For years now i have heard the Milwaukee Bucks coaches preach defense and effort.  Head Coaches like Larry Krystkowiak and Terry Stotts wanted to instill that winning mentality but, for some reason, it never stuck.  Since Scott Skiles was hired as Head coach before last season the team has played differently under him and it shows as the Bucks have surged to a 35-29 record, good for 5th in the East.

Skiles demands the most out of his players, this is why he GETS the most out of his players.  Skiles a former NBA PG who holds the record for most assists in a single game with 30.  If you never had the opportunity to see him play you can be assured that this Bucks team plays just as he did.  They get after it on defense, play team basketball and put maximum effort for four quarters of play.  Playing hard every game every night is something the other coaches couldn’t get out of the Bucks.  In seasons prior, the team would roll over if they fell behind 10-15, now the team wont quit even if they’re down 30.  There are no more losing games that we shouldn’t, for example losing to the Twolves, Nets.

But Skiles’ system sometimes runs its course on teams and they start not buying into defense and effort every night.  In Phoenix and Chicago he was fired during his 3rd and 4th year respectively in each coaching stint. It should be stated that he made the playoffs 5 out of 9 seasons as a coach and looks poised to make it 6 of 10.  For some reason i think he and John Hammond  (Bucks GM) will find guys to put around Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings that buy into Skiles system.  Guys like Tyrus Thomas in Chicago didnt buy in and ruined the chemistry and ultimately got Skiles fired.  This is  probably the reason Hakim Warrick was shipped out of town.

Last night the Bucks beat the Jazz 95-87 at the Bradley Center.  Utah has been the hottest team in the league and has the number one offense in terms of efficiency, shooting 49 percent from the field.  Skiles’ system and defense proved too much for the Jazz in the end.  Bogut led the way with 4 blocks, but the big play was when Ersan Ilyasova hit the offensive glass and got a put back to put the Bucks ahead 89-87.

As of right now, the guys are dialed into the offensive strategy of great ball movement on offense and pulverizing team defense.  Utah’s Head Coach Jerry Sloan stated that this Bucks team was the best interior defensive team he had faced all year.  How far it will carry the Bucks is ultimately up to them; rest assured, Skiles will be there every day pushing them harder.  He is a proven winner and so are his teams. The sky’s the limit for this team, or at least a tough fought 1st round series for Milwaukee fans.  Fear The Deer!!

The Milwaukee Bucks’ newly acquired pieces and renewed commitment on the defensive end have resulted in a four game winning streak and a 28-28, .500 record overall.  As of today, that 28-28 record is good enough for seventh in the eastern conference and 1.5 and 3 games out of the sixtth and fifth play-off spots, respectively.  Many Bucks fans aren’t satisfied, though and plan on continuing the up-swing.  I don’t blame them.  It’s time to get excited! It’s time to buy in!

From many outsiders’ points of view, the Bucks are playing out of their minds and Bucks fans should curb their enthusiasm and brace themselves for the inevitable fall that usually comes with post- all-star break Bucks basketball.

No need Bucks fans.  Why? because this new team is entirely too sound for another fall like that to occur.

The Milwaukee Bucks, since making the trade for G John Salmons are  more balanced offensively and are unrelenting defensively.  John Salmons has helped the Bucks on the offensive end in a number of different ways.  Obviously, scoring the basketball (17.8 ppg since joining the team) but he has also helped by getting to the free throw line (5.8 attempts a night) and finding other teammatees.  He has also helped on the defensive end by staying in front of his man and using his 6’6 frame to challenge shooters.

The link above will take you to a discussion board topic titled “The Milwaukee Bucks, One of the great mysteries of the league”.  NBA fans are dumb founded by the fact that the Bucks are able to win despite having quote  “worst talent on paper in the league”.  If those same fans would take a look at the statistics and the way the Bucks play as a team, their winning ways might not be so mysterious.

First off, Andrew Bogut is finally the center piece of the Milwaukee Bucks’ offensive strategy and he has responded by averaging 17. 3 ppg, 11. 3 rebs and 2.8 blks per game over the month of February.  Bogut is also shooting an excellent 53% from the field and is the anchor for a Bucks defense that ranks ninth in the league in terms of defensive efficiency.

Bogut is the man

Second, the Bucks rank second last to the 5 win, New Jersey Nets when it comes to field goal percentage, but they also average the most field goal attempts per game in the league.  The Milwaukee Bucks are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the NBA and those reloads allow for them to be efficient offensively.

Third, the Bucks not only create second chance opportunities with their tremendous offensive rebounding capabilities but they have also convert the 6th most 3 point shots in the league, averaging almost eight made three pointers a game.

Mystery solved.  The Bucks are playing defense, working hard on the glass, sharing the ball with teammates and, most importantly, coming up with victories.  What more can you ask for?

The Bucks will look to continue their winning ways tonight in Indianapolis, against the Pacers and again Saturday and

Time to step up rook

Sunday on the road in Miami and Atlanta.  The Bucks can really help themselves by finding a way to win at least two out of these nextthree games.  Getting rookie PG Brandon Jennings going again offensively would be huge as the Bucks continue their play-off push.  I believe the Bucks can make the play-offs without the young Buck elevating his game but if Brandon can get his shooting percentage above 40% and he continues to knock down open three’s; we may be looking at the 5th or 6th seed in the Eastern Conference play-offs.

But like Andrew Bogut always says, lets take it one game at a time.  It starts tonight agaist the Pacers.

Go Buck!!

In a last minute trade deadline deal, the Milwaukee Bucks sent Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson to the 76ers for Royal Ivey, Primoz Brezic, and a second round draft pick.

This is Ivey’s 2nd go round with the Bucks, and he told the Journal-Sentinel that he’s “happy to be back in Milwaukee.” That’s definitely a refreshing thing to hear, although neither Ivey or Brezic are expected to play many minutes for the Bucks (barring injury, of course).

I wasn’t expecting the Bucks to deal Meeks, and I believe they may have given up on him too early.  I assume that Scott Skiles didn’t like what he saw from Meeks on the defensive end, and rather than have him sit on the bench and not develop, they opted to deal him for expiring contracts.

Still, I think Meeks had a strong upside on offense and given the right amount of time, could have corrected any defensive miscues.

John Salmons has worked out well for the Bucks so far, posting double digit points and a clutch three-pointer in his debut Friday against Detroit.  Salmons followed up that performance  with 19 points in a win against Charlotte Saturday night at the Bradley Center.