Milwaukee Bucks Blog - The Bob Boozer Jinx : Larry Harris

Playoff Props: Free Ray Allen!!!

J.D. Mo — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:53:00 GMT

PICKING UP GAME 7 ACTION at the start of the 3rd quarter, as Paul Pierce has hit another three for his 29th point to put the Celtics up by six. The forwards have dominated play all day and the shooting guards - Ray Allen and Wally Szczerbiak have been wise to stay out of the way. Lebron is hot to start the second half.

Rondo miss - "If you're Doc Rivers you've got to start thinking about Eddie House ..." ABC/ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy comments, as Ilgauskas collars the rebound. Lebron hits a three; Pierce counters with a three. The forwards are on FIRE. What a show.

In Milwaukee, the small forward position has been all but eliminated, but the position is alive and well in Game 7. Point guard play is still important - the edge all series goes to Delonte West - but the forward play has relegated the shooting guards to role players, the big men to pick and roll outlets. Cleveland and Lebron play this way every night, but Boston? The Cavs have upset the Celtics offensive balance, and now Boston is playing Cavs-ball. ... Or, maybe there was never really enough ball to go around in Boston. .... Escaping notice from analysts Van Gundy and Mark Jackson is that Doc Rivers has started big forward 38-year-old PJ Brown in the 2nd half. Celtics up eight.

Ray cannot hit!!! Two wide-open three-looks within a few possessions. If Ray drains those, the Cavs are reeling going into the 4th quarter. Instead, Ray's back on the bench with Rondo and the Celtics go back to the Eddie House one-guard offense, which means the ball will be in Pierce's hands for the next six minutes. Final seconds of the third quarter, Pierce at the line. Celtics by five going into the 4th.

Here's a link from Basketball Prospectus.

Prospectus says: "Mike Brown and Doc Rivers have set NBA basketball back about eight years, taking us back to the micro-managing control freaks who dominated the game at the beginning of the current decade."

This has been the type of series only Jeff Van Gundy and his point guard, Mark Jackson, sitting next to him for ABC/ESPN, could love. Van Gundy happens to be one of the coaches to whom bball prospectus is referring.

Another ex-Buck on the floor, Damon Jones from the 2003-04 team: "Damon Jones with a wide open look from the corner ...." It's off this time (he had made one earlier). Jones is filling in at guard for Boobie Gibson, sidelined with a separated shoulder.

8:30 remaining now, "Celtics trying to hold on."

Rondo back in the game, Allen and House on the bench.

Eddie House was a Buck for five games in 2004-05 season. Larry Harris picked him up off the waiver wire in Dec. 2004 then released him few weeks later, in favor of Mo Williams, Mike James and Erick Strickland? Five ex-Bucks on these teams. Ray and Sam and House for the Celtics (three of the four Boston guards who get PT). Joe Smith and Jones for the Cavs. Of the six guards playing today, three are ex-Bucks (Jones, Ray and House - Sam is on the bench). I can't resist thinking how the Bucks fate could've been different. Slickless Larry's overconfidence in Mo Williams and Michael Redd probably got the better of him in the end -- $142 million for those two. Meanwhile, here are all of these former Bucks guards in Boston, playing in a game that is bigger than any the NBA has put on the floor so far this season. ...

Pierce hits again - 39 for Pierce. Lebron hits a three. 83-80. Garnett dunks. Celts by five. James misses a three. Five minutes left.

An open Rondo misses. Delonte West has gone back to not guarding him, but by and large, Rondo is keeping his cool, not trying to do too much. I'm feeling that I've been too hard on Rondo, who's only in his second year. PJ Brown is there for the rebound and lay-in!!! Celtics by five. Brown has played nearly the entire second half at power forward/center with Garnett. Perkins and Big Baby have been spectators. Posey gets some minutes.

2:20 left. One-point game. Celtics ball. Doc Rivers goes to Ray Allen and Eddie House for the final two minutes. Free Ray Allen!!!

Jump ball. Celtics James Posey had time to get a timeout in that scrum - Ilgauskus never had a hand on the ball. Bad call by the officials. Could've been a foul on Z. On the tip, Pierce dives to the floor, saves it and gets the time out, even though Delonte West has his hands wrapped around the ball. Somebody chuck a rule book at these refs. 58 seconds left - Garnett ignores Ray on the wing and misfires a 20-footer. Bad judgement, KG. Free Ray Allen!!! KG redeems by grabbing a tough rebound on a James miss, dumps the outlet to Pierce and Pierce, making smart decisions all day, gets it upcourt to Ray, the best free throw shooter in the playoffs. Ray is fouled, hits two and is now 33 of 34 from the line in the playoffs. Celtics by five. 18 seconds left. Celtics hold on if they hit their free throws.

Pavlovic hits a three for Cleveland! Three point game with 9 seconds to go. Pierce now to the line. ... 8 seconds left. He hits two. The first one takes a crazy bounce and falls. Assist to the ghost of Red Auerbach. Cavs down five, needing a miracle. ... Game. 97-92 Celtics. Pierce finishes with 41, a game for the basketball gods.

The Detroit Pistons will practice in Detroit tonight (Chauncey Billups said at halftime that a practice is scheduled), and pack their bags for Beantown tomorrow. Tuesday night, 7:30 Central. Celtics-Pistons Game One. I don't like the Pistons chances at all in that series, and I don't see it going seven games.

Tomorrow night in the hive in New Orleans, the Hornets and Chris Paul try to hold of the defending champion Spurs, who, up to their usual dirty tricks, have disabled an opponent -- this time it's forward David West, popped in his ailing lower back by Robert Horry, the culprit who last season body-checked Steve Nash in the Suns-Spurs Western Conference Finals. ... Dare I say it? This year is not the Spurs year. ... There, I said it.

Playoff Props - What's up Doc?

J.D. Mo — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:19:00 GMT

After another surpisingly out-of-synch playoff performance on the road by the Boston Celtics, Celtics coach Doc Rivers finds his team in a difficult situation with its starting point guard, 21-year-old Rajon Rondo. Rondo finished with zero assists in Game 3 against the Cavaliers on Sunday and was thoroughly outplayed by the Cavs' Delonte West.

Rondo's not ready to help the Celtics win it all; that was all too clear Saturday night. On Doc's bench is the answer: the clown prince of NBA guards, Sam "I Am" Cassell, offensive genius. Yet Rivers has been slow to pull Rondo when things are going badly.

At one point in the 3rd Quarter of Saturday night's game, the ABC cameras found West on defense, playing one of the saggiest one-man zones I've seen in the NBA. He wasn't even guarding Rondo, clogging the paint instead to make life difficult for KG and Paul Pierce. As the minutes passed, the Celtics struggled to cut the lead to 15, then watched it fall back to 20. No team in the NBA would dare to not guard Sam Cassell. Yet Sam sat. Rivers finally went to Cassell at the start of the fourth quarter and the Celtics pulled to within 12, but could get no closer.

With Rondo in the game, Paul Pierce fought for shots and Ray Allen scarcely shot at all, turning playmaker when he did get the ball. Unselfish play by Ray, but that's what Rondo should have been doing, instead of driving the ball at Big Ben Wallace, Z-Ilgauskus and Lebron James. Is Rivers worried about deflating Rondo's confidence in the playoffs? Or is it a team chemistry thing because Sam is the new guy? Whatever the case, Rivers has been far too much of a players' coach where Rondo is concerned, and it's part of the reason the Atlanta series went to seven games.

It doesn't seem to matter when the Celtics are playing in the Garden, but on the road, Rivers has to be quicker to go to Sam when the offense is struggling. If Sam, at 38, wears down, go back to Rondo, but don't give Rondo the reins in the 3rd Quarter on the road -- unless Doc is willing to sacrifice a championship for an "experience" playoffs for Rondo. If the Celtics fall short of the NBA Finals (they're by no means a shoe-in for conference finals) Rivers failure to make game adjustments will be the first thing called into question.

Trust in Sam, Doc. You won't be sorry.

Steady rollin' Joe The Celtics-Cavs series is THE one for Bucks fans. There are future Bucks to watch in Cleveland's Danny Gibson and Wally Szczerbiak ( I finally spelled it right - I think) -- How you doing on that Michael Redd, trade, Lebron? And there are ex-Bucks to watch in Ray and Sam "I Am", and, coming off the Cleveland bench, Joe Smith (Damon Jones is on that bench too, but rarely leaves it).

Joe had a steady-rollin' game Saturday - 24 minutes, 17 points on 7/8 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 fouls. Smith made a couple of more shots than he normally would, but as Bucks fans know, his game was not that different than it ever was. Smith doesn't force anything, takes good shots, rebounds, plays D and gives his team a chance to win, though he won't be "the guy" winning it.

Smith, 32, came to the Bucks from the T-Wolves in the 2003 trade for Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson. It was Ernie Grunfeld's last trade as GM, which coincided with the drafting of point guard T.J. Ford. Two weeks later, the woeful era of GM Larry Harris began. Smith started at power forward for two years, averaging 11 pts., 8 boards per game (which makes him one of the more productive power forwards in Bucks history). The following year, Smith came off the bench behind Jamal Magliore and Andrew Bogut, but was hobbled with injuries for much of the year - no doubt the effects of the Bob Boozer Jinx at work again at the Bucks PF position.

"Slickless" Larry eventually traded Smith to Denver for forward Ruben Patterson in Aug., 2006, trade #5 in a series of six dubious Larry trades that left Charlie Villanueva as the only player resource standing. Apparently Harris, never known for his patience, didn't feel like waiting for Smith to fully rehab his knee. The Bucks let Patterson go to the LA Clippers as a free agent in 1997.

In other words, in true Slickless style, the Bucks got nothing for Joe Smith. By the transitive property of the tradelines, this also means the Bucks got nothing for Sam Cassell, who, when he was traded for Smith in 2003 was under contract with the Bucks for another three seasons (at about $6 million per year) -- and should not have been traded at all.

What if the Bucks kept Sam? Instead of drafting T.J., the Bucks draft a forward in 2003 (say, David West). Terry Porter, in his first year as coach, has a leader on the floor in Sam (who was 2nd Team All-NBA 2003-04), and a developing big forward instead of injury prone Smith. Michael Redd's development as a scorer is more natural and team-oriented, and Redd never becomes the black hole or the $51 million, three-year contract problem that he is now. Sam controls the offense; Redd's contract extension doesn't get insane. Tim Thomas is happier (for a while anyway), the Bucks win more and there's less for Slickless Larry to foul up in 2005. Terry Porter keeps his job. Let's stop there, as it's beginning to look like this topic would be better as a post of its own.

In the meantime, Sam "I Am" fans have the Celtics-Cavs series, and Joe Smith and Ray Allen too.

And there's this, which I found whilst surfing around today. It's samcassellonline.org, the unofficial Sam Cassell website, created by a few of the LA Clippers faithful. Now that's good stuff.

Right now, John Hammond on what John Hammond will do

J.D. Mo — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:55:00 GMT

When? "Right now." As of this minute. Generally, it could mean "this morning" or "until after lunch." More loosely, "right now" could mean today, this weekend or this week. Next month is pushing it, especially if, like me, you're a long sufferinig Bucks fan.

New Bucks GM John Hammond said "right now" quite a lot last weekend in his first interviews in Milwaukee. As he begins to diagnose the causes of what appears to be one of the worst cases of bad chemistry in Milwaukee sports history, Hammond's "right nows" could very well change day to day, hour to hour.

Right now, as of this minute, he could very well be on the phone with Larry Brown, trying to find out what Bucks players Brown would still want around when, if hired to coach the Bucks, Brown's inevitable wanderlust kicks in and he's ready to move on. Or discussing with former Pistons and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle which Bucks he'd like on his side in a brawl with an arena full of beerthrowing fans. "I can make Yi Jianlian mean," Carlisle promises, doing his best Clint Eastwood squint. (As it turned out, Hammond was on the phone with Scot Skiles).

What we do know is that "right now" John Hammond thinks it's "unfair" to say whether or not our Bucks, the team that Slickless Larry built, could be a playoff team. This was asked by Doug Russell of Sports Radio 1250 WSSP, part of the podcast interview that you can hear for yourself on the sportsbubbler main page. The Bucks? Playoff potential?

"Well, I think right now, it would be unfair to say that, because then I think you're taking probably unfair shots at the players and the coaches, and I wouldn't do that," Hammond said. "Maybe there are a number of circumstances. ... There could be more than one. Injuries have occured within this team that are major factors for any team that plays within a tough, 82-game NBA schedule. I don't know if you want to say [there is playoff potential], but I do think there are pieces here that you can put a playoff team on the floor."

Right now, Hammond sees a team with problems that he's "not sure there is a simple answer to."

Krystowiak's future? ESPN had him fired a month ago when the senator dismissed Larry Harris. "Sources" said Kohl wanted a more experienced coach, after three young coaches in five years. How about Larry Brown? He's one of the oldest coaches out there! And he wants a job - even went so far as to contact the Bulls (through a third party) about their vacancy after this season. JS columnist Michael Hunt is already wishing Krystkowiak well.

Many of us have read the Marc Stein story (ESPN again) in which "sources" expect Hammond to push for Rick Carlisle as his new coach, building on those other "sources" who said Kohl wants to shut down his young coaches program. Nevermind that in all likelihood Herb gave full basketball decision making authority to Hammond as he lured Hammond away from the Pistons. The owner may no longer be calling the shots. ESPN never was.

What does Hammond say about Krystowiak's future? "Premature" to say. "Unfair to say, right now." Too early to set a timetable for a definitive decision, even to say a month from right now.

That's no ringing endorsement for Krystkowiak by any means but, right now, who's to say? If Hammond can't find the right coach (I'm not convinced Brown or Carlisle would be the right coach), or if Krystkowiak makes a strong case that other major moves are necessary, Krystkowiak could keep his job. Not likely, but not impossible. Right now, Hammond isn't saying. (He was waiting until the season ended before handing Larry K the pink slip).

At Hammonds introduction to Milwaukee at a Saturday press conference a reporter asked if Hammond would consider Michael Redd a "cornerstone" of the franchise.

"I think you have to, right now."

Right now.

The reporter follow up and ask about tomorrow, next week or next season.