Milwaukee Bucks Week 3 (2-2)

This was a tough weak for the Bucks. Thtey had to face 3 of the top teams in the NBA (Cavaliers, Spurs and Celtics) along with a young upstarting Grizzlies team. SO completing the week 2-2 is pretty good. I am starting to see the strides the Bucks are making defensively. They held 3 of 4 teams under 100 pts last week and the 1 team that did get over 100 pts needed overtime. Therefore I will be letting up on Coach Skiles, players are starting to buy in his system and once Michael Redd is back, his consistant scoring will get the Bucks a nice win Streak going.

Next week is looking like it will be another 2-2 record. The Bucks face the Nuggets and Jazz on the road back-to-back, that will be tough. They finish up the week against the Knicks(at home) and Bobcats(on the road), those are two game they are likely to win. They also start a 4 game road-trip(only 2 home games the rest of this month.

These next 2 weeks the Bucks have there work cut out for them and will have to beat some very good teams if they do not want to fall more than 1 game under .500.

Mil @ Cle
This was a game that could have used the scoring punch of Redd. LeBron James went for 41 points on the Bucks. Despite that the game was pretty close. This is just an example that Richard Jefferson can not carry the scoring load (he had 19 points). I was surprised to see the major minutes went to Luke Ridnour, Skiles must love his defense. Bogut was a no show(only played 20 minutes) but you have to believe Coach Skiles rested him for Tim Duncan and the Spurs.
Milwaukee Lost

Final 99-93

Mil vs Sas
The Bucks showed remendous heart against a depleted Spurs team(no Tony Parker, no Manu Ginobili). Andrew Bogut clocked in 43 minutes, scored 10 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, along with, 4 assist and 3 steals. So I must say, it was a great move to rest him against the Cavs. The Bucks took this game over with 1 minute left in the 3rd, when they were trailing by 11. From there they went on a 21-2 run to take an 8 point lead. This is where the heart came in, for the remaining 4 minutes the Bucks held off the Spurs, who rode a 14 point onslaught by Tim Duncan, and got within 2 points.

Final 82-78

Mil @ Mem
This was a very odd ball game. Memphis came out firing with rookie O.J. Mayo, who had a great 1st half with 15 points. The Grizz also ended with 2 players over 20 points: Mayo with 25, Rudy Gay had 24(18 in the 4th and OT), and Marc Gasol was not far behind with 18 points. The Grizzlies could not win this game because the were bably out rebounded by the Bucks 62 to 36, who had 3 players with double digit rebounds: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute had 17, Bogut had 15 and RJ with 10.

The Grizz control the 1st half very nicely but when the outside shots stopped falling, they had no other option. At the start of the 3rd quarter the Grizz were ahead 51-37 (14 points). Brick after brick, that was put up by the Grizz, the Bucks chipp away all quarter until it was tied at the end of the 3rd, 64 to 64. Then the Buck mount a 5 point lead with 5 minutes left in the game, only to commit 3 consecutive turnovers and need a Ramon Sessions 3 pointer, with 9 sec left, to send the game to overtime. THE BUCKS ALMOST GAVE THE GAME BACK!

Sigh... In overtime the Bucks hit 10 consecutive freethrows to seal the deal.

Final 101-96 OT

Mil vs Bos
One week after being demolished by the Cetics in Boaston the Bucks looked for revenge at the Bradley center in Milwaukee. The Bucks did jump out early in the 1st quarter but after a 12 to 11 point lead the never lead the game again in regulation. The Bucks did grind out to erase a 12 point 4th quarter deficit and send the game to overtime on a Ridnour last second layup; But in the end the Celtics were just too much, in this extremely physical game(62 total fouls, 9 techs).
Back-toback OT is never good.

Final 102-97 OT