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Game Thread: Bucks/Pacers

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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.comIndy Cornrows