November 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A much needed jolt of energy came from three rim-rattling dunks by forward Hakim Warrick in the third quarter. Then it was backup point guard Luke Ridnour swishing shots from all angles late in the third quarter and early in the final period. Suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks' offensive woes had vanished on the way to an 87-72 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at the Target Center. The Bucks (2-2) shook off their shooting slump with a 54-point second half and continued to play strong defense, limiting the Timberwolves (1-5) to 39% shooting and holding center Al Jefferson to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. "We finally started making some shots," Bucks coach Scott Skiles ..."
November 5
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Hakim Warrick moved into the starting lineup Tuesday night as Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles continued to seek a solution at the suddenly troublesome power forward spot. Kurt Thomas, who had started the first two regular-season games at power forward, did not play a minute in the Bucks' 83-81 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Ersan Ilyasova played just seven minutes and lofted an ill-advised three-pointer in the final seconds. Skiles said he expects to keep the 6-foot-9 Warrick in a starting role, at least through the team's games Friday night at Minnesota and Saturday night against New York at the Bradley Center. "We need more out of that spot," Skiles said. "We need to shoot the ball better ..."
November 4
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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After the curtain fell on last season and the Milwaukee Bucks started looking ahead, it became clear quickly that one of the top priorities would be to fare better against teams in the Central Division. After all, the Bucks finished last in the division for the fifth straight season. "In order to get where we want to go, we've got to be a bigger factor in our division," coach Scott Skiles said then. "That's a given. We can't be in last place in our division and still be a contender. "We have to look at the Clevelands and Detroits and Chicagos and have to be better than the teams we play three and four times a year. We have to try and get better than those teams. Right now, we're not." Two ..."
November 4
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A great start for the Milwaukee Bucks had them thinking about finally getting an elusive victory at the United Center. But forward Luol Deng and point guard Derrick Rose paced a second-half comeback as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Bucks, 83-81, on Tuesday night. The Bulls rallied from an 18-point third-quarter deficit but had to hold on in the final seconds, when the Bucks fizzled on their last possession. Backup forward Ersan Ilyasova was forced far beyond the three-point line and launched an airball with 3 seconds left, allowing the Bulls to beat the Bucks for the eighth consecutive time at the United Center. It was a tough one for the Bucks (1-2) to digest after they got another ..."
November 3
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Another dunk resulted in another knee injury for Michael Redd. The Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard will be out for at least two weeks after he suffered a strained left patella tendon against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. But Redd's latest setback was not related to the major injury he suffered in January, when he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the same knee. Instead, it was eerily similar to an injury he suffered in January 2007, when he dunked late in a game against Cleveland and also hurt his left patella tendon. This time he injured the knee while making a right-handed dunk early in the third quarter of the Bucks' 96-85 victory. "It's not severe," ..."
November 3
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Joe Alexander'sfuture with the Milwaukee Bucks became even more clouded Monday when the team declined to pick up the third-year option on his rookie-scale contract. Bucks general manager John Hammond confirmed that he had spoken to the second-year forward and told him the news. The team faced a Monday deadline on whether to renew Alexander's contract for the 2010-'11 season. By declining the $2.76 million option, the Bucks are making Alexander an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. The 6-foot-8 Alexander did not play during the preseason or practice with the team due to a right hamstring injury. The Bucks announced on Oct. 22 that Alexander had aggravated the hamstring ..."
November 2
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Nobody had to convince Detroit Piston coach John Kuester about point guard Brandon Jennings' promise. And that was before the Milwaukee Bucks rookie took apart the Pistons in the third quarter Saturday night. "He's somebody that can create for himself and create for others," Kuester said. "He's very athletic, and he's playing with a tremendous amount of confidence." Jennings bolted out of the starting gate in his first two National Basketball Association games, averaging 20.5 points, six assists and five rebounds while helping the Bucks split with Philadelphia and Detroit. And now it's on to more challenges this week, starting with a highly anticipated matchup against 2009 league rookie of ..."
November 1
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Brandon Jennings' opening acts could be tough to match. The Milwaukee Bucks rookie point guard followed his near triple-double in Philadelphia with a stunning third-quarter show as he rallied his team to a 96-85 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the home opener on Saturday night. Jennings finished with a team-leading 24 points, but it was the way he took over the game that had a crowd of 15,095 cheering for more than American Idol finalist Danny Gokey, who provided the halftime entertainment. The 20-year-old Jennings sank four consecutive shots, including a fast-break layup after he went behind his back with a nifty dribble, as the Bucks quickly turned around an 11-point halftime ..."
October 31
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Point guard Brandon Jennings nearly tripled his fun on opening night, and he almost made National Basketball Association history in the process. Instead, the Milwaukee Bucks rookie came up just short of a triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in his team's 99-86 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night at the Wachovia Center. Jennings' eye-opening performance nearly put him in the company of Oscar Robertson, the former Bucks great. Robertson was the only rookie in league history to record a triple-double in his opening game, an achievement he reached in October 1960 with the Cincinnati Royals. "You've got to be blind not to see some of the gifts he has," Bucks ..."
October 30
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Michael Redd and Hakim Warrick were practicing again Thursday for the Milwaukee Bucks, and both should be available for the season opener Friday night in Philadelphia. Redd had missed three straight practices due to a strained muscle in his lower back, but the shooting guard said he was feeling better. The 6-foot-9 Warrick returned to practice after missing two days due to neck spasms. "I had a good three or four days to rest it, which was good," Redd said. "I'm glad we didn't have any games this week." The Bucks will be the last National Basketball Association team to start the season and will open with a back-to-back set. After playing the 76ers, they will immediately return for the home ..."
October 30
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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After signing his rookie National Basketball Association contract worth nearly $4.5 million with the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings could have walked into any dealership showroom in the city and driven away in something that said he'd arrived. BMW 7-Series. Cadillac Escalade. Lexus LS600H. Mercedes-Benz S-Class. None of those would do. So Jennings is the proud new owner of a . . . . . . Ford Edge. Starting MSRP: $26,900. "I probably saved $40,000," Jennings says proudly. "And who knows with the league? There might be a lockout in a couple years. I'm saving my money." Before you get the idea that Jennings is squarer than Scott Skiles' jaw, he laughs and adds, "It's a brand new car. It's ..."
October 29
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Michael Redd has waited a long time and worked quite hard since his last regular-season game. That was Jan. 24, when he crumpled to the Bradley Center floor after tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in a game against the Sacramento Kings. So the Milwaukee Bucks guard doesn't intend to miss the season opener in Philadelphia on Friday, despite sitting out practice the past three days with a strained muscle in his lower back. "We've been cautious about it, to try to get ready for Friday," Redd said after the Bucks' workout at the Cousins Center on Wednesday. But could the injury, which he suffered in the final preseason game against Detroit, force ..."
October 28
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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While Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles did not come out and say who would start at power forward in the regular-season opener Friday in Philadelphia, he didsome pretty strong hints. During the preseason, three players - Kurt Thomas, Ersan Ilyasova and Hakim Warrick - started at various times at power forward. The Bucks also think that Luc Richard Mbah a Moute can play there in certain situations. Warrick started the final preseason game at power forward, finishing with eight points and two rebounds in 26 minutes in Friday's loss to Detroit at the Bradley Center. But the Bucks seem to have concluded that Warrick is more effective coming off the bench as he has done for much of his career. ..."
October 28
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Ready or not, rookie Brandon Jennings will be in the Milwaukee Bucks' starting lineup on opening night Friday in Philadelphia. The 20-year-old Jennings experienced some tough times during the preseason as he tried to defend opposing point guards and struggled with his perimeter shot. But he also made some spectacular passes and major-league steals, giving glimpses of the potential that caused the Bucks tohim with the 10th pick in the June draft. Bucks coach Scott Skiles confirmed after Tuesday's practice that Jennings would start and veteran Luke Ridnour would be the primary backup. "I felt like both guys played really well in the preseason in most of their minutes," Skiles said. "It's ..."
October 27
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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There's an adage that says the statistics don't lie. But the numbers can, at least in the preseason, sometimes be a bit misleading. Take the Milwaukee Bucks, for instance. "If you look at statistics you could say it didn't go very well," said coach Scott Skiles whose National Basketball Association team won three of eight preseason games. "We got out-shot from the field, out-shot from the three, out-rebounded, out free-throwed . . . but we feel like some of those are deceiving. "I suppose every coach, maybe other than Stan (Van Gundy) because Orlando went undefeated, but I would imagine everyone else would say there were good moments, bad moments, and things to work on. You try to build on ..."
October 27
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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John Hammond has a message for all who think the Milwaukee Bucks are the worst team in the National Basketball Association, or nearly the worst. Think again. The Bucks' general manager spent the summer revising his roster and trying to gain some salary flexibility for the future. That meant saying goodbye to Richard Jefferson (via trade), and Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions (free agency). But the Bucks did pick up seven new players, including No. 10 overall draft pick and point guard Brandon Jennings; small forward Carlos Delfino; and power forwards Kurt Thomas, Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova. "Let me clarify the point again," Hammond said after the Bucks' annual tip-off luncheon ..."
October 26
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Brandon Jennings says it doesn't matter to him if he's in the starting lineup on Friday night against Philadelphia. Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles knows who is starting at point guard and power forward he said after the team's 2-hour practice session Sunday, but he's not revealing the secret quite yet. And the Bucks will be down a small forward on opening night, with Carlos Delfino suspended one game for a preseason incident with Detroit's Austin Daye. "I don't see any reason to let the other teams know, not that I'm not trying to be super-secretive or anything," Skiles said. "I've already got it decided." The 20-year-old Jennings had predicted during the summer - in a recorded ..."
October 25
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Scott Skiles always knew he would be in basketball. "I knew when I was a kid, even before 10 years old, that I wanted to play as long as I could," the former point guard and current Milwaukee Bucks coach said. "I had dreamed of playing in the NBA and all that." Then he also discovered that he wanted to coach, as early as his rookie year, which he spent with the Bucks under coach Don Nelson during the 1986-'87 season. "My first year was a really good experience for me," Skiles said, "watching Nellie and (assistants) Del Harris and Rick Majerus. It was just watching how it was all run. "Then I went right away and played for Jack Ramsay (then coach of the Indiana Pacers). My first two pro ..."
October 24
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Tough decisions are facing Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles as he ponders his lineup choices for opening night in Philadelphia next weekend. And not much was cleared up after the Bucks' 95-93 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the MACC Fund Game on Friday night at the Bradley Center. Rookie point guard Brandon Jennings struggled in a 27-minute outing, and veteran Luke Ridnour also had a rough time in 13 backup minutes. The Bucks again were manhandled by Detroit's deep guard corps of Ben Gordon, who led the Pistons with 19 points, and Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum. Stuckey added 16 points, Bynum 13 and Hamilton 12 for the Pistons, who shot 47%, including 65% in the second ..."
October 23
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Michael Hunt
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The Milwaukee Bucks are asking for the two things they should have no right to expect. They are asking for trust. And they're asking for patience. Combine the franchise's missteps of the last 20 years with the current state of the NBA, and that's sort of like General Motors wanting the public to hold on just a little more for a worthwhile product. The marketplace can only abide for so long. So the news Thursday that Joe Alexander's career went from jumping the tracks to full-scale train wreck would seem to exacerbate the Bucks' credibility issues. Since Alexander was among John Hammond's first major decisions as the No. 8 pick in the 2008 draft, should that trust and patience be afforded ..."
October 23
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Herb Kohl, about to begin his 25th season as the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, is a realist about the state of the franchise, its place in the National Basketball Association and the future of the Bradley Center. As with most teams in the NBA and in sports, the recession has taken a toll on the team's bottom line. Kohl expects revenue willthis season. "Our summer selling season was down from last year," Wisconsin's senior Democratic U.S. senator said. "But it's also accurate to say we're not singular in the NBA in that respect." The Bucks, he said, remain committed to Milwaukee and are in the midst of rebuilding a team that hasn't been in the playoffs since 2006. Personally, Kohl, who is ..."
October 23
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Second-year forward Joe Alexander may yet contribute for the Milwaukee Bucks this season, but it won't be during the next two months. The 6-foot-8 Alexander aggravated his right hamstring injury during rehabilitation exercises this week and is expected to be out from eight to 12 weeks, the team announced Thursday. "I feel for Joe," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "He had a really good summer and worked hard. We felt like he was moving in the right direction. It's a big setback for him. "We'll keep our fingers crossed that it won't be that long, that he can come back quicker than that." Alexander was examined by Bucks orthopedic physician Michael Gordon and also received a second opinion ..."
October 23
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Andrew Bogut hasn't tasted the playoffs since his rookie year, and the 7-foot center isn't making any bold predictions about the coming season. But he wants the Milwaukee Bucks to be playing important games late in the season rather than playing out the string in front of disinterested and disappointed fans. "I can pretty much guarantee we'll overachieve on being last in the East," Bogut said of some projections from national writers. "Whether that's playoffs or not, I think we can definitely have a season where every game is meaningful this year. "We don't want to have it be like last year where there are 15 games left and they don't mean anything. That's probably the worst basketball you ..."
October 22
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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There are any number of factors that will determine how successful the Milwaukee Bucks will be this season, not the least of which will be at the foul line. And it won't just be how well the Bucks shoot their free throws that will be important, but also how often they visit the foul line. The Bucks haven't fared very well in either department during the preseason as they have made 135 of 195 free throws (69.2%) while their opponents have made 209 of 276 (75.7%). In other words, the opposition has made more free throws than the Bucks have attempted. That's partly due to the fact that in the first two exhibition games Minnesota made 50 of 56 free throws and Detroit made 31 of 46, but there ..."
October 22
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Bob Wolfley
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Jalen Rose, a National Basketball Association studio analyst for ESPN, wants to see how Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings fits - not just with his teammates but with his head coach. In a conference call Tuesday, Rose and Jon Barry of ESPN were asked what rookies they thought will have the biggest impact this season. Rose picked guard Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings, forward Austin Daye of the Detroit Pistons and Jennings. "I really like Brandon Jennings," Rose said. "Being how Scott Skiles normally likes to play, where his teams walk the ball up and down the floor, this guy is a blur. He will not only be able to score with the ball but really break down defenses and get other ..."
October 21
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A strong four-game run ended for the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. But rather than obsess about it, the Bucks are determined to move on to their final preseason game Friday and preparations for the regular-season opener at Philadelphia on Oct. 30. There were few redeeming features in the Bucks' 94-87 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Point guard Brandon Jennings had nearly as many turnovers (four) as points (six) in the opening half, and the Bucks committed 14 turnovers in the half en route to a 15-point deficit at intermission. "We came out flat, with no energy," Bucks center Andrew Bogut said. "That was the worst first half of basketball we have played for ..."
October 20
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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It was a highlight-reel play in Saturday night's game, a pinpoint pass from Carlos Delfino to a streaking Hakim Warrick. Delfino got the ball in the backcourt and immediately looked ahead to his Milwaukee Bucks teammate, who did not break stride while tossing down a powerful dunk. The Bucks aim to make such plays a staple of their game during the upcoming season rather than just a passing fancy. "I never expected him to catch the ball and jump from there," Delfino said after the Bucks' practice session Monday at the Cousins Center. "I thought he was going to make at least one dribble. "I was like, 'Wow.' I know how he can jump, but it was amazing. When you share the ball and you're pushing ..."
October 19
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Veteran power forward Kurt Thomas had little idea whether he would fit into the Milwaukee Bucks' plans when he was traded by San Antonio on June 23 as part of the Richard Jefferson deal. The Bucks were dumping Jefferson's big contract, and they did not keep the other two players they acquired in the three-team swap. Forward Bruce Bowen was released, and forward Amir Johnson was sent to Toronto in an August trade. But less than two weeks before the regular-season opener the 37-year-old Thomas is staking his claim to a spot in the starting lineup. Thomas started his fourth straight game as the Bucks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 101-87, Saturday night at the Bradley Center. He played 20 ..."
October 18
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Jim Boylan endured a rough summer as he fought a battle with cancer. But now the Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach is back instructing players at practice and calling out directions from the bench, doing what he loves to do. "You definitely look at your life a little differently," Boylan said. "Some things you took for granted, now you have a greater appreciation. To me, it was kind of like a bad dream. It just lasted about three or four months." The 54-year-old Boylan said he felt poorly at the end of last season but couldn't get a handle on a persistent sore throat, despite several visits to the doctor. Finally, a magnetic resonance imaging exam revealed a tumor at the base of his tongue. ..."
October 18
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Brandon Jennings admitted he felt some jitters while making his first start for the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. And it didn't help matters when he had the ball stolen in the backcourt by Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn in the opening moments of the preseason game. But Jennings quickly regained his composure, getting the Bucks into a nice flow offensively as they defeated the Timberwolves, 101-87, at the Bradley Center. The 6-foot-1 rookie finished with a team-leading 16 points and seven assists as he dueled with Flynn, his former workout partner in the weeks leading up to the National Basketball Association draft in June. "I was a little nervous in my first NBA start ..."
October 17
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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There's little doubt a healthy Andrew Bogut is needed for the Milwaukee Bucks to make an impact in the upcoming season. So the Bucks are trying to be prudent and cautious in handling the 7-foot center during the preseason. Bogut sat out when the Bucks played in Chicago on Tuesday night, but he should be back in the starting lineup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night at the Bradley Center. "You don't want to take days off, but I think it helped me get prepared for the game this week," Bogut said after practice Friday. "It's getting my legs back under me again. It's just having the confidence to get hit and not think twice about it, which I don't have yet. It might take a ..."
October 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The toughest part of the preseason schedule is over for the Milwaukee Bucks, and now decision time has arrived. Five exhibition games are completed and three remain over the next two weeks before the regular-season opener on Oct. 30 in Philadelphia. The nearly ideal schedule gives Bucks coach Scott Skiles a chance to do some final tinkering with his lineup and get his rotation set for the 76ers and the home opener on Oct. 31 against the Detroit Pistons. Skiles said he hopes to increase the minutes of center Andrew Bogut and guard Michael Redd when the Bucks play the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Bradley Center on Saturday night. Bogut had the benefit of the night off when the Bucks played ..."
October 15
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Allen Iverson joined the Memphis Grizzlies for $3 million late in the off-season, amidst plenty of media speculation and hoopla. Now the 34-year-old Iverson already is out of the Memphis lineup for an extended time due to a partial tear in his left hamstring. In a much quieter off-season transaction in National Basketball Association circles, forward Hakim Warrick signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, after the Grizzlies withdrew their qualifying offer to the former Syracuse star. Warrick's signing could be a steal for the Bucks, if he can continue the steady play he has produced over the first five exhibition games. He leads the team in scoring (17.8 points per ..."
October 14
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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So far, so good. That was coach Scott Skiles' assessment of the Milwaukee Bucks' exhibition season as they went into Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. And that viewpoint didn't change too much afterward. Pointing especially to rebounding, ball movement and defense, Skiles said before the game that his team had improved considerably since the first two exhibition games. And after the Bucks' down-to-the-wire 87-86 loss to the Bulls, a generally upbeat tone remained in the locker room. "I thought we looked great," said guard Michael Redd. "I think we've been looking great. We play hard and we're doing what Scott asks us to do, and that's all you can ask at ..."
October 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Brandon Jennings is busy enough these days, learning the ways of the pro game and chasing down guards with the same quickness he possesses. And now coach Scott Skiles is asking him to start for the first time Tuesday night when the Milwaukee Bucks play the Chicago Bulls. Jennings endured a frustrating night in the Bucks' 96-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday, but his teammates picked him up and Michael Redd showed glimpses of his former self before he suffered torn ligaments in his left knee last season. Redd had 18 points while playing 22 minutes, his longest outing in four preseason games. "My main thing is trying to get out of this shooting slump I'm battling right now," the ..."