Milwaukee Bucks Blog - The Bob Boozer Jinx : Cleveland Cavaliers

Eastern Conference Preview

J.D. Mo — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:30:00 GMT

The NBA Eastern Conference got better in the offseason, and is probably stronger top to bottom than the West. Our Bucks, unfortunately did not improve for the short term. This is the inescapable Bucks reality as the 2009-10 season gets underway. Playoffs...(read more)

Bucks not letting Sessions get away... & other notes

J.D. Mo — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:58:00 GMT

New York Knicks fans were pretty excited last week about the prospects of picking up Ramon Sessions . The Bucks 23-year-old point guard certainly can't shoot or run a game like veteran Andre Miller , the Sixers pointman whom the Knicks also courted...(read more)

NBA Playoffs: Garnett not ready for prime time... Round 1 previews & related mumbo jumbo

J.D. Mo — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:43:00 GMT

The cold north wind shifts south at last in Milwaukee ... the sewers sing spring to their gratings ... taxes have been (almost) filed as those WE Energies trucks and vans start rolling up and down the block ... the Bucks count their lottery balls. ...

The neighborhood kids don't care; they're warm enough to take the pill outta hibernation and dribble down to the schoolyard, where they can be Kobe one day, Lebron the next ... Superman when feeling tall, D-Wade taking it to 'em all,

Ray Allen when shooting the three, saying where's my main man, KG?

Chris Paul just stole the ball.

Winter seems finally ready to leave, and the NBA playoffs have arrived, not a day too late. This is the best time of year for basketball in the world: the best players on the planet, going at it for nearly two months;

the best coaches (not counting Vinnie Del Coacho in Chicago, Michael Curry in Detroit and "that guy" the Sixers replaced Mo Cheeks' with);

the best refs (well, they really are better than the college refs, knowing the difference between a charge and a block, and the vast majority of what they call makes sense -- and when they screw up, NBA refs make college refs look like mere misdemeanor criminals);

and a Dark Lord Commissioner, David Stern, who'd like nothing more than the smaller market teams to lose to the bigger market teams, in 7 games, please. Tiny Portland, you're in for an uphill battle against the Houston Rockets. Chicago, this will not help you against the ever-popular Celtics. In the end, everybody knows that in these tough economic times, the best possible marketing scenario for the NBA is a Kobe vs. Lebron Finals showdown. It would also be the best NBA Finals since ... the 2008 Celtics-Lakers final.

The NBA is back, and the league is better than it's been since Jordan left Chicago for the last time. Getting to the 2009 Finals is going to be an intense drama-rama, especially in the East ... which brings this preview first to Boston -- where the playoffs tip-off Saturday, 11:30 am central -- and the Kevin Garnett injury saga.

Round 1 Previews - The East

Bulls vs. Celtics: Do you believe Doc Rivers when he says KG might not play at all in these playoffs? I don't. But we can, with most assurances, believe that KG won't play against the Bulls. In Boston, they're calling it a long shot that he'll play at all. This is good news in Chicago, of course, where Blog-A-Bull thinks Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah can find a way to not be intimidated by the other Celtics bigs, Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe. Sorry Blog-A-Bull, but the Bulls frontcourt is weak, even with the addition of Brad Miller -- and don't underestimate the Celtics bench. Celtics in 5 ... 4 if Ray gets hot.

Pistons vs. Cavs: Just checked in on all my favorite Cleveland blogs, and guess what? Not a scratch about the Pistons series. Lebron, if you're still reading, just get Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace out of the playoffs ASAP. They've been the epitome of whiny, basketball selfishness all year and made the most of blaming their woes on Allen Iverson, who's done for 2009. The Pistons era in the East is over. Cavs sweep.

How about this quote on the Cavs chances from Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck:

"They earned home court, they earned the best record, they are clearly a championship-quality team, and in my opinion they have the best basketball player on the planet right now . . . Mo Williams."

Heat vs. Hawks: The battle of NBA Sodom vs. NBA Gomorrah for visiting teams. South Beach, Miami, vs. Atlanta nightlife. D-Wade vs. Joe Johnson.... Udonis Haslem vs. Josh Smith. ... Mike Bibby vs. who? ... Bucks killers Daequan Cook and Jamario Moon? The Hawks are banking on experience they gained in the 2008 playoffs in 7 games against the Celtics. The Heat and Hawks played four tight, low-scoring games this season. The avg.score was 84.5 to 82.5, three of the games won by the Hawks. But I don't think they can beat D-Wade in a 7-game series. And let's not forget South Beach and the Heat dancers, who deserve a nice, high profile in Round 2 against the Cavs. Heat in 7. Winner to play the Lebrons.

Sixers vs. Magic: Dwight Howard & the Magic may stumble a bit in this series, but the Sixers aren't playing very well. They earned the 6th seed by beating the Cavs in Cleveland Wednesday, on a night when Lebron James, Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas all sat on the sidelines. Still, the Delonte West-Boobie Gibson-led Cavs came closer to beating the Sixers than our Bucks ever did this season. The Sixers needed OT to take the game.

One, that tells you how good the Cavs are these days -- all of them. Two, the Sixers are struggling, and admitting it. Andre Iguodala isn't happy. Hey John Hammond: Royal Ivey's in the playoffs for the first time. Magic in 5 ... make that 6. Call it a feeling. I think Iggy and Sixers get a little happy before the Magic finish them off.

West Previews still to come ...

VIDEO: Shooting tips for the Milwaukee Bucks... Bulls blow it... On to Cleveland

J.D. Mo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:03:00 GMT

Can we send this Bucks team to a basketball shooting clinic? They need some help.

I became downright optimistic about the Bucks chances of winning this game when Vince Carter opened the 2nd half heaving up a long three-ball, and the Bucks answered with a Francisco Elson dunk. "The team that does the least chucking should win this game," I thought. Carter was having a terrible shooting night (5-20) and his pal Richard Jefferson was slightly more horrendous (4-18) for the Bucks. Carter and Devin Harris were a combined 2-12 from 3-point land; Charlie Villanueva and RJ nearly matched their futility shooting 3-15 from downtown.

Chucking was the name of the game. Unfortunately for the Bucks, Carter was wise enough to eventually stop shooting and let Keyon Dooling and Jarvis Hayes do the mad bombing in a 23-11 Nets run over the game's final 4 minutes that won it, 99-95.

The Bucks found no such shooters all night (35-91 for 38.5%, 6-23 on threes) but after a layup-and-1 by RJ, the Bucks led 84-76 under the 5-minute mark in the 4th. Sessions then blocked a driving layup by Devin and the Bucks had the ball and the 8-point lead with 4-1/2 minutes left. Charlie V (3-9 downtown) decided it was time to launch a quick three. It was a brick, and the Nets took over.

First Carter, then Hayes, then Dooling hit threes to give the Nets a 87-86 lead. Dooling hit another to make it 90-86. Charlie V tied the game at 90 with 30 seconds left, but Hayes responded with the Nets 5th 3-pointer of the run to force the Bucks into fouling mode. The Nets refused to cooperate by missing free throws the rest of the way. Take that Jim Boylan (in a Bucks Shots email prior to the game, coach Boylan informed fans that the Nets "are not a great 3-point shooting team."

During the Nets run, Scott Skiles left his defenders -- Luc Mbah a Moute and Charlie Bell on the bench, finally putting them in will 30 ticks left . It would have helped to have the Prince on 6'8" Hayes (or hounding Devin); and Bell/Ridnour or Bell/Sessions guarding Harris/Dooling instead of Sessions/Ridnour. Bell can shoot it too, as he showed in New Orleans Friday. Just guessing here, but I suppose Skiles was hoping that Frodo (Ridnour) could get control of the game for the Bucks and provide some crunchtime magic. And Sessions was playing well.

It was too bad, as the Bucks wasted an otherwise fine defensive performance, despite Bell and Keith Bogans only playing about 12 minutes apiece.

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It feels like the Bucks grip on a playoff seed is beginning to slip. New Jersey (27-33) is now just a half game behind the Bucks (29-34). ..... But luckily, Chicago can't seem to find a way to pull themselves up the playoff ladder with its new players. Tonight in Charlotte, the Bulls (27-34) played a stinker and were blown out, 96-80.

"I didn't like our demeanor, I didn't like our effort," Bulls 1st-year head coach Vinnie Del Negro said. "No toughness, no urgency."

Watch out for the 'Cats.

The difference between a Larry Brown team and a Del Negro team? The Bobcats are playing like tough guys, like Brown's Pistons and Sixers teams. Raja Bell, one of Brown's old Sixers from the 2001 Finals team, shook off a wrenched shoulder to lead with 18 pts. Forward Gerald Wallace played despite bruised ribs. On the Bulls side, Luol Deng scratched with a sore shin.

Brown now has the 'Cats (26-35) playing better than the Sixers, Bucks, Nets and Bulls. They've won four straight to move within 2 games of the Bucks, tied with the Pacers for 11th.

Integrating Brad Miller and John Salmons, acquired from Sacramento two weeks ago, isn't going well in Chicago -- the Bulls are 2-4 since the trades and Del Negro is looking for some professionalism from his players:

"When you bring new guys in, guys have to adjust. There are no excuses. We have to play hard and together."

The Bucks play the Bulls in Chicago Friday.

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The Bucks reward for a second agonizing defeat in three games? A trip to Cleveland to play the Lebron, Mo and the East-leading Cavs tonight. New out of Cleveland is the return of 14-year veteran Joe Smith, who agreed Tuesday to rejoin the Cavs for their playoff run. Smith was traded by the Cavs to Oklahoma City last August as part of the Mo Williams-for-Luke Ridnour trade with the Bucks. The Thunder bought out Smith's contract last week and waived him, opening the door for Smith to get back to Cleveland for the playoffs.

Smith, a Bucks fan favorite 2003-06, isn't likely to play against the Bucks, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting - so the Cavs will be a bit shorthanded. Big Ben Wallace broke a leg last week and is out 4-6 weeks (only 35-40 days for a broken leg?). But Delonte West, the Cavs best perimeter defender not named Lebron, is back in the starting lineup after missing 15 games with a broken hand. The Cavs starters - Lebron, Mo, West, Varejao and Big Z - are playing heavy minutes this week.

The Bucks are 0-3 against the Cavs this season. The last time they met, at the BC Feb. 20, the Bucks played them tough... but Lebron was too much, going off for 55 points, 16 in a 3-minute span to open the 2nd half. He was open because he was shooting from 5-feet beyond the arc of Reggie.

RJ traded to Cleveland: Wally Szczerbiak's parka wins out over Raef Lafrentz's big yellow hat

J.D. Mo — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:05:00 GMT

The Bucks cocked a hunting rifle and fired on a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers late Wednesday, sending forward Richard Jefferson to the Cavs for guard-forward Wally Szczerbiak.

The trade, made just hours before today's NBA trading deadline, will free up $14.2 million from the Bucks 2009-10 committed payroll and allow the team to sign restricted free agents Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions this summer while continuing its unwavering commitment to injured Michael Redd. It even leaves room to pay draft picks and still avoid the league's luxury tax.

Szczerbiak's $13.775 million contract expires at the end of this season, when he'll become a free agent.

All parties involved acknowledged that the clincher was Wally's hunting parka, which impressively features what can only be a wolftail collar. The Bucks had also been in much rumored talks with Portland regarding a trade that would have shipped RJ to the Blazers for shelved forward Raef Lafrentz -- but all Lafrentz brought to the table was a cartoonishly large yellow hat.

In an interview with NBA-TV late last night, Szczerbiak explained how and why his parka was the lynchpin for the trade, and talked about the often cruel misperceptions the coat engendered in Ohio.

"I bought it in 2002 when I was playing for the T-Wolves," the 10-year veteran said. "The coat was a big hit up there, where there's a great northwoods and a lot of cold, and wolves, too. The coat'll keep you warm in that tundra. Minnesota's still the ideal place for it but if it can't be there, Wisconsin's a great fit. The Bucks and GM John Hammond, and especially Sen. Herb Kohl, understood all this better than many other NBA executives seem to." (And Kohl knows well exactly how many voters there are in Northern Wisconsin.--J.D.Mo)

"The lack of any northwoods or timber environment in Ohio (where Szczerbiak was traded last season from Seattle) really made the coat kinda lost on people," Wally went on. "A lot of people thought it was a weird pimp's coat or something. Can you believe that? What pimp would wear a hunting parka? I'm glad I'm headed for Wisconsin, where people will understand and I can wear the coat in public."

Cleveland GM Danny Ferry had nearly settled on keeping Wally, a key member of the Cavs rotation. However, sensitivity to the needs of Wally's parka may have tipped his decision to go ahead with the trade.

"Sure, I thought about the coat, but I also started thinking about how well Mo Williams has worked out for us, and my gut instinct told me: well, why wouldn't R.J. work out just as well? I think we could have won it all standing pat but, then, we have to get by Orlando or Boston or both before even thinking about the title; it won't be easy by any means.

"Now's the time, and we had to try to get better. I'm happy to provide a home for any high quality pro who is obviously not as big a priority for the Bucks organization as Michael Redd is," said Ferry, who tried last summer to trade for Redd but couldn't work out a deal. "Now the Bucks can keep Redd and pay a full roster next season -- plus, I owed John Hammond a favor for making the Mo trade happen for us last summer. I'm glad I was able to return the favor so quickly.

"Look, they're getting a great Wisconsin coat in the deal that people can connect with," added Ferry, getting a bit defensive. "As far as I know, we don't have wolves here in Northern Ohio, and the fans just never got used to it."

Bucks GM Hammond was feeling downright upbeat about the trade and likes the new options presented by the parka.

"We kept our options open as long as we could, but at the end of the day we just couldn't say no to such a great coat. I believe that's a wolfskin collar, but that's the beauty of it. It could be coontail or bobcat. We're keeping our options open about which animal skin it might be, because, well, you never know."

Portland's Lafrentz was disappointed that the Bucks opted for Wally's parka over his big yellow hat, which he wears when visiting elementary schools to read H.A. Rey's "Curious George" books to kids. "I understand the coat is a good fit for Wisconsin, but you should see the kids light up when I walk into school wearing my yellow hat. They think I AM George's friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat, come to life."

(Lafrentz really does look the Man in the Yellow Hat, doesn't he?)

"My playing days may be all but finished, but my hope was to bring the Man in the Yellow Hat to a new city. The kids love it everywhere I've been: Denver, Dallas, Boston and Portland. It's a dam shame that Milwaukee kids will be missing something special because of a coat with a crazy collar.

"What is that, some sort of Northwoods pimp's coat?"

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Does Skiles miss Kirk Hinrich? It sounded so last night after Hinrich lit up the Bucks for 18 in the 4th in the Bulls 113-104 victory at the BC. Here's what Skiles said postgame in comments that didn't make the Milwaukee paper:

“Kirk had a great game, obviously shooting the ball and scoring. He just took our guards and made us look pretty silly on several occasions because he was playing so hard.”

Hinrich has been on the trading block, and a rumored deal between the Bulls and T-Wolves was in the works. That appears to be off. Could the Bucks possibly step in and bring one of Skiles' Baby Bulls to Milwaukee? Hinrich and Skiles might say aye but sending R.J. to Chicago is pretty unrealistic, especially considering the Bulls just acquired John Salmons.

Luke Ridnour and Dan Gadzuric for Hinrich would help the Bucks out salary-wise next season (cuttng $3.75m in payroll) and send a good backup point guard and a bench big man Chicago's way. Too bad, though, that the Bulls are fighting for a playoff spot and the last thing they would do is send Hinrich back to the Skiles team ahead of them in the standings.