Game Thread: Bucks/Jazz

Bogut brought the thunder last time in Utah; last night not so much.

Bucks (5-7, 3-4 road) @ Jazz (7-4, 5-0 home)

Gametime: 8:00 p.m. central time (FSN-W)

Injuries:

Bucks: Michael Redd (sprained ankle) has missed eight straight games. Charlie Villanueva (hamstring) has missed three in a row.

Jazz: Deron Williams (sprained ankle) is unlikely to play.  Mehmet Okur (strained back) has said he is likely to play. Brevin Knight (groin) is also doubtful.

07/08 Series:

Mar 12: JJazz 114, @Bucks 110

Jan 14: @Jazz 98, Bucks 87

08/09 Advanced Stats:

Bucks: Offense: 24th (103.2 points/100 possessions) Defense: 14th (105.1) Pace: 19th (90.4)

Jazz: Offense: 8th (108.3 points/100 possessions) Defense: 11th (103.8)  Pace: 24th (90.0)

Three points:

• Everybody hurts.  We all know the Bucks' injury troubles, but the Jazz have actually had it worse--making their 7-4 start all the more impressive.  Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur, and Brevin Knight have all been banged up lately and their continued absence would be a major boost for a Bucks team playing yet another back-to-back.  Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Trib writes that Williams should miss out again tonight while Okur and Kirilenko should be a go.  For the Bucks, it looks like Michael Redd will be out for a ninth consecutive game while Charlie Villanueva continues to be a question mark as well.  

• Empty the bench.  Well if you were wondering what the Bucks' reserves looked like, wonder no longer.  In last night's loss to Denver, Austin Croshere dusted himself off for his first real action of the year and looked damn solid, going for 17 points and six boards in just 18 minutes.  Joe Alexander also made the most of early and prolonged action when Carmelo Anthony single-handedly put the entire Bucks' starting lineup in foul trouble.  Alexander went for a career-high 14 points (5/12 fg, 2/5 threes) along with four boards, three blocks, two steals and just one turnover in 31 minutes.  Ramon Sessions had 10/6/6 but those kinds of numbers are becoming rather pedestrian for him.

• Wherefore art thou, Richard and Andrew?  Following his best offensive game of the season Saturday against Boston, Bogut took a knock to his knee early in Denver and never looked involved afterwards.  He tallied four fouls and four turnovers in 16 minutes, making his only shot and grabbing four boards.  Especially with two of the Bucks' best scorers already out, Bogut can't afford to be such a spectator.  The same can be said of Richard Jefferson, who was hardly a factor after picking up three fouls in four minutes against Carmelo Anthony. Jefferson ended up playing only 23 minutes, bringing his totals for the past two games to 26 points, six boards, and five dimes in 59 total minutes.
  

Coverage:

SLC Dunk / True Blue Jazz