Jennings Finding Ways to Contribute

Jamie Wianecki
3/6/10


On November 22, 2009 just eleven games into his career, Brandon Jennings was averaging 25.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. He was the favorite to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, the Grizzlies, Timber-wolves (twice), Knicks, and Raptors were all criticized for passing on him, and the media compared him to future Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson. Now, March 6, 2010, 61 games into his career, Jennings is averaging 15.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. The Bucks, 32-29, have won 8 of their last 11 games, went 10-4 in February, and hold the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Much of the Bucks' success in February has to be credited to the acquisition of John Salmons -- who is averaging 20 points per game as a Buck -- and the play of Andrew Bogut -- who averaged 16.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 blocks in February. Bogut put up these numbers because he's been able to stay on the floor without getting into foul trouble, only averaging 2.4 fouls per game in February compared to usually averaging over 3 fouls per game and not missing any games due to injury. Despite an obvious scoring decrease, Jennings has found other ways to contribute. He has increased his assists, lowered his turnovers, and has started all 61 games this season. Consistency is hard to come by from a rookie, unless it's the mediocre kind -- a la Toronto's DeMar Derozen, who was drafted 9th overall in 2009 and hasn't averaged over 10 points per game in any month of the season. What Bucks fans need to look for is how Jennings performs these last 21 games (especially tonight against the Cavs at home) and the playoffs. A great start and a great finish is the key characteristic of a superstar.

Skiles Deserves Consideration

Jamie Wianecki
2/26/10


As the Oklahoma City Thunder are cruising, winning 9 of their last 11 games and holding the six seed in the superior Western Conference, it is apparent head coach Scott Brooks has the NBA Coach of the Year all but locked up. Charlotte's Larry Brown, Portland's Nate McMillan, and Memphis's Lionel Hollins are also earning a lot of consideration. But the coach who isn't receiving much consideration is Bucks' head coach Scott Skiles. He has met the requirements to earn at least some talk -- improvement from last season, team makes playoffs (still pending) and overcoming obstacles, such as injuries. The Bucks are on pace to surpass last season's 34 win season, despite the departure of last season's top three scorers, Richard Jefferson, Ramon Sessions, and Charlie Villanueva to San Antonio, Minnesota, and Detroit, respectively. Sessions was not only the third leading scorer on the team, but he was also the team leader in assists; meanwhile, the second leading scorer, Villanueva was also the team leader in rebounds. This season's success is contributed by Rookie of the Year candidate, Brandon Jennings, who leads the team with 16.4 points per game and 6.1 assists per game (12th in the NBA, 1st among rookies). The Bucks are the only team in the playoff hunt (currently holding the 7th seed in the East) that the scoring leader is a rookie -- the only other team is the 18-win Kings, led by Tyreke Evans. The Bucks' playoff push is getting stronger; they've won their last five games, are only 2.5 games out of the fifth seed, and are only 7.5 games out of the third seed.

Something Nate McMillan has received praise for is his team's winnings despite injuries to important players, such as Jeol Przybilla, Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, and most recently Marcus Camby. Early in the season, the Bucks were teased when Michael Redd -- who has a 20.3 point per game career average -- played in 18 games until tearing both his ACL and MCL in his left knee. Andrew Bogut, who is averaging career bests 16.2 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game, has also missed six games due to injury.

Skiles and General Manager John Hammond have done a very good job with the Bucks this season, not overspending on Sessions and Villanueva, and the recent acquisition of John Salmons from Chicago, putting the Bucks in position to play in the post-season. Although Brooks will win the NBA's Coach of the Year -- deservedly so winning 33 games this year already compared to 23 wins all of last year -- Scott Skiles deserves to be in the conversation by leading the Bucks into the playoffs.

Seeing Redd: A Franchise Blunder Reviewed

By Bobby Malecki

11/6/09

Just as quickly as Brandon Jennings dazzled in the home opener to rejuvenate the city of Milwaukee for Bucks basketball as I had predicted in my previous column, Michael Redd went down. Again.

Michael Redd re-injured his left knee that was hurt in 2007 following a dunk attempt. It's not the same injury that caused him to have season- ending surgery last January, or so he claims. Early in the third-quarter of the Milwaukee Bucks' action-packed home opener against the Detroit Pistons, Michael Redd went where many-a players boldly go on a nightly basis in the NBA... the rim! Redd dunked home two of his nine points and consequently re-aggravated an old injury. He 'toughed' it out, and ground out the majority of the third- quarter before retiring to the locker room for the remainder of the game near the end of that very same third- quarter. He is projected to miss about two weeks. I'm not buying it, and neither is the city of Milwaukee. In a poll conducted by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, an eye-opening 92% of the 936 respondents believe that Michael Redd will miss more than the allotted two weeks, with 74% thinking it will be a month or longer. Quite frankly, I'm tired of our 'franchise player.' Let's explore Redd's contributions since signing his six-year, $91 million max contract following the '04-'05 season.

Arguably the only season he earned the contract he put his John Hancock on, was his first season after signing it. He played in 80 games in '05-'06 and led the Bucks to the playoffs. That season he averaged a workman-like 39.1 minutes a night and knocked down 45% of his shots and was 39.5% from beyond the arc. He put in 25.4 ppg while also getting on the boards for 4.3 per night and handing out 2.9 assists per game. At the time, it looked like the Bucks did the right thing by not letting Redd leave. Who can argue with that sort of production?

Redd followed up that banner year in '06-'07 by playing in 53 of the 82 games. 29 missed games. The dunk. The knee injury. In the games he did play, he put in 26.7 ppg. Impressive? Sure. But 29 missed games is the key stat. His rebounding total went down to 3.7 per game as did his assists, down to 2.3. Evidence of a 'me-first' player, not a franchise player. The Bucks didn't qualify for the playoffs.

Coming off the injury in '07-'08 and presumably with something to prove, Redd played in 72 of the 82 games. Raise the roof! He shot a respectable 44.2% from the floor, his three-point shooting was down to 36.2%, still a solid clip, and he clocked out at 22.7 points a night. He showed some unselfishness by distributing 3.4 assists per night and also got on the glass for 4.3 rebounds per game. In my opinion, a more complete season than '05-'06, but his shooting was down a little bit from '05-'06 and again, most importantly, the Bucks failed to qualify for the playoffs.

By far his worst season since signing the max deal, was his 2008-'09 campaign. Boy, did the wheels fall off. He managed to play in only 33 games last year after the devastating MCL and ACL tears in his left knee ended his season in late- January. When he went down, he was averaging 21.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 2.7 assists per game. He was shooting 45.5% from the floor and 36.6% from beyond the arc. He proved fragile yet again however, and the Bucks missed the playoffs for the third straight year with him as our 'franchise player.' And yet another season with far too many games missed by Redd.

Heading into this season, the 30-year old guard out of Ohio State had a lot to prove to Bucks nation. He has two more years left on his franchise deal, appeared to be healthy and vowed to be a better player. He figured to have the opportunity to establish himself as an elite, reliable player. I certainly felt Redd would have a great year. Brandon Jennings is everything I anticipated he would be so far, Bogut is rounding into form, Warrick looks great, with Redd's ability to score, this Bucks team had the potential to do some damage. Two games in, Redd goes down on what seemed to be a routine, harmless dunk. 'Franchise player' on the shelf. AGAIN!

Redd very well could come back in the allotted two- week time frame and go on to have an all-star year, lead the Bucks to the playoffs and earn his contract once again and make me look foolish for questioning his ability to be a franchise player. It's in the realm of possibility. I'm rooting for him. I hope he does. I fear, he won't. Simply put, great players, franchise players, are tough, reliable, don't miss chunks of games year-in and year-out. Franchise players look to get their teammates more involved in the game, they're play makers. Redd was always a shooter first, shooter second, play maker third, passer fourth. It's not a knock, it's his nature. A franchise player is a leader, plays aggressive, hard-nosed defense. Is Michael Redd any of those things? Simply put, no. When you mortgage the future of a franchise on a player, as the Bucks did with Redd, you just simply need someone who brings more to the table than Michael Redd does on a night to night, game to game basis.

Make no mistake about it, Michael Redd is an outstanding shooter (45.1% career), a prolific scorer (20.5 ppg career) and I firmly believe a tremendous second or third option. He's just not a franchise player. Never was, never will be. Put him on a team where all he has to do is put the ball in the bucket, and there's no one better outside of Ray Allen, than Redd. That's why Redd was a great fit on the 2008 Olympic team. Imagine if Redd signed with Cleveland and teamed with LeBron James in the '05-'06 off season, which was Redd's second choice? Redd playing 'Robin' to LeBron's 'Batman'. That would have been a match made in heaven. Redd may have stayed healthy. The Cavs may have a championship or two by now. The Bucks may have had a legitimate franchise player by now, before the drafting of Jennings. They'd certainly have had cap space to work with the last few years and more than likely for the upcoming, bally-hoed free agent Class of 2010. But that's not what happened. We're stuck with this muddled mess of the present and one more year left on Redd's contract at the conclusion of this season.

In the meantime, root for a Redd recovery. Maybe we can get something out him yet. If not, let's see what second-round draft pick Jodie Meeks is made of. He made his debut against the Bulls on Tuesday but only played two or three minutes and missed his only shot attempt. Jodie Meeks is a sharp-shooter. He set the single-game scoring record for the perennial powerhouse Kentucky NCAA men's basketball program with 54 points and 10 three's in a game at Tennessee on January 13, 2009. He's very similar to what Redd was coming out of college. I'd love to see what this kid can do with five or six open looks a night from three-point range and it was extremely disappointing that he didn't get much floor time at Chicago. Look for him to get some more minutes in the near future. Or at least, let's hope so. Charlie Bell is a solid fill-in, more of a reserve- type player, a good stop-gap starter. Bell can definitely give a quality 25-30 minutes a night. The rest should be left to Jodie Meeks. Let's see what the kid can do.

In conclusion Bucks fans, hope for the best with Redd, cheer him on, support him and let's ride out these next two years and see what happens. Once 2011-'12 rolls around, it'll be time to hand the keys of the franchise over to Mr. Brandon Jennings and let the good times roll! We've been seeing Redd far too long.

Why the Bucks will bring excitement back to Milwaukee

By Bobby Malecki

Sure the Milwaukee Bucks haven't made the post season since the '05-06' season, and yes, these are the Bucks that suffered through an injury-riddled 34- victory season last year on the heels of disastrous 26- win campaign the year before that. To put these numbers in perspective, three teams last season won more games than our beloved Bucks have in the last two seasons combined! Feeling confident yet?

This past off season the Milwaukee Bucks also dealt away their most consistent and arguably their best performer of the 2008-2009 season in Richard Jefferson. The bungled first- round draft pick of Joe Alexander in 2008 (#8 overall) still looms large over the franchise in a draft where players like Brook Lopez, Jason Thompson and Anthony Randolph were still available. Imagine a front court pairing Bogut with the likes of a Lopez, Thompson or Randolph? Lastly, they let Charlie Villinueva and Ramon Sessions skip town without any resistance. Where's the excitement you may ask?

It all starts with their dynamic rookie point guard from Compton, California. Brandon Jennings is the real deal folks. He had an impressive summer league showing in Las Vegas where he averaged 14.6 PPG and 8.2 dimes per game. He's had moments of brilliance in the pre- season as well as moments where he looked like a 20-year old kid, which is to be expected. He glides with the ball, is lightning quick and makes highlight reel passes that no Bucks point guard in recent memory, if ever, could make. He has a year of professional experience under his belt from playing overseas last year instead of playing at the collegiate level. Though, his playing time was spotty and his contributions were minimal across the Atlantic, it gave him the experience of a pro atmosphere, the wear and tear of travel and the physical aspect of the game he wouldn't have received playing at the collegiate level last year in the States. It makes him NBA-ready.

Jennings will undoubtedly struggle at times this season, but he will make at least one exciting, 'did you see that!' play every night and he finally gives you a reason to go spend a few bucks at the Bradley Center. Affectionately known as 'Doobie Doo' at the famed Rucker Park in the heart of New York City, Jennings is worth the price of admission alone. He has an explosive first step, he's a pass first point guard that will create many looks for his teammates and he plays with an air of confidence not seen in Milwaukee since Sammy Cassell ran the show. He has a flair for the dramatic. Remember draft night? Most importantly, it seems like he is truly happy to be in Milwaukee and playing for a point guard orientated coach in Scott Skiles. Jennings has superstar written all over him. If you don't believe me, YouTube him, watch him this season, and let me know how you feel about Mr. Jennings in April.

Outside of the excitement that Jennings will bring to the arena every night, other reasons to give you optimism about the Bucks this year is the return to health of Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. These are two all-star caliber players when healthy, and if that happens this season, it gives the Bucks an excellent core of players and a new 'Big 3'.

Redd may not be a franchise player, although he is being paid like one, but he is terrific shooter and prolific scorer and if he has a point guard to get him the ball in the right spots and a big man to clog the lane, which he will have this season, Redd can average 25- a- night in his sleep. Bogut on the other hand, has shown the ability to be an elite center when he's on the floor night in and night out. He plays solid defense, takes charges, plays hard, can score with his left or right hand from the paint, rebounds extremely well on both the offensive and defensive glass, eats a lot of space and has improved every season since his rookie year.

Outside of my newly minted 'Big 3', Kurt Thomas brings veteran leadership, a mid-range jumper and toughness to a team in desperate need of toughness. Carlos Delfino brings a another three -point option to the mix. Luke Ridnour is a capable back up point guard who can carry the load on any given night with his shooting or passing. Luc Richard Mbah A Moute is a lock down defender. Hakim Warrick brings energy off the bench Milwaukee hasn't had since Tim Thomas during the George Karl era. Can you already envision a Jennings to Warrick lob to the rim on a frenetic fast break? (Que the SportsCenter theme) General Manager John Hammond has assembled a lot of quality pieces of the puzzle to the 2009-'10 Milwaukee Bucks team and Scott Skiles is the right coach to guide this team and put those pieces in place. He's worked magic and turned around franchises before, in Phoenix and Chicago, and last year was on the verge of doing it again with the Bucks until injuries gutted the team. Another training camp under Skiles' tutelage and this Bucks team is being molded more and more into the type of team the fans of Milwaukee demand. This team will be about defense, toughness, unselfishness and will ultimately bring excitement back to the Bradley Center for the first team since the Eastern Conference Finals run in 2000.

Losing has cast a long shadow over this Bucks franchise for the last few years and the greater part of this decade, the majority of pre-season prognostications have called for doom and gloom for our Bucks yet again, but toss those predictions away, don't listen to the 'experts', and get the shades out, the future is bright for Milwaukee Bucks basketball and it begins this season with a return to the post season. Now that's something to get excited about!