Game Thread: Bucks/Pacers

by Alex Boeder on Jan 28, 2009 12:34 PM CST in Previews

22-26 (9-18 road)		17-28 (11-9 home)
	@
January 28, 2009 - 6:00PM CT
Conseco Fieldhouse
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FS Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Luke Ridnour	PG	T.J. Ford
Ramon Sessions	SG	Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Richard Jefferson	SF	Danny Granger
Charlie Villanueva	PF	Troy Murphy
Dan Gadzuric	C	Jeff Foster
103.6 (19th)	Off	103.7 (17th)
103.5 (12th)	Def	106.5 (22nd)
94.1 (13th)	Pace	99.1 (3rd)
29.1 (4th)	OReb	25.2 (22nd)
74.7 (8th)	DReb	74.3 (11th)

08/09 Series:

Dec. 13: @Bucks 121 Pacers 103

Injuries

Bucks: Michael Redd is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Andrew Bogut is not expected to play hampered by back spasms. Charlie Bell is day-to-day with lingering ankle soreness.

Pacers: Jamaal Tinsley is out for disciplinary reasons. Roy Hibbert is questionable with a mild concussion.

Keep it movin'. The Pacers waste little time moving up and down the court, and aren't terribly fond of defense, as Milwaukee discovered in the first matchup. Indiana allowed eleventy-billion points to the Magic last night, so you have to figure the Bucks have a chance to crack triple digits even after an offensively-challenged evening versus the Wolves. Those looking for Richard Jefferson to step into the leading scorer role with Michael Redd out might want to look in a different direction. Villanueva (24.3 points/40 minutes) easily outpaces Jefferson (19.3/40) in points per minute this season. Not only that, he beats Redd (23.2/40) in the points department as well.
Third-eek. Milwaukee unraveled in the third against Minnesota, getting outscored 27-17. Without that quarter, the Bucks would have won. Indiana has won 29 % of third quarters this year, the very worst percentage in the NBA. That's oddly atrocious for a middle-of-the-pack team like the Pacers. Halftime speeches prepared yet, Scott and Jim?
Travis on court and in town. Marquette invaded South Bend and defeated Notre Dame on Monday, and Fond du Lac native and MU alum Travis Diener finally won some playing time with the Pacers the next night. A year after starting 21 games, Diener has played 20+ minutes just four times this season. One of those times was last night, when he hit for 7/5/4 in 22 minutes off the bench. Meanwhile, former Notre Dame star Troy Murphy is enjoying one of his finest pro seasons, averaging 12.2/11.4/2.4. Murphy is a versatile creature standing 6'11", with the ability to both shoot and rebound, reminiscent of a certain starting four-man on Milwaukee right now.

Links

Bucks.com / Indy Cornrows

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Comments

I don't like the Bucks, but I like Villenueva, and...

When Jefferson gets 2 quick fouls, and you are down 16-6 in the first quarter…how does it make any sense to take out Charlie too?!

Scott Skiles has proven to be a terrible coach throughout his career, and aren’t you, as fans, sick of watching him micromanage a team that has been riddled with injuries to key players all season?

Yea, Charlie takes shots, but if this guy played 35 consistent minutes per game, he would be an all-star

It reminds me of earlier this week when he played 22 minutes, dropped 15 points on 50%+ shooting, and you lost to the wolves by 7…MAYBE PLAY HIM SOME MORE MINUTES?

take, that

by sdot on Jan 28, 2009 6:21 PM CST reply actions

and Jefforson comes back in with 2 fouls with 4 minutes left in the 1st...

That’s how much he hates Villenueva

take, that

by sdot on Jan 28, 2009 6:25 PM CST reply actions

I hope your owner decides to downsize during this recession

take, that

by sdot on Jan 28, 2009 6:26 PM CST reply actions

And tells Scott Skiles to go micromanage his household.

K i’m done, sorry.

take, that

by sdot on Jan 28, 2009 6:26 PM CST reply actions

Skiles has won everywhere, so I’m not sure how he qualifies as a terrible coach. I’m pretty thrilled we’ve got him.

Still he does have a penchant for micromanaging his lineups, which can be frustrating at times. With Bogut and Redd out they really should be playing CV big minutes, but for much of the season he was getting inconsistent minutes largely because he wasn’t producing consistently. He simply can’t defend certain guys, and on a lot of nights he just doesn’t have his shot going. This month has been the first time he’s been been really bringing it every night and given he’s their best offensive player they need to ride him.

He’s got 18 first half minutes, so I’d say Skiles isn’t hating on him tonight.

www.BrewHoop.com

by Frank Madden on Jan 28, 2009 7:15 PM CST reply actions

We Are So Not Clutch

I thought we had a chance when Jefferson went to the line, but he amazingly went 0 for 2. We had a chance, at that point only down 2, but then T.J. destroyed our hopes. Poor execution was our downfall.

Did you see T.J.‘s line; all those points and only three assists. That’s our boy, selfish as ever.

by MadTown Hoops on Jan 28, 2009 8:56 PM CST reply actions

On the Subject of Mr. Skiles

I don’t mean to be a contrarian, but in response to sdot’s post I have this rebuttal: Scott Skiles is money. He has a career record over .500, a track record which usually denotes a good coach. His teams play with tenacity, and he has consistently overachieved with sometimes questionable rosters. He certainly has made this year’s squad an entertaining one and a fun team to root for.

by MadTown Hoops on Jan 28, 2009 9:11 PM CST reply actions

Scott Skiles

… the 2003-04 Bulls went on to finish 23-59 (.280), including 19-47 (.288) under Skiles …

also, he’s not making a point by benching players and then allowing the game to get out of hand in the first quarter…he’s losing a game against a bad team that you could have easily come back in had the lead not been so great.

take, that

by sdot on Jan 29, 2009 9:25 AM CST reply actions