Bucks 92, Nets 85 Recap: Ersan Ilyasova Torches Nets With 29 Points And 25 Rebounds
by Frank Madden on Feb 19, 2012 10:27 PM CST
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PrintThe Bucks have been getting increasingly creative with their losing of late, but they still can't figure out how to lose to the New Jersey Nets.
Admittedly, that might be a mixed blessing for Bucks fans wondering how the team can salvage anything but a middling lottery pick from the next two months, but one thing everyone should be pleased by: the refreshingly awesome play of Ersan Ilyasova, which reached new heights on Sunday night with career-highs of 29 points (11/23 fg) and 25 rebounds (13 offensive) in 36 minutes. Less awesome were the Nets, who bricked their way to a ninth consecutive loss against Milwaukee, a streak dating back to 2009.
After snapping an eight game skid by surprising the Bulls in Chicago on Saturday, the Nets came crashing back down to earth (in this case, New Jersey) on Sunday, testing the durability of the Prudential Center's rims with an abysmal first half that saw them clang their way to 23% shooting from the field. The Bucks didn't exactly run away and hide, but after trudging to a 43-36 halftime lead they took control early in the third. Carlos Delfino buried threes on the Bucks' first two possessions of the second half, and Brandon Jennings (6/15 fg, 15 pts, 7 rebs, 4 ast) extended the Bucks' edge to 58-40 with a triple less than four minutes into the third. After a slow start, Deron Williams (26 points on 24 shots, 6 ast) helped the Nets close to within five in the final minute, but the Bucks' 13th win was never seriously threatened.
Brook Lopez made his long-awaited regular season debut, but he mostly looked like a guy who hasn't played in three months, drawing plenty of fouls but doing little else (2/7 fg, 5/11 ft, 9 pts, 2 rebs, 22 min) against the Bucks' vertically-challenged front line.
Three Bucks
Ersan Ilyasova. Ilyasova's playing the best ball of his career over the past month, but there was still nothing expected about what he did on Sunday night. Ersan tore down 11 boards in the first quarter and had 14 in the first half by doing exactly what he's been doing all season: throwing his body at the ball, beating guys with his second, third and fourth jumps, and winning seemingly every 50/50 ball. You've seen all this from Ersan before, just never this many times in a single game. Ilyasova outworked the slow-footed Lopez and the rest of the Nets from the opening tip, grabbing nearly a quarter of the Bucks' missed shots (13 of 53) all by himself, getting free time and again around the hoop, and even offering up a drive and dunk past Lopez in the third.
Luc Mbah a Moute. After starting 14 straight games, the Prince reacted about as well as Scott Skiles could have hoped to his Friday night DNP: playing with energy (eight rebounds), attacking the rim rather than settling for jumpers (12 points on 5/9 shooting), and making life complicated for the Nets' big men.
Shaun Livingston. We could have gone with Brandon Jennings here, but Livingston was the Bucks' primary playmaker most of the night and pieced together a nice night (10 points, 6 assists, 1 to) despite finding zero luck with his jumper (1/9 fg). Also not to be overlooked: a solid night defending MarShon Brooks (3/14 fg, 12 pts).
Three Numbers
29/25. Ilyasova's career night deservedly takes all the headlines tonight, matching Dwight Howard's NBA-high for rebounds in a game this season. It's also the Bucks' first 25/25 game since Swen Nater dropped 33/30 back in 1976. Best performance by a Buck since...?
40%. Jennings made 40% of his shots for the third time in eleven games, missing his last three shots to finish 6/15 fg. Unfortunately, he hasn't made a higher percentage since hitting 8/15 on January 30.
37. Made shots and box outs were at a premium for much of the evening, as the two teams combined for a whopping 37 offensive rebounds (21 by the Bucks, 16 by the Nets). While Ersan will deservedly get the headlines, Shelden Williams also nabbed nine offensive rebounds and 15 overall for the Nets.
Three Good
Ersanity. Ilyasova's shooting efficiency might be down this season, but his hustle game has been nothing short of fantastic, as evidenced by the career-high 18.4% rebound rate he carried into tonight's game. Though his rebounding binge probably has at least a little bit to do with Andrew Bogut's absence, his rebound rate is also miles ahead of the solid-but-not-great 14.1% he registered last year and the career-high 15.5% of two years ago.
The other big positive for Ilyasova has been his reliable touch from deep. Though his accuracy inside the arc has declined--his long two percentage is down from 48% to 36% and his at-rim finishing is also lower (59% to 56%)--his three point touch is now nearing 43% for the season after failing to crack 30% last year.
Now what do they do with him? You'd think Ilyasova and his expiring contract might be worth a mid to late first round pick at this point, a payoff that would be rather useful to a Bucks' franchise a) in need of assets and b) unlikely to accomplish anything of significance this season. Then again, we know the Bucks' brass really doesn't want to wave the white flag on yet another season, even if the odds of Ilyasova returning next season are modest at best.
Road warriors. After losing their first eight road games of the season, the Bucks are now 6-3 in their last nine games away from the BC. Go figure--especially considering they've lost five in a row at home after starting the year 7-2. So assuming you want the Bucks to win games and make the playoffs, maybe it's bad news that 19 of their final 35 games are in Milwaukee.
Defense. No one will claim the Nets are a finely-oiled machined on the offensive end, but let's give the Bucks' much-maligned defense a bit of credit. Milwaukee's defensive energy deserves a good chunk of the blame for the Nets' 34% shooting, while the Bucks also earned a 53-43 edge on the glass, including 28-15 in the second half.
Three Bad
Purgatory. The Bucks are still 2.5 games back of Jeremy Lin and the surging Knicks for the final playoff spot, and they're also a game behind the Cavs for 10th in the lotto standings. Choose your own adventure?
Bench. The Bucks' reserves have been Milwaukee's biggest strength most of the season, but Mbah a Moute was the only non-starter to contribute more than two points tonight. Bucks reserves not named Mbah a Moute shot just 3/15, as Mike Dunleavy, Stephen Jackson and Beno Udrih were all non-factors. The absence of Drew Gooden (wrist/knee) and Tobias Harris (shoulder contusion) didn't help either.
The Brandon streak. Jennings was hardly a negative on the floor tonight, but his fg% continues its descent towards the 40% mark.
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Sweet. Treade him now!!
I gotta think some fringe PO team would happily give up their 1st rd pick for Ersan…
He’s a big man who’s playing great, and has a cheap expiring deal.
TRADE HIM NOW. PLEASE.
Unless of course, JH thinks he’s the future starting PF for the Bucks AND he’d be willing to stay…. and at what price?
I’m guessing he’d get 4-5mil per on the open market – and who knows if Milw would or should pay that.
How and why did Andray Blatche have 16 offensive rebounds and 3 defensive rebounds in a game?
by Alex Boeder on Feb 20, 2012 12:09 AM CST up reply actions
Always thought Ersan was capable of something like this (which is probably why I liked him, despite it all).
He just never put it together. He finally does, and we don’t even want the wins. Disappointing.
...BRANDONJENNINGSSUX!!!
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Feb 20, 2012 7:14 AM CST reply actions
Keep Ersan
John Hammond should figure out if Ersan would sign an extension with the Bucks. He clearly is an improving player that plays very well in Skiles’ system. Only if we can’t sign him to a reasonable contract, should we entertain any trade offers.
Skiles' system is part of the problem
Unless Ersan can put up 20/10s on the regular, there is no real correlation.
http://twitter.com/WhalesLarry ...but only if you want to see someone still trying to figure Twitter out.
by Mitchell Maurer on Feb 20, 2012 9:16 AM CST up reply actions
Skiles Not Going Anywhere
We can’t expect Ersan to put up 20/10’s consistently, but strong rebounding and great effort fit a hard-nosed approach to defense (which I think is part of Skiles’ approach). It helps that he can open up the court with his 3-point range and is willing to fight underneath for offensive rebounds. How would you define Skiles’ system and why do you see it as a problem? I think that it more of a talent problem than a coaching problem.
my take
…is that today’s players are more complicated than Skiles is prepared to deal with. I’d say Skiles can get good results with high or low talent levels — IF the players are gung ho. Skiles thinks players should give maximum effort without even thinking about it. As an act of respect for the game.
Modern players are businessmen. Understandably committed to their careers as much as they are committed to their team. They have to combine protecting their careers with tapping into their most competitive energies and instincts. If they find themselves in a bad situation (the Bucks are a bad situation) they think about it and it affects their play. Skiles doesn’t respect that.
His simple view is if you’re a player you don’t think about the big questions, don’t think about off the court issues, you just go out and play as hard as you can, night after night. Seems a bit primitive to me.
If the Bucks players with “input” from management work their way through the current funk, Skiles may get back to being an effective coach. Right now, I think he’s distant from the men, stubborn, angry, arbitrary, and perhaps a little passive aggressive.
Perhaps balancing that somewhat, I suspect that Skiles knows his people skills are rude enough that he has to keep learning and growing. Bad times like these are fertile ground for that.
I'm almost positive we could replace "Scott Skiles"with "Jerry Sloan" in this comment and have it be just as accurate.
Not sure if that says more about modern players or traditional coaches.
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by Steve von Horn on Feb 20, 2012 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
wouldn't shock me
…to hear that Skiles thought of Sloan as a mentor. Sloan was tough and demanding, but I don’t recall hearing about him “wearing out his welcome” with his team. Either Sloan had better people skills or a better GM (choosing the players).
I tend to think about it as coaches who really belong in the military (authoritarian, top down) versus nurturing coaches. I see more potential in the second type, but either is OK with me if the players will play hard for the Coach.
Deron Williams didn't exactly see eye to eye with Sloan.
The Jazz, inexplicably, solved that issue by getting rid of both of them.
My arbitrary eye...
…looked at Deron Williams yesterday in the Battle of the Bantamweights game and decided Williams looked like success had spoiled him. Maybe Sloan saw that in Utah.
Or maybe the march of change leaves some behind.
I think we should deal Ersan
But wait until it’s closer to the deadline. Teams are not ready to jump yet, the closer to the deadline means the more we can get. I don’t think Ersan is a long-term answer at PF, he’s a nice role player but we have enough of those, don’t we? I hope we can get a young player and a pick for example something like JaJuan Johnson and a 1st from Boston(althougth the Celts wouldn’t deal for Ersan likely)but something in that neighbourhood.
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
If Ersan’s recent success causes a GM someplace to overvalue him, sure, make a trade. Especially if not much else will be done to the roster — since I think Ersan isn’t at home on this roster.
But a young player and a pick? 2 for 1?? Seems too much to ask. Or else, neither would be worth much.
For a contending team
The pick isn’t all that important perhaps, and just takes cap sapce away. Remember Miami trade Daequan Cook and the 18th pick for the 32nd pick? I’d give Ersan up for that
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
by CanadaBucks on Feb 20, 2012 11:15 AM CST up reply actions
somebody clue me in
I’m tempted to think Ersan is doing so well BECAUSE he’s out of position. Playing center where his Johnny-Jump-Up routine is tricky for the other team to handle. And his results are remarkable. (Though I wouldn’t be shocked if the NBA were to pass a future rule to limit the number of tap rebounds a player can pile up. ;)
But if Bogut or Gooden were alongside Ersan, would that cramp his style? I still pretty much see Ersan as a man without a country position.
I wonder if his success is a pre-Spring ephemeral. Someone whose strengths bloom on a deficient team but whose weaknesses stand out more on a strong team.
Playoffs
It’s a stated goal by Jennings and Skiles to make the playoffs this year, so barring anything totally crazy we should not expect the team to turn it in as the year goes on, which is to say that Skiles will play the lineups that he thinks will get him wins this season. Given that, I don’t really see us dumping Ersan for a pick, but more likely that we could potentially bundle Ersan with other talent in a trade that brings us back a legit piece, for example, Jennings and Ersan for Pau Gasol.
I'd think Hammond/Kohl have motion sickness
…from all the blows they’ve received this subcompact season. Bogut, Jackson, Jennings, etc.
Not sure they can clear their minds to make a helpful trade. It’s even possible that may think Win Now is now futile. Which conclusion they’d probably keep to themselves, and which might cause them to do nothing.
But, yes, a trade that improves the talent level (currently endangered) on the team would be nice.
I'd rather go this route
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7cvm6b3
Add at least one of the Lakers picks in and I think we are worse now but may be better long-term. I know Mitchell will give his “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” but it may be for the best of the franchise.
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
by CanadaBucks on Feb 20, 2012 11:48 AM CST up reply actions
And then I'd make a separate trade for Ersan
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
by CanadaBucks on Feb 20, 2012 11:50 AM CST up reply actions
you seem to disagree
…with my feeling that even the current pumped up Ersan has modest value around the league. If he has no more value than I suspect, any separate trade for him would be insignificant…
SWEET LORD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
http://twitter.com/WhalesLarry ...but only if you want to see someone still trying to figure Twitter out.
by Mitchell Maurer on Feb 20, 2012 12:27 PM CST up reply actions
If you want to talk trades, how about this one?
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=79arqmn
Lakers receive: Amar’e Stoudemire, Stephen Jackson, Ersan Ilyasova
Knicks receive: Pau Gasol, Steve Blake
Bucks receive: Luke Walton, Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields
The Knicks go all-in by trading STAT for Pau, the Lakers get a fitting replacement for Gasol and some great depth in both the front and back courts, and the Bucks get two young athletic guards to play alongside Jennings.
I would obviously want the Bucks to receive a draft pick in this package, as they are clearly losing on talent based on this season alone.
http://twitter.com/WhalesLarry ...but only if you want to see someone still trying to figure Twitter out.
by Mitchell Maurer on Feb 20, 2012 12:34 PM CST up reply actions
I would rather just get picks than some of those guys.
I don’t like Shumpert. I don’t like waiting on guys to develop a jumper. I realize this is hypothetical. I, and I’m sure everyone feels something similar, that the Bucks just need to show me where they are going this season sometime soon. A streak of 5 or 6 games, wins or losses, would make me feel much better. I know we are 2.5 games out of the playoffs, but also 3 games up on the 6th lottery odds. I can get behind just about anything with the Bucks aside from what they are doing now.
by Finkle_is_Einhorn on Feb 20, 2012 12:54 PM CST up reply actions
I would do the gasol trade before yours
Gets rid of Jax and Gooden’s salary plus gets us a post game. True we have not much left in the backcourt but chuckers are easier to find that guys who can score inside. Lakers probably only do that if it’s the key to Howard. Fields is the only one I would want in your scenario so maybe if I could get Fields and Walton out of Jax, I’d do it.
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
And if I make the Gasol trade
I could do this:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7paow3n
Still thin on the wings but I can get shooters.
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
I think a package deal with him and Jackson would be great, if possible.
But it would likely involve more then one team, because the same kind of team that would be really looking for Ersan probably isn’t going to take on Jackson. (Young, rebuilding)
by Jacob Grinyer on Feb 20, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions
Why does everyone want to amnesty Gooden?
Big men will always command top dollar – and you’re probably not gonna get one better than him for 6mil per.
I know he has flaws, but his salary is by no means out of line for what he brings to the table….
I don't want to amnesty him
I would like to get rid of him though, get a PF that plays inside
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
And this is the trade I'd make
http://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/6032242
Get rid of Jax – and have Morrow at SG for next yr and Farmar if/when Livingston leaves after this yr [I know another PG isn’t ideal, but Beno and BJ can play off the ball]
AND they’re both FAs after next yr – maybe get NJ to give up a 2nd rd pick, too?
And then make a seperate trade for Ersan…
Honestly rather just trade
For Okur straight up, I’d rather have the cap space than a couple of 8th-9th rotation guys
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
Even though his shot disappeared for a while last year
Ersan has been a hard worker, who is always in the right spot, and makes some solid plays. Regardless of what happens in the future, I don’t think he can be blamed for the disappointments of the last 18 months.
I wish him the best wherever he goes, and will continue to support him.
You're right
I just don’t want to make the Charlie Bell, Danny G. mistake of paying a role player starter’s money. We are already paying Luc 5m/yr as a role player, you want someone to rebound you always have guys like Reggie Evans etc. I want a starting PF with a good inside game, when was the last time the Bucks had that? Vin Baker?
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
Don't think we'll get low enough
But I’d like if we could get a guy like Arnett Moultrie
"He always plays like he's a pit bull that hasn't been fed in about a year and that you've got pork chops in your pockets and that's the basketball." Of course, he's Canadian
"I wish him the best wherever he goes...."
Me too. Ersan seems like a blue-collar guy, with a bit of an underdog mentality. Hard not to root for him.
If he winds up on a unified team that doesn’t have Brandon Jennings as the PG, his chances of doing well improve.
(If we trade Jennings, that might even be here.)
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