Game 58: Bucks/Heat
by Alex Boeder on Feb 27, 2010 10:28 AM CST
in Previews
15 comments
| 2009/2010 NBA Season | ||
|---|---|---|
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 |
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| 29-29 (14-13 home) | vs. | 29-28 (11-19 road) |
| February 27, 2010 | ||
| American Airlines Arena |
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| 2:30 PM | ||
| Radio: WTMJ AM 620 TV: FSN-Wisconsin HD |
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| Probable starters: | ||
| Carlos Arroyo |
PG | Brandon Jennings |
| Daequan Cook |
SG | John Salmons |
| Quentin Richardson |
SF | Carlos Delfino |
| Michael Beasley | PF | Luc Mbah a Moute |
| Jermaine O'Neal |
C | Andrew Bogut |
| (19th) 106.0 - OFFENSE - 104.4 (23rd) |
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| (10th) 104.5 - DEFENSE - 103.7 (6th) |
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| (28th) 90.4 - PACE - 92.8 (15th) |
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Linkage
Peninsula is Mightier / Ira Winderman / Hot Hot Hoops
Wade out.
Dwyane Wade will not play for the Heat today, out with a strained left calf. In two games and two losses against Milwaukee this season, he shot 33.3 % from the field, 9.1 % on three pointers, 1.5 rebounds, 4.0 turnovers, and 5.0 fouls. Still this is a major, major break for Milwaukee.
Charlie Bell, whom Brandon Jennings coined the "Wade stopper," is no longer starting, and hardly even playing (16 combined minutes in last three games). If Wade was ready to go, I think Skiles would have subbed in Charlie pretty early to match up, but that's beside the point now.
Bogut mastering swat and flop.
Bogut ranks in the top five in "defensive plays" (blocks+steals+charges drawn) in the NBA. Check out Frank's story for this and more on Bogut's defensive mastery.
Different directions.
Miami is coming off a horrific, 91-88 home loss to the Timberwolves, Dwyane Wade is ailing, Carlos Arroyo just got arrested, and that five-game winning streak that ended last Friday feels like a lot longer ago than last Friday.
That is a cautionary tale to the Bucks about how quickly a five-game win streak can sourly expire.
Nonetheless, the Bucks do carry a five-game winning streak, second longest in the NBA after Dallas' six, to South Beach. The streak has coincided with the arrival of John Salmons, who has led the team in scoring in three of his first five games. The slashing two guard has also made 17 free throws in the past two games. This isn't exactly the norm for Salmons, who set season highs for free throws made in each of the past couple games, making eight and then nine.
With more than a month and a half remaining in the regular season, the Bucks already have more wins (29) than they had in two of the previous three seasons, and they are fast closing in on last year's total of 34. Milwaukee has only had three winning seasons in the last 19 years four winning seasons in the last 18 years (including the lockout-shortened season), so this one-game-above-.500-thing is kind of a big deal.
Three.
Milwaukee will aim to go 3-0 and secure the tiebreaker in the season series with the Heat, who stand just half a game behind Milwaukee in the East.
Just like against Indiana on Thursday, the Bucks enter this game with a pair of wins in the head-to-head matchup. Milwaukee swept a home-and-home by closing January with a 95-84 home win and opening February 97-91 in Miami.
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Fixed
I think that was leftover from the last preview template we did…
by Frank Madden on Feb 27, 2010 11:44 AM CST up reply actions
Such an important game. A loss ties us with Charlotte and drops us to the 8 seed. A win puts distance on Miami and Charlotte and puts us one step closer to beating Chicago in the division.
Wade being out is obviously huge—just a golden opportunity to steal a road game from a team we’re battling for a playoff spot. Can’t afford a letdown now.
Beasley is their only dynamic scoring threat with Wade out, but it would seem like Luc is a good matchup there. JO has been playing well of late but Bogut has been even better.
by Frank Madden on Feb 27, 2010 12:16 PM CST up reply actions
Rafer starting in Arroyo's place
Apparently getting arrested is not viewed favorably by Erik Spoelstra. Always nice to see Rafer chucking bricks for the other team.
Heat showing early zone—not something the Bucks have done well against.
still zoning
Bucks really struggling to get inside on the 2/3, but getting plenty of open three looks. Jennings’ assist to Bogut hopefully showing they’re figuring it out a bit…
Heat not rolling over
JO hit a couple jumpers and generally using his size well. Bogut missed a couple chippies early and has been mostly kept out of the game by the Heat’s zone, which caused some problems early on (Dorell Wright doing a nice job using length up top to disrupt Bucks’ passing).
Jennings and Salmons the Bucks’ best players early on.
3 Quarters under 20 points
How good is the Bucks D? Albeit against Wade-less Heat, but still…. and apart from Delfino, no-one really played major minutes…
Another win on the road.
I could get used to this…
Bring on the Birds
Luc v. J-Smoove. Salmons v. JJ. Jennings v. Henry’s son (who you know Jennings looks up to from Henry’s days at USC). And Bogut v. Horford.
Killer matchups all around. Can’t wait.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
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