Recap: Bucks 98, Bulls 86

Box Score / Recap

I finally had the pleasuring of seeing part of a Bucks preseason game tonight--albeit a webcam of a television showing the Bulls' WGN broadcast--but it was definitely better than nothing.  Fortunately we've also got another package of highlights from Jim Paschke and the Bucks.com crew above.

First off: Andrew Bogut.  My how we've missed you.  Though the Bucks' first win of the preseason had as much to do with the Bulls' poor play (and lack of Derrick Rose) as anything else, there were some very promising signs from the Bucks' starting unit, notably Bogut.  The big man scored 12 along five rebounds in 18 minutes, his longest outing of the preseason thus far, and looked pretty frisky in dropping a couple of hooks, a powerful right hander and even a jump shot on the unsuspecting Joakim Noah.  Getting back up to speed has been a process for Bogut, but the process is going pretty well. Knock on wood.

Aside from that, it was a balanced effort befitting of an early preseason game.  Luke Ridnour was again efficient in limited minutes while Brandon Jennings was lively but too content to pitch wayward mid-range jumpers (3/12 fg, 6 pts).  Kurt Thomas brought his lunchpail to the starting five, deliver five rebounds and six points in 16 minutes.  Scott Skiles wanted a better rebounding effort and Thomas helped him get it, as the Bucks won the battle of he boards for the first time in three games.  Hakim Warrick also continued to produce, dropping 13/8 in 27 minutes. 

Ersan Ilyasova meanwhile got his first rebounds of the preseason (yay!) but wasn't as productive.  He buried a couple threes and continues to show a nice ability to pass the ball, but 8/4/3 in 22 minutes probably isn't good enough to lock up the starting PF spot.  Keep working, Ersan, you'll get it.

Carlos Delfino also didn't hurt his cause in his first start, though we do know that he won't be starting on opening night--word came down before the game that he will be suspended for the opener as a result of his skirmish with Austin Daye on Wednesday.  I'll be happy with Delfino so long as he defends respectably and buries threes, both of which he accomplished tonight.  He made 3/5 threes en route to 12 points in 27 minutes, while also helping limit John Salmons and Luol Deng to a combined 4/17 shooting night.