. ▁ ▁M ired ▁in ▁last ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Division ▁ 2 5 ▁games ▁in , ▁they ▁were ▁ 9 – 1 6 ▁when ▁Sk iles ▁was ▁fired ▁by ▁general ▁manager ▁John ▁P ax son ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Mil w au kee ▁Buck s ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁Mil w au kee ▁Buck s ▁signed ▁their ▁former ▁player ▁Sk iles ▁as ▁team ' s ▁new ▁head ▁coach . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁Buck s ▁to ▁a ▁ 3 4 – 4 8 ▁record ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 0 9 ▁season . ▁In j uries ▁to ▁key ▁players ▁Michael ▁Red d ▁and ▁Andrew ▁Bog ut ▁mar red ▁the ▁season , ▁but ▁Sk iles ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁show ▁of ▁support ▁by ▁general ▁manager ▁John ▁Hamm ond . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁season ▁Sk iles ▁had ▁success ▁with ▁an ▁impro ving , ▁if ▁still ▁young , ▁core ▁led ▁by ▁Bog ut ▁at ▁center ▁and ▁Br andon ▁Jenn ings ▁at ▁point ▁guard . ▁Mid season ▁tr ades ▁for ▁John ▁Sal m ons ▁and ▁Jerry ▁Stack house ▁gave ▁Sk iles ▁both ▁a ▁reliable ▁shoot er ▁and ▁a ▁veter an ▁presence ▁on ▁the ▁Buck s ' ▁ben ch . ▁Most ▁NBA ▁pro gn ost ic ators ▁picked ▁the ▁Buck s ▁to ▁finish ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Conference , ▁but ▁the ▁team ' s ▁defense ▁helped ▁the ▁Buck s ▁beat ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁NBA