February 10
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings was not chosen as one of the all-star reserves by Eastern Conference coaches. The coaches' picks were announced in a TNT telecast Thursday night before the game between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Jennings had put himself in the running with some striking performances, including his 31-point, eight-assist, four-steal effort against Miami on Feb. 1. But the conference coaches selected Atlanta Hawks veteran Joe Johnson and New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams as reserves. Also chosen for the East squad were Miami forward Chris Bosh, Boston forward Paul Pierce, Chicago forward Luol Deng, Indiana center Roy Hibbert and"
February 10
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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It seems a bit early to be thinking about the playoffs. But in this compressed National Basketball Association season, it's never too early. The Milwaukee Bucks already have played 25 games and will be halfway through their 66-game schedule when the all-star break hits in less than two weeks. They have experienced some sweet highs, including two victories over Miami and a home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, and some definite lows - a blowout home loss to Chicago, squandering a 21-point lead in Sacramento and an 0-5 western trip. But they are in the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference with an 11-14 record, barely ahead of Cleveland (10-14) and the New York"
February 9
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A zone defense provided just the tonic for the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. The Toronto Raptors made liberal use of the zone, and Carlos Delfino and Mike Dunleavy Jr. made them pay with torrid three-point shooting in the Bucks' 105-99 victory at the Air Canada Centre. Delfino scored a season-high 25 points and sank 6 of 8 three-pointers, while also providing strong defense against Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan. Dunleavy came off the bench and finished with 18 points, including 16 in the first half. The Bucks got off to a better start and held a 58-51 halftime lead after trailing by big margins at intermission in their previous four games."
February 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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It was a very strange night at the Bradley Center on Tuesday. Michael Redd was wearing Phoenix Suns purple instead of the Milwaukee Bucks jersey he wore for 11 seasons. Bucks guard Brandon Jennings took just four shots, including one in the first half as his team fell behind by 17 points at intermission. And Milwaukee trailed by 21 points in the third quarter before staging a huge rally to take a four-point lead in the final quarter."
February 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Gaining membership in the National Basketball Association's all-star club is a difficult task. So Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings is preparing for both outcomes when the all-star reserves are named Thursday night in a TNT telecast. The 22-year-old Jennings has turned more than a few heads with his play in the lockout-shortened season. But if he is not one of the seven players named by Eastern Conference coaches, he will keep working. If he is named, Jennings already knows what his reaction will be. "I would think I would have tears of joy if I did make it," Jennings said. "I can just remember me playing as a kid in Europe that everybody doubted and said I would never make it. "And"
February 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings said Monday he wished Stephen Jackson had played in Saturday night's game against the Chicago Bulls. Jackson picked up his third DNP-CD (did not play-coach's decision) in the last four games of the Bucks' 113-90 loss to the Bulls at the Bradley Center. The veteran guard's only action last week came when he played 9 minutes against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. "It still has been positive," Jennings said of Jackson's attitude. "I feel like he should have played against Chicago. The fact we were struggling - I was in foul trouble - maybe he could have gave us a spark."
February 6
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Stephen Jackson said after Monday's practice he's ready to play and wants to play. But he said he can't control his playing time. The veteran guard has played 9 minutes in the last four games, all coming in the first quarter of Wednesday's home game against Miami. Jackson did not play against Detroit in either game last week or against Chicago on Saturday night as the Bucks lost to the Bulls, 113-90. "It is what it is," Jackson said. "I'm coming to work every day. If I'm called, I'll be ready, point blank. I can't get into what if or what I want to do. "If he calls me, I'll be ready to play.""
February 6
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The phrase "practice makes perfect" is hardly part of the NBA lexicon this season. That's because there's precious little time for practice. Allen Iverson would have loved it, but coaches are less enamored of the compressed league schedule created by the lockout. Finally, after playing four games in six days (and six in nine days) before taking Sunday off, the Bucks will have a regular practice Monday at the Cousins Center. And they will try to get their groove back after being thrown off track in losses to Detroit and Chicago. The Bucks never had a chance after the Bulls hit them with a 15-4 opener to Saturday night's game, which turned into a 113-90 runaway before a decidedly pro-Bulls"
February 5
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Michael Hunt
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"Thankfully, we're not on the road," Bucks coach Scott Skiles was saying about an hour before the game Saturday night. To have taken in the scene around the Bradley Center would've ran counter to Skiles' comfort-zone notion. There was so much red in the streets that it seemed as if a Badgers hockey game had broken out. But this was the red of the Chicago Bulls, and their fans were wearing it inside and out of every gin joint and eatery between the arena and the river. It was almost like the Bulls' dynasty days, when Phil Jackson would roll 'em up just before the game with just enough time for MJ and the guys to pile off the bus and beat the Bucks, many to few. But there were so many Bulls"
February 5
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls brought their fans with them to the Bradley Center on Saturday night. The Bulls also remembered to bring their high-octane game. Before the Milwaukee Bucks knew what hit them, they were trailing by double digits and never recovered in a crushing 113-90 loss to Central Division rival Chicago. Rose scored 16 of the Bulls' first 18 points as the pro-Bulls crowd began its "MVP, MVP" chants early in the opening quarter. And he finished with 26 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds while delighting the fans wearing Bulls red, the color of the night. A conservatively estimated 70% of the sellout crowd of 18,717 was rooting for the visitors, making the Bulls feel"
February 4
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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No sugar or syrup could make this one taste good. The Milwaukee Bucks, feeling fine after rallying to beat the Miami Heat on Wednesday, were a glum bunch after absorbing an 88-80 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons rookie point guard Brandon Knight played with fervor and finished with a career-best 26 points and seven assists. And when the Bucks made a late run to trim a 15-point second-half deficit to 80-76 inside the final 3 minutes, Knight scored on a floater and a drive to make sure Detroit ended its seven-game losing skid. "There's no reason to sugarcoat it," an angry Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "Our effort was awful, a total lack of"
February 3
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Drew Gooden never complains about playing the center position. And that's a good thing, because he's stuck with it now that Andrew Bogut is missing eight to 12 weeks with a fractured left ankle. The 6-foot-10 Gooden normally gives up some bulk and length when he plays at center, but he believes his quickness and ability to shoot the medium-range jumper are adequate compensation. In the four games since Bogut was injured in Houston last week, Gooden has thrived with increased playing time and a more prominent role in the offense. The 30-year-old veteran has averaged 19.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in those games as Milwaukee has posted a 3-1 record, including victories over the Los Angeles"
February 2
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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LeBron James delivered a body blow as the Miami Heat came out punching against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center. But by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, it was the Heat flat on the canvas and the Bucks recording a powerful knockout punch. Point guard Brandon Jennings dropped in 7 three-pointers and finished with 31 points as the Bucks rallied for a 105-97 victory, halting Miami's five-game winning streak and beating the Heat for the second time in 11 days. Milwaukee (10-11) was powerless to stop James as he scored 24 points in the first quarter, but Luc Richard Mbah a Moute helped slow the Heat star down in the final quarter, even though James finished"
February 2
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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LeBron James had it all at the start. So did the Miami Heat. Then it all went away. Did it ever. Up 18 early after a 24-point first quarter by James, the Heat imploded in the second half of what became a 105-97 loss Wednesday night to the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center, one of the ugliest moments in the Heat's Big Three era. "What that second half showed, is we still have a long way to go as a ballclub," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It can go the other way quickly if you don't stay close to your identity." The Heat didn't even come close to doing that, wasting what turned into a season-high 40-point effort by James. He previous high had been 37 on Christmas Day against the Los"
February 1
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A thoroughly frustrated Carmelo Anthony was ejected late in the game a few weeks ago at Madison Square Garden, when the Milwaukee Bucks beat the New York Knicks. Bucks forward Carlos Delfino had plenty to do with that after his physical defense kept the Knicks' top scorer off-balance throughout the game. Delfino's reward for that performance was an assignment two nights later against Miami's LeBron James. On Saturday night, Delfino and teammate Luc Richard Mbah a Moute did most of the defensive work against Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant with some help from Shaun Livingston."
January 29
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Kobe Bryant remains arguably the best player in the National Basketball Association. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum form one of the league's top 1-2 frontcourt punches. And Derek Fisher is still plugging away, providing leadership and making big shots as Bryant's running mate in the backcourt. As for the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers? Well, that's been a work in progress as they continue to try to find their way in a lockout-shortened season with not only a different coach in Mike Brown, but a new (non-triangle) offense as well as a revamped roster devoid of versatile veteran Lamar Odom. Los Angeles made its annual appearance at the Bradley Center on Saturday night right and is around the"
January 29
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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All those Lakers fans wearing purple went home disappointed Saturday night. Yes, there were plenty of Los Angeles fans in the Bradley Center. But veteran Drew Gooden led a balanced effort as the Milwaukee Bucks knocked off the Lakers, 100-89, before a crowd of 18,027. Gooden scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, leading the Bucks (8-11) to their fourth victory in six games. And the 6-foot-10 Gooden also had tough defensive duty against Lakers 7-foot center Andrew Bynum. Ersan Ilyasova and Mike Dunleavy Jr. each had 15 points off the bench, while Brandon Jennings added 12 points and seven assists. Kobe Bryant finished with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for"
January 27
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Bucks learned the bad news about Andrew Bogut's injury late Thursday afternoon. The 7-foot center suffered a fractured left ankle in Wednesday's game at Houston and will be out indefinitely. With a compressed 66-game schedule, it's possible Bogut could miss a huge chunk of the season or be sidelined the rest of the way. The regular season ends in late April. Bogut returned to Milwaukee on Thursday and was evaluated by team orthopedic physician Michael Gordon, and a magnetic resonance imaging exam was done on his left ankle. The test revealed the fracture. "It's a very unfortunate injury for Andrew," said Bucks general manager John Hammond. "Obviously we've been in this position before."
January 26
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Andrew Bogut was healthy and Bucks coach Scott Skiles was talking earlier Wednesday about ways to increase the big man's scoring production a few points a game. Then it happened, without warning late in the first quarter of the Bucks' game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Bogut went up to try to block a shot by Rockets guard Kyle Lowry and came down on Lowry's foot. The 7-foot center twisted his left ankle and limped off the court with the help of Bucks trainer Marc Boff. After the game, Bogut sat in front of his locker with a grimace on his face and a large black boot on his left foot. "It wasn't good," Bogut said. "I knew when I came down I was in some trouble. Keeping"
January 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Some times the shots are just too enticing for the Hawks to pass up. Their opponents back off and beckon them to launch jump shots. The Hawks oblige, without regard to time, score or the quality of those shots. The Hawks didn't exactly kick the habit on Monday at Milwaukee. They got away with it, though, thanks to All-Star guard Joe Johnson and forward Josh Smith."
January 23
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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After this one, nobody will be talking about how the Miami Heat look better without Dwyane Wade. Sunday, against a Milwaukee Bucks team that would prefer every game look like a street fight, the Heat were low on artistry and cogent offense in a 91-82 loss at AmericanAirlines Arena that snapped a three-game winning streak. "A clunker," Heat reserve forward Shane Battier said. Asked if he agreed, Heat forward LeBron James said, "I don't know what that means." The box score provided a more-than-apt accounting. The Heat shot 37.3 percent from the field, 3 of 12 on 3-pointers, recorded only nine assists and committed 22 turnovers. The nine assists were one above the franchise all-time low."
January 22
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Michael Hunt
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The jettisons of Corey Maggette and John Salmons were two of the most important transactions the Milwaukee Bucks made during the off-season. General manager John Hammond, who had a golden personnel touch before those moves, whiffed on both players. Maggette caused problems in the locker room, and he didn't help the Bucks on the floor. He was an awful fit on a team that did not need his entitled attitude and declining play. The Bucks rewarded Salmons with a big contract extension after he helped them make the 2010 playoffs, only to see him again become the one-year wonder that had always been John Salmons. There was a reason other teams had given up on him. He took the senator's money and"
January 22
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Shaun Livingston has a quiet confidence. The Milwaukee Bucks guard showed it on a big stage Friday as he helped his team win its first road game, a 14-point victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Now Livingston hopes for more chances to make an impact as the Bucks meet the powerful Heat in Miami on Sunday night. Bucks coach Scott Skiles inserted Livingston as the starting shooting guard when Stephen Jackson did not play against the Knicks after missing the morning shoot-around. And it couldn't have worked out better as the 6-foot-7 veteran contributed a season-high 18 points, five rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes."
January 17
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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This road losing skid is getting ridiculous. But the Milwaukee Bucks haven't figured how to stop it. They lost their eighth consecutive road game, falling to the confident Philadelphia 76ers, 94-82, in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee Monday at the Wells Fargo Center. Center Andrew Bogut returned to the Bucks lineup and contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. But Milwaukee (4-8) could not slow down the 76ers, who won for the ninth time in their last 10 games. "I have no idea," Bucks guard Stephen Jackson responded when asked how his team could get a road victory. Asked if it was getting frustrating, Jackson said, "Nope. I just don't have the answers.""
January 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Sidney Moncrief had been back to Milwaukee numerous times since his playing days with the Bucks ended in 1989. But as the years passed, he found himself wondering on each return trip what it might be like to rejoin both the franchise and the community that had meant so much to him. Last August Moncrief finally received the opportunity, when he was hired as an assistant to coach Scott Skiles. Now a few weeks into the lockout-abbreviated 2011-'12 season, he couldn't be happier. "It's very exciting," he said Tuesday after the Bucks' shootaround at the Bradley Center. "I always like to say that you never know what life has in store for you. It's been a treat, it really has."
January 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Finally, the Milwaukee Bucks received some encouraging injury-related news Sunday. Center Andrew Bogut returned to practice and was cleared to play Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the Bucks' 102-76 loss in Dallas on Friday due to concussion symptoms. Backup point guard Beno Udrih also practiced, and Bucks officials said his status on Monday would be a game-time decision. Getting both players back for the game against the red-hot 76ers would be a vital boost to Milwaukee's chances of snapping its winless skid on the road. The Bucks have started the season with losses in their first seven road games while winning all four at home."
January 15
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The chant went up late in the game as the Dallas Mavericks were crushing the Bucks on Friday night. "Yi, Yi," the American Airlines Center crowd screamed as Yi Jianlian scored his first basket as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. To the Mavericks' fans, Yi is a novelty act on a team loaded with stars. He was recently signed by the Mavericks to provide some front-court insurance behind centers Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi. Yi is currently playing for his fourth NBA team and clearly has not lived up to the hype that accompanied his arrival in Milwaukee in 2007, after he was selected sixth overall in that year's draft by then Bucks general manager Larry Harris."
January 14
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Defensive duties are always important, but particularly when the Dallas Mavericks are in attack mode. And the Milwaukee Bucks paid the price with another road defeat Friday night as their defense melted down in a 102-76 shellacking by the defending league champions. Vince Carter sliced through the Bucks with ease in the first quarter, setting the tone for Dallas' fourth straight victory. The Bucks (4-7) remained winless on the road to go along with their unbeaten home record, a strange circumstance that is starting to wear on the team and its coach. "It's very concerning, because we've been two totally different teams," coach Scott Skiles said. "We've been a very energetic group at home,"
January 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Bucks center Andrew Bogut hit his head on the Bradley Center floor in the second half Thursday and could not pass a league-based concussion test on Friday. So the 7-foot Bogut will not be available for the Bucks' game against Dallas on Friday night at American Airlines Center. Bogut was in Dallas at the team hotel but not at the arena. Coach Scott Skiles said Drew Gooden would start at center. Gooden started in four games on the Bucks' recent western trip after Bogut had to leave due to a family medical issue in Australia."
January 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The area's first snowstorm of the winter was raging outside, but the Bradley Center remained a warm and inviting place for the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. Brandon Jennings led four players in double figures with 27 points, hitting a big scoop shot on a drive with 1 minute 8 seconds remaining to help propel the Bucks to a 102-93 win over the Detroit Pistons. A crowd of 11,465 braved the elements to watch Milwaukee improve to 4-0 on its home court. The Bucks downed a Pistons team that dropped to 0-5 on the road despite a monster 32-point, 16-rebound outing from center Greg Monroe and a comeback that trimmed an 18-point, third-quarter Bucks lead to just three with 1 minute 25 seconds"
January 12
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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It was a frustrating experience for Milwaukee Bucks guard Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was confined to watching his teammates from afar during their recent western road swing. While the Bucks were struggling to five straight losses, Dunleavy was in Milwaukee and forced to watch the games from his couch. A groin injury sidelined the 6-foot-9 guard just as he was adjusting to the Bucks system. On Wednesday he was at the Cousins Center practice facility as he continued to get treatment for his injury. The Bucks announced Tuesday that he would be out another two to four weeks. "Stuff like this happens; it's part of the game," Dunleavy said. "At this point I'm just working on getting back and doing"
January 11
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Finishing the game was critical for the Milwaukee Bucks as they went down to the wire with the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. A winless five-game western trip had the Bucks in desperate need of a victory, and this time they made the plays to get it done. Brandon Jennings reached around and knocked the ball away from Spurs point guard Tony Parker, leading to a fast-break dunk for Jennings and a three-point Milwaukee lead in the final minute, and the Bucks hung on for a 106-103 victory at the Bradley Center. Center Andrew Bogut, who returned from a four-game absence and arrived in Milwaukee late Monday after a long flight from Australia, drew a charging foul on Spurs center Tim Duncan"
January 11
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Michael Hunt
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NBA teams have been known to lose five consecutive games on the West Coast. The Bucks used to do it with regularity even on those occasions when they were good. NBA teams have been known to lose a 21-point lead, although maybe not necessarily to a bad opponent that had just fired its coach. And, yes, NBA players get hurt and disappear every now and then for various reasons. Roster gaps, in case you haven't noticed, have been a big part of the Bucks' legacy. They certainly were last year. None of that is extraordinary behavior in this league. But, of course, this is not an ordinary season."
January 11
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Andrew Bogut was back with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday after a four-game absence due to a family-related issue in his native Australia. Bogut did not want to discuss the issue in detail but said it involved illness. "It's a personal issue with family," Bogut said. "It's something that doesn't happen to most regular people. When it does, you have to address it. Hopefully everyone will get well from it. "I appreciate the team - Senator (Herb) Kohl and John Hammond - letting me go out there (to Australia) and do that. I appreciate everyone else giving me my personal space. It's a pretty tough personal issue."
January 10
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Andrew Bogut was back with the Bucks on Tuesday morning and addressed the team before the morning shootaround at the Bradley Center. The Bucks center will be in the starting lineup Tuesday against San Antonio, coach Scott Skiles said. Bogut missed the previous four games after heading to his native Australia due to a family issue which he said involved illness. "It's a personal issue with family," Bogut said. "It's something that doesn't happen to most regular people. When it does, you have to address it. Hopefully everyone will get well from it. "I appreciate the team - Senator (Herb) Kohl and John Hammond - letting me go out there and do that. I appreciate everyone else giving me my"