Not a bad weekend for the Bucks.
After dropping below the .500 mark for the first time following losses in New Orleans and San Antonio, the Bucks got back on track over the weekend with (mostly) convincing wins over the struggling Bobcats and Nets. Dispatching the Bobs at home on Friday was a must, but beating the Nets in Brooklyn still ranks as something to feel good about it, no matter how much the Nets might have helped by shooting 31% over the first three quarters.
Monta Ellis shot damn well (8/13 fg, really!) and Brandon Jennings was everywhere (26 pts, 7 ast, 6 rebs, 5 stl, 2 to), while Deron Williams and Joe Johnson were never able to take advantage of their distinct size advantage against a Bucks team that closed the first half on a 46-20 binge and led by as many as 29 in the third quarter. While the box score showed the Nets claiming a 19-16 edge in transition points, the Bucks did well pushing the tempo and getting into their offense early before the Nets could organize defensively.
Things got a bit more interesting than the Bucks would have liked in the fourth quarter, mostly thanks to Gerald Wallace's efforts (18 pts, 16 rebs) in awakening the Nets from their three quarter-long slumber, but the Bucks answered the bell whenever things started getting a bit too close for comfort.
Stats: B-R Advanced Box | HoopData | Popcorn Machine
Recaps: Brew Hoop | Bucksketball | Behind the Buck Pass | JS | FS Wisconsin | Nets Daily | The Brooklyn Game
News:
- ESPN: Dreaming up Gasol trade possibilities
Tom Haberstroh throws out some potential deals for the Lakers' Pau Gasol, among them Monta Ellis and Ersan Ilyasova fetching the ailing Laker star. I realize the 32-year-old Gasol a) has struggled with injuries this season b) isn't getting any younger and c) is owed a hefty $39 million over the next two seasons, but when was the last time the Bucks had someone as talented as Pau on the roster? Aside from 2009 Andrew Bogut, you'd have to go back more than a decade to find someone in Pau's league. Which is preciely why I'd have zero qualms shipping out some combination of Ellis, Ilyasova, Dalembert, Udrih, etc. to roll the dice on Gasol getting healthy and rediscovering his game in Milwaukee. - Fox Sports Wisconsin | Sanders' block party
Larry Sanders is having a nice couple weeks, eh? - Bucksketball | Luc Mbah a Moute battling in the post and with his knee
Good read from Jeremy on Luc Mbah a Moute's comeback from offseason knee surgery. Among the highlights:"I’ve always had a post game," Mbah a Moute said. "The good thing is that coach is trusting me with that now. It’s good. I feel like I can take advantage of some small guys down there, use my size and score against them. I can go down there, get someone in foul trouble or get a basket or have a mismatch."