he was walking off the court. I said, 'No. He played every minute but 2 minutes in a season. He averaged 48 minutes a game. Do you think you could you do that, you talk about being Superman.'
"He said, 'Yeah.' So I played him four or five games, about 48 minutes straight (each game). But he really got in shape. Then he called wolf, and said that's enough. But that was a challenge I thought that he met."
The Heat has struggled mightily early this season, and Jackson was asked if he thought O'Neal's skills were deteriorating.
"Somebody else last week was trying to bury Shaq and erect a gravestone over his basketball era," Jackson said. "I still think he's going to be effective for us (the NBA) this year."
Jackson said he was impressed with Yi, the Bucks power forward who trained in Los Angeles before the June draft.
"Well, we had him in for a tryout," Jackson said. "I don't know why. We were somewhere down the line (with the 19th overall pick) where obviously our talent pool was a little bit less promising.
"He's a very versatile player, and he seems to have a nice demeanor. I think he'll develop three-point range. He handles the ball well and knows some things about the game.
"Obviously, it's a trial year for him learning this game and coming into this system. I think he's going to have a big upside in this game."
$ (1)
Kareem honored by Bucks
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was honored in a halftime ceremony by the Bucks tonight, as the team re-dedicated his No. 33 jersey and hung a new banner from the rafters.
The Hall of Famer and former Bucks center thanked the Bradley Center crowd as the Bucks saluted his six years with the team, from 1969-'75, which included an NBA title in 1971 and a Western Conference title in 1974. Abdul-Jabbar won three league MVP trophies while with the Bucks and three more with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Bucks' opponent on Wednesday.
"I've been here since Monday, and seeing old friends and teammates has been a wonderful experience for me," the 60-year-old Abdul-Jabbar said.
"When I first came to Milwaukee, I didn't know what to expect and I had no idea what the fans were all about."
Abdul-Jabbar said he still can recall a road playoff victory over Philadelphia and finding 200 to 300 fans at the airport when the Bucks returned home.
"Their support never faltered the whole time I played here," Abdul-Jabbar said.
Also participating in the ceremony were Bucks owner Herb Kohl, former Bucks player and longtime broadcaster Jon McGlocklin, former players Sam Williams and Len Chappell, former Bucks trainer Arnie Garber and former Bucks player and general manager Wayne Embry.
"Kareem, you traveled the world, but to us you will always be the guy that came to Milwaukee and won a championship for Milwaukee," Sen. Kohl said. "You're a guy we regard as a son, and thank you for coming back tonight."
$ (3)
Bucks knock off Lakers, 110-103
It took a fourth-quarter rally, but the Milwaukee Bucks remained perfect at the Bradley Center on Wednesday night.
Using crisp passing and buoyed by a lively crowd, the Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 110-103, to win their fourth straight game and improve to 5-0 at home this season. The Bucks outscored the Lakers in the final quarter, 35-23, as Los Angeles (7-4) had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Michael Redd had a classic battle with Lakers all-star Kobe Bryant, as the Bucks guard finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while the Lakers star also played well with 27 points, three rebounds and four assists.
"I think Redd got Kobe a little bit distracted out there," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He (Bryant) didn't play as much of a team game as I would like to see him play.
"It was a good head-on-head battle for two players. It came out pretty even."
Mo Williams added 18 points and nine assists for the Bucks (6-4), and Andrew Bogut had 13 points and five assists before fouling out with 2:33 remaining. Charlie Villanueva contributed 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds off the bench, and rookie forward Yi Jianlian finished with 12 points, including two late free throws, and six rebounds. Bobby Simmons added 11 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.
Villanueva hit two clutch free throws with 36.6 seconds remaining, giving the Bucks a 105-99 lead.
After Bryant missed a three-point try from the right wing, Simmons was fouled and sank a pair of free throws with 25.4 seconds left for an eight-point Bucks lead.
Bryant and Redd waged an intriguing battle in the third quarter, with Bryant scoring 15 points in the period and Redd 14.
Redd went to the bench late in the quarter, and Bryant scored the final five points in the period, after Williams had tied the score at 75 with a driving layup with 28 seconds left.
Bryant sank a three-pointer with 8 seconds to go and added a pair of free throws, sending the Lakers into the fourth quarter with a 80-75 lead.
But the Bucks rallied early in the final quarter behind Bogut, Redd and Simmons.
Simmons put Milwaukee ahead with two free throws, making it 84-83, and he found Bogut with a pass in the paint on the Bucks' next possession.
Redd then scored off a slip pass from Bogut to give the Bucks an 88-83 lead.
Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, and guard Derek Fisher added 14 points.
The Bucks' bench outscored the Lakers' reserves, 39-25, and Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak went six deep on his bench. It was an impressive feat considering the Los Angeles bench was coming off two huge efforts, compiling 73 points in a victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday and 53 points in a 20-point thrashing of the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
"I've said it before, that is the essence of a team to have a group of people that are united," Krystkowiak said. "There's going to be certain nights that guys are on.
"I think that Charlie (Villanueva) and Yi in particular, the two-headed power forward, those guys really like each other and are pulling for each other. They have a similar game, and they're nice weapons to have."
After Bogut fouled out, Krystkowiak brought Yi back into the game for the final stretch as the Bucks were able to protect their lead.
$ (4)
Riding the bench with Kobe
Kobe Bryant's visit to the Bradley Center Wednesday night brought back memories for Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak of his short stint as a player with the Lakers during the 1996-'97 season and riding the bench with Bryant.
It's easy to forget that Bryant, during his rookie season in '96-'97, didn't play all that much as he averaged 15.5 minutes in 71 games. Krystkowiak, who had been signed to 10-day contracts, played a total of 11 minutes in three games for the Lakers that season.
The two of them got to rub elbows on the bench fairly often.
"I can remember having a couple of 10-day contracts with the Lakers and there were only two people who didn't play in some games – me and
"I was on the other end of the life cycle where I'm out of tread and he had plenty left so I just kept telling him to hang in there like you'd try to tell any young player… that your day is going to come. And he certainly didn't want to hear it because nobody wants to be sitting there."
Over the years Bryant has developed into one of the league's superstars and Krystkowiak went so far as to say he was the best player in the league.
"Yeah, probably," said Krystkowiak. "I'd probably pick him if I had a chance. If we had the first pick and I could pick anybody in the league right now, he'd probably be my pick.
The thing that's impressed me about him is his growth…his approach to the total game
"Within that triangle, he shares the basketball. Phil (Jackson, Lakers coach) could throw him the ball (all the time) and open up the flood gates and he'd probably average 40, realistically. He plays within that system very well. What's happened is they're successful now because he brings a lot of different people into the mix and guys are stepping up and that's the definition of a team."
$ (1)
Sharing leads to success
St. Francis - The Bucks have averaged 25.8 assists during their current four-game winning streak, entering a Saturday home date against the Dallas Mavericks.
Point guard Mo Williams is averaging 10 assists during that span and has moved up to rank 12th in the league in that category at 7.0 per game.
"Mo wants to be one of the top point guards in the league," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said after today's practice session at the Cousins Center. "He knows if he's going to do that, he has to distribute the basketball and get our team involved.
"I'd be silly if I didn't talk to him about it, but I wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know. You stress it and make it an important element, but he can still score points."
Williams had 18 points and nine assists in the Bucks' 110-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. On Saturday, he will match up against former Wauwatosa East and University of Wisconsin star Devin Harris, who has been on a bit of a tear of his own.
The 6-foot-3 Harris is averaging 19.5 points over the last four games, including a season-high 22 in the Mavericks' 100-94 comeback victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night in Houston.
The Bucks practiced for about an hour and a half today after returning from an off day on Thanksgiving. Forward Charlie Villanueva sat out due to a bout of food poisoning, and Krystkowiak said Villanueva would be evaluated again on Saturday.
Mavs fall at Indiana
The Dallas Mavericks will play the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday against the Bucks, and the Mavs will be hoping for a split against Central Division foes.
Dallas could not overcome the Indiana Pacers, suffering a 111-107 defeat on Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Guard Devin Harris led the Mavericks (9-3) with 24 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Harris, the former Wauwatosa East and University of Wisconsin star, scored seven straight points for Dallas during one stretch of the final quarter.
Dirk Nowitzki added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks, who had a five-game winning streak halted.
Danny Granger scored 25 points and Jamaal Tinsley added 24 for the Pacers (6-7).
Dallas is 3-3 on the road this season, while the Bucks are 5-0 at home and also 5-0 when scoring 100 or more points.
$ (1)
Williams sprains ankle, returns
The Bucks had a late tip-off with Dallas at the Bradley Center tonight, with an 8 p.m. start.
One note of concern in the first quarter was a right ankle sprain suffered by point guard Mo Williams, who limped off the court at the end of the period and went to the locker room.
But Williams returned and checked into the game with 4:47 left in the second quarter. He hit two jumpers the rest of the half, including one in the final second of the half to cut the Bucks' deficit to 47-44 at intermission.
Redd, Bucks hold off Mavs
It's still perfect for the Bucks at the Bradley Center.
Milwaukee held off the Dallas Mavericks in a tense finish to claim a 97-95 victory on Saturday night, pushing the Bucks' home record to 6-0.
Michael Redd scored 27 points, and Mo Williams added 19 points and 10 assists as the Bucks (7-4) won their fifth straight game. Center Andrew Bogut had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson was in the audience and was introduced late in the game to a huge ovation, as the Bucks made clutch plays to turn back the Mavericks (9-4).
Dallas guard Jason Terry sank 5 three-pointers in the final quarter, including one that brought the Mavericks within 92-90 with 27.5 seconds left. Redd was fouled by Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki and sank one of two foul shots for a three-point Milwaukee lead.
Terry drove for a basket to cut the Bucks' margin to one point, and again Redd was fouled, and this time he sank both foul shots for a 95-92 lead.
After Terry missed a potential tying three-pointer with 10 seconds left, Redd grabbed a clutch rebound and was fouled by Nowitzki. Redd hit both foul shots, and Terry's fifth three-pointer of the period, scored at the final buzzer, was not enough.
Josh Howard led the Mavericks with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Terry had 21 points and Nowitzki 20. Terry was 6 for 10 from three-point range.
Bogut grabbed a loose ball after a missed foul shot by Redd and scored with 53 seconds left, giving the Bucks a 91-87 lead. Yi Jianlian hit one of two foul shots with 34.8 seconds to go, setting up the finish.
"It was Saturday night at the fights," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "We made some shots down the stretch to get some momentum.
"I thought Andrew's putback on the free throw, we were going to be up two, Redd missed it and we went up four, that was a huge play."
Yi also had a big dunk when he wheeled past Nowitzki on the baseline and finished with a two-handed flush, giving the Bucks a 79-76 lead with 4:40 left.
Yi was the primary defender against the reigning league most valuable player, often guarding him one-on-one.
"He's a good defender; he's long and he's quick," Nowitzki said. "He's going to be a nice player in this league.
"I've played him this summer with Germany (against China) twice. I was really surprised at how well he shoots the ball, how well he moves. He's really athletic, and he's got some quick hops."
Redd went to work late in the third quarter, as he drilled a shot from the right wing and was fouled by Howard. Redd had a foot on the three-point line, so it was a two-point basket, but he added the free throw for a 57-56 Bucks lead.
After forward Charlie Villanueva rejected a shot by Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse, Redd got position down low and scored again to give Milwaukee a three-point margin.
But Dallas outscored the Bucks, 10-3, in the last 3 minutes of the quarter, helped by three-pointers from Terry and Howard and two baskets by forward Brandon Bass, to take a 66-62 advantage.
$ (1)
Sore ankle fails to slow Mo
Mo Williams said his right ankle never felt good after he twisted it in the first quarter Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
But after limping to the locker room and testing numerous tape jobs with the assistance of trainer Andre Daniel, the Bucks point guard returned late in the second quarter and played a key role in Milwaukee's 97-95 victory at the Bradley Center. Williams finished with 19 points and 10 assists, and he had 11 points and four assists in the decisive final quarter as the Bucks rallied from a four-point deficit.
"It's pretty sore," Williams said after the Bucks won their fifth straight game and remained unbeaten (6-0) at home this season. "I tripped over myself. The ball went over my head, and I just stumbled and didn't plant the right way and twisted it pretty bad.
"It felt worse than it looked. We taped it literally 20 different times, and the first 19 didn't feel any better. The 20th still didn't feel better, but it was good enough that we said, 'Let's go out here and try it and see if it will loosen up, anyway.'
"It never loosened up. I didn't have any explosion; I couldn't even go by Sagana (Dallas center DeSagana Diop)."
With his ability to drive to the basket hindered, Williams concentrated on finding his teammates and hitting his jump shot. He was 8 for 14 from the field and sank two key jumpers in the fourth quarter, including a three-pointer from the top of the arc that gave the Bucks a 75-70 lead.
"I tried to do whatever it took to help my team," Williams said. "Andrew (Bogut) did a good job of picking and rolling. I'm glad the jumper was going."
Michael Redd, who had a game-high 27 points, hit a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter and sank six of eight free throws in the final minute to help the Bucks survive a three-point onslaught from Dallas guard Jason Terry.
"Mo was a warrior tonight," Redd said. "We didn't know if he was going to finish playing or not. He came down and handed out 10 assists. He was phenomenal as far as distributing, and he stepped up in the fourth quarter when he had to, as far as scoring."
Williams has averaged 10 assists during the Bucks' current winning streak. He started with a dozen assists against Memphis and had 10 against Atlanta, before getting nine apiece against Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dallas' biggest lead was six points, and the Bucks' best margin was five points. There were 15 lead changes in the game.
"It was a recipe to a good game," Williams said. "You never got to sit down in your seat.
"It just lets us know we can play with the best."
Asked what he needed to do for his ankle, Williams had the answer.
"Treatment," he said. "But I will be back Tuesday."
The Bucks end their current three-game home stand against Philadelphia on Tuesday night, before heading on the road to play Atlanta and New York next week.
$ (1)
Comparing Yi and Dirk
The one player in the National Basketball Association that Milwaukee Bucks' rookie Yi Jianlian has been compared to most is probably German star Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Bucks had Yi matched up against Nowitzki Saturday night at the
"I don't know that anyone matches up really well with Dirk," said Krystkowiak. "He's a special player. They're both close to 7 feet tall and long and they shoot the ball well. It may be the guy that everybody in the league wants to compare Yi to because he's a skilled 7-foot guy."
Nowitzki went into the game averaging 20.7 points and he scored 20 against the Bucks. It wasn't the first time that Yi had gone up against Nowitzki since they have played against each other in international play. Krystkowiak said before Saturday's game that he hadn't been aware of that fact.
"I just assume that Yi doesn't know anybody," said Krystkowiak. "We watch a lot of personnel and individual film and he didn't share with me that he's familiar with him. Yi spends a lot of time in the film room because every game he plays, it's at least two or three (new) people that he may see that he may be matched up against. So he's becoming a student of the game. He has to understand tendencies and other team's personnel."
Nowitzki struggled at times adjusting to the NBA early in his career and Yi, too, has experienced some peaks and valleys this season.
"You can look at Dirk's rookie year and even second year …it wasn't like we talk about Dirk now," said Krystkowiak. "He struggled at times. That's what we're talking about with the process with a rookie…it's hard. Confidence in the NBA is probably the biggest key. I know Dirk didn't have a lot of confidence his rookie year in the league and he started to find his way and the rim gets bigger and you start making shots.
"He's confident now and he's excelled like a lot of stars in the NBA do. The reason he was here to begin with was because he was very skilled and he was in international basketball, similar to Yi. You're 7 feet tall and you have a lot of skill – footwork and hands and agility – it's become a pretty popular thing in the NBA to find those kinds of players."
$ (4)
Yi survives duel with Dirk
Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak showed plenty of confidence in 7-foot rookie Yi Jianlian, letting him battle one-on-one with Dallas forward and reigning league MVP Dirk Nowitzki for much of the game Saturday night.
Nowitzki finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while Yi had nine points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot in 32 minutes, as the Bucks held on for a 97-95 victory at the Bradley Center.
"He's a great player and a great shooter," Yi said of Nowitzki. "I can't let him get too many passes, and I can't let him get too many opportunities to shoot inside.
"Tonight he didn't shoot real much, but I think we played good defense on him."
Nowitzki said he liked the "quick hops" possessed by Yi. "Once he gets some experience under his belt, he's going to be a great player," Nowitzki said.
The 7-foot Yi already has drawn some comparisons with the 7-foot Nowitzki. Both are power forwards who like to face the basket and can shoot from long range, and both are international stars, Yi with China and Nowitzki for Germany.
But Dallas coach Avery Johnson cautioned not to make too much out of the similarities in the players.
"Let these young guys be themselves and make a name for themselves," Johnson said. "You've had so many players come out, and we've compared them to (Michael) Jordan, we've compared other players to Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), to Larry Bird. Just let them have their own identity."
Johnson said Yi certainly is an impressive rookie.
"He's a terrific young player with great size, great shooting touch," Johnson said. "Obviously, he was a celebrated rookie and talked about quite a bit.
"You've definitely got to pay attention to him because he can knock down that open shot from a variety of places on the floor."
Nowitzki was surrounded by a large group of Chinese reporters after the game, and he said he hopes he can help Germany advance in a qualifying tournament for the Olympics next summer.
"We'll see, it's going to be a long summer for me next year," Nowitzki said. "The Olympics is still a big dream of mine; I've never gone. So I would love to go to Beijing and play there and compete."
$ (1)
Williams, Mason try to mend ankle injuries
St. Francis - Point guard Mo Williams and forward Desmond Mason missed practice today as the Bucks prepared for Tuesday night's home game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Both starters were sidelined with ankle sprains, Williams on his left ankle and Mason on his right. They suffered injuries in the first quarter of the Bucks' 97-95 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
Their status for the game Tuesday remains questionable, according to coach Larry Krystkowiak, and both are listed as day-to-day.
"I didn't think it was going to be too bad until after the game when I took my shoe off, and it had swelled up a little bit," Mason said of his injury.
Mason said he came to the Cousins Center on the Bucks' off day on Sunday to receive some treatment on the ankle, and he planned to get more treatment tonight.
"I think so," he said of being able to play against the 76ers. "If the swelling goes down like I think it will.
"It went down really well from yesterday to today. If it does that again, I think I should be ready to go."
Mason said he was injured when he tried to block a shot by Mavericks forward Josh Howard.
"I came down kind of awkward on my shoe and it rolled my ankle over," Mason said. "It hurt for a second. I came back in and played the third quarter, and it felt good."
Mason wound up playing 17 minutes, while backup Bobby Simmons played 28 minutes, including the entire fourth quarter.
Williams exited the game at the end of the first quarter after spraining his ankle, but he returned with about 5 minutes left in the second quarter and was able to finish the game. He contributed 19 points and 10 assists to the Bucks' fifth straight victory.
Williams has averaged 10.0 assists during those five games.
The Bucks (7-4) have four games in five nights this week, beginning Tuesday. They play at Atlanta on Wednesday and at New York on Friday, before returning home to meet the division rival Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.
"Every week seems like a big week," Krystkowiak said. "It comes at you pretty fast, and we're going to be doing a little bit of traveling."
Milwaukee starts the week in first place in the Central Division, percentage points ahead of the Pistons (8-5).
"You know what, it's certainly better than being at the other end of the spectrum, but it's nothing I've even thought twice about," Krystkowiak said.
"What are we, 11 games into this thing? So it's way too early to tell what's going on. But we just need to keep building on our deficiencies and try to play to our strengths."
Improved Bucks drawing buzz
The Bucks' 6-0 start at home and victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are drawing a bit of national attention.
Chicago Tribune NBA columnist Sam Smith named the Bucks his team of the week and said "they've been transformed some by coach Larry Krystkowiak's emphasis on defense and management's investment in depth."
SI.com writer Marty Burns moved the Bucks up seven spots in his weekly power rankings, to the No. 10 spot.
"I can remember when we were 2-4 and had just got shellacked by San Antonio, and we had a team meeting right here," Krystkowiak said after practice today at the Cousins Center. "A lot of daubers were down. But the reality is we didn't play that well at the time.
"I just told our guys, 'We're not as bad as we think we are right now.' And now, even though we're in a favorable position with wins and losses (7-4), we're still not as good as we think we are.
"So it's important that the message is sent to keep working hard and keep doing the hungry part of it. In this league, you can't put your guard down."
The Bucks' 6-0 start at the Bradley Center is their best since the 1990-'91 season, when they started the season with 18 consecutive home victories. Milwaukee is one of four unbeaten teams at home so far this season, along with Boston, Dallas and San Antonio.
$ (3)
Mason, Williams in starting lineup
Desmond Mason and Mo Williams were listed in the starting lineup about an hour before the Bucks' game tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Both suffered ankle injuries in the Bucks' last game, a 97-95 victory over Dallas on Saturday night. Mason sprained his right ankle, while Williams sprained his left ankle.
Neither player practiced on Monday in an effort to be ready for a stretch of four games in five nights.
"I think the swelling in Des' ankle went down considerably," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said in his pre-game remarks. "And Mo played almost a half after he got hurt, and there were indications he would be able to go.
"I don't know how much sense it made to go hard yesterday."
Having a full complement of players is something the Bucks rarely had last season, due to injuries which affected key members of the rotation, including Bobby Simmons, Charlie Villanueva, Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd and Williams.
"It was crazy," Krystkowiak said. "It could never get worse than that. We've got enough depth on our team, where there's an opportunity for somebody to come and pick up if somebody else is hurt."
Milwaukee was without Simmons, however. The team announced before the game that the 6-foot-6 forward was not with the team due to personal reasons.
The Bucks (7-4) carried a five-game winning streak and a perfect home record (6-0) into the game tonight against the 76ers (3-9), who entered with a three-game losing streak.
"Starting tonight, when we play four in five nights, that bench becomes even more of an issue," Krystkowiak said. "I'm glad our players have gotten a little bit of a role established in limited minutes.
"A lot of guys coming off our bench probably haven't played as many minutes as they would like. But they understand their importance, and now we're going to need them for sure."
$ (1)
Bucks fall for first time at home
The Bucks desperately needed another fourth-quarter comeback on Tuesday night at the Bradley Center.
They trailed by nine points entering the third quarter, and this time they could not overcome the deficit as they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-99, to suffer their first home loss of the season.
Center Samuel Dalembert scored 22 points to lead the 76ers, and forward Andre Iguodala added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Kyle Korver came off the bench to score 20 as Philadelphia (4-9) ended a three-game losing streak, and point guard Andre Miller added 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in just missing a triple-double.
"It's not the first time that's happened in this league," said Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. "A lot of it's human nature. We've been told for the better part of the week how great we are now, and that's a hungry team in the other locker room.
"There are no easy games. I thought our first and third quarters were really low energy. We weren't ready from the opening tip."
The Bucks (7-5) had won five straight games but gave a poor defensive effort and never could catch the 76ers after trailing by 14 points after the first quarter. Milwaukee's home record fell to 6-1.
Philadelphia scored the first five points of the final quarter, on a three-pointer by Jason Smith and two free throws by Dalembert, to extend its lead to 90-76. The Bucks never made a strong run in the final quarter as they allowed the 76ers to shoot 52.3% from the field (45 of 86) in the game.
"They shot the hell out of the ball," said Bucks point guard Mo Williams. "They did a lot of good things. Even though we weren't playing well, we gave them punches, and they kept playing well.
"You've got to give them credit. They played well; we didn't. Bottom line."
Michael Redd led the Bucks with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Charlie Villanueva added 16 points. Williams had 14 points and nine assists in 37 minutes, playing despite a sprained left ankle he hurt on Saturday against Dallas.
"I'm just going out battling and playing every night," Williams said. "I get treatment. That's what we've got trainers for. They get me ready to play."
Williams said he would be able to play against Atlanta on Wednesday night, despite the Bucks having back-to-back games.
"My ankle was hurt really, really bad yesterday, and it was kind of bad this morning," Williams said. "We got extra treatment on it, and it felt good in the game."
The Bucks had scored 35 points in the fourth quarter against both the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks in coming from behind for victories on the home court last week. But the 76ers outscored Milwaukee, 29-23, in the final 12 minutes.
Krystkowiak used a zone defense that helped the Bucks close the gap to a 56-52 deficit at halftime, but the zone proved less effective in the second half.
"I thought our second-half offense against the zone was pretty good," said 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks. "Getting Kyle Korver back (from injury) and having him out on the floor gave us tremendous spacing and a guy who can make a shot."
$ (1)
A bad night all around
Atlanta - Tuesday night at the
Not only did the Bucks play poorly in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, but the smallest crowd of the season was on hand (announced at 13,186), and the word out of the Bucks locker room here Wednesday night was that an air of negativity existed among many fans seated in the proximity of the Bucks bench.
Things got so bad that, in the closing minutes of the game, Krystkowiak had heated words with a group of fans seated along the baseline next to the Bucks bench and the fans were shown the door by ushers.
The NBA has a code of conduct under which fans can be ejected for using profanities or inappropriate gestures.
Krystkowiak said before Wednesday's game in
At various times during the game, Bucks players on the bench had verbal exchanges with the baseline fans and the Bucks assistant coaches were disturbed by some of the things that were being said by the fans. The Bucks were also chided by fans seated behind and across from the bench.
Krystkowiak made an offer to the fans who were asked to leave.
"If those guys want to come and try it again, they can use my seats right behind the bench," he said. "But I only ask them to be more positive instead of focusing on the negative. We're human too."
But, it had been that kind of night for the Bucks.
"That just kind of put an exclamation point on the evening," said Krystkowiak
$ (6)
Bucks lose to Hawks
The Bucks are 7-6 overall.
Michael Redd led the Bucks with 24 points while Joe Johnson scored 21 for
Shooting 50%, the Hawks held a 73-66 lead after three quarters but jumpers by Redd and Williams opened the fourth. The Hawks ran off 10 straight points to take an 88-74 lead with 5:05 left and held on from there.
The game was tied after one quarter, 28-28. Defensive stops were hard to come by as the Bucks made 11-of-18 shots (61.1%) while the Hawks made 11-of-19 shots (57.9%). Johnson scored 12 points and Redd had nine.
With the Bucks missing their first six shots and turning the ball over twice,
A three-pointer by Williams and a jumper by Yi Jianlian opened the third quarter but 3 three-pointers helped the Hawks push their lead back to 65-50 midway through the period. Krystkowiak went with a small lineup down the stretch and the Bucks closed to within four late in the quarter.
$ (4)
Isiah, Knicks hit low point
The New York Knicks and coach Isiah Thomas plummeted to a lopsided defeat in Boston tonight, a loss sure to re-ignite speculation that Thomas will be fired.
The Knicks trailed the Boston Celtics by as many as 52 points in the fourth quarter, en route to a 104-59 defeat at the TD Banknorth Garden. Knicks guard Nate Robinson sank a three-pointer from near halfcourt at the final buzzer, allowing the Knicks to barely avoid the lowest scoring total in franchise history.
The lowest total in modern Knicks franchise history - since the 1954-'55 season - was a 58-point effort against Utah on Dec. 15, 2000.
New York returns home on Friday to meet the Bucks at Madison Square Garden.
"I honestly think if they lose tomorrow (Friday), he will get fired," TNT commentator Charles Barkley said during the cable network's telecast of the game. "They quit tonight."
The Celtics led at halftime, 54-31, and scored the first 11 points of the third quarter. They held an 82-41 lead after three quarters.
At halftime, Barkley said of the Knicks, "They've got no energy, no emotion. It's flat-out embarrassing."
The Knicks (4-10) had won their previous two games, home-court victories over the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz. Prior to that, they had an eight-game losing streak.
Boston flirted with the franchise record for victory margin but ultimately fell short. The Celtics record is a 51-point margin, established in a 153-102 victory over Philadelphia on March 7, 1962.
The only Knicks player in double figures was Robinson, who scored 11 points off the bench. Thomas benched his starting unit in the third quarter and stayed with his reserves the rest of the way.
Paul Pierce and Ray Allen each had 21 points to lead the Celtics (12-2).
Forward Zach Randolph was 1 for 10 from the field and scored four points for the Knicks, and Eddy Curry was 2 for 11 with four points. Point guard Stephon Marbury had four points and three turnovers in 21 minutes.
"I just feel like tonight, I don't know where this game came from," Thomas said to reporters after the game. "We're all embarrassed, yes."
Isiah can't explain drubbing
New York - Knicks coach Isiah Thomas sat in a chair and calmly answered questions from a large group of reporters before tonight's game against the Bucks.
It was less than 24 hours after his team was routed, 104-59, by the Boston Celtics, putting an end to a two-game winning streak by the Knicks.
The lopsided loss put Thomas' job situation in question once more, after the Knicks' victories over Chicago and Utah had silenced rumors for a brief time.
"As crazy as it sounds and as bad as it looks, we win tonight and we've won three of our last four games," Thomas said. "We have to keep moving and understand the microscope and attention that's on our team is great.
"If we perform and play well, that can turn out to be a plus as opposed to a minus. Pressure comes with what we do."
The Knicks followed a tight home-court victory over the Jazz on Monday with the abysmal showing in Boston, where Celtics forward Kevin Garnett suggested that his old Minnesota teammate, Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, had quit.
"I was shocked," Thomas said. "I sat watching my team, and everything we talked about strategically, we didn't execute. I think our players were shocked.
"If (Utah coach) Jerry Sloan watched that game, I'm sure he was shocked. Unfortunately, it happened to us. And me personally, I hate that it happened in Boston because I don't like giving them anything.
"But we've got Milwaukee tonight."
$ (3)
Bucks falter late, lose to Knicks
New York - Two teams desperately needing a victory met on the Madison Square Garden floor on Friday night.
The Bucks held a 12-point lead after three quarters but could not hold on and lost for the third straight time to a sub-.500 Eastern Conference foe, falling to the New York Knicks, 91-88, before 18,979 fans.
Michael Redd led the Bucks with 27 points, but his potential game-winning three-pointer bounced off the back rim with 7 seconds left, leading to a fast-break dunk by Knicks guard Fred Jones with four-tenths of a second remaining.
Milwaukee called a timeout, but Redd's desperation three-pointer from the corner was far short.
Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford each had 25 points for the Knicks (5-10), who won their third straight home game. Jones applied tight defense on Redd in the fourth quarter, forcing him farther from the basket and pressuring his shots.
Crawford hit a short bank shot with 28.7 seconds left, giving the Knicks an 89-88 lead. He was fouled but missed the free throw.
Bucks center Andrew Bogut had three blocks in the final minutes, but the Knicks were able to overcome their deficit.
Desmond Mason added 15 points for the Bucks (7-7), and Bogut had 10 points and nine rebounds. Mo Williams added 13 points and five assists.
"This is a big disappointment," Williams said. "You try to forget, but these games here you just don't forget.
"This is a game we needed just as bad as them, and it hurts."
The Knicks were coming off a 45-point loss in Boston on Thursday night and trying to atone before their home fans, who booed loudly when coach Isiah Thomas' name was called on the public address system before the game.
Milwaukee built a 29-19 lead after one quarter and extended it to 37-23, before the Knicks went on a 9-0 run led by Randolph and Stephon Marbury.
With Bogut in foul trouble and sitting on the bench, reserve centers Dan Gadzuric and Jake Voskuhl contributed in the first half. Gadzuric had six rebounds, and Voskuhl scored four points while also putting a body on both Eddy Curry and Randolph.
Curry was whistled for a technical after throwing an elbow at Voskuhl after a hard foul by the Bucks player, and Voskuhl and Randolph both drew technicals for a jawing match with 1:12 left in the second quarter.
The Bucks led at halftime, 55-44, behind 18 points from Redd and 11 from Mason. Milwaukee's largest lead was 17 points, at 71-54 on a driving dunk by Bogut, off a Williams assist, with 4:32 left in the third quarter.
Marbury left the game with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter due to muscle spasms in his right shoulder, and he did not return.
Redd finished 10 for 23 from the field but was just 2 of 8 in the fourth quarter. Jones stayed on the floor and shadowed Redd wherever he went, and the Knicks guard also contributed 10 points in the quarter on 4-of-4 shooting.
"We felt good going into the fourth quarter," Redd said. "It's the hard knocks of learning how to win in this league.
"But there are no excuses. We should have won the game tonight, but it didn't happen. These last three games were pivotal. We've got to get these games now, because in March and April everything tightens up. We had a golden opportunity these last three games."
The Bucks followed up a five-game winning streak with the losses to Philadelphia, Atlanta and New York. They return home to play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, before heading out next week for a five-game trip against Western Conference opponents.
$ (14)
Bucks have own issues to solve
New York - Yes, the New York Knicks lost by nearly 50 points on Thursday to the Boston Celtics - by 45, to be exact.
The back page of the New York Daily News featured a stoic-looking Knicks coach Isiah Thomas with the headline: WHAT A JOKE! The stately New York Times had a more understated approach: "Knicks Are a Flop in Prime Time," the headline read.
But the Bucks, who provide tonight's opposition for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, were not in a mood to be sympathetic. After all, Milwaukee (7-6) is coming off back-to-back losses to sub-.500 teams Philadelphia and Atlanta and is in need of a victory to restore some luster to its encouraging start to the season.
"We can't look at what happened to them last night," Bucks guard Michael Redd said after the team's morning shootaround at the Garden. "We've got to do what we need to do. We're in desperate need of a win right now."
Redd said he didn't spend any of his Thursday night watching the TNT telecast of the Celtics' 104-59 thrashing of the Knicks.
"When I'm in New York, I'm just out going to restaurants or whatever, and hanging out with my friends," Redd said. ""They'll be a totally different team (tonight). Every night is tough in the NBA.
"Some nights you're going to have nights like the Knicks had last night. We got blown out by San Antonio a couple weeks ago, and we bounced back and got a win. The beautiful thing about the NBA is you've got a game the next night."
The Knicks starters combined for just 27 points in Boston, and New York shot 30.3% from the field en route to the lopsided loss. The 59 points the Knicks scored were one above the franchise low in the shot-clock era, set in 2000 against Utah.
"The last thing I'm worried about is what the Knicks are thinking," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "We've got enough issues of our own.
"We win five games in a row, and I think we let our guard down. You just mail in the Philly game at home (a 114-99 loss on Tuesday), and you're supposed to have a chance to beat Atlanta, beat the Knicks.
"Early on, it's all a bunch of lip service. You're going to get your rear end handed to you if you're not ready to come out and play each game, each night. That's the reality of it."
The Bucks lost three of four to the Knicks last season, including both games played at the Garden.
"We're coming into the building today, and employees (are saying), 'Oh, you'll beat 'em by 40, you'll beat 'em by 50,'" Krystkowiak said. "It's ridiculous. We've got to come out with a lot of intensity and forget what's going on in their locker room.
"If we come out ready to play, and let's say the Knicks come out ready to play and want to alleviate their situation, it will be a good game. If we come out ready to play and they don't, then advantage us. We control our situation, and it's real important that we try to set that tone early."
The Knicks (4-10) have won their last two home games, defeating the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz. The Bucks are 1-5 on the road, with the only victory coming at Cleveland and three of the losses coming against elite teams - San Antonio, Houston and Orlando.
The "Fire Isiah" chants could return to the Garden tonight after the Knicks' humbling defeat in Boston, and after Knicks forward Quentin Richardson professed not to be impressed with the new-look Celtics, even before the teams played for the first time this season.
"I thought every single player was thinking about himself, as opposed to thinking about the team," Thomas said after the debacle. "I don't know where this game came from."
$ (1)