Milwaukee Bucks Blog - The Bob Boozer Jinx : Dwight Howard

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)

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 ...

The walking wounded: Bogut hurts knee vs. Magic, status unknown

J.D. Mo — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:03:00 GMT

These were long-awaited words to read from the Associated Press recap of the last night's Bucks-Magic game in Orlando, where Andrew Bogut squared off in the paint against the Orlando Magic's, Dwight Howard, the NBA's top center.

"Bogut got the better of a matchup of back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks early. Bogut [the top pick in the 2005 NBA draft] made a pair of jump hooks over Howard to start the game. He then drew charges for two of the three fouls that sent Howard, the 2004 top pick, to the bench with about seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Bogut had 16 points and three rebounds in the first. Howard had only four points and six boards."

But it wasn't meant to last. Despite Bogut's scoring, the Bucks were down 11 at half. When Bogut and Howard went back to work in the 2nd half, Howard turned the tables, forcing three quick fouls on Bogut in the post and sending him to the bench with four fouls for the game.

It may have been by design: Howard's as terrible a free throw shooter as Bogut, and Bogut was beginning to realize he was done for the night. After leaving the game, Bogut headed to the locker room for x-rays on his knee, according to AP. Bogut said he had bruised the knee in the first half taking a charge, probably one of those against Howard - he didn't specify. Howard finished with 24 pts, 13 rebs to lead the Magic to a 108-101 win. Richard Jefferson led the Bucks with 25. Bogut left the game with 16.

How badly is Bogut hurt? After the game Bogut said he'd "be OK." Journal Sentinel's Tom Enlund reported it as a "knee contusion" in his game blog and also reported that "the extent of the injury is unknown."

A bruised knee is a bruised knee, unless it's mashed so badly that there was damage to the bone or ligaments, which is what the x-rays would reveal.

How much you want to bet that Bogut's out there playing on it Wednesday in Atlanta ... Friday in Detroit the latest.

Point guard Luke Ridnour missed Monday's game to rest his banged up and scraped up knee, suffered in Charlotte Saturday. This left the Bucks without both the starting guards they opened the season with (Michael Redd's sitting out the road trip in Milwaukee with a high ankle sprain). Still the Bucks made it a game on Orlando's home court, pulling to within 95-90 in the 4th quarter, and to 103-100 in the final minute.

Coach Scott Skiles said he expects Ridnour to miss only one game (the Orlando game), which means Ridnour will be expected to play in Atlanta Wednesday.

Redd injury update: "He still has some soreness," coach Skiles said, explaining why Redd stayed behind in Milwaukee this week. Here's an initial report on the injury from Gery Woelfel in Racine. John Hammond had told him the injury wasn't serious and that he didn't expected Redd to miss any games much less 12. Skiles told Journal Sentinel he is assuming Redd won't be back on this road trip, which ends Friday in Detroit. Saturday the Bucks play Cleveland at home.

I wouldn't expect Redd back until the Wednesday, Dec. 3 game at home against the Bulls.

Here's video of the injury, along with the game highlights from the Bucks win over the Knicks Nov. 2.

Redd vs. Bogut? USA vs. Australia was Kobe's show - Aussie coach lets Bogut enjoy show - LIVE GAME NOTES

J.D. Mo — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:07:00 GMT

WEDNESDAY'S QUARTERFINALS - Here's the NBC online link.

1-USA (5-0) vs. 4-Aus. (3-2) - 7AM Final USA 116, Aus 85

2-Spain (4-1) vs. 3-Croatia (3-2) Final Spain 72, Croatia 59

3-Greece (3-2) vs. 2-Argentina (4-1) Final Argentina 80, Greece 78

4-China (2-3) vs. 1-Lithuania (4-1) Final Lith. 94, China 68

Spain, Lithuania, Team USA and Argentina -- yes, the usual suspects of basketball international -- have advanced to the semi-finals where they'll decide who gets what hardware.

Go here for NBC video replays, boxscores, play by plays and recaps. Or stay right here and read all about it ... Why is NBC showing beach volleyball right now?

LIVE GAME NOTES: AUSTRALIA v. USA

1ST QUARTER... Bogut is whistled for 2 quick fouls in the first five minutes and sent to the bench. Dwight Howard off to a great start - 3/4 from the field, led scoring early with 8 pts. Just like a Bucks-Magic game. USA leads 24-21 at end of first quarter. ... Bogut's backup, veteran Chris Antsey, is making shots, so not having Bogut out there is only hurting on the defensive end.

2ND QUARTER... Bogut back in playing w/ two fouls. He gets two hoops in the post. Patty Mills, the quicksilver guard has 8 pts and is playing good minutes - he's played 10 already. Australia is hanging in there, down 38-31 ... Carmelo Anthony is shooting well, leads all scorers with 12; Lebron has 10. If Lebron and Carmelo continue to shoot well, Australia has little hope. It's 50-43 ... No team has hung in there this well vs. Team Redeem. Brad Newley - Houston Rockets 2nd round pick in 2007 - has 8 and is starting to hit for the Boomers (the Aussies are the only country that gives their national teams official names; the women's team is the Opals).

55-43 at half. Kobe and Lebron are shooting a lot -- 20 shots between them, 20 pts. This is the first time we've seen this from team USA, the stars exerting control and dominating the ball. D-Wade isn't getting shots, and the Aussies are taking care of the ball. Carmelo and Lebron lead all scorers w/ 12 at half.

HALFTIME NOTES: Bogut hasn't picked up his 3rd foul, so he'll get a reboot in the 3rd quarter. I suppose the US will jam it in to Howard to pick up the 3rd foul and run Bogut back to the bench. Aussie captain Matt Nielson is in foul trouble, too, as usual, with three. But David Anderson, one of the best centers left in Europe, only has one. Time for Anderson to step up and out and shoot some threes. C.J. Bruton, the shooter, has only taken two shots - Kidd and CP3 have been all over him. Newley, Bruton and Mills lead Aus. in minutes played, so YES, Aussie coach Goorjian has played his best players. Bogut of course had the foul trouble, cutting his minutes down to eight.

Carmelo is 4/6 from the floor and 1/2 from downtown. Team USA is 4/14 from downtown. Australia could be in this if the poor US shooting keeps up. Australia only has 8 turnovers - the best job any team has done in the Olympics taking care of the ball vs. Team Redeem's relentless D. Michael Redd has not left the bench.

3rd QUARTER - Will Team USA go into Howard? NO. KOBE goes on a rampage, scoring 8 points in an 11-0 USA run, extending the 12-point halftime lead to 23 at 66-43, orcing an Aussie timeout. Carmelo drained a three for the other points. Carmelo and Kobe 11 - Australia 0. Well, at least the Aussies lasted a half .... Bogut has his 3rd foul, and has been sent to the bench, even though this game is on the verge of being over unless his team makes a run ...

So it's now 80-52 and Bogut has been on the bench most of the 3rd quarter with the 3rd foul. Chris Antsey, 33-years-old, playing in his last Olympics, has been given most of the center minutes for Australia. I suppose this is a send-off of sorts for Antsey but how did it help the Aussies in the 3rd quarter? Would it have made a difference had Bogut fouled out helping to hold the USA lead within reason? In the very least Bogut could have rebounded and helped on D -- Team Redeem is killing the Boomers on the boards.

This refusal of Aussie coach Goorjian to play his best players keeps rearing its head. He throws in the towel quickly and tosses games to his scrub vets. (This was the pattern vs. Coratia). I thought perhaps he had learned his lesson against Russia when the Boomers won playing Bogut, Bruton, Mills and Newley heavy minutes. Today, Goorjian jumped at the opportunity to yank Bogut and play Antsey, exactly what Team USA wanted him to do. Kobe took it right at Bogut after halftime, trying to draw to draw that 3rd whistle and get the only bonafide NBA center left in the Olympics (other than Howard) out of the game. Bogut's own coach was a willing accomplice, and took Bogut out of the tournament.

So Bogut has played 11 minutes, taken five shots, scored 4 pts, grabbed 2 rebs and earned 3 fouls. It's the 4th quarter now. Strange to leave Bogut sitting. Ankles again? The rout is on ... What's the score here? ... 106-78.

Kobe was Kobe coming out the locker room at halftime, the first time in these Olympics that he's taken over a game. Today was also the first time Team USA was challenged into halftime. Apparently that didn't sit too well with Kobe. He had 17 points after the half, finishing with a game-high 25.

116-85 Final - Boxscore

... Team Redeem outrebounded the Aussies 57-28 ... One would think that Bogut might have been able to help on the glass in the second half. It's difficult to rebound a basketball when you're on the bench.

First the Spain blowout Saturday, now this one ... The Redeem Team is probably unbeatable. The international teams do not have players who can guard Kobe or Lebron. Bruce Bowen and Paul Pierce are not in Beijing about to suit up for Argentina, Lithuania or Spain. If Kobe or Lebron isn't lighting up the scoreboard, Carmelo Anthony or D-Wade is ... Sometimes Team USA gets three of those four guys going at once. On this day, D-Wade didn't do much scoring but hauled down 8 rebounds. Carmelo had 15 pts., Lebron 16 pts, 9 rebs ... Howard had those 8 points early, 7 rebs ...

*Michael Redd did play 8.5 mins in garbage time. He scored 5 points on 2/3 shooting (1/2 on 3-pointers). Redd is now 10/31 from the floor in six Olympic games, 5/18 shooting from 3-point land. That 5th three tied Redd with Bogut in the Milwaukee Bucks Olympic 3-point shootout. Bogut was 5/7 in group play, so ... technically Bogut is still in the lead.

*Jason Kidd shot again - twice this game, and made them both.

Team Redeem moves on to play Argentina and the Spurs' Manu Ginobili, the only All-NBA player left in this tournament who is not on Team USA. (Yao Ming and Dirk Nowitzki were the other two). The Ginobili-led squad may be the only team that has any hope of giving Team Kobe and Lebron a game. Unlike Australia, where the best players often sit, Argentina goes full throttle with Ginobili and the Houston Rockets' active big man, Luis Scola, playing 32-plus minutes a game. Today against Greece, Ginobili and Scola played a combined 70 minutes.

QUARTERFINAL RECAPS

Argentina 80, Greece 78 Carlos Delfino shot Argentina to a 6-point lead late in the 3rd quarter with two three-pointers and the defending Olympic champs held off Greece the rest of the way. Delfino, a bench player in Detroit and Toronto the last four years, finished with 23 and Ginobili led with 24 points. Scola contributed 11 pts, 8 rebs in a workmanlike 37 mins, and Chicago Bulls forward Andres Nocioni added 12. Together, those four scored 70 of Argentina's 80 points. The 5th member of "the Fab Five," Fabricio Oberto, the Spurs' oft-starting power forward, did not score. Shockingly, Argentina shot only five free throws, to 18 by Greece. Usually, Ginobili in particular is adept at getting to the line, especially in FIBA games. Antonios Fotsis led Greece with 17 pts.

Spain 72, Croatia 59 Croatia is an up and coming team (Green Bandwagon has a good take) but the hot shooting that torched Australia in Game 1 has gone cold. The sons of Toni Kukoc shot 12-16 from 3-point land vs. Australia but only 5-19 this morning. LA Laker Pau Gasol of Spain led all scorers with 20. Jose Calderon (the Raptors point guard who made T.J. Ford expendable) played only 18 minutes, but shot 4/5 including two threes. Reyes, the forward, who led Spain in scoring during the debacle vs. Team USA Saturday - he had 13. Reyes seems like a good, tough player who can make shots.

Lithuania 94, China 68 China hung in there for much of the first half (it was 31-27 in the 2nd quarter) but Lithuania, led by Sarunas Jasikevicius, gradually pulled away after that. The Chinese starting five - Yao, Yi, Sun, Zhu and Liu, the point guard - doesn't get much rest. Jasikevicius, who hit 7 threes against Allen Iverson, Lebron James, et al, in Athens 2004, scored 23 to lead this one -- on eight shots! He was 5/6 on three-pointers. Jasikevicius played in the NBA (Pacers and Warriors) until 2007 and is ballin' in Greece these days. Sign him up, John Hammond, Jasikevicius is a real shooting guard. He plays some D too, so I hear. ....Yao Ming tried to keep China in it but got no help. Yi Jianlian of New Joizey started well, with 6 in the first quarter, but got nothing afterward, until he was benched in the 3rd quarter. He finished with 11, padding it in garbage time. Sun Yue, just signed with the Lakers was equally disappointing. The Chinese players, Yao excepted, need to learn to step it up -- if they don't figure it out, or if they can't -- neither Yi or Sun will last long in the NBA.

Lithuania meets Spain in the semi-finals Friday.

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PREVIEWS ....

Basketball Australia's preview - REDEEM THIS. The Boomers are ready, the Aussie's say.

ESPN's Chris Sheridan thinks the Boomers have a prayer. But since you're here, you should read my preview:

TEAM USA vs. AUSTRALIA: Of course it's not really Buck vs. Buck, guard Michael Redd vs. center Andrew Bogut. Redd, the USA shooting "specialist" who has shot poorly through five Olympic games, has seen his role diminished. Bogut, Australia's best player and the best center in the Olympic tournament not named Dwight Howard or Yao Ming, is the focal point of his team's half court offense and the anchor of the Boomer's defense.

Believe it or not, BOGUT has sunk more three-pointers than Redd so far in the Olympics. Bogut's 5/7 from behind the arc; Redd is 4/16. Unfortunately, Team USA's "designated shooter" is 8/28 (28.4%) from the floor, averaging 4.2 ppg in 11.5 mins per game. He has not adjusted well to his spot-shooting role, or to coming off the bench, period. The silver lining for Redd is that the team hasn't needed his shooting.

Bogut is the Buck who's been on a roll and so is his team, closing out group play with three straight wins. Bogut averaged 18.3 ppg in just under 21 mins per game in those wins. After two miserable games vs. Croatia and Argentina, he has dominated, overpowering Iran, Russia and Lithuania, playing with a fierce attitude that has carried the Boomers into the medal round. Bogut's the key for Australia, though, to be honest the only the way Australia might win this game is if the Aussies bribe a rikshaw driver and Lebron James and Dwyane Wade get conveniently lost on the way to the arena. And even then, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Redd would have to shoot horribly -- which they've all done in these Olympics.

But the Aussies do have the ability to make this game interesting, and here's the how and why:

The Boomers are a physical, aggressive team that can play 40 minutes of D and stay with the Team Redeem. USA players have attested to this.
But Aussie Coach Brian Goorjian has to play the best Australia players. It's seems stupid to have to make such a basic observation in the Olympics, but Goorjian's rotations were terrible in the two opening losses.
Taking care of the ball vs. Team Redeem's high-pressure D is huge. (Spain turned the ball over 28 times vs. Team USA on Saturday.) Australia has two excellent capable guards, C.J. Bruton and Patty Mills.
Australia has to shoot well. Bogut has to get some offense going inside vs. Dwight Howard (something he's had a difficult time doing when the Bucks have played the Magic - the gamelogs on basketball-reference.com bear this out); Bruton, the shooter, needs a good game. Six-foot-11 David Anderson led the Euroleague in three point shooting % for CSKV Moscow last season. Anderson's a guy to watch coming off the bench.

KEY # 1 - Team Redeem and the Aussies have played once in China, Aug. 5 in a tuneup game in Shanghai. To hear Team USA's captain, Jason Kidd, and reserve forward Tayshaun Prince tell it, the Australians gave Team Redeem perhaps their toughest test in China. The USA won 87-76, the only time a team has been able to stay with Team Redeem for 40 minutes. That's a big key, said Pistons all-star Prince the weekend the games began:

"I think out of all those teams that we played Australia was the team that had the complete package. They had shooters, they had agressive drivers, big guys who can shoot outside, great ball-handlers who can shoot and drive. All the other teams we played they had shooters but not drivers or drivers but not shooters. With Australia, everybody was able to do something and I think that's why they were able to stick around throughout the game."

Kidd echoed Prince's assessment of the Aussies:

"They were very physical and they played well without Bogut. The big thing about them is that they are physical and they play hard for 40 minutes and they are well coached so they will make a lot of noise (in the tournament)."

KEY #2 - I watched the entire Aug. 5 game on Youtube last night (unfortunately, ESPN has put the kibosh on those videos) and came away generally impressed with the versatility of Australia's big men, Matt Nielson, David Anderson and Chris Antsey; the play of smart, talented guards C.J. Bruton and Patty Mills; and 6' 6" small forward-guard Brad Newley, a 2nd round pick of the Houston Rockets in the 2007 draft. (Newley and Mills should have draftexpress profiles.)

BUT (and as you can see, it's a BIG BUT) Andrew Bogut, nursing a rolled ankle, did not play; and Team USA played a sloppy, unenergetic game, nothing at all like the the end-of-the-world intensity that Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Chris Bosh have laid on their Olympic opponents.

ALSO (and this is big, too), a few Aussie players don't belong the court with Team Redeem, or Croatia for that matter. David Barlow, who starts at guard then usually goes to the bench as Mills takes over; reserve guard Mark Worthington; and veteran Glen Saville. In the Aussie's Olympic-saving win vs. Russia, all three of those players along with veteran Antsey -- Bogut's backup -- saw limited action. Bogut, Bruton, Mills and Newley played a combined 115 minutes against Russia. It's no coincidence that the Aussies won playing their best players big minutes. The three big men, Nielson, Anderson and Antsey split 45-50 mins, leaving about 35-40 minutes for the scrubs. Aussie coach Goorgian needs to tighten the rotation up even more against Team Redeem.

KEY # 3 - The Australia guards, in particular, impressed Team USA and guard Dwyane Wade, who's been one of the players of the Olympics, along with Spurs All-NBA guard Manu Ginobili, leader of defending gold medalists Argentina, and Lebron James:

"[Patty Mills] did great -- both of their point guards were good. One was shooting [Bruton] and one was extremely fast [Mills]."

Tayshaun Prince declared the 20-year-old Mills an NBA prospect:

"He is so fast, he is able to stop and go and is very talented. When you're that fast and can get to the basket you are going be a player (in the NBA)."

The veteran, C.J. Bruton, age 33, is the starting point guard. Bruton's of American descent, his father having been an imported baller in the Australian leagues. Bruton played some community college ball in the U.S in the early-mid 1990's but never played Division 1 because the NCAA yanked his eligibility, ruling that he had played professionally in Australia as a teenager. Patty Mills just turned 20 and is entering his sophomore year at St. Mary's College (Calif.), which plays in the Western conference with the likes of Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga. Mills NBA stock is rising fast.

"If he continues to keep working hard he definitely has a future in the NBA," Kidd concurred.

Key #4 - Australia shooting well starts with getting Bogut going early against Dwight Howard. Bruton is the key early, working inside out with Bogut. Accomplishing this, however, is no easy task. Bogut usually has difficulty getting shots off against All-NBA, All-Defensive center Howard. This game will be a short chapter, perhaps even a footnote, in what should be a long Howard vs. Bogut rivalry. Hopefully, it'll be a good one ... David Anderson is a great asset off the bench for Australia, and a deadly 3-point shooter. Here's more, reposted from a few days ago:

Australia's David Anderson is is now a teammate of Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova's on AXA FC Barcelona. A roving big forward on Australia, Anderson has played center for CSKA Moscow since 2004, winning two Euroleague championships and leading the Euroleague in 3-point shooting % last season (54.2%). Hoopshype describes him as "one of the top big men left in Europe. Great talent and size." FC Barcelona signed free agent Anderson to a three-year deal in June.

Anderson's a guy Australia needs to find more playing time for. He splits time with Matt Nielson, the team captain, also a versatile 6' 11" player, adept at drawing fouls and getting to the line. A good shooting game by Anderson off the bench should prevent scoring droughts from Australia and could keep them hanging around until the 4th quarter.

Bottom line, however, is that almost everyone in an Australia uniform needs to have a decent shooting game for the Boomers to have a chance. If Bruton is off, it's over. Team Redeem will miss shots. USA Basketball didn't take enough shooters to China, and the one it did take as its "specialist" - Michael Redd - can't find his shot and appears to have difficulty coming off the bench and playing off the ball. Take care of the ball and shoot well, and the Boomers of Australia may find themselves in this game. Shoot better and catch a break or two, and a miracle on the hardwood just might not be so farfetched. ...

Footnote: Aren't you glad all this crap wasn't up all day yesterday? I still find it amazing that the coach again let Bogut sit and watch while the team floundered. Apparently, Australia has been a team that came to the 2008 Olympics very much in transition. For some players Beijing was a last hurrah; for others, namely Bogut, Newley and Mills, Beijing was their Olympics to step to the forefront. Unfortunately, and due to whatever circumstances and loyalties, this transition was poorly coached and managed.

Olympic Weekend: Bogut powers Australia into medal round matchup vs.Team Redeem; Yi delivers China in final minute; Jason Kidd laments shooting incident

J.D. Mo — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:55:00 GMT

Continuing doggedly on my mission to spark some interest in Olympic basketball while the Brewers go yard for the playoffs and the Packers embark into the post-Favre era, take a look at what Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut was doing Friday night halfway around the world in Beijing, China.

That fiercely emphatic dunk on Andrei Vorontsevich were points 10 and 11 of a 14-7 Australia Boomer run to begin the 4th quarter of a do-or-die medal round qualifying game against 2007 Eurobasket champs Russia, hammering the Aussies home to an 80-62 lead. The.Australia run effectively buried Russia, though forward Viktor Khryapa (Chicago Bulls) made it interesting with a barrage of three-pointers after the Aussies had pushed the lead to 21. The final was a convincing 95-80, with Bogut throwing in a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to spite the equally chippy Russians. Bogut finished with 22 pts, 8 rebs. Aussie point guard C.J. Bruton scorched the nets for 22 of his own and handed out 6 asts.

Their reward? The Group A #4 seed and a ~~an almost certain~~ quarterfinal matchup against Team USA, which on Saturday made perhaps the strongest statement USA basketball has uttered since the Jordan-Magic-Bird Dream Team -- a 119-82 blowout of 2006 world champion Spain. Team Redeem clinched the Group B #1 seed and meets the Boomers Wednesday. (Standings and latest scores). Both teams played meaningless 5th games, with Australia waltzing Sunday night 106-75 over injury-conscious Group A top seed Lithuania and Team USA this morning destroying Dirk Nowitzki and Germany 106-57.

Until Friday night, the 23-year-old Bucks center's Olympics had been disappointing and frustrating. As Australia crumbled against Croatia and Argentina, Bogut scarcely resembled the aggressive post player Bucks fans saw most of last season. Worse still was that he wasn't playing very much and was the focus of debate about the team's failures. Aussie coach Brian Goorjian rose to make an impassioned defense of Bogut Thursday but along the way revealed that he, as coach, was de-emphasizing his star player -- on purpose. The coach apparently believed that some of the lesser Aussie players would be responsible for delivering wins and Australia's first-ever basketball medal.

In the Russia postgame, Goorjian again told reporters that he still didn't think the team should rely on Bogut to carry them. The coach is in obvious denial about his team. (I'd love to hear an opinion from Yao Ming's China coach about Goorjian's attitude toward his center).

Against Russia, however, Goorjian finally did what basketball coaches do: he played his best players and finally seemed to settle on a rotation, riding Bogut and the timely shooting of Bruton to victory. Bogut logged 28 minutes and was strong from start to finish (including a "we mean business" unsportsmanlike foul on Utah Jazz/Russia star Andrei Kirilenko to open the 2nd half). Less than 48 hours after the coach had said Bogut could not be expected to carry the team, Bogut carried the team. That's what star players do. Unfortunately for Australia, Goorjian spent the first three games of the Olympics foolishly trying to prove otherwise.

For more about Goorjian's curious handling of Bogut in Beijiing, I made live game notes during the Australia-Russia game and have moved those to the bottom of this, the BBJ mothership weekend Olympics post.

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Team USA 119, Spain 82 Boxscore. What to say about Team Redeem that hasn't already been said? The Team USA defense is the dominant force in this Olympic basketball tournament. Pau Gasol (Lakers), Jose Calderon (Raptors) and their world champion Spanish team were no match. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade seem to have found a higher gear of intensity that may not have existed until now. The two stars are playing with what looks like controlled fury. I don't think either one of them cracked a grin the entire first half, as they again led the team.

*Jason Kidd shocked the world by taking and making a shot, joking after the game that he had ruined his Olympics. "My man gave me the ball and I had to take the layup - even though I didn't want to," Kidd said. The shot came at the 6:56 mark of the 3rd Quarter with Lebron James leading a fast break. Kidd dutifully filled the left lane just like in practice drills and Lebron found him with a pass too close to the basket for Kidd to do anythng but plant his right foot and go up for the left-handed layin -- which, by the way, was textbook. Obviously feeling sheepish after the game, he snuck out of the arena like Mike Tyson the night Buster Douglas knocked him out.

*After hitting nothing but rim the first three games, Denver's Carmelo Anthony found his jumpshot, scoring 16 pts on 6-8 shooting, 4 of 6 from behind the arc. Anthony and the Pistons' Tayshaun Prince (Pistons) were partly responsible for the extra gaudy margin of victory, shooting a combined 7/10 from downtown, while the rest of the team shot a merely human 5/15. Bucks guard Michael Redd missed his lone three-point attempt.

* Team Redeem stole the ball 16 times, led by Chris Paul's 5 steals (also 14 pts). Spain turned the ball over a whopping 28 times, a rate of one turnover every 85.7 seconds.

* Lebron James led with 8 asts (and 18pts). Lebron leads the Olympics in assists through 4 games with 22 (5.5 avg).

* Pau Gasol played 33 minutes but was held check, with just 13 points on 5-8 shooting. His 7-foot-tall, 270-lb brother Marc played some solid stretches, with 8 pts, 3 rebs in 18 mins before fouling out. Marc Gasol has a good-looking mid-range shot and mixed it up against the US, getting to the line six times. Looks like the Grizzlies have a player.

* Redd played 12 minutes in the second half, scoring 4 pts on 2-4 shooting (0-1 from downtown). He did not play in the first half, but didn't try to force any offense during his stint in the 2nd. With all the frenetic defense and fast-paced transition the Redeem Teamers play, they haven't had much of a role for him.

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Yi hits crucial final minute shot, China advances 59-55 over Germany: Much like his former teammate, Bogut, Nets forward Yi Jianlian rose from goat to hero status in his fourth Beijing game, swishing an 18-footer with 28 seconds to go to put China up 58-55. Yi wasn't done. He then sealed the win on the defensive end, harassing Mavs All-Pro Dirk Nowitzki into a missed three and a turnover. Yi finished with 9 pts, 11 rbs in his best game of the Olympics while also guarding Nowitzki most of the night. Dirk scored 24 and hauled down 17 rebs, but shot only 7-20 from the field, capping the night with that horrific final 28 seconds. Somewhere in New Jersey, a GM is breathing a little easier.

Yao Ming carried China with 25 pts, 11 rebs. China made the medal round for the second Olympics in a row, and closesd against Greece Monday. It could get goofy. The loser plays Lithuania, a preferable matchup to the one the winner gets: Spurs All-NBA guard Manu Ginobili and Argentina, the defending gold medalists. (Unfortunately, it didn't get goofy - Yao just didn't play most of it. He scored 16 pts in 18 mins as Greece "won" the #3 seed 91-77.)

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Australia 106, Lithuania 75 - With Lithuania undefeated and Croatia securing the #3 seed with a blowout of Group A patsy Iran earlier Sunday night, this game was meaningless. Australia started quickly with Bogut scoring 9 points in the first 2:20 seconds and only briefly looked back - when Bogut went to the bench for seven minutes in the first half. That stretch was the last time Lithuania pulled to within single digits. Bogut led all scorers with 23 pts on 10-12 shooting in just 16 mins. The Aussie D forced 25 turnovers, a good workout with Team USA next.

The boxscore and game lines say Bogut shot 3-3 from 3-point land, but there must be some mistake. A criticism of Bogut in the NBA is that the midrange jumper he had in college has disappeared, but what's this? Was it a long-range jumper all along? With 3 threes last night and 2 against Russia, he now has more 3-pointers in Beijing than Michael Redd, Team Redeem's three-point specialist. Perhaps Bogut's trying to send a message to Scott Skiles? The message is probably for Aussie coach Goorjian. "Keep me in the game" would be appropriate.

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USA 106, Germany 57 - Team Redeem jumped out to a 20-3 lead and the rout was on. Carmelo Anthony opened the scoring with a jumper, which isn't so unusual, but when Jason Kidd hit a three-pointer and Dwight Howard made a free throw in the early minutes, Germany should have packed it in and headed for the Olympic Village.

Proving that, yes, Orlando Magic center Howard has been somewhat bored against the likes of Greece and Angola, Team Redeem's only center woke up against Germany's NBA big men Dirk Nowitzki and LA Clippers center Chris Kaman. Howard led all scorers with 22 pts, 10 rebs and 5 missed free throws. Kaman answered with 6 pts and 4 rebs in 17 mins, hardly worth the special German work visa that has allowed him to play for his great grandparents deutschland in the Olympics. ... Kaman committed 3 turnovers in less than a minute spanning the end of the 1st quarter, first few ticks of the 2nd quarter - which is difficult to do. This is one of the reasons, 2006 playoffs also among them, that Kaman did not make the Bob Boozer Jinx Top Ten (or 13) NBA Centers' List.

Lebron and Kobe were a combined 7-10 from 3-point land, which should probably be against the rules of fair play. The rest of the team shot just 4-16 on threes, including 0-4 from Michael Redd. On the game, Redd played nearly 13 minutes, mostly in the second half, and shot 1-9 from the floor, finishing with 2 pts, 1 reb, 1 steal and 1 turnover. ... Germany has a 6' 9", 247-lb forward named Sven Schultze who looks precisely like Sven Schultze.

WEDNESDAY'S QUARTERFINALS

1-USA (5-0) vs. 4-Australia (3-2) - 7AM

2-Spain (4-1) vs. 3-Croatia (3 - 1:30AM

3-Greece (3-2) vs. 2-Argentina (3-1) - 9:15AM

4-China (2-3) vs. 1-Lithuania (4-1) - 3:45AM

All times are CST. NBC's basketball channel will have all the games, and USA Network will begin broadcasting at 5:30 AM. NBC's network daytime broadcast starts at 10AM and they may have at least a portion of the game, one would hope, especially if it's a good game. The Olympics network won't really stick with its plans to show men's beach volleyball, will they? ...

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AUSTRALIA - RUSSIA GAME NOTES:

We have our answer r.e. the hubris of the Aussie coach Brian Goorjian. He's apparently come to his senses (maybe Goorjian read the Bob Boozer jinx today). Bogut dominated Russia in the first half, starting and finishing strong, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds. The Aussies lead at half, 49-33. They've led throughout, pushing it to 16 on some hot shooting by David Anderson at the end of the 1st quarter, early 2nd. Bogut was on the bench during that run, but returned when Russia cut it to 11. Five straight points in the post by Bogut extended the lead back to 14, and he muscled in the final two points of the half for a 16 point lead. Bogut played 15 mins in the half.

Unless there's foul trouble, Bogut should get one break per 20 minute half, and clock at minimum 32 minutes a game. I'd play him 35. Bogut's the one advantage the Aussies have over most teams in these Olympics - every team except China and Team USA. He should be on the court 80% of the time. It was asinine for Goorjian to try to prove otherwise or play it any other way.

Bogut's 4/5 from the line, which would be a nice trend. He's a 59% free throw shooter in the NBA, as bad as Dwight Howard. Russian center Aleksei Savraskeno had a good first half, and so did the Bulls' Viktor Khryapa. Khrypa's got 9 pts, 4 rebs at half; Savrasenko 12 pts, 10 in the first quarter until Australia fed Bogut and forced the 7' 1" center to the bench with fouls.

Other than the big men, the Russians are having problems. The point guard from Pittsburgh, John-Robert Holden (a guy with a pretty interesting story) shoots a lot but he's not hitting. Neither is.Kirilenko.

The speedsert Patty Mills isn't playing well for Aus but the other point guard, CJ Bruton is. He's hit a couple of threes and has 8. Forwards David Anderson and Matt Nielson are also playing well. I don't understand why the Aussies stick with center Chris Antsey. He's a veteran, age 33, an Aussie basketball league MVP, etc. But he does next to nothing on the court ... Bogut, Anderson and Nielson are all 6' 11" plus. Maybe this is at the heart of the Aus problem. It's time NOW to transition to the younger guys, not in two years. Whether Goorjian wants to admit it or not, the games are here, and they count. Having your opponents drill home the need for transition in the middle of the Olympic games has looked awful and pathetic ...and confused the players about their roles. Antsey's only played five minutes this game, probably 2 too many. He's backing up Bogut.

3RD QUARTER

Bogut starts the half by hammering Kirilenko - "unsportsmanlike" foul. Good idea to keep Kirilenko from getting his game together. This sets off a 9-0 run by Russia, though, cutting the lead to seven points before Nielson finally scores to stop it. Bogut then pushes the lead back to ten with, believe it or not, a three-pointer!! What is he doing out there? He's 1-2 from behind the arc for the game.

Ugly play - Khryapa blocks Bogut's shot about five minutes in. Bruton hits a three. He's got 11 now. Anderson's got 11 but he's in foul trouble (again) with three. So is Nielson (again). We're at the point in the game where the refs may give the Russians a shot at getting back in the game. Bogut has Savrasenko in foul trouble.

61-48 - Bogut goes to the bench six minutes into the quarter, replaced by Antsey. Too short a run for Bogut. Antsey turns the ball over. Rus center Savrasenko comes in to try and take advantage of Bogut's absence.

Russians can't hit - Holden's missed two threes and turned it over twice. ...Antsey hits a three as I was writing about him. ... 65-49 ..

Kirilenko's still stuck on that one shot he hit. Russians finally hit a three, but it isn't Holden or Kirilenko.... It was Vorontsevich, Andrei. They've fired quite a few in an effort to close the gap. Kirilenko misses another one. ...

69-55. Holden and Kirilenko have hardly rested at all. The Australia D has been very good for the first time in the Olympics, and Holden and Kirilenko are shooting terribly, accounting for Australia's big lead.

4TH QUARTER

Bogut and CJ Bruton back in to start the quarter. Bruton opens with a three to push the lead to 17 - 72-55. Bruton has four threes in the game. Bogut had a quiet 3rd (just the three pointer) but the Aussies are going back to him now in the 4th. He missed his first two shots but hit the third.. Bruton misses, Bogut grabs the offensive board - Mills hits.. 78-62. Kirilenko goes to the bench, leaving Holden, Khryapa and Savrasenko. Australia's playing their best lineup: Bogut, Bruton, Mills, Newley and Nielson ... Russia can't score.

THE DUNK: Bogut wheels in from the arc and throws down an Olympic sized jam over the defender (Vorontsevich again). And the foul! He's got 19. 80-62 ... What a statement! Russia gets Kirilenko back in the game w/ two others. Savrasenko's out. Bogut misses the free throw. Next Aussie possession, Sergei Montya hacks Bruton - an unsportsmanlike, followed by a scrap with Nielson retaliating. Bogut steps into it too. The Russians are losing it. Bruton makes the free throws - 82-62. Three minutes into the quarter and the Aussies have outscored Russia 13-7. This is probably the game.

Bogut to the bench, Antsey in. Huh? It's not over yet. The game's getting chippy, but wouldn't that be reason to leave him in? Aussies aren't supposed to duck a potential broken nose. Maybe his arm's numb from the dunk?

Khryapa hasn't been a factor in the second half. He's rebounding, but he hasn't hit a bucket. Russia finally gets a hoop with 4 minutes left to make it 83-64. 14-7 for the Aussies in the first six mins of the 4th. Inside out game with Bogut, Bruton and Mills. Until that last hoop, nearly a three minute scorelss drought for the Russians - it killed them.

Holden hits a three w/ 2:40 left, cutting it to 12. Bogut's still on the bench. Russians are on a 9-0 run. Goorjian puts Bogut back in after a Mills turnover.

Khryapa hits a three. Then another. It's too late. Bruton and Nielson are hitting their free throws. Should be game barring some craziness. Rus could always employ the hack-a-bogut defense here.

.. BOGUT JUST HIT A THREE for the helluvit, as if the dunk wasn't enough ... Bruton sews it up with two free throws - he and Bogut finish with 22.

FINAL: Australia 95, Russia 80. Boxscore.

Bogut finishes with 22 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts in 28 mins. Bruton also had 22 (4-8 on threes) and 6 asts. Viktor Khryapa led Russia with 21 pts, 9 rebs, on the strength of his three-pointer barrage in the last four mins of the game. Kirilenko was held to 6 pts on 1-10 shooting. Holden from Pittsburgh had 20 pts but shot 20 times to get it. Savrasenko had 16 in 19 mins but was invisible in the 2nd half due to foul trouble. I'd call that a win for Bogut (and Antsey), who neutralized the Russian big man.

Bogut's 28 mins were easily the most he's played in Beijing. That's still not enough PT in a 40 minute game, especially with full two-minute rests at the quarters (NBA breaks are 90 secs.) Realistically, if he's given breathers around those breaks, Bogut should play 32-33 minutes or more in a contested game. In this game, Bogut sat for 1/3 of the game until he reentered in the 4th after Khyrapa started hitting threes. Goorjian never should have taken him out of the game in the 4th. Is the coach obligated to find minutes for Antsey?

All that talk from Goorjian before the game about Bogut being "the future" of Aussie basketball, about other players defining the team's success ... I think Goorjian finally had little choice but to acknowledge that Bogut is the present of Australia basketball and that the Aussies needed to win a game NOW or go home. The team needed a big game out of Bogut and he delivered. It was the first time a big game had been asked of him, which probably explains why the Aussies are looking at a quarterfinal game against Team USA instead of Spain or Greece.

A difficult Olympics for Bogut: Goorjian seemed to use Bogut's ankle injury (he rolled it July 31 against Angola) as an excuse to deemphasize Australia's celebrity, $72-million-dollar contract, NBA "star" -- who joined training late -- and then try to make the unrealistic statemet that the team should be bigger than its best player. The Australia Boomers aren't like the 2007-08 Bucks where it became very debatable as the season wore on who the best player was. Bogut is the man for Australia, and the reality is that Australia was only going as far as Bogut could take them. Perhaps Goorjian threw in the towel against Croatia and Argentina. Or maybe it was simply about playing Chris Antsey. Whatever the case, and it was probably a combination of all three, the coach foolishly rejected his star player until it was too late to salvage Australia's medal hopes.

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An interesting pose ....

That's Russia's Maria Stepanova boxing out Australia's Lauren Jackson. Australia won the game.

Apparently, things got rough out there ....