Milwaukee Bucks: I'm here for the beer. Whoa, we have a basketball team? (DDS:PB)

Neon_Chaos · 12-16-2008, 07:52 AM

How do you become the General Manager of an NBA Team?

I'm sure you've all asked yourselves that question at some point in your life.

You're sitting there, watching your favorite NBA Team getting thrashed by their rivals and you're firing off ideas of who to release and who to sign and how the hell you can get your team out of the rut that it's in.

I had the same thing happen to me a couple of months back, although it wasn't with my favorite NBA Team.

My favorite team would be the Lakers. Oh yes. Them. The purple and gold. Glitz. Glamour. Showtime. I wouldn't even dare touch the job of GMing that team. I'd probably ruin it for years to come.

No, I'm talking about the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yes, I know what you're thinking.

Who?

The Milwaukee Bucks, you know, the 1971 NBA Champs. Oscar Robertson. Lew Alcindor. You remember those guys right?

Of course, lately, they've done nothing but suck like a five-dollar hooker in a bachelor party. Yes, they're that horrible.

No, they're not bad enough to be constant lottery fodder. They're just not good enough to be winners.

They're stuck in "I just barely made the playoffs" limbo. The worst place to be in the NBA.

I initially came in as part of Ernie Grunfeld's front office staff. That was way back in 1999. Yes, I was in for the ride during 2001 when we were a game away from the NBA Finals. Yes, I was also in it for those horrible mediore years from 2002 to 2007. Sometime in 2003, Grunfeld got replaced by Larry Harris... who is a complete idiot, I might say.

Guess who got fired last month?

Yes.

The Idiot.

Guess who's replacing him?

Yes.

Me.

Jackson Jackson.

Yes.

That's my name.

No.

It's not funny.

As of June 1, 2007, I am the new GM of the Milwaukee Bucks.

So, do you have an idea of how I can turn around this team for the better? The fact that I'm a huge Lakers fan does not bode well for Milwaukee.

So, how do you become the General Manager of an NBA Team?

Just fall in line, and wait for the previous guy to fail.

God help us all.

Neon_Chaos · 12-16-2008, 07:53 AM

June 20, 2007

I have a sit-down meeting with the owner of the Bucks, Greg Masters. After going over minor details with the team, he finally gets down to the meat of our meeting.

Calmly, he asks me about how I think the team is going to fare in the upcoming season. Knowing Greg, I simply mention that we're going to have an average year and not to expect a playoff berth. Greg shrugs his shoulders and tells me that that's fine with him, as long as we bring in the fans. I relax a bit and brace for his next question: How much would the team cost him? After going through the financials, I mention that if I'm going to be able to rebuild this team properly and rake in fans, I'll need to be able to spend, so I say about $10 to $15 million above the cap. He raises his eyebrows and says that it would be wise for me to not spend more than I need. Looks like I'll be working near the salary cap this year. I would've loved some leeway with spending, but I think that I can free up a ton of cap space by renouncing our FAs.

June 21, 2007

With my objectives for the season set, I hold a meeting with our coaching staff. With a little bit of glee, I fire Larry Kryskowiak as head coach. I mention something about cleaning house and the like, and he takes it like a man. Atta boy, Larry.

Tony Brown, Brian James, and Jim Todd all look at me anxiously. I tell them that they're going to be here for this season and that I can't promise anything after that. I inform them that we're going to be looking for a new head coach and they're not in the running. Boo hoo. They all appear to be relieved that they still have their jobs, good for them.

June 24, 2007

There are a lot of potential coaches in the market right now. Lenny Wilkens, Mike Fratello, Rudy Tomajonovic, Larry Brown... but I have my eye on one person, specifically, former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. I would love him to instill some toughness into this team of ours.

His guys meet with our guys and we finally bring him in. He's looking to get paid, and we were willing to part with the cash to bring in a high-profile coach. Jeff Van Gundy agrees to a 4-year contract worth $3.5 million each season. We introduce him to a frenzied Milwaukee press. Yay.

Draft Workouts

With a new head coach, we get ready for the 2007 draft. We've got the #15 pick, although we're seriously considering being able to ship it out for future considerations. Noone really impresses us during the workouts, although we did have our eye on PG Acie Law if he dropped far enough to 15.

2007 NBA Draft - June 26, 2008

Draft night beckons, and we're all set for a big day.

The question of the night, who will the Toronto Raptors select at #1? Greg Oden or Kevin Durant? There is a lot of buzz that Durant just might go at #1 over the big man. The Commish ends all specualtion...

1. Toronto Raptors - C Greg Oden

JP loves the pick, while Chris thought that this was too early for Oden. Of course, the Knicks have no other option than...

2. New York Knicks - SF Kevin Durant

JP, again, laudes the pick. But Chris says Durant shouldn't have gone here either. Whatever Chris is Smoking, I would love to have some right now.

3. Charlotte Bobcats - SG Brad Newley
4. Portland Trailblazers - PF Al Horford
5. Atlanta Hawks - C Spencer Hawes
6. Minesotta TWolves - SF Jeff Green
7. Boston Celtics - PG Mike Conley
8. Houston Rockets - PF Brandan Wright
9. Golden State Warriors - PF Yi Jianlian

The announcers all blast this pick by the Warriors, stating that Yi is not a top-10 pick.

10. Seattle Supersonics - PF Joakim Noah

At this point, I decide to bite the bullet and move up... well, not in that sense, but I do decide to trade my 2009 1st round pick to the Orlando Magic for the #11 pick. There were two good forwards available at this pick (Wright/Brewer) and we decided with the guy we actually worked out and appears to be a great guy with a good work ethic...

11. Milwaukee Bucks - SF Julian Wright
12. New Orleans Hornets - SG Morris Almond
13. Philadelphia 76ers - PF Jason Smith
14. Utah Jazz - C Sean Williams

Big surprises here. The Morris pick gets booed by almost everyone in the building, followed by two picks that didn't surprise us. The 76ers and Jazz already had good guards on their team.

Our turn comes up, and our guy is still on the board. We gladly snatch him up.

15. Milwaukee Bucks - PG Acie Law

The commentators applaude our pick with us being able to fill out a position and getting one of the best players available on the board.

16. Chicago Bulls - PG Javaris Crittenton
17. Indiana Pacers - SG Rodney Stuckey (dropped down from projected as #7)
18. Washington Wizards - SG Sammy Mejia
19. Sacramento Kings - SF Al Thornton

It's at this point that we decide to deal a bit more. We send SF Damir Makota and our 2007, 2008, and 2009 2nd rounders to the Nuggets for SG Yakhouba Diawara and the Nuggets #20 overall pick.

20. Milwaukee Bucks - SF Corey Brewer

The announcers gush over us again. Hoorah. They can't believe Brewer fell this low. I can't either.

21. LA LAkers - PF Tiago Splitter
22. LA Clippers - SF Thaddeus Young

The Grizzlies shock noone by making their pick...

23. Memphis Grizzlies - C Marc Gasol
24. New Jersey Nets - PF Josh McRoberts
25. Cleveland Cavaliers - SF Glen Davis
26. Miami Heat - PG D.J. Strawberry
27. Phoenix Suns - SF Jared Dudley
28. Dallas Mavericks - SG Marcus Williams
29. San Antonio Spurs - SF Wilson Chandler
30. Detroit Pistons - PG Ramon Sessions

We don't have a 2nd round pick, so we wrap it up early. Whoo.

Post-draft Analysis:

As soon as the draft ends, we work the phones and immediately make moves to shift players. We come to a deal with the Knicks, as we trade SF Bobby Simmons and our 2010 2nd round pick in return for PF Malik Rose and C Channing Frye. Rose's contract is shorter and much more manageable.

Now it's only a matter of moving Dan Gadzuric's contract. It's going to be hard.

Back to the post-draft analysis...
I'm not so sure that I am glad with my decision to move up on Julian Wright, seeing as though he might have even dropped to 20 or so. However, he looks more NBA-ready than Corey Brewer, although I'm pleased to have nabbed Brewer at the #20 spot. Acie Law looks nice, although I doubt he's starter material right now.

All in all, I liked this draft. Well done, I say.

Up next will be tearing down all the useless contracts we have to renounce.

Neon_Chaos · 12-16-2008, 07:54 AM

Contracts:

Contracts To Renounce:

SG Charlie Bell - 1 Mil
PG Earl Boykins - 4.5 Mil
SF Ersan Ilyasova - 900 k
SF David Noel - 500 k
SF Ruben patterson - 11 Mil
C Jared Reiner - 400 k
C Brian Skinner - 8 Mil
PG Maurice Williams - 2.8 Mil

We essentially renounce everyone's contract, seeing as we are going to move towards a general rebuilding phase.

This move frees up a ton of cap space for us. We currently have about $42 Mil on the books, leaving us with nearly $13 million to play with during the FA.

We also decide to use the rookie options of Andrew Bogut and Channing Frye, extending them both to an additional year. I contemplate on re-upping Charlie Villanueva's rookie contract as well, but decide that we'd rather have cap flexibility next year.

Summer League:

We're sending everyone who can play to the Summer League. Which means the following players are going:

PG Acie Law
SG Yakhouba Diawara
SF Julian Wright
SF Corey Brewer
PF Charlie Villanueva
C Andrew Bogut
C Channing Frye

This leaves only three guys on our roster who we can consider as true veterans:

SG Michael Redd
PF Malik Rose
C Dan Gadzuric

Yikes. Youth movement indeed.

On to the summer games:

July 7, 2007 - Milwaukee @ Sacramento

We win 112 - 103. Andrew Bogut had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists. Our rookies had good games. Corey Brewer had 23 points, Acie Law had 11 assists, while Julian Wright score 16 from the bench.

July 9, 2007 - San Antonio @ Milwaukee

Another strong showing as we beat the Spurs 120 - 87. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut all had at least 20 points and 7 rebounds. Brewer had 13 and Wright had 15. Law had an average game with only 7 points and 4 assists.

July 11, 2007 - Milwaukee @ Toronto

We win another one. 104 - 82. Channing Frye had a monster game. 27 points, 13 rbeounds and 5 assists. Bogut only played 17 minutes and was scoreless. Law had 8 points and 11 assists. Brewer scored 18 and Wright added 16 pts and 8 rebounds off the bench.

July 13, 2007 - Washington @ Milwaukee

Another win as our Summer league team (which has 7 of our regular season players) beats Washington, 101 - 69. Julian Wright leads everyone in scoring with 20 points off the bench. Bogut had 14 pts and 14 rebs.

July 15, 2007 - Milwaukee @ Utah

We end the Summer league on a sour note as we lose to the Jazz, 94 - 105. Andrew Bogut had 34 points and 13 rebounds, but it was not enough as the Jazz had eight players score in double figures.

With the Summer league done, I'm left with the impression that Julian Wright was a solid pick. He performed well off the bench, a role that he might see in the upcoming season. Corey Brewer appears to be a score-first type of player. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut are going to be a nice young front-court to have. Acie Law's unusual penchant for disappearing during the summer games concerns me and I make a mental of note of looking for a veteran PG during FA.

Free Agency:

Entering into the FA, I take notice of our considerable lack of depth at PG and at the back-up SG position.

The big names on the market are Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Chauncey Billups.

We aren't really considering signing Billups. He has a high asking price and is already 31. I don't want to lock up my money on him.

Maurice Williams and Earl Boykins are my choices for PG right now. Back to the same guys that I renounced last month. Maurice Williams might be a better scorer and shooter, but I decide on trying to re-sign Boykins to a one-year contract. He's 31, but he's got the defensive tenactity that I would like to have on my team.

We sign Early Boykins to a nice, fat, one-year contract worth $8 mil. We also snag SG Derek Anderson and young PF Eric Williams to one year contracts worth $2 mil each.

It's a considerably dry FA Market, although teams make do with what's put in front of them.

Carter, Wallace, Billups, and Lewis resigning with their teams doesn't really surprise me. They got great money deals that they couldn't have gotten anywhere else.

The Spurs pick up Darko Milicic. The Raps appear to have wasted a lot of money on the aging Jones. The Blazers pick up Smush and sign him to a big contract as well. The Suns get Webber and they immediately have a good back-up to Amare.

Here is a summary of the FA:

Quote:

New Jersey Nets re-sign Vince Carter to a 6-year contract worth $102,715,784

Charlotte Bobcats re-sign Gerald Wallace to a 5-year contract worth $59,619,044

Toronto Raptors sign Eddie Jones to a 3-year contract worth $17,855,200

Chicago Bulls re-sign Andres Nocioni to a 4-year contract worth $28,745,768

Portland Trailblazers sign Smush Parker to a 3-year contract worth $17,855,200

Detroit Pistons re-sign Chauncey Billups to a 5-year contract worth $55,783,806

Milwaukee Bucks sign Earl Boykins to a 1-year contract worth $8,000,000

Philadelphia 76ers sign P.J. Brown to a 1-year contract worth $4,657,946

Seattle Supersonics re-sign Rashard Lewis to a 6-year contract worth $59,445,741

Detroit Pistons sign Jamaal Magloire to a 4-year contract worth $24,783,616

Orlando Magic sign Jerry Stackhouse to a 2-year contract worth $13,133,338

Milwaukee Bucks sign Derek Anderson to a 1-year contract worth $2,000,000

Milwaukee Bucks sign Eric Williams to a 1-year contract worth $2,000,000

LAC Clippers sign Maurice Williams to a 1-year contract worth $5,500,000

San Antonio Spurs sign Darko Milicic to a 2-year contract worth $1,603,935

New Orleans Hornets sign Chris Mihm to a 3-year contract worth $7,894,571

Phoenix Suns sign Chris Webber to a 1-year contract worth $5,500,000

Dallas Mavericks sign Rodney Rogers to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Grant Hill to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Detroit Pistons sign Morris Peterson to a 2-year contract worth $2,007,584

Miami Heat sign Ruben Patterson to a 1-year contract worth $1,035,000

Washington Wizards sign Desmond Mason to a 1-year contract worth $965,185

NBA Pre-Season Analysis:

We send noone to the D-league and basically skip the D-league draft.

With the off-season done, ladies and gentlemen, here are your 2007-2008 Milwaukee Bucks. (And we're about $900k below the cap, too!)

Starters:
PG Acie Law
SG Michael Redd
SF Julian Wright
PF Charlie Villanueva
C Andrew Bogut

Bench:
C Channing Frye
SF Corey Brewer
PF Eric Williams
PG Earl Boykins
SG Derek Anderson
C Dan Gadzuric
SG Yakhouba Diawara

Inactive:
PF Malik Rose

This is a very, very young team. Our starters' average age is 23.4 years. If we didn't have 33 year old DA and 31 year old Earl Boykins, we'd be an even younger team.

The NBA Analysts essentially think the same way as I do, it's not going to be a playoff season for us this year, but we won't be floundering much with a really slim chance of making the playoffs, putting us at 12th in the East.

East Preview:

1. Cavaliers - Analysts think that by adding Grant Hill during FA, the Cavs might have found the one guy they need to elevate the team into the top.
2. Knicks - That's what happens when you get a top-2 pick.
3. Celtics - I honestly don't know why. Paul Pierce is good, but he can't carry this team alone, can he?
4. Heat - I think they should be higher than 4th.
5. Raptors - Bosh, Oden, AND Bargnani? Wow. And only 5th?
6. Bulls
7. Nets
8. Wizards
9. Hawks
10. Pistons - Whoa. The Pistons aren't getting any love. Nets, Wizards, and Hawks all above them?
11. Bobcats
12. Bucks - With 3 rookies and a young core, I'm not surprised. I think we just might surprise this season too... depending on how well Redd can light things up.
13. Pacers
14. Magic - Dwight Howard is all alone in trying to carry this team.
15. 76ers - No love for Philly, I guess.

West Preview:

1. Suns - Adding Webber just made the Suns stronger.
2. Jazz
3. Rockets - Brandan Wright might have been a good steal for them during the draft.
4. Warriors - Yi might fit in with the run-and-gun style of the Warriors.
5. Kings - Not this high...
6. Clippers - Color me surprised to see that this LA Team is ranked higher.
7. Nuggets
8. Blazers
9. Timberwolves
10. Mavericks - Too low for the Mavs. I think they're a playoff team.
11. Lakers - Kobe Bryant makes this team better, I also think they're a playoff team.
12. Hornets
13. Spurs - Whoa. How'd they get this low? Is the West really that good? Is Darko that much of a negative?
14. Grizzlies - The Gasol brothers are going to party the nights away.
15. Sonics - Congratulations Rashard Lewis, you got your money, now you have to get your team out of the gutter.

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:39 AM

NOVEMBER GAMES:

Nov 1, 2007 - @ Orlando - WIN

Welcome to the NBA, boys. We win our season opener against the Magic, 92-88, and essentially haze the rookies into the league. Michael Redd scored 25 points, while Andrew Bogut had a monster game with 12 pts, 21 rebounds, and 5 assists. Julian Wright had a forgettable 9 points and 4 rebounds, Acie Law was in foul trouble and only played 14 minutes with 4 points and 0 assists. Corey Brewer scored 6 points off the bench. A bad start for the rookies.

Nov 4, 2007 - vs Cleveland - WIN

We open our home campaign in front of a sold-out crowd against the pre-season #1 team, and we demolish Lebron and the cavs, 111-91. Michael Redd had 32 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals. Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and 9 rebounds. Acie Law played only 20 minutes, but had 8 points and 8 assists. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer combine for 20 points. LeBron James had a dubious triple double... 24 points, 12 assists, and... whoops... 11 turnovers.

Nov 8, 2007 - vs Charlotte - WIN

We remain undefeated and win our 3rd game, beating the Bobcats 101-93. Michael Redd has 28 points despite having 5 fouls. Charlie Villanueva has 12 points and 14 rebounds. Acie Law plays only 22 minutes, and it seems that coach Van Gundy is relying on Earl Boykins to be the main playmaker for the team. Boykins has 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists off the bench. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer combine for only 9 points.

Nov 11, 2007 - vs New Orleans - WIN

Michael Redd continues to lead us as we win our 4th straight thanks to his 33 points. Charlie Villanueva had 18 as well. Earl Boykins had 11 points and 8 assists in 29 minutes off the bench, but he suffered an injury in the 4th (a strained abdomen), and is questionable for 12 days. Bad news for us. Earl has been remarkable as back-up to Acie Law, often covering up for our rookie PG's obvious lack of experience. Perhaps this is a chance for Law to step up

Nov 12, 2007 - @ Miami - WIN

We go up against the 4-1 Miami Heat, and we walk away with a surprising 130-106 victory. Michael Redd continues to be red hot, scoring 38 points and dishing out 6 assists. Julian Wright has his first good game, 22 points and 5 rebounds. Corey Brewer added 17 points, while Acie Law played 20 minutes and dished out 9 assists. Earl Boykins played 21 minutes and had 5 assists. Dwyane Wade had 30 points and 13 assists against us.

Nov 15, 2007 - vs Miami - WIN

Miami fails to learn from their mistakes, and we take away another win. Michael Redd has 29 points. Charlie Villanueva scores 18 points, while Channing Frye has 17 off the bench. Boykins has 14 points and 5 assists.

Nov 17, 2007 - @ Portland - LOSS

Jeff Van Gundy decides to start Boykins over Law, and we suffer our first loss of the season against the Blazers, 102-89. Michael Redd had 25 points in the losing effort. Channing Frye had 23 points off the bench in another strong performance. It was not enough for us to stop ZBo's 27 points and Jarret Jack's 22 off the bench.

Nov 19, 2007 - @ Sacramento - WIN

We bounce back from the Portland loss with a 117-110 win against the Kings. Redd scored 30 points along with 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Earl Boykins had 18 points and 6 assists. Bogut shows up and has 15 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Bibby lit us up for 40 points, but we held their bench to only 19 points.

Nov 21, 2007 - @ LA Lakers - WIN

With this win, we are now 8-1, and we're starting to think that we might have a solid shot at the playoffs or even better. We beat the Lakers 104-93, with Redd's 23 points spearheading a solid all-around performance from everyone. Bogut had 17 points and 9 rebounds and four other players score in double figures. We keep Kobe down to only 16 points and stop the rest of the Lakers from being a factor.

Nov 22, 2007 - @ Phoenix - LOSS

The Suns bring us down to earth with a 106-74 thrashing. Redd had his 25 points, but Julian Wright was the only other Buck who scored in double figures with 13. Acie Law started the game today and was thoroughly destroyed by Steve Nash, who had 23 points and 12 assists.

Nov 25, 2007 - vs Detroit - WIN

Michael Redd lights the Pistons up for 27 points and 8 rebounds as we beat them 98-82. Acie Law continues to start, and has 10 points and 8 assists in 22 minutes. Charlie Villanueva had 17 points, while Wright, Frye, and Brewer had 10 points each. Frye suffers a sore hip and is advised to take it slow.

Nov 28, 2007 - vs LA Lakers - WIN

Kobe has 41 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds, all in a losing effort. We beat the Lakers 109-98. Six Bucks are in double figures, led by Andrew Bogut's 21 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Redd has 18 points, 7 assists and 6 steals. Charlie Villanueva and Earl Boykins score 16 points a piece. Julian Wright and Eric Williams scored 14 and 10, respectively.

Nov 29, 2007 - @ Boston - WIN

Our last match of November sees us defeat pre-season favorites Boston Celtics, 98-87. Andrew Bogut is on a roll with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Michael Redd scores 26 points. Earl Boykins had 16 assists off the bench. The Celtics' only significant scorer was Paul Pierce, who had 26 points.

NOVEMBER MONTH-END REPORT:

One month into the season, and we are 11-2, owning the best record in the entire NBA. We certainly took everyone by surprise and came out of the gates like a bat out of hell. Heck, my guys even surprised everyone in the front office.

The Nets and Raptors lead the Atlantic with a 9-6 and a 9-8 record, respectively. The Heat lead the Southeast with a 10-6 record. In the Central, the Cavaliers are behind us at 10-6.

The Suns are on top of the West and the Pacific with a 12-3 record. The Mavs are on top of the Southwest at 12-5. Denver and Seattle are on top of the Northwest at 10-5 and 11-6. The Clippers are behind the Suns in the Pacific at 10-6.

Michael Redd's 27.6 ppg is 5th in the league behind Kobe Bryant (32.4), Allen Iverson (31.9), Ray Allen (31.8), and Lebron James (28.9).

Julian Wright and Corey Brewer are 3rd and 7th in rookie scoring with 9.2 ppg and 8.1 ppg, respectively. Acie Law leads all rookies in assists per game with 5.2 apg. This is amazing, considering the fact that he is only averaging 19 minutes per game as a semi-starter. Julian Wright is tied for 1st in rookie steals per game with 1.2.

All in all, a very, very surprising and pleasant beginning to my Bucks GM career.

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:40 AM

DECEMBER GAMES:

Dec 2, 2007 - vs San Antonio - LOSS

We only manage 32 points in the first half, and the Spurs beat us 94-85. Michael Redd leads us with 24 points. Tony Parker had a great game for the Spurs, 24 points and 7 assists. Darko Milicic had 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Dec 5, 2007 - @ Indiana - WIN

We bounce back from that loss with a 109-98 victory against the Pacers. Michael Redd scored 37, and Julian Wright had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jermaine O'Neal led the Pacers with 25 points.

Dec 6, 2007 - vs Miami - WIN

Coming back home to play the Heat was tough, but we prevail in a close game, 107-105. Michael Redd has another big game with 38 points. Julian Wright had another good overall showing with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Dwyane Wade had 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Shaq had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat.

Dec 8, 2007 - vs Indiana - WIN

Michael Redd remains hot, scoring 37 points during our 115-107 win over the Pacers at home. Acie Law had 10 assists in 20 minutes. Jermaine O'Neal scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Pacers.

Dec 10, 2007 - @ Philadelphia - WIN

We defeat the 76ers in a close game, 107-104. Andrew Bogut had an amazing game, registering a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Michael Redd scored 29 points. Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 38 points and 6 rebounds.

Dec 12, 2007 - vs Sacramento - LOSS

Sacramento takes advantage of an off night for us as they win 107-98. Michael Redd only scored 19 to lead the Bucks. Kevin Martin had 31 points and Mike Bibby had 23 points for the Kings.

Dec 14, 2007 - @ Chicago - WIN

We're yet to lose back-to-back games, as we defeat the Chicago Bulls, 92-89. Michael Redd finds his shooting stroke again, scoring 39 points. Andrew Bogut had 6 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists. Kirk Hinrich had 19 points and 9 assists for the Bulls.

Dec 16, 2007 - vs Philadelphia - WIN

Michael Redd scored 48 points in a 126-101 demolishing of the Philadelphia 76ers. Earl Boykins had 19 points and 9 assists off the bench. Andre Miller led the 76ers with 26 points and 8 assists but had 9 turnovers.

Dec 20, 2007 - vs Portland - WIN

We cherish the 3-day rest, and then defeat the Trailblazers 97-79. Charlie Villanueva had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Michael Redd had 27 points. Earl Boykins moved back to starter and had 15 points and 11 assists. Brandon Roy scored 23 points for the Blazers.

Dec 24, 2007 - vs Chicago - WIN

We get another 3-day rest and beat the Bulls 96-83 during Christmas Eve at home in our 3rd home game of a four-game stretch. Michael Redd had 38 points and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bogut was 2 assists shy of a triple double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Earl Boykins has his first DNP, although he's not injured. I guess JVG just wanted to rest our veteran PG.

Dec 26, 2007 - vs Houston - WIN

We beat the Rockets 101-86 in front of a packed Milwaukee crowd. Michael Redd leads six Bucks in double figures with 24 points. Yao Ming had 29 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort. Earl Boykins comes back as a starter, and I think JVG has done a great job of shuffling our two point guards to keep everyone fresh.

Dec 27, 2007 - @ Orlando - LOSS

Our 5-game win streak comes to an end with a close 101-99 loss to the Magic at Orlando, the first of a four-game road trip. Michael Redd had 21 points, Andrew Bogut had 22 pts and 15 rebounds, Julian Wright and Corey Brewer had 17 and 15 points, respectively. Dwight Howards had 32 points and 16 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson had 21 points and 10 assists.

Dec 29, 2007 - @ Houston - WIN

We are yet to lose back-to-back, and we bounce back with a 108-94 win, thanks to a 40-point fourth quarter from our guys. Michael Redd had 36 points. Andrew Bogut scored 14 and grabbed 15 rebounds. Yao Ming had 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Tracy McGrady scored 24 points, but no other Rocket scored in double figures.

Dec 31, 2007 - @ Dallas - WIN

We enter 2008 on a good note and start our New Year's Eve party early with a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Michael Redd had 38 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Andrew Bogut had 22 points and 17 rebounds. Earl Boykins had 15 points and 12 assists as a starter. Dirk Nowitzki had 34 points and Jason Terry scored 27, but noone else from the Mavs scored in double figures.

DECEMBER MONTH-END REPORT:

Standings:

The miracle season continues, as we enter 2008 with a 22-5 record to lead the entire NBA. I'm sure everyone's puzzled as to how this young team has been able to win games, because even I am.

The Miami Heat are in control of the Southeast division, with a 21-11 record. The Cavaliers and Pistons are both at 17-12 in the Central behind us. The Atlantic is the weakest East Division, with the Nets and Raptors vying for control with 15-14 and 16-15 records.

The West have 6 teams above .600, and proves to be the tougher conference. The Clippers are amazingly on top, with a 20-9 record in the Pacific, closely followed by the surprising Suns (more on this below) who have a 20-10 record, and the Sacramento Kings, who are at 18-10. The Sonics have a solid grip on the Northwest, with a 19-9 record, followed by the Nuggets with a 16-14 record. The Southwest is a free-for-all as well with the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs close together with records of 19-11, 19-12, and 19-13, respectively.

Transaction Report:

No trades to report in the first two months of the season.

Around the League:

So, I take a look at the injury list and notice that Steve Nash of the Suns is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He is projected to be out for 278 days. Ouch. Gilbert Arenas of the Wizards is 17 days away from coming back from a broken ankle.

Team Report:

We lead the league in PPG with 103.3 points per game. We are 7th in APG with 26.8 apg. We're a measley 27th in RPG with only 40.1 rpg.

Player Report:

Michael Redd has upped his scoring average to 30.0 ppg. He is 4th in the league behind Kobe Bryant (34.0 ppg), Allen Iverson (31.5 ppg), and Ray Allen (30.5 ppg).

Andrew Bogut is 12th in the league in rebounds per game with 10.7 rpg. Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut are 2nd and 3rd in the league in FG% with 57.7% and 54.9% behind Shaq, who is at 60.9%.

Julian Wright is 3rd in scoring among all rookies with 9.9 ppg behind Kevin Durant (14.9 ppg) and Greg Oden (13.3 ppg). Corey Brewer is 6th with 7.9 ppg. Acie Law is 2nd in assists with 5.0 apg behind Mike Conley's 5.3 apg. Julian Wright leads all rookies in steals per game with 1.5 spg and is 3rd among all rookies in blocks per game with 1.0 bpg.

I certainly can't wait to see what 2008 holds for the Bucks.

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:40 AM

JANUARY GAMES:

Jan 2, 2008 - @ Indiana LOSS (108-105)

We open the year with a disappointing 3-point loss to the Pacers. Michael Redd scored 40 points and Earl Boykins had 15 points and 8 assists. Jermaine O'Neal had 29 points for the Pacers, and Jamal Tinsley had 8 points and 16 assists.

Jan 3, 2008 - vs New Jersey WIN (104-69)

Michael Redd leads us in this bounce-back win at home with 35 points. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Julian Wright had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Richard Jefferson led all Nets in scoring with a measley 16 points.

Jan 5, 2008 - @ Toronto LOSS (107-94)

Seven Raptor players score in double figures, and we fail to win in Toronto. Michael Redd had 28 points and Corey Brewer scored 22 off the bench. Greg Oden led the balanced Toronto attack with 18 points and 7 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva suffered a sore wrist and might hit the bench for a couple of days.

Jan 6, 2008 - vs Jazz WIN (107-81)

We head back home and get another bounce-back win. Michael Redd led the way with 39 points and 6 rebounds. Corey Brewer finds himself as a starter in Charlie Villanueva's place tonight, and scores 15 points. Julian Wright had 16 points. Andrei Kirilenko scores 17 to lead the Jazz. Eric Williams has a sprained finger and will be questionable for the next 14 days.

Jan 9, 2008 - @ Atlanta LOSS (83-61)

We suffer the worst loss of our season against the Hawks, who just obliterate us and limit us to a measley 61 points. Michael Redd is the only buck in double-figures, scoring 23 points. We shot a piss-poor 29% from the field.

Jan 10, 2008 - @ San Antonio WIN (108-83)

We refuse to lose back-to-back still, and defeat the Spurs in San Antonio. Six Bucks score in double-digits, led by Michael Redd's 27 points. Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 22 rebounds. Tim Duncan had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs.

Jan 12, 2008 - vs Washington WIN (107-78)

Michael Redd scores 33 points to lead us against the Wizards at home. Julian Wright scores 16 points in the effort. Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with 21 points. Channing Frye breaks a leg, literally, and is out for 38 days. This will put more pressure on Dan Gadzuric and Eric Williams to come off the bench and fill up Frye's contributions as a back-up.

Jan 13, 2008 - @ Memphis WIN (125-102)

Michael Redd scores 37 points and leads us against the Grizzlies at Memphis. Charlie Villanueva had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Corey Brewer lit it up from the bench with 21 points and 7 rebounds. Mike Miller led the Grizzlies with 28 points.

Jan 15, 2008 - @ Charlotte LOSS (110-99)

Michael Redd scores 40 points in a losing effort against the Bobcats. Gerald Wallace led seven Bobcats in double figures with 21 points. We really felt Frye's absence in the post in this game.

Jan 17, 2008 - @ New Jersey WIN (102-88)

Andrew Bogut takes control of the game with 12 points and 22 rebounds to lead us to a victory over the Nets. Michael Redd led all scorers with 29 points. Corey Brewer scored 17 points off the bench. Vince Carter scored 22 points for the Nets.

Jan 19, 2008 - vs Detroit WIN (109-95)

Michael Redd continues to produce, as he scores 35 points and grabs 5 rebounds in this home win against the Pistons. Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 15 rebounds. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton scored 23 and 18 points, respectively, for the Pistons.

Jan 21, 2008 - @ New York LOSS (113-112)

We lose a very close game against the Knicks. Michael Redd's 42 points could not lift us up against New York. Eddy Curry scored 31 points and Stephon Marbury had 23 points for the Knicks.

Jan 24, 2008 - vs Phoenix WIN (108-100)

Big win against the Nash-less Suns, as Redd torched them for 32 points. Andrew Bogut and Earl Boykins both had 21 points. Leandro Barbosa is relishing his new role as the Suns' starting PG, scoring 33 points against us.

Jan 26, 2008 - vs Denver WIN (103-88)

Michael Redd has another spectacular game: 34 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals. Corey Brewer had 13 points off the bench. Allen Iverson led the Nuggets with 20 points.

Jan 28, 2008 - @ Cleveland LOSS (109-100)

King James takes over in Cleveland, and we lose to the Cavs. Michael Redd scored 25 to lead six Bucks in double figures. James had a stellar 38 points and 14 assists. Grant Hill scored 24 points for the Cavs.

Jan 30, 2008 - vs Minnesotta WIN (107-95)

True to fashion, we refuse to lose back-to-back games. We prevail over KG and the Timberwolves at home. Michael Redd had 34 points. Julian Wright had 14 points and 6 rebounds. Ricky Davis led the TWolves with 30 points and 11 assists.

JANUARY MONTH-END:

Team Report:

January turned out to be a tougher month for us as teams got into the groove of the season. We went 10-6 for January.

Michael Redd is now 2nd in the league in scoring with 31.3 ppg behind Kobe Bryant's 34.7 ppg. He is also 10th in the league in steals with 1.6 spg. Andrew Bogut is 8th in the league in rebounding with 11.5 rpg.

Julian Wright and Corey Brewer are ranked 3rd and 4th among rookies in PPG with 9.8 ppg each. New York's Kevin Durant is well ahead at #1 with 15.6 ppg, while Toronto's Greg Oden is averaging 12.1 ppg. Acie Law continues to see his minutes go to Earl Boykins, but is still 2nd among rookies in assists with 4.7 apg behind only Boston's Mike Conley who has 5.3 apg.

Standings:

We are still on top of the league with a 32-11 record. The Cavaliers are close behind us in the Central at 30-14. The Pistons are next in the Central at 29-17. The Bulls are one of six teams in the East above .500 at 22-21.

Miami leads the Southeast at 30-17. Everyone else behind them is sub-.500.

In the Atlantic, the Raptors are at 25-21, with the Celtics close behind at 22-24.

There are only 6 teams above .500 in the East, and four of them are in the Central Division. We've got good teams on the top, but the entire conference is littered with bad teams.

Meanwhile, in the West, the Los Angeles Clippers are on top with a 31-14 record. Behind them in the Pacific are the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings at 30-18 and 28-17. The Lakers are above .500 with a 22-21 record.

In the Northwest, the Seattle Supersonics are on top at 27-17 with the Nuggets behind them at 26-20.

In the Southwest, the Rockets are ahead at 31-16, while the Mavs and Spurs are behind at 24-20 and 24-23.

Transactions:

No trades to report. 3 months in and no trades at all.

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:41 AM

FEBRUARY 2008 GAMES:

Feb 2, 2008 - vs Los Angeles Clippers - LOSS (115-95)

We lose the first game of the month against the red-hot Clippers. Michael Redd scores 26 points and Charlie Villanueva contributes 20 points, but it's not enough to outpace our opponents. Six Clippers score in double figures. Elton Brand has 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, while Sam Cassell chipped in 25 points and 7 assists.

Feb 3, 2008 - @ Washington - WIN (120-99)

True to form, we bounce back with a big win at Washington, refusing to lose back-to-back games. Michael Redd had a sizzling game, scoring 41 points, hitting 7/8 from three-point land. Andrew Bogut had 11 points, 18 rebounds, and 6 assists. Earl Boykins played well, scoring 25 points and dishing out 10 assists. Gilbert Arenas had 32 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, while Antawn Jamison had 26 points and 8 rebounds.

Feb 6, 2008 - vs Boston - WIN (150-143, 3OT)

We win against the Celtics at home in an amazing triple-overtime game, perhaps breaking the record for most combined points scored in a game for this season. Earl Boykins hit a running jumper with 4 seconds left in regulation to force the game into OT. Wally Sczerbiak banked a three-point shot to tie the game with ten seconds left, and Andrew Bogut missed the game winner for us during the 1st overtime. With the game tied at 136-136 at 2OT, Andrew Bogut bricks a heave-ho three and we head into a 3rd overtime. It's at this point that the Celtics lose their composure and we pull away with the win.

Michael Redd had 46 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists to lead our scorers. Earl Boykins had 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Charlie Villanueva had 23 points and 13 rebounds. Julian Wright had 19 points. The Celtics had a slew of scorers as well. Wally Sczerbiak led the team with 35 points, Al Jefferson had 30, and Delonte West had 24. Paul Pierce had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Feb 7, 2008 - @ Toronto - WIN (105-85)

Despite playing through one heck of a game the previous night, we survived the plane trip to Toronto and thoroughly beat the Raptors in their home court. Michael Redd had 34 points, and Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 17 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva pitched in 15 points, while Eric Williams had 13 points off the bench. TJ Ford led the Raptors with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Greg Oden and Chris Bosh had 18 and 16 points, respectively. Julian Wright suffered a sore wrist, but will most likely not miss any games.

Feb 10, 2008 - vs Atlanta - WIN (106-101)

Michael Redd had 25 points, and Andrew Bogut had 26 points and 12 rebounds as we beat the Hawks. Corey Brewer was the starter for tonight's game, as Julian Wright came off the bench with his sore wrist. Brewer had 14 points and Wright had 12. Joe Johnson scored 37 points for the Hawks in a losing effort.

Feb 12, 2008 - @ Detroit – WIN (94-92)

Michael Redd stole the show with 47 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, and nailed the game-winning 3-pointer during the final seconds to seal this win for us against the Pistons. Andrew Bogut had 8 points, 21 rebounds, and 7 assists. Chauncey Billups had 32 points and 10 assists to lead the Pistons.

Feb 14, 2008 - @ New York – WIN (112-97)

We win on the road on Valentine’s Day, beating the Knicks thanks to 31 points from Michael Redd. Julian Wright stepped back into the starter’s spot and scored 13 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Corey Brewer put in 17 points off the bench, but was injured towards the end of the 4th quarter. Brewer is estimated to be out for 53 days with a broken ankle. That definitely puts a damper on this win. After the game, Yakhouba Diawara is diagnosed with the flu, but is not seriously hurt, and will not be 100% for the next day.

Feb 16, 2008 – ALL STAR WEEKEND CONTESTS

Quincy Douby of the Sacramento Kings takes home the NBA Slam Dunk Title, while Rafer Alston of the Houston Rockets is crowned as the NBA Three-Point Shoot-out King. Michael Redd reached the final 3 until he was eliminated by Alston’s red-hot shooting.

Feb 17, 2008 – NBA ROOKIE-SOPHOMORE GAME – SOPHOMORES WIN (88-78)

The Sophomores beat the Rookies by ten points in a game that they never trailed in.

Brandon Roy of the Sophomore squad is the game’s MVP with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Shelden Williams contributed 13 points as a starter, and Rudy Gay pitched in 12 points as well. Randy Foye and Andrea Bargnani round out the starting line-up for the Sophomores.

The Rookies had Brandan Wright, Al Horford, Greg Oden, Acie Law, and Mike Conley as starters. Oden and Horford had 14 and 13 points, while Nick Young and Julian Wright contributed with 14 and 12 points off the bench. Acie Law had a horrible game, going 0/7 from the field, scoring no points and dishing out only 2 assists.

Rookies Corey Brewer and Kevin Durant could not participate due to injuries.

Feb 18, 2008 – NBA ALL-STAR GAME – EAST WIN (106-84)

The Western All Stars would take an early 14-point lead against the Eastern All Stars in the first quarter, but a 31-11 drubbing by the East squad in the 2nd quarter would spell the end of the West for the game.

Chris Bosh was named All-Star Game MVP with 28 points and 14 rebounds. LeBron James also scored 24 points alongside his All Star team-mate, while Shaquille O’neal had 15 points and 9 rebounds. Michael Redd scored 10 points in 16 minutes of play.

Elton Brand, Kevin Garnett, and Allen Iverson all scored 14 points each for the West, who could not get their offense going throughout the latter part of the game.

West All Stars: Elton Brand, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Baron Davis, Brad Miller, Ray Allen, Al Harrington, Mike Bibby

East All Stars: Paul Pierce, Shaquille Oneal, Chris Bosh, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd, Gilbert Arenas, Jermaine Oneal, Andre Iguodala, Dwight Howard, Chauncey Billups, Ben Gordon

Feb 20, 2008 - @ Charlotte – WIN (110-83)

Our winning streak extends to seven games as we beat the Bobcats in Charlotte. Michael Redd scores 42 points to lead all scorers. Earl Boykins had 20 points and 8 assists. Channing Frye returns from his injury with a strong showing off the bench, scoring 16 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.

After the game, we find out that Michael Redd and Boykins suffered injuries during the game and played through the pain. Redd is diagnosed with a strained calf and Boykins is diagnosed with a bruised shoulder. Boykins is going to be under observation but is expected to recover within the week. Redd is assumed to be questionable for the next ten days.

Feb 21, 2008 - vs New Jersey – WIN (106-98)

We keep our streak alive despite the sudden rash of injuries. Charlie Villanueva leads us with 23 points. Julian Wright had 15 points and 17 rebounds. Acie Law had 10 assists as he moves into the starter spot for Earl Boykins. Michael Redd started, but only managed to score 10 points. Boykins had 9 points and 5 assists off the bench. Vince Carter led the Nets with 28 points and 6 assists.

Feb 23, 2008 - vs Toronto – WIN (109-82)

We defeat the Raptors thanks to 23 points and six rebounds from Channing Frye off the bench and extend our winning streak. Michael Redd had 23 points, while Julian Wright had 16 points and 6 rebounds. Earl Boykins is diagnosed as good to go, but came off the bench tonight. Hedo Turkoglu led the Raptors with 17 points.

The injuries continue to mount as the hero of the day, Channing Frye, sprains a finger and is expected to be questionable for the next week or so. Dan Gadzuric strains a hamstring and will also be questionable for about a week.

Feb 25, 2008 - vs Seattle – LOSS (99-95)

The injuries finally catch up to us and our streak ends at 9 wins. Michael Redd had 21 points, while Earl Boykins and an injured Channing Frye contributed 15 and 18 points off the bench. Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut are having a bad stretch of games, combining for only 14 points and 13 rebounds. Ray Allen had 27 points and Rashard Lewis scored 20 for the Sonics.

Feb 27, 2008 - vs Philadelphia – LOSS (107-97)

It had to happen some time. We lose back-to-back games for the first time this season and fall to the 76ers. Michael Redd had 31 points despite his injury, while Andrew Bogut shook off the past couple of games and had 16 points and 13 rebounds. Earl Boykins moved back to the starter’s spot and had 14 points and 5 assists. Andre Iguodala paced the 76ers with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Kyle Korver added 22 points.

FEBRUARY MONTH-END:

Team Report:

The grind of the season finally took its toll on us towards the end of the month. We did go 9-3 during February and remain on top of the league with a 41-14 record. So far, it’s been a remarkable season. I still can’t believe that we’re on top of the NBA, considering the expectations everyone had of us early in the season.

Here is our injury list:

C. Brewer - a broken ankle (39 d) - OUT
D. Gadzuric - a strained hamstring (2 d)
M. Redd - a strained calf (2 d)
C. Frye - a sprained finger (5 d)

Frye, Gadzuric, and Redd all come off the injured list in a week or so. Brewer will be back in time for the end of the season and the start of the playoffs.

AROUND THE LEAGUE:

Injuries:

Several guys have their seasons cut short with bad injuries, while a couple of stars are going to be coming back in time for the playoff stretch. I find it funny that Dirk and Steve-o are going to be spending a lot of weekends with each other at rehab, rekindling their friendship.

Major Injuries:
Brevin Knight, Charlotte Bobcats – torn ACL (231 days)
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks - torn ACL (183 days)
Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns – torn ACL (219 days)
Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets – broken nose (22 days) (McGrady has been playing with this injury and has performed well.)
Richard Jefferson, New Jersey Nets – broken hand (42 days)
Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs – broken foot (23 days)

Trades:

Yes, we have several trades!

Feb 8, 2008
Raptors trade: PF Kris Humphries, PG Jose Calderon, SG Carlos Delfino
Magic trade: SF Hedo Turkoglu, 2008 2nd round pick(ORL)

The Raptors added a good outside shooter to their lineup, and express their dedication to TJ Ford as their guard of the future. The Magic trade away Hedo’s 3-year 24-mil contract in return for three players with expiring contracts and a future 2nd rounder. It seems like a move to prepare themselves for the FA Market next season.

Feb 15, 2008
Supersonics trade: C Johan Petro, SF Mickael Gelabale
Grizzlies trade: SF Hakim Warrick, 2008 2nd round pick(MEM)

The Sonics add a strong back-up for Rashard Lewis while sacrificing minimal depth and a future 2nd round pick. I don’t know why the Grizzlies pulled this off, I can only assume that Rudy Gay wants more minutes.

Feb 20, 2008
Cavaliers trade: PG Daniel Gibson, SG Shannon Brown, SG David Wesley, SF Ira Newble
Wizards trade: SF Caron Butler, 2008 2nd round pick(WAS)

The Cavs bring in another skilled wing in Caron Butler in exchange for several bench players. On paper, this is a win for the Cavs, but they’ve gone 1-4 since the trade, relying on a starting lineup of Lebron James, Larry Hughes, Caron Butler, Grant Hill, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. By unloading Butler’s 4-year $37 mil contract, the Wizards have freed up about $8 mil in cap space for next season. They immediately release both Newble and Wesley to the FA Wire.

Power Rankings:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (224.3)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (224.3)
3. Phoenix Suns (219.2)
4. Sacramento Kings (202.6)
5. Seattle Supersonics (199.8)
6. Toronto Raptors (195.2)
7. Houston Rockets (194.0)
8. LAC Clippers (193.6)
9. Chicago Bulls (188.3)
10. Utah Jazz (184.8)
11. Miami Heat (184.1)
12. Detroit Pistons (183.4)
13. San Antonio Spurs (176.6)
14. Denver Nuggets (172.6)
15. Indiana Pacers (169.9)
16. Boston Celtics (169.4)
17. Golden State Warrios (168.1)
18. LAL Lakers (159.6)
19. Portland Trailblazers (156.3)
20. Charlotte Bobcats (153.9)
21. Dallas Mavericks (152.5)
22. Atlanta Hawks (151.1)
23. New York Knicks (144.8)
24. New Jersey Nets (141.3)
25. New Orleans Hornets (137.5)
26. Philadelphia 76ers (136.2)
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (134.9)
28. Orlando Magic (124.9)
29. Washington Wizards (108.3)
30. Memphis Grizzlies (83.5)

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:41 AM

MARCH 2008 GAMES:

Mar 2, 2008 - @ Minnesota - LOSS (92-72)

Our losing streak extends to three games as we fall to the Timberwolves. Michael Redd leads us in scoring with 18 points, and Charlie Villanueva is the only other Buck in double figures with 10. Ricky Davis had 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Wolves. Kevin Garnett had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists as well.

Mar 3, 2008 - vs Chicago - WIN (118-102)

Back at home the next night and we break the losing streak with a win over the Bulls. Michael Redd had 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, as he recovers from his injury. Earl Boykins had 21 points and 9 assists, while Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut both chipped in with 16 points each. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 29 points and 8 assists.

Mar 5, 2008 - @ Chicago - LOSS (95-83)

The Bulls get their loss back and defeat us in Chicago, as we fail to make our shots. Michael Redd had 21 points, while Earl Boykins and Channing Frye contributed 18 and 16 points each. Andrew Bogut had 14 rebounds and 7 assists, but shot 2/12 from the field for only 4 points and was injured with a sprained ankle. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng had 26 points each for the Bulls.

Mar 6, 2008 - vs Atlanta - WIN (109-83)

We bounce back with a solid team showing against the Hawks. Michael Redd only scored 18 points, but he got help from the starters. Julian Wright scored 24 points, Channing Frye had 21 points and 10 rebounds as a starter, and Earl Boykins had 15 points and 11 assists. Andrew Bogut played 20 minutes off the bench and only scored 8 points. Marvin Williams led the Hawks with 15 points off the bench.

Mar 9, 2008 - vs Dallas - WIN (115-75)

We defeat the Dirk-less Mavs in a 40-point blowout. Michael Redd had 26 points in the win, while Andrew Bogut returned to the starting lineup with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva scored 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Julian Wright and Early Boykins had 12 points each. Channing Frye scored 13 points off the bench. The Mavs were led by Jason Terry and Josh Howard who scored 35 and 19 points, respectively.

Mar 10, 2008 - @ New Orleans - WIN (109-78)

Michael Redd explodes for 30 points and Channing Frye puts in 16 points off the bench to give us a big lift over the Hornets. Andrew Bogut had 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists. Earl Boykins had 16 points and 7 assists. David West scored 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Hornets.

Mar 12, 2008 - @ Miami - LOSS (109-96)

Michael Redd scored 32 points, but we weren't able to stop Dwyane Wade and the Heat. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 14 rebounds. Channing Frye had 13 points. Earl Boykins suffered a sprained ankle early in the game, and he might not be able to play the next game. Dwyane Wade had 36 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists for the Heat.

Mar 14, 2008 - vs Cleveland - WIN (126-97)

Michael Redd scored 34 points and had 7 assists in our blowout of the Cavaliers. Acie Law fit into the starting lineup, playing 28 minutes but scoring 17 points and had 8 assists. Channing Frye scored 22 points and Yakhouba Diawara had 13 points, both off the bench. Lebron James had 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, but he turns the ball over 9 times.

Mar 16, 2008 - vs Washington - WIN (125-91)

We break the 125-point barrier for the second straight game. Michael Redd scored 40 points, while Channing Frye and Yakhouba Diawara score 21 and 20 points off the bench once again. Earl Boykins had 12 assists in his return to the starting lineup. Gilbert Arenas scored 23 points and had 13 assists for the Wizards.

Mar 18, 2008 - @ Denver – LOSS (104-92)

Coach JVG shuffles the lineup a bit and decides to start Channing Frye over Julian Wright in light of Frye’s great couple of games. Not sure if this was a good idea, considering we were on a 5-game Western Conference road swing. Michael Redd scored 31 points and Channing Frye scored 17 points in this loss to the Nuggets. Allen Iverson had 34 points, 9 assists, and 3 rebounds for the Nuggets.

Mar 20, 2008 - @ Seattle – LOSS (116-93)

The second West road game of five results in a loss as well. Michael Redd only scores 12 points due to foul trouble. Charlie Villanueva had 15 points, while Channing Frye had 13. Julian Wright scored 14 points off the bench. Ray Allen scorched us for 41 points and 11 rebounds en route to a win for his Sonics.

Mar 21, 2008 - @ Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (113-93)

Three Bucks score above 20 points, and we demolish the Clippers on the road. Andrew Bogut finally shows up again, scoring 29 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Michael Redd also had 29 points, while Channing Frye scored 21. Sam Cassell had 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists for the Clippers.

Mar 23, 2008 - @ Golden State – LOSS (101-91)

This road swing is not doing wonders for our record. Michael Redd scored 35 points, but was unable to lift us above the Warriors because he couldn’t get enough help from the other guys. Baron Davis had 29 points and 9 assists for the Warriors, while Al Harrington had 22 points and 9 rebounds. I am seriously thinking about calling JVG about starting Julian Wright again.

Mar 24, 2008 - @ Utah – LOSS (100-83)

We end the Western Conference road trip with a loss, going only 1-4 against the five different West teams. Michael Redd only mustered 18 points, while Frye and Bogut put in 16 each for us. Deron Williams had 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists for the Jazz. I finally decide to give JVG a call and tell him that I want Julian Wright back in the starting lineup by the next game. He tells me that he’s going to do that anyway, and sarcastically thanks me for telling him how to coach his team.

Mar 26, 2008 - vs Indiana – WIN (114-102)

Julian Wright is on the starting lineup and Charlie Villanueva moves to the bench, and we win! Michael Redd scored 32 points, while Channing Frye had 21 points. Earl Boykins had 18 points and 11 assists, and Julian Wright scored 14 points. Jermaine O’Neal scored 34 points and grabbed 7 rebounds for the Pacers.

Mar 28, 2008 - vs Golden State – LOSS (104-95)

Just when I thought we were going back on track, we drop a home game to the Warriors. Michael Redd only musters 17 points, while Andrew Bogut chips in 20 points and 11 rebounds. Baron Davis had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 15 assists for the Warriors, while Jason Richardson dropped in 27 points as well.

Mar 30, 2008 - vs Memphis – LOSS (105-101)

We finish the month the way we start it, with a loss. I’m pissed that we lost to the worst team in the West, the Grizzlies. Michael Redd scored 42 points and Earl Boykins had 22 for us, but it wasn’t enough to thwart Pau Gasol’s 29 points and Mike Miller’s 27 points.

MARCH MONTH-END:

Team Report:

We have our worst month of the year, going 8-9 during March. Michael Redd had five games where he scored less than 20 points, and that alone should explain why we went so badly this month. I never thought I'd be frustrated by going 8-9 during a month this year, but given how the team has performed since the start of the season, my expectations shot up considerably. I would be very disappointed if we somehow were booted out of the first round of the playoffs.

Corey Brewer is the only guy remaining on the injured list, although he is expected to be back in 8 days.

AROUND THE LEAGUE:

Injuries:

Here's your serious injury update!

Brandon Haywood, Washington Wizards - torn knee tendon (388 days)
Brevin Knight, Charlotte Bobcats - torn ACL (200 days)
Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns - torn ACL (188 days)
Chris Mihm, New Orleans Hornets - torn MCL (177 days)
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks - torn ACL (152 days)
Zach Randolph, Portland Trailblazers - broken ankle (39 days)
Zaza Pachulia, Atlanta Hawks - broken leg (24 days)
Elton Brand, LA Clippers - broken ankle (20 days)
Richard Jefferson, New Jersey Nets - broken hand (11 days)
Corey Brewer, Milwaukee Bucks - broken ankle (8 days)

Trades:

No trades to report

Power Rankings:

1. Phoenix Suns (185.5) 48-24, 1st in Western Conference, 1st in Pacific Division
2. Milwaukee Bucks (182.6) 49-23, 1st in Eastern Conference, 1st in Central Division
3. Sacramento Kings (177.8) 49-25
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (177.5) 46-25
5. Seattle Supersonics (162.3) 43-29, 1st in Northwest Division
6. Toronto Raptors (160.6) 42-30, 1st in Atlantic Division
7. Miami Heat (157.8) 46-28, 1st in Southeast Division
8. Detroit Pistons (153.5) 43-29
9. Houston Rockets (153.2) 41-32, 1st in Southwest Division
10. Chicago Bulls (150.2) 40-32
11. LAC Clippers (148.6) 43-30
12. Utah Jazz (147.7) 38-34
13. San Antonio Spurs (146.4) 40-33
14. Denver Nuggets (145.3) 40-32
15. Boston Celtics (138.9) 37-35
16. Indiana Pacers (128.8) 33-38
17. Golden State Warrios (123.4) 33-39
18. Dallas Mavericks (121.6) 34-38
19. LAL Lakers (117.7) 31-41
20. Charlotte Bobcats (116.7) 33-39
21. Atlanta Hawks (115.6) 31-41
22. New York Knicks (109.4) 28-43
23. Portland Trailblazers (107.4) 29-43
24. Philadelphia 76ers (106.4) 31-41
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (103.0) 30-43
26. New Orleans Hornets (96.8) 26-46
27. Orlando Magic (95.4) 28-45
28. New Jersey Nets (93.3) 28-46
29. Washington Wizards (82.5) 23-48
30. Memphis Grizzlies (68.8) 20-51

Neon_Chaos · 12-17-2008, 05:41 AM

APRIL 2008 GAMES:

Here we go with the final stretch of the season. Ten games left to determine if we’re going to have home court advantage in the East.

The race in the East is tightening, and I will occasionally be keeping track of the race for #1.

Apr 1, 2008 – vs New York – WIN (114-92)

We bounce back from our two-game skid via this April Fools win over the Knicks. Six Bucks are in double figures, as Michael Redd and Earl Boykins lead the pack with 28 and 22 points, respectively. Eddy Curry leads the Knicks with 20 points.

Apr 4, 2008 - @ Boston – LOSS (105-100)

Michael Redd’s 35 points and Andrew Boguts 18 points and 16 rebounds are not enough, as we lose to the Celtics, 105 to 100. Six Celtics score in double figures, led by Paul Pierce’s 25 points. They got good help from their bench, as Mike Conley and Ryan Gomes score 10 points each.

East Race:
Milwaukee Bucks – 50-24
Cleveland Cavaliers – 49-25
Miami Heat – 47-28

Apr 6, 2008 – vs Bobcats – WIN (119-92)

Michael Redd lit up the Bobcats with 38 points, while Charlie Villanueva returned to the starting lineup to score 18. Julian Wright was relegated to the bench, but pitched in 10 points. Early Boykins and Acie Law combined for 23 points and 19 assists for the game. The Bobcats’ Gerald Wallace was hot with 31 points and 8 rebounds, but his teammates weren’t able to give him the lift he needed.

The Cavs lost to the 76ers, 101-98, and the Heat lost to the Grizzlies, 111-88, giving us some breathing room on top.

Apr 7, 2008 - @ Cleveland – LOSS (113-112)

Michael Redd misses the game-winning jumper as the Cavs cut our standings lead by two games by defeating us in Cleveland. Michael Redd had 22 points, while five other bucks were in double digits. The Cavs got their scoring from Grant Hill (30 points), Larry Hughes (23 points), and Lebron James (22 points, 15 assists).

East Race:
Milwaukee Bucks – 51-25
Cleveland Cavaliers – 50-26
Miami Heat – 47-29

Apr 9, 2008 - @ Washington – WIN (105-97)

Channing Frye and Michael Redd score 24 and 22 points each, and Earl Boykins had 19 points and 10 assists, as we beat the Wizards on the road. Corey Brewer made his return, playing 19 minutes and scoring 6 points off the bench. Antawn Jamison had 25 points for the Wizards, while Gilbert Arenas had 18 points and 11 assists.

The Cavs beat the Magic, 109-99, while the Heat beat the Pistons, 108-99.

Apr 11, 2008 – vs Boston – WIN (118-95)

We dole out some punishment against the Celtics, as Michael Redd scored 38 points and dished out 5 assists at home against Boston. Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Earl Boykins scored 23 points. Paul Pierce and Wally Sczerbiak led the Celtics with 32 and 20 points each.

The Cavaliers defeat the Knicks the next day, 95-83, and the Heat keep their #1 hopes alive as they defeat the 76ers, 104-79

East Race:
Milwaukee Bucks - 53-25
Cleveland Cavaliers - 52-26
Miami Heat - 49-29

Apr 13, 2008 - @ Detroit - WIN (100-68)

A 32-point drubbing of the Detroit Pistons gives us a slight edge against the Cavs, who lose tonight against the Wizards, 103-77. Michael Redd had 35 points, while Andrew Bogut had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Corey Brewer pitched in 10 points off the bench. Rip Hamilton scored 20 for the Pistons, who had noone else score in double figures.

Miami loses to the Boston Celtics, 100-118, effective ending their chase for the #1 seed.

Apr 14, 2008 – vs Orlando - LOSS (102-92)

We lose a crucial game against the Orlando Magic despite Michael Redd's 33 points. Earl Boykins had 13 points and 10 assists. Dwight Howard had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Tony Battie scored 18 points off the bench for the Magic.

The Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons, 92-90, closing down our gap once again.

East Race:
Milwaukee Bucks - 54-26
Cleveland Cavaliers - 53-27

Apr 16, 2008 - @ Philadelphia - WIN (115-84)

We defeat the 76ers handily thanks to 37 points from Michael Redd, his 4th straight game over 30 points. Julian Wright and Acie Law pitched in 16 and 13 points each, both coming off the bench. Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 26 points. Julian Wright is injured with a sore shoulder but should still be able to play.

This win puts us in a very interesting position. It at least guarantees that we're going to have a tiebreaker with the Cavaliers. We split the season series 2-2, and I don't have an NBA rulebook beside me, so I don't know what the additional tiebreaker is. The Cavs have two games left. If we win tomorrow against Toronto, we win the East outright. If we lose, the Cavs have to avoid losing in their last two games: against the Celtics, and the Raptors as well.

East Race:
Milwaukee Bucks - 55-26
Cleveland Cavaliers - 53-27

Apr 17, 2008 – vs Toronto - WIN (100-89)

It doesn't matter that the Cavs beat the Celtics handily minutes before the final buzzer of this game. We finish the season with a remarkable bang! In front of a sellout crowd of 18,717 fans, we defeat the Toronto Raptors and stake claim to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Michael Redd plows through with another great scoring performance, putting in 33 points. Andrew Bogut, Channing Frye, and Charlie Villanueva, our tall front court, put in 18, 17, and 16 points, respectively. TJ Ford led the Raptors with 15 points and 8 assists, but the Raptors only managed to squeeze 8 points each from Greg Oden and Chris Bosh.

After learning that we would have home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, we get word that the Suns lost a game that would have put us in a tie, essentially giving us the best record in the entire league at 56-26!

APRIL MONTH END:

Team Report:

We finish the season strong by winning 7 of 10 games and ensuring that we at least have an upper hand during the playoffs. Having the best record in the NBA was not part of what I signed up for this season, but I will take it with a smile.

Michael Redd finishes the season 2nd in the league in scoring at 30.7 ppg. Kobe Bryant is first with 32.7 ppg, Allen Iverson is 3rd with 30.0 ppg. Ray Allen and Gilbert Arenas finish 4th and 5th with 29.8 and 29.0 ppg.

Baron Davis leads the league in assists per game at 10.4 apg. Chauncey Billups and Dwyane Wade are ranked 2nd and 3rd with 10.3 apg and 10.0 apg, respectively.

Yao Ming, Ben Walace, and Chris Bosh all break the 13.0 rpg barrier with 13.4 rpg, 13.1 rpg, and 13.0 rpg, respectively. Andrew Bogut is ranked 7th with 11.5 rpg.

Andrei Kirlenko leads the league in blocked shots with 3.8 bpg. Josh Smith and Elton Brand follow him with 3.4 and 3.1 bpg each.

Gerald Wallace, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant lead the league in steals per game. Wallace averaged 2.1 spg, while Iverson and Bryant averaged 2.0 spg. Michael Redd is 9th in the league in steals with 1.5 spg.

Kevin Durant leads all rookies in scoring at 14.8 ppg, with Greg Oden second at 12.0 ppg. Corey Brewer and Julian Wright are 3rd and 4th at 9.9 ppg and 9.8 ppg.

Acie Law finishes second in apg for rookies with 4.8 behind Mike Conley's 5.2 apg.

Playoff Picture:

Eastern Conference Seeding:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (56-26) - Central Division Champs
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-28)
3. Miami Heat (52-30) - Southeast Division Champs
4. Toronto Raptors (47-35) - Atlantic Division Champs
5. Detroit Pistons (47-35)
6. Chicago Bulls (46-36)
7. Boston Celtics (43-39)
8. Indiana Pacers (39-43)

Western Conference Seeding:

1. Phoenix Suns (55-27) - Pacific Division Champs
2. Sacramento Kings (55-27)
3. Houston Rockets (49-33) - Midwest Division Champs
4. Denver Nuggets (47-35) - Southwest Division Champs
5. San Antonio Spurs (47-35)
6. Utah Jazz (46-36)
7. Seattle Supersonics (46-36)
8. Los Angeles Clippers (44-38)

All five Central Division teams make it to the NBA Playoffs (Bucks, Cavs, Pistons, Bulls, and Pacers), with the Indiana Pacers making it as an 8th seed. The Southeast Division only have the Miami Heat, while the Atlantic have the Raptors and Celtics.

In the West, the Northwest and Pacific send three teams each, while the Southwest only send 2. The Suns are remarkably on top of the West, despite Nash missing over half of the regular season.

Neon_Chaos · 12-18-2008, 11:58 AM

BUCKS PLAYOFF SERIES PREVIEW:

Coming in to this series against the Indiana Pacers, we are going to need to be able to neutralize Jermaine O'neal's presence in the paint. That means Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye, and Andrew Bogut will have to step it up defensively against the Pacer's main man who, for the season, averaged 25.4 ppg and 8.5 rpg. Our weakest position remains the PG spot, where Earl Boykins and Acie Law have provided good offense but terrible defense. We are like a porous sieve at the PG spot, which means we have to watch out for Jamaal Tinsley, who might take advantage of it. Tinsley has only averaged 6.2 apg during the season, but might get more facing our weak defense at PG.

Michael Redd will have to light up Mike Dunleavy Jr. at the SG spot. Dunleavy is 3 inches taller than Redd, although Redd is a much better shooter/scorer to be fazed by Dunleavy's height advantage. I fully expect Redd to use his speed and quickness to blow by Dunleavy on the offensive end. Julian Wright will be coming into the series with a minor injury, so Corey Brewer will have to carry the bench load for now. Wright should be 100% by Game 2, which is a very big plus for us. Having the defensive presence of Brewer and the presence of mind of Wright gives us a very big advantage when we need to bring in talent off the bench.

We beat the Pacers, 3-1, during the regular season. This should be a good series. I'm would love to win this in six games, but we could easily lose it in six as well.

Apr 21, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game One - LOSS (113-106)

We are stunned by a game-one loss against the Pacers, denting the confidence and swagger we brought in via the regular season. The Pacers out-rebound us 49 to 31, with them having 21 offensive rebounds. Michael Redd had 25 points, Charlie Villanueva had 22 while injuring his hand in the process, while Earl Boykins had 16 points and 8 assists. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Troy Murphy came out of nowhere and poured in 21 points for the Pacers, who had four other players score in double figures. Jamaal Tinsley had 15 points and 11 assists, exploiting our obvious weakness at defending the PG spot.

Charlie Villanueva will be questionable for the next week or so, dampening our spirits.

Apr 22, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Two - LOSS (115-99)

If game one was a stunner, game two felt like a dagger through our heart. With Charlie Villanueva coming off the bench, the Pacers abuse us again on the boards, 49-27. Michael Redd poured in 42 points, and Channing Frye had 20, but our other starters were definitely out of it. Corey Brewer pitched in 14 off the bench in a losing effort. Villanueva only socred 2 points in 21 minutes of play. Jermaine O'neal scored 24 points, while Jeff Foster put in 18. Danny Granger scored 20 points off the bench, while David Harrison grabbed 13 rebounds off the bench as well. Jamaal Tinsley has another good game with 15 points and 12 assists.

We need to steal two games in Indiana if we expect to win this series. Ugh.

Apr 24, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Three - WIN (103-82)

A ray of hope - we defeat the Pacers in Indiana and finally take control of the glass this game. We out-rebound the Pacers, 47-34, as Michael Redd lit everyone up with 44 points. Andrew Bogut showed up tonight with 14 points and 19 rebounds, while Earl Boykins pitched in 10 points and 6 assists. Jermaine Oneal was the only Pacer in double figures with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Jamaal Tinlsey had 9 points and 9 assists. David Harrison injured his right calf although he is probable for the next week and will most likely play.

A win tomorrow night at Indiana puts the momentum back on our side, a loss will most likely be a death knell for our playoff hopes.

Apr 25, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Four - WIN (125-118)

This was a thriller of a match, as we only really pulled away in the final 3 minutes. Michael Redd scored 43 points, his 3rd straight 40-point game in this series. Channing Frye had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 20 points off the bench. Jermaine O'neal and Troy Murphy led the Pacers with 39 points and 23 points, respectively. Jamaal Tinsley had 8 points and 15 assists.

The win came at a price, though, as Acie Law was injured with a strained abdominal muscle, putting him in the questionable column for a week or so.

Toronto wrapped up its series against Detroit in the East, 4-0, they'll be waiting for the winner of this series in the next round. Phoenix swept the Clippers, and Sacramento also garnered a sweep of the Sonics in the West.

Apr 27, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Five - LOSS (107-99)

The home team is yet to win a game in this series, as we crumble to the Pacers tonight. Our hopes brightened up in the 2nd quarter as Jermaine O'neal appeared to be injured on an awkward rebound. He is sent to the back, and I fully expected my team to take over. Not so. Danny Granger poured in the best game of his entire career with 35 points on 16/24 shooting from the bench. Murphy and Tinley scored 15 points each, while O'neal only managed 12 points in 12 minutes of play. Michael Redd had 29 points and Earl Boykins put in 19 points for us.

My heart sinks even further as we receive news that O'neal is FINE, and he WILL play Game 6 in Indiana.

Crap.

Cleveland beats Boston in 5 games, while San Antonio goes over Denver in the West.

Apr 29, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Six - WIN (97-83)

With out season hanging in the balance, our guys played one hell of a game to take this series back to Milwaukee for a deciding Game Seven!

Andrew Bogut scored seven points, but grabbed 23 rebounds as we out-rebound the Pacers, 52-33. Earl Boykins led the team with 26 points, while Michael Redd had 21 points. Charlie Villanueva came back to the starting lineup and contributed 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jermaine O'neal scored 24 for the pacers, while Troy Murphy had 20.

#6 seed Chicago upset #3 seed Miami in six games to advance to the next round.

So it's off to Game Seven in a win or go to summer scenario for us.

And, with the season and the best record in the NBA on the line, we head back to Milwaukee and play our hearts out...

May 1, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Seven - WIN (137-97)

BUCKS WIN! BUCKS WIN! BUCKS WIN!

The elation inside the Bradley Center was indescribable.

Michael Redd just had one of the greatest offensive performances ever seen in the NBA Playoffs, dropping 59 points against the Indiana Pacers on 22 of 32 shooting, and we advance into the next round of the playoffs. Earl Boykins pitched in 13 points and 16 assists. Channing Frye and Charlie Villanueva had 14 points each, while Julian Wright and Corey Brewer scroed 12 and 10 off the bench. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 28 points, but was only held to 4 rebounds. Danny Granger had 16 points, and Jamaal Tinsley scored 15 for the Pacers.

If you saw the celebration at the arena, it was like we just won the NBA Championship. Wow. What a wierd series, with the home team winning only the last game, in a blow-out nonetheless.

This series basically showed me that we were far from being the best team in the NBA. We had the best record, yes, but we're not the best team. Not if the 8th seed Pacers could have taken us to seven games.

The Raptors beckon, and they look to be a tougher cookie to crack that Indiana.

In other news, the Rockets defeat the Jazz in their own game 7 and advance to the 2nd round.

Neon_Chaos · 12-18-2008, 11:59 AM

BUCKS-RAPTORS SERIES PREVIEW:

We get a single day's rest before we open the next series against Toronto. The Raptors have had a week's worth of rest after sweeping the Detroit Pistons in their series. Andrea Bargnani has been amazing for the Raptors here in the offseason, averaging 25 ppg and 8 rpg against Detroit after only averaging 13 ppg during the regular season. The Raptors are essentially six men strong, with the talent level dropping low past 6th man Eddie Jones.

I expect this to be a battle of the boards once again. With Oden, Bosh, and Bargnani manning their front-court, Andrew Bogut, Channing Frye, and Charlie VIllanueva must show up every night if we expect to deny the opposing team offensive rebounds. Bosh is leading all rebounders in the playoffs with 15.5 rpg. We're also going to need good games from our young front court off the bench, Corey Brewer and Julian Wright.

Once again, Michael Redd goes up against a taller but slower defender in Hedo Turkoglu. Expect Redd to use his speed and quickness to continue his scoring streak. Redd leads all scorers in the playoffs, averaging 37.6 ppg.

We give up a lot of ground on the PG side as well. Boykins will have his hands full trying to stop TJ Ford, who is leading the league in the playoffs with 10.6 apg. If we let Ford abuse us like how Tinsley did in the first round, we're not going to last as long as we did.

The series against the Pacers exposed our weaknesses and basically gave us a giant red target on our backs. Jeff Van Gundy is more optimistic about our chances against the Raptors. I will have to trust him right now. After all, he's taken us to the best record in the league, hasn't he? Depending on the breaks, it's 6 games to either team, I think.

May 3, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game One

The Toronto Raptors outrebound us, 56 to 45, as Chris Bosh has a stellar 28-point 22-rebound game. This, however, wasn't enough to stiffle a great game from all our starters, as we defeat the Raptors 108-93. Michael Redd scored 26 points, while Earl Boykins had 21 points and 6 assists. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut all had double-doubles tonight, keeping pace with the Raptors' big men. Bargnani had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while TJ Ford had 12 points and 10 assists for the Raptors.

May 4, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Two

Michael Redd lights up the Raptors with 42 points as we cruise to a 91-79 victory of the Raptors and take a 2-0 advantage in our series. Earl Boykins pitches in 15 points and Julian Wright has 10 points off the bench. Chris Bosh had 23 points and 19 rebounds, while TJ Ford has 13 points and 10 assists in a losing effort. We were able to contain Bargnani and Oden from exploding in the post, limiting them to 12 points and less than 10 rebounds each.

May 6, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Three

Michael Redd and Earl Boykins score 28 and 24 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the Raptors from winning against us 104-83. Andrew Bogut was saddled with 5 fouls, while Channing Frye and Charlie Villanueva were mostly invisible during the entire game, and we were unable to stop Chris Bosh and Greg Oden from killing us in the paint. Chris Bosh had 29 points, while Greg Oden had 23. Eddie Jones also pitched in 17 points off the bench for the Raptors.

May 7, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Four

The Raptors bench comes to the rescue tonight, and they fuel them to a 109-90 victory to tie the series 2-2. Michael Redd had 20 points, while Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 13 rebounds tonight, but the Raptors managed to fuel their offense via their bench. Hedo Turkoglu and TJ Ford only played 19 and 17 minutes before fouling out early in the game. Juan Dixon and Jorge Garbajosa led six Raptors in scoring with 18 points and 17 points. Bosh, Oden, Bargnani, and Jones all scored more than 10 points tonight.

We squander a 2-0 series lead and now head back home. We need to protect our home court advantage if we expect to make it past Toronto.

May 9, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Five

Six Bucks score in double digits, and we take control of the series once again with a 100-87 win against the Raps at home. Michael Redd scored 25 points with 6 assists, and Earl Boykins put in 22 points and 6 assists as we never relinquished the lead during the entire game. We managed to keep their guys in foul trouble, effectively fouling out Bargnani, Oden, and Turkoglu. Chris Bosh did pitch in 24 points and 16 rebounds, while TJ Ford has 21 points and 13 assists.

We now head back to Canada hoping to wrap this series up in Toronto.

May 11, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Six

Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva both foul out early in this game, and we are rendered helpless by the dominance of Chris Bosh in the paint. We lose the chance to wrap this series up in six games by losing to the Raptors, 92-75, in Toronto. Chris Bosh had 24 points and 11 rebounds. TJ Ford had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Andrea Bargnan and Greg Oden put in 14 and 16 points each. Michael Redd is the only Buck in double figures with 27 points.

In what has to be the best news business-wise for the NBA, all four playoff series are headed for a decisive game seven. The Bucks-Raptors in Milwaukee, Bulls-Cavs in Cleveland, the Suns-Spurs in Phoenix, and the Rockets-Kings in Sacramento. Wow.

May 13, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Seven

The atmosphere in the Bradley Center was inceridble. They already bore witness to a game seven miracle against the Pacers... now, they fully expect it against the Raptors. After all, we clinched the best record in the NBA against them right here in the same arena. Clinching a Conference Finals berth? That would be harder.

The game is a blur, and when it's all set and done, my assistant starts shaking me.

"WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!"

I look up at the scoreboard.

Milwaukee - 98
Toronto - 78

Champagne bottles start popping all around the owner's box. I refuse to celebrate, however, no matter how elated I am. We still had a long way to go, and I certainly was concerned that two seven-game series was going to be hard on our guys' bodies.

Michael Redd powered in a 27-point performance tonight, but he got a lot of help from other guys. Charlie Villanueva had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Earl Boykins scored 16 points, and Julian Wright had 12 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Jermain Oneal had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while TJ Ford pitched in 16 points and 7 assists in an attempt to have their season continue on. It ends with this loss against us, just as ours continues with this win.

And then... there were four.

In the three other game sevens tonight:

Ben Gordon and Chicago stun Lebron James and the Cavaliers, 109-90, to advance to the Conference Finals.
Boris Diaw hits a game-winning mid-range jumper for the Suns, sending the Spurs packing, 101-100.
Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby power through against the Rockets and into the Western Conference Finals, 107-87.

So, there you go...

Bucks vs. Bulls
Suns vs. Kings

Two of the leading scorers of the postseason, Redd and Gordon, in one series. I smell rivalry.

Neon_Chaos · 12-19-2008, 12:50 AM

BUCKS-BULLS SERIES PREVIEW:

All eyes are on the Eastern Conference Finals, featuring two of this year's playoffs' best scorers: Michael Redd, leading the Bucks on a miraculous playoff run, and Ben Gordon, who led the Bulls past the highly-touted Cavaliers of Lebron James. Redd is first in scoring in the playoffs with 32.7 ppg, while Gordon is close behind with 30.3 ppg. With both players matching up with each other in this series, there is no doubt that there are going to be a couple of shoot-outs between these two triggermen.

The Bulls will have to rely heavily on their other starters to compete with the Bucks. Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng will have to carry some of the scoring load for their team in this series, and Tyrus Thomas must continue his defensive prowess in the lane (2.6 bpg in the playoffs) and be able to provide ample help for Ben Wallace on the boards. Andres Nocioni and Mike Sweetney are also going to need to be more assertive as a presence off the bench for the Bulls.

For the Bucks, Earl Boykins must continue to be efficient with his shooting (2nd in the team in scoring in the playoffs at 15.1 ppg) and he must be able to at least stop Kirk Hinrich from dishing out assists (something that he couldn't do against Jamaal Tinley or TJ Ford). Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut must all show up during the games, as they have a tendency to disappear once Michael Redd gets a hot hand. The rookie bench combination of Julian Wright and Corey Brewer must continue to provide solid production despite limited minutes.

We have a 3-1 regular season advantage over the Bulls, but I fully expect them to be riding on a high after beating out the Cavs in the previous series. Seven games again? For the sake of the health of my players, I think we should aim to beat them in five or six games.

May 15, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game One

The Chicago Bulls obliterate us during the first game, 116-89. All the Bulls starters were in double figures, yes, including Ben Wallace. Ben Gordon led them with 29 points, while Luol Deng pitched in 21. Kirk Hinrich had 18 points and 14 assists. Michael Redd scored 26 points, Earl Boykins had 19, and Channing Frye scored 15, but we didn't get enough production from the other guys to match Chicago's starters. Andrew Bogut was limited to only 5 points, while Charlie Villanueva had 9.

May 16, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game Two

We bounce back with a great Game Two, defeating the Bulls 108-94. Michael Redd led all scorers with 34 points and dished out 6 assists. Channing Frye had 24 points, while Charlie Villanueva scored 15. Julian Wright had 13 points off the bench. Ben Gordon had 23 points, while Kirk Hinrich was only limited to 14 points and 4 assists. Andres Nocioni pitched in 15 points off the bench for Chicago.

Charlie Villanueva was diagnosed with a sore calf and would be iffy for the next give days. Bad news. Ugh. He'll probably be coming off the bench next game.

We head to the windy city for Game Three, and we're looking to steal homecourt advantage back from the Bull's clutches.

May 18, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Three

Michael Redd and Earl Boykins score 24 and 21 points as they lead us over the Bulls, 106-89. We take back home-court advantage with this win. Andrew Bogut had a great game: 13 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists. Corey Brewer and Charlie Villanueva came off the bench, each scoring ten points. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 26 points, with Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas scoring 16 and 13, respectively.

We find out after the game that Andrew Bogut is having back spasms, and is questionable for the next week. Jeez. Not sure how JVG is going to fix the lineups for tommorow with our two best big men injured and most likely coming off the bench.

May 19, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Four

We have our ugliest game of the year and lose to the Bulls, 95-71.

Michael Redd had a horrible game, scoring only 18 points on 5-28 shooting. Earl Boykins put up 18 points as well, but we couldn't get our offense going at all. tonight as noone else scores in double figures for us. Andrew Bogut started the game, but is ineffective for 15 minutes before fouling out. He scored 0 points and only grabs 3 rebounds.

The Bulls get double figures from all their starters, including 24 points from Ben Gordon and 20 points from Kirk Hinrich. The Bulls just evened things up, and it's not looking good for us headed into game five at home.

In other news, the Sacramento Kings just obliterated the Suns in four games to make it to the NBA Finals. Wow. That was unexpected. They now await the winner of this series.

May 21, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game Five

With our season quite possibly on the line, we enter Game Five with a sense of urgency, and our players do not dissapoint.

Michael Redd bounces back from one of his worst performances this season with a 38-point, 7-rebound, 4-assist game that saw us defeat the Bulls, 95-86, and take a 3-2 advantage in this series. Earl Boykins chips in 15 points, while Channing Frye fills in for Andrew Bogut at the center spot with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva is back as a starter, while Julian Wright plays at SF. Andrew Bogut played 20 minutes off the bench and grabbed 7 rebounds.

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with a bad 17-point 8/23 shooting performance. Tyrus Thomas scores 15, while Kirk Hinrish chips in 12 points.

We head back to Chicago to try and wrap things up. I'm not sure that having another game seven is going to do us any favors if we make it to the NBA Finals against the fresh Kings.

May 23, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Six

A stunned Chicago crowd watches the seconds run off as we take away their hopes of an NBA Title this year by defeating their Bulls, 101-92.

Michael Redd had 32 points and 6 assists, while Channing Frye put in 14 points and 15 rebounds for us. Earl Boykins had 12 points and 10 assists, while Julian Wright had a 12-point, 5-rebound, 4-assist game.

Ben Gordon put in 35 points for the Bulls, but it wasn't enough as he couldn't get enough production from Luol Deng (11 points, 4/18 shooting) or Kirk Hinrich (3 points, 6 assists, 6 fouls in 29 minutes). Tyrus Thomas had 17 points, while Ben Wallace pitched in 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bulls.

I join the team on the court and immediately make a beeline for Jeff Van Gundy, who is probably the biggest reason why we're in the Finals. Van Gundy simply smiles and takes my offer of a handshake. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer are celebrating with Michael Redd in the middle of the court. I give them a nod and a wave. Redd nods right back, he knows that this isn't over yet.

Who would have thought that we'd be playing for the NBA Title this season when it began so many months ago? Certainly not me. Heck, I expected this to be a lotto team, a borderline playoff team at best. JVG simply made Michael Redd our cornerstone and built the entire system around him this year.

The dream lives on, as we make it to the NBA Finals where the Sacramento Kings lie in wait.

Neon_Chaos · 12-19-2008, 12:51 AM

NBA FINALS PREVIEW:

How the Bucks got here:
- best record in the NBA at 56-26
- 1st seed overall in the East
- defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games
- defeated the Toronto Raptors in seven games
- defeated the Chicago Bulls in six games

How the Kings got here:
- 2nd best record in the West by virtue of a tie with Phoenix, who became #1 (55-27)
- 2nd seed overall in the West
- defeated the Seattle Supersonics in four games
- defeated the Houston Rockets in seven games
- defeated the Phoenix Suns in four games

The long road to the NBA Finals has led both the Bucks and Kings to face each other for the NBA Title. The Bucks, led by the miracle-man Michael Redd, are looking to cap off a fairy-tale season under the management of new GM Jackson Jackson and new head coach Jeff Van Gundy. The Kings, on the other hand, led by the unheralded Mike Bibby, are ready to exorcise ghosts of playoffs past as they stake their claim to be on top of the mountain.

Michael Redd leads all scorers in the playoffs with a 31.5 ppg average, while Mike Bibby overtook Ben Gordon as the second most prolific scorer in these playoffs with 29.3 ppg. There is no doubt that both teams will have to rely heavily on these two guys in order to win against the opposing team.

As far as supporting casts go, both teams have guys ready to step up and take over a game. For the Bucks, in these playoffs, it's been the diminuative Earl Boykins, who's been averaging 15.3 ppg and 7.3 apg as Michael Redd's wingman. For the Kings, Kevin Martin has proven to be an able lieutenant to Bibby's scorching performances, averaging 18.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 5.3 apg. The Bucks will have to rely once again on their collective number of big men to show up during the series and not back down. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, Andrew Bogut, Corey Brewer, and Julian Wright must be able to provide the rebounds that the Bucks need in order to control the tempo of the game. The Kings will also have to reply on Brad Miller, Ron Arters, Shareef Abdur-Raheem, and Kenny Thomas to dominate the boards and make the paint a no-fly zone for any of the Bucks' slashers.

The Bucks and Kings split their season series 1-1, with the away team winning on each occasion. Expect every game to be a hard-fought battle between these two teams.

May 27, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game One

This is it. This is what we've been playing for all season long. We open up the NBA Finals on our home court, and we do not disappoint. In front of a sell-out crowd in the Bradley Center, we dispose of the Kings, 104-95. Six Bucks score in double figures, with Earl Boykins as an unlikely hero. Boykins scored 25 points and dished out 7 assists. Michael Redd had a silent 18 points and 6 assists. Andrew Bogut put in 13 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 15 points off the bench. Mike Bibby led the Kings with 21 points and 12 assists, while Kevin Martin had 12 points.

One win down, three to go. Bring it on.

May 28, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game Two

Game two leaves a sour taste in Bucks fans' mouths as we not only lose to the Kings, 110-95, but we also lose three players to injuries. Channing Frye, Earl Boykins, and Eric Williams all suffered different injuries during the game. Michael Redd had 22 points, but turned the ball over 8 times in the loss. Mike Bibby scored 34 points and dished out 11 assists for the Kings.

We get the different diagnoses on our guys. Frye broke his toe during the third quarter and will be out for the next two months. Boykins banged up his knee and will be questionable for the next week. Eric Williams has a sore back and will also be questionable for a week. Ouch.

The Kings pull even, and we now face three road games... probably the hardest road games we'll have this season.

May 30, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Three

How do you make a statement? You make it by beating the home team by 25 points to the tune of 100-75 in our game three victory against the Kings. Michael Redd dropped in 30 points, while Julian Wright filled in for Channing Frye and scored 16 for us. Acie Law started the game and had 8 points and 6 assists. Earl Boykins came off the bench and had 6 points and 10 assists for us.

Mike Bibby was held to 8 points and 9 assists before he had to be taken out of the game in the third quarter after complaining about his back. Kevin Martin and Brad Miller were the only two Kings in double figures with 18 and 14 points each.

We get news that Mike Bibby will be questionable for the next two weeks. Good freaking news for us. Very, very good news.

May 31, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Four

News circulates that Mike Bibby will not be suiting up for tonight. We learn soon enough that he is, indeed, in street clothes and will not be playing. Wow. What a way to chicken out of winning a title. Nut up, Mike, your team needs you!

We handily defeat the Kings 103-89, and move ourselves closer to an NBA Title. Michael Redd had 22 points and got a lot of help from his teammates. Charlie Villanueva had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 18 points and 18 rebounds. Corey Brewer also put in 17 points off the bench.

Kevin Martin led the Kings with 30 points, but he was the only King in double figures. They really felt Mike Bibby's absence, as Quincy Douby started in his place and had a below average performance: 9 points and 4 assists with 8 turnovers.

We lead the series 3-1 and get three chances to wrap things up, let's hope that we do.

Jun 2, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Five

Mike Bibby suits up for game five and wills his entire team into not losing this series on their home court, leading the Kings to a 110-93 rout of my Bucks. Mike Bibby played only 31 minutes but put in 12 points and 13 assists. Keivn Martin scorched us with 33 points, while Ron Artest and Brad Miller came to life tonight and had 25 and 17 points, each.

Michael Redd scores 29 points, while Charlie VIllanueva pitches in 16 points in this loss. Acie Law has a good game with 10 points and 10 assists.

We're up 3-2, and we get two chances at home to wrap everything up. I definitely don't want to go to a game seven against these Kings.

Jun 4, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game Six

Despite being close behind throughout the game, the Kings never really appeared like they would be able to snatch this victory and the NBA Crown from us, not when we're this close to it. We obliterate the Bulls and win the NBA Title with a 101-87 victory at home.

Michael Redd scored 25 points and had 8 rebounds, while Charlie Villanieva had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut and Earl Boykins chipped in 12 points and 15 rebounds and 8 points and 11 assists.

Kevin Martin had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, in a losing effort to keep their title hopes alive for the Kings. Mike Bibby played with his sore back and managed 13 points and 7 assists.

The entire arena is going nuts as the players are reintroduced to the home crowd. Hugs all around, and Jeff Van Gundy finally gets an NBA Title. He really brought this team together and worked well with all the young talent we had in this team.

The long season is finally finished. Thanks mostly to luck (the Bibby injury) and avoiding many of the other tough teams in the NBA Playoffs, we've managed to climb the mountain in a remarkable turnaround from last season. What was deemed impossible at the beginning of the season has turned into reality, and the Milwaukee Bucks are YOUR 2007-2008 NBA Champions!!!

~~~

Jun 7, 2008 - NBA LOTTERY

Here is how the lottery order before the ping pong balls are picked breaks down, from last to first:

14. Philadelphia
13. Atlanta
12. Charlotte
11. Dallas
10. Golden State
9. LA Lakers
8. Portland
7. New York
6. Minnesota
5. New Orleans
4. Orlando
3. Washington
2. New Jersey
1. Memphis

After the lotto:

14. Philadelphia (same)
13. Charlotte (-1) - Atlanta gets lucky and hits the top 3!
12. Dallas (-1)
11. Golden State (-1)
10. LA Lakers (-1)
9. Portland (-1)
8. New York (-1)
7. Minnesota (-1)
6. New Orleans (-1)
5. New Jersey (-3) - Ouch... from #2 to #5, which means that Orlando made it to the top 3!
4. Memphis (-3) - The Grizzlies run out of luck and are nudged to the #4 spot.
3. Orlando (+2)
2. Atlanta (+12)
1. Washington (+2)

NBA Awards

Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
Defensive Player of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, Toronto Raptors
6th Man of the Year: Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks
Coach of the Year: Jeff Van Gundy, Milwaukee Bucks

All League 1st Team:
PG - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
SF - Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
C - Yao Ming, Houston Rockets

All League 2nd Team:
PG - Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
SG - Ray Allen, Seattle Supersonics
SF - Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
PF - Jermaine O'neal, Indiana Pacers
C - Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors

All League 3rd Team:
PG - Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
SG - Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
SF - Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards
PF - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
C - Shaquille O'neal, Miami Heat

All Defensive 1st Team:
PG- Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
C - Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls

All Defensive 2nd Team:
PG - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
SG - Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings
SF - Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats
PF - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
C - Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets

All Rookie 1st Team:
PG - Mike Conley, Boston Celtics
SG - Ron Lewis, Philadelphia 76ers
SF - Kevin Durant, New York Knicks
PF - Yi Jianlian, Golden State Warriors
C - Greg Oden, Toronto Raptors

All Rookie 2nd Team:
PG - Acie Law, Milwaukee Bucks
SG - Rodney Stuckey, Indiana Pacers
SF - Julian Wright, Milwaukee Bucks
PF - Brandan Wright, Houston Rockets
C - Spencer Hawes, Atlanta Hawks

JVG definitely deserves the Coach of the Year nod. I take the snub to Michael Redd on the All NBA Team personally, as I do not consider Ray Allen to be an player equal to Redd's caliber. The two All Rookie 2nd Team selections are nice, as both players have definitely provided us with firepower off the bench and as starters during our ridiculous run to the title.

So, it's off to the next season! Yay!

Neon_Chaos · 12-21-2008, 09:14 PM

Notable retirees and contract extensions:

Robert Horry, Brent Barry, and Gary Payton have all retired.

Hubie Brown, Lenny Wilkens, and Mike Montgomery have all called quits on their coaching careers.

Jerry West has retired as a GM.

Isiah Thomas has his contract extended by the Knicks. I laugh.

Mike Brown and Mike Diantoni's coaching careers continue with the Cavs and Suns, thanks to taking them deep in the playoffs.

June 19, 2008

Greg Masters, the Bucks owner, holds a big dinner for me, my staff, and the rest of the team. It's like he filled an entire reception hall with one big Bucks booster club. The night ends well, everyone has a good time, and Masters invites me for a one-on-one informal sitdown.

He tells me that he is excited with what we've accomplished this season. A freaking NBA Title, for crying out loud. He also loves the fact that we did it without even going over the cap (I managed to keep the salary about 900k below the salary cap). We go over the details of the team and talk about where we go from here. He tells me if I think the Bucks are going to be an average team this year like I said last year. I laugh. I tell him that we're going to make the playoffs, at least. He's pleased, saying that we might have had a great run this year, but he believes that other teams will be gunning for us this season. He then asks about salaries, and I ask for more leeway to spend, perhaps going 10 to 15 mil above the cap. He tells me that I will have to keep expenses low, so I won't get much leeway. He wants me to keep player salaries near the cap. Well... that sucks.

Draft Workouts

We have the #30 pick and we seriously do not have anyone that we think we're going to take at that spot. I'll see to trading the pick away for a second rounder. We do hold workout with several players, just in case we want to jump ahead.

2008 NBA DRAFT - June 28, 2008

Here we go with the 2008 NBA draft. We're seriously considering trading away the #30 pick if we don't find a suitable PG-type player to select when our turn comes.

The top 3 players on people's lists are SF Brian Doctor from North Carolina St., SG Myron Adams from Connectictut, and SG Anu Paulauskas from Lithuania. There is a rumor going around that the Wizards are considering trading away the #1 pick, but noone takes it seriously.

The commissioner walks up the podium and announces the first pick.

1. Washington Wizards - SG Myron Adams - The Wizards get a gift dropped on their lap, as they select Myron Adams, a ridiculously talented shooting guard. Adams averaged 29.6 ppg, 7.2 apg, 13.0 rpg, 3.1 spg, and 2.3 bpg as a freshman in Connecticut last season.

2. Atlanta Hawks - SF Mark Howard - There is a huge uproar on this pick by the Hawks. JP says that he would have gone with Doctor instead of Howard. Chris says, however, that Howard is a talented player and will find a way to shine in the NBA.

3. Orlando Magic - SF Brian Doctor - The Magic get a great pick in Doctor. He's talented and is NBA-ready. Aside from that, think about the merchandising on this guy! The Doctor is In!

4. Memphis Grizzlies - Anu Paulauskas
5. New Jersey Nets - PG Donald Braun

6. New Orleans Hornets - PF Gerrick Baxter - JP and Chris think that Baxter was taken about 5 to 10 picks too early.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves - C Brandin Levett

8. New York Knicks - SG Brad Granberry - The Knicks amazingly select an SG to add to their plethora of wing players. The pick gets booed, and FIRE ISIAH chants start. A little hint... THEY RESIGNED HIM!!! Chris reasons that Granberry is a good player and should be able to find minutes in New York.

9. Portland Trailblazers - SF Lavor Nixon
10. Los Angeles Lakers - PF Matt Greenwalt
11. Golden State Warriors - C John Anderson

12. Dallas Mavericks - SF Toomas Zukauskas - The other Lithuanian in the draft gets picked by the Blazers, and JP likes this pick for what it is.

13. Charlotte Bobcats - SG Ervin Gunn
14. Philadelphia 76ers - SG Scott Duncan
15. Indiana Pacers - PG Robert Johnson
16. Boston Celtics - SG Dickey Dotson
17. Los Angeles Clippers - PG Ramon Sawyer
18. Chicago Bulls - PF Darius Jackson
19. Utah Jazz - SG Fredrik Johnson
20. Seattle Supersonics - C Darrell Tibbetts
21. Toronto Raptors - SF Dereck Allison
22. Denver Nuggets - PG Cassidy Johnson
23. San Antonio Spurs - PF Tony Taylor
24. Detroit Pistons - SG Dickey Dotson
25. Houston Rockets - SG Bryant Osbourne
26. Miami Heat - SF Will Murphy
27. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Marty Booker
28. Sacramento Kings - C Michael Emerson
29. Phoenix Suns - C Valder Owens

We take a look at who's left on the table and decide we really don't like anyone left, so we shop around our pick and find a taker.

The Seattle Supersonics receive our 1st round pick (#30 overall), and trade us four 2nd rounders (#31, #50 this year, and the Sonics 2009 and 2010 2nd rounders).

30. Seattle Supersonics - PG Steve Duggins

In the 2nd round we grab two guys that we like.

(#31 overall) PF Jason Ellis - Ellis was projected as a late 1st round pick. He averaged 12 ppg and 18 rpg as a senior in Louisville.

(#50 overall) PG Billy Selby - There were several PGs left, and we had to choose the one we felt had a good chance of at least making it to the D-League, if ever.

Post-draft Analysis:

This was a good draft, but we didn't have high picks. Jason Ellis turns out to be a nice pick for a 2nd rounder, while Selby was a throwaway. We decide to sign Ellis to a 3-year contract.

June 30, 2008 - Contracts:

Contracts To Renounce:

SG Derek Anderson - $2,400,000
PG Earl Boykins - $9,600,000
SG Yakhouba Diawara - $ 900,000
PF Charlie Villanueva - $ 4,000,000
PF Eric Williams - $2,400,000

I renounce everyone, opting instead for the $10,000,000 of cap space that we're going to get if we renounce everyone.

Summer League:

Same as last year, we try to send everyone we can to the summer league.

PG Acie Law
PG Billy Selby
SF Julian Wright
SF Corey Brewer
PF Jason Ellis
C Channing Frye

We even invite Charlie Villanueva to play with our team.

July 7, 2008 - @ Sacramento - WIN (96-86)

Charlie Villanueva scores 23 points and leads us over the Kings in a quasi-rematch of the NBA Finals. Julian Wright scored 13 points and Acie Law contributed 12.

July 9, 2008 - vs San Antonio - WIN (104-91)

Charlie Villanueva has 24 points and Julian Wright scored 12 in this win over the Spurs.

July 11, 2008 - @ Toronto - WIN (100-94)

Charlie Villanueva continues to make a strong case for us to resign him. He's actually making me regret renouncing our bird rights on him. He scores 33 points and grabs 10 rebounds for the win.

July 13, 2008 - vs. Washington - WIN (122-77)

Charlie V. leads the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 21 points, while Acie Law had 15 points and 11 assists.

July 15, 2008 - @ Utah - LOSS (110-105)

Charlie V stumbles in the last game of the summer league with only 9 points. Acie Law leads us with 21.

Summer league is over! Yay. Charlie Villanueva will most likely get his dollars this season... let's see if we can bring him back for cheap.

Neon_Chaos · 12-21-2008, 09:14 PM

Free Agency:

We have to address two things during free agency: with us renouncing our rights to Charlie Villanueva and Earl Boykins, we need to sign a starting PG and a starting PF.

Taking a look at the FA crop, there are only a handul of servicable PGs who can probably start. We strongly consider signing 39-year old Sam Cassell, fresh off his stint with the LA Clippers. Re-signing Earl Boykins is also a very valid option. Brevin Knight, still recovering from a torn ACL, could be a good signing. There's also 22-year old Monta Ellis, who is one of the better young PGs on the market right now.

The top names in the FA Market this year are Andre Iguodala, Antawn Jamison, and Dwight Howard. We're very interested to see if Howard is going to be willing to jump ship to Milwaukee. Tyrus Thomas, Al Jefferson, and Charlie Villanueva are the other names of young PFs that are floating around. SG Ricky Davis is also looking to get paid.

How many teams actually have cap space to play with, though? Orlando and Philly both have $11 mil each to spend, we have $10 mil, Charlotte has $9 mil, and Atlanta has about $5 million. The best deals that the top three free agents above can get will most likely be to resign with their old teams if they get offered the max.

Instead of resigning Charlie Villanueva, we make a headway for Al Jefferson, who expressed interest in joining the Bucks for the right amount. We offered somewhat a lower amount than the Celtics (by < 1 mil per year in my estimate) and he still signed with us.

Jefferson's overall game will be a very welcome addition to our roster, and we feel that he can take over Villanueva's role in the front court.

We also re-sign Earl Boykins to a minimum 1-year contract along with several other players. We get Shaun Livingston and Fred Jones to sign one-year contracts and also nab veteran big men Alonzo Mourning and PJ Brown.

The Orlando Magic beef up their lineup by re-signing Dwight Howard and nabbing Charlie Villanueva and Bonzi Wells off the free-agent market. They're looking solid with Brian Doctor on their lineup as well.

Andre Iguodala, Tyrus Thomas, and Antawn Jamison all re-sign with their previous teams.

The Celtics end up signing noone after we stole Al Jefferson from their clutches.

The Bobcats are confident that Brevin Knight is going to be worth $8 mil per season when he comes back from a torn ACL. They also grab one of the few good centers in the market in Hilton Armstrong.

Quote:

Charlotte Bobcats sign Hilton Armstrong to a 4-year contract worth $17,257,807

Philadelphia 76ers re-sign Andre Iguodala to a 6-year contract worth $82,496,144

Milwaukee Bucks sign Al Jefferson to a 5-year contract worth $61,802,202

Orlando Magic re-sign Dwight Howard to a 6-year contract worth $72,871,591

Chicago Bulls re-sign Tyrus Thomas to a 5-year contract worth $37,825,125

San Antonio Spurs sign Juan Dixon to a 2-year contract worth $1,873,035

Houston Rockets sign James Augustine to a 2-year contract worth $1,496,295

Minnesota Timberwolves re-sign Ricky Davis to a 6-year contract worth $71,456,213

Golden State Warrios re-sign Monta Ellis to a 6-year contract worth $48,405,814

San Antonio Spurs sign Grant Hill to a 3-year contract worth $17,855,200

Washington Wizards re-sign Antawn Jamison to a 4-year contract worth $44,594,651

Charlotte Bobcats re-sign Brevin Knight to a 3-year contract worth $24,099,357

Milwaukee Bucks sign Shaun Livingston to a 1-year contract worth $771,123

Orlando Magic sign Charlie Villanueva to a 5-year contract worth $27,204,854

Atlanta Hawks sign Sam Cassell to a 1-year contract worth $5,941,715

Washington Wizards sign Josh Childress to a 3-year contract worth $13,105,347

Philadelphia 76ers sign Darius Songaila to a 3-year contract worth $15,990,664

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Chris Webber to a 4-year contract worth $24,783,616

Orlando Magic sign Bonzi Wells to a 3-year contract worth $17,238,570

Milwaukee Bucks sign Fred Jones to a 1-year contract worth $900,498

New Orleans Hornets sign Ronald Murray to a 2-year contract worth $1,873,035

New Jersey Nets sign Ruben Patterson to a 2-year contract worth $2,368,080

Phoenix Suns sign Kurt Thomas to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Ryan Gomes to a 3-year contract worth $17,855,200

Miami Heat sign Desmond Mason to a 2-year contract worth $2,142,135

New Orleans Hornets sign DeShawn Stevenson to a 2-year contract worth $2,142,135

Milwaukee Bucks sign P.J. Brown to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Milwaukee Bucks sign Alonzo Mourning to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Milwaukee Bucks sign Earl Boykins to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Toronto Raptors sign Maurice Williams to a 2-year contract worth $1,738,484

Washington Wizards sign Jason Williams to a 1-year contract worth $2,029,964

Rookie Option Deadline:

We decide to exercise the rookie options on Corey Brewer, Julian Wright, and Acey Law.

Pre-Season Analysis:

Who's In: PF Al Jefferson (FA), PF Jason Ellis (draft), SG Fred Jones (FA), PG Shaun Livingston (FA), C Alonzo Mourning (FA), PF PJ Brown (FA)

Who's Out: PF Eric Williams (FA), SG Yakhouba Diawara (FA), PF Charlie Villanueva (FA), SG Derek Anderson (FA)

We decide to send Jason Ellis to the D-League.

JVG decides to be creative this season and opts to start both Wright and Brewer at the wings. Redd will be a quasi-PG, with Al Jefferson and Andrew Bogut manning the paint. Here is our opening-day roster after training camps:

Starters:
PG Michael Redd
SG Julian Wright
SF Corey Brewer
PF Al Jefferson
C Andrew Bogut

Bench:
C Channing Frye
PG Earl Boykins
PG Acie Law
PF PJ Brown
SG Fred Jones
C Alonzo Mourning
PG Shaun Livingston

Inactive:
PF Malik Rose
C Dan Gadzuric
PF Jason Ellis *D-League

Interesting lineup by Van Gundy, but I think he'll correct it once the season gets underway. I expect either Law or Boykins back in the PG spot, with Redd moving to SG and either Wright or Brewer moving to the bench.

NBA Preview:

A lot of controversial rankings came out with the League Season Primer distributed by the associated press.
Eastern Conference

1. Raptors - With the big trio of Oden, Bosh, and Bargnani being one year older, the Raptors are only looking to get better this season.
2. Knicks - The Knicks seem to be a press favorite. Now that Isiah Thomas' contract has been extended, let's hope they don't falter like they did last season.
3. Nets - The Nets were one of the worst teams in the NBA last year. Will the addition of rookie PG Donald Braun be enough to get them this high?
4. Cavaliers - The Cavs lose Grant Hill but add Chris Webber. Pretty much a horizontal move for the team.
5. Magic - With a new front-court (Villanueva, Howard, Doctor) and a new SG (Wells), the Magic are poised to be an elite team in the league.
6. Hawks - 2nd overall pick Mark Howard will have to fight for minutes with Josh Smith if he wants to showcase his talents.
7. Bulls - Pretty much the same team as last year. Should be a threat in the East.
8. Bucks - The NBA pundits are calling the Bucks' title run last season a fluke, and they barely make it to the Playoffs in the season primer.
9. Bobcats - The Bobcats really need a star.
10. Wizards - Even with the #1 pick, the Wizards are pegged to miss the playoffs. I beg to differ, though, as Myron Adams looks to be a great player and will fit well with Arenas.
11. Celtics - Losing big Al was a big blow for the Celtcs.
12. Pacers - They made it as the 8th seed last year, but they haven't made enough moves to improve.
13. Heat - Another team that is suffering in the rankings because of their stale stance during the offseason. The defending Southeast champs are not going to take this sitting down however.
14. Pistons - The Pistons made it to the playoffs last year. Yes, they're getting older, but that doesn't mean that they're getting any worse.
15. 76ers - Andre Iguodala seriously needs a tag-team partner in Philly.

Western Conference

1. Jazz - Steady team, was silent in the offseason but was able to retain their steady core group of players.
2. Warriors - They seriously over-estimated the Warriors last year... I think they are again this year.
3. Rockets - Yao and TMac are back to put some hurting in the West.
4. Timberwolves - No idea why they're this high. Rookie center Brandin Levett might supplant Mark Blount as the starting center on this team, though.
5. Trailblazers - They have a young core and are only getting better. A playoff team, though? Not sure.
6. Suns - Steve Nash is 100% healthy once again, and the Suns might have a better showing in the playoffs this season.
7. Sacramento - The two NBA Finalists are ranked as low-seeded playoff teams. CONSPIRACY!? I don't know for sure.
8. Nuggets - Rookie PG Cassidy Johnson: Good enough to man this ship? Or will he buckle under the pressure of Melo and AI?
9. Mavericks - Dirk Nowitzki is back from his injury, and he's got a new playmate in Lithuanian Toomas Zukauskas. Expect the Mavs to compete.
10. Lakers - Kobe might have won the scoring title, but he needs to lead this team to the playoffs. He can't do that without real help.
11. Hornets - The Hornets need a center.
12. Grizzlies - Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, and Anu Paulauskas are good building blocks, but they will need to revamp this team if they expect to compete.
13. Spurs - Darko wasn't so bad last season, he filled a need at the C spot for the Spurs. This year, without their old veterans, the press expects the Spurs to collapse.
14. Supersonics - Ray Allen will need more help if they expect to come back to the playoffs next season.
15. Clippers - With Sam Cassell, they were ranked 6th last year, with rookie PG Ramon Sawyer, they're last in the West.

Neon_Chaos · 12-21-2008, 09:15 PM

Nov 1, 2008 - @ Orlando - WIN (107-97)

Six Bucks score in double figures as we defeat the Orlando Magic in our season opener. Michael Redd had 35 points, 4 rebounds, and four assists as he starts his new career as a point guard. Al Jefferson had 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks in his first official game as a Buck.

The Magic were fueled by 24 points and 6 rebounds from rookie Brian Doctor. Dwight Howard put in 20 pints and 12 rebounds, while Charlie Villanueva had 15 points and 8 rebounds for the Magic.

Nov 4, 2008 - vs Cleveland - WIN (109-72)

Al Jefferson debuts at home with a sizzling performance as we trash the Cavaliers: 22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 7 blocks. Michael Redd had 25 points and 8 assists, while Channing Frye pitched in 20 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

Nov 8, 2008 - vs Charlotte - WIN (108-98)

The Redd-Jefferson combo continues with this win over the Bobcats. Michael Redd has 31 points and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson has 22 points and 16 rebounds. Andrew Bogut and Julian Wright pitched in 16 and 14 points for us. Raymond Felton led the Bobcats off the bench with 23 points.

Nov 11, 2008 - vs New Orleans - WIN (106-78)

Michael Redd leads us with 22 points, 9 assists, and 6 steals. Corey Brewer pitched in 18 points and 5 rebounds, while Channing Frye came off the bench with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Acie Law is getting the nod over Earl Boykins this year, coming off the bench with 8 points and 8 assists. The Hornets were led by Tyson Chandler's 15 points off the bench.

Nov 12, 2008 - @ Miami - WIN (100-97)

Corey Brewer scored 12 points and sank the game-winning triple and sends us to 5-0 with this win over the Heat. Al Jefferson led the way with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Michael Redd was held to only 13 points in 28 minutes of play thanks to foul trouble. Julian Wright put in 16 points, while Channing Frye and Acie Law came off the bench wsith 13 and 12 points each. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 28 points, and Shaq put in 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Nov 15, 2008 - vs Miami - WIN (112-100)

We defeat the Heat in our home floor thanks to great performances from Redd (29 points), Wright (20 points), and Jefferson (16 points). Channing Frye is turning into a beast coming off the bench for us, as he scores 12 points and grabs 7 rebounds. Dwyane Wade was injured late in the second quarter with a broken wrist and finished with only 11 points. Shaquille O'neal had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat.

Nov 17, 2008 - @ Portland - WIN (89-59)

Michael Redd scores 32 points and Al Jefferson has 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks, as we demolish the Trailblazers in Portland. Zach Randolph is the only Blazer in double figures with 14 points. This game is a testament to how Jefferson has positively affected our defense. We're hustling more and getting stops, so we're not just relying on trying to outscore the other team like we did last season.

Nov 19, 2008 - @ Sacramento - WIN (112-90)

Mike Bibby scores 31 points, and Kevin Martin scores 19, but it's not enough to stave off the red-hot Bucks.

Michael Redd had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, Al Jefferson had 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 19 rebounds during the win. Channing Frye came off the bench with 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Nov 21, 2008 - @ LA Lakers - WIN(114-84)

Seven bucks score in double figures as we defeat the Lakers by 30 points. Kobe Bryant had 36 points for the night, but got little to nothing from his teammates with Andrew Bynum the only other Laker in double figures with 10 points.

Al Jefferson led the pack with 19 points, Michael Redd had 18. Channing Frye and Acie Law socred 16 and 13 off the bench. Andrew Bogut scored 12, while Corey Brewer and Julian Wright scored 12 points each.

Nov 22, 2008 - @ Phoenix - WIN (100-91)

Michael Redd leads us with 27 points as we defeat the Suns at Phoenix. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns were led by Shawn Marion, who put in 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Raja Bell, who scored 16 points.

Nov 25, 2008 - vs Detroit - WIN (103-70)

The streak continues as Michael Redd scores 30 points to lead us over the Pistons. Channing Frye had 16 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Rip Hamilton had 17 points and Morris Peterson had 13 points for the Pistons, who shot 33% from the field.

Nov 28, 2008 - vs LA Lakers - WIN (122-79)

Al Jefferson had 27 points and 6 rebounds, Michael Redd scored 22 and dished out 8 assists, while Channing Frye had 22 points and 5 rebounds off the bench to lead us in a rout over the Lakers. Andrew Bogut also had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant scored 29 points for the Lakers, while Matt Greenwalt pitched in 12, the only two Lakers in double figures.

Nov 29, 2008 - @ Boston -WIN (124-110)

Corey Brewer explodes with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson and Michael Redd score 25 and 22 points each to lead us over the Celtics in a high-scoring affair and help us remain undefeated at 13-0. Channing Frye had 19 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, as he continues to be an amazing player for us. Wally Sczerbiak had 33 points to lead five other Celtics who scored in double figures.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

With our fast-paced offense and our new-found energy on defense, we are on top of the NBA with a 13-0 record. We lead the league in PPG, at 108.2, and in PPG allowed, at 85.6. Our winning margin per game is 22.6 ppg. We are also 2nd in the league in least turnovers per game at only 12.5 topg.

The addition of Al Jefferson has had a huge impact on our fortunes (19.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg), not to mention Channing Frye's emergence as one of the league's best 6th men (13.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg off the bench). Six Bucks are averaging double digits in scoring, led by Michael Redd's 25.3 ppg. Redd has done a wonderful transition at the PG spot, what with Acie Law being able to shadow him from off the bench. Law is averaging 7.9 ppg and 6.0 apg in 20.2 mpg.

Around the League:

Behind us in the Central Division are the Pistons (8-6) and the Cavaliers (9-7). In the Atlantic, the Raptors are leading (10-7), with the Knicks (8-6) and Celtics (7-7) close behind. The Bobcats (8-5), on the other hand, are surprisingly on top of the Southeast, with the closes team being the Heat (8-8).

In the West, the Denver Nuggets are on top with a scorching 13-1 record, with the (10-7) Sonics behind them in the Northwest. The Southwest have three good teams jockeying for position in the Rockets (13-4), Spurs (14-5), and Hornets (8-6). While in the Pacific, the Suns and Kings have similar records (8-6).

Power Rankings:

1. Houston Rockets (349.5)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (340.5)
3. Denver Nuggets (321.4)
4. Charlotte Bobcats (318.9)
5. Orlando Magic (312.2)
6. Sacramento Kings (306.8)
7. Phoenix Suns (305.8)
8. Golden State Warriors (302.5)
9. New York Knicks (301.6)
10. New Jersey Nets (295.2)
11. Chicago Bulls (294.9)
12. San Antonio Spurs (293.6)
13. Utah Jazz (291.3)
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (286.8)
15. Toronto Raptors (284.8)
16. New Orleans Hornets (282.0)
17. Boston Celtics (279.2)
18. Seattle Supersonics (276.4)
19. Portland Trailblazers (273.6)
20. LAL Lakers (269.4)
21. Washington Wizards (267.4)
22. Miami Heat (266.3)
23. Atlanta Hawks (264.0)
24. Indiana Pacers (261.1)
25. Detroit Pistons (260.3)
26. LAC Clippers (250.6)
27. Dallas Mavericks (248.9)
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (244.6)
29. Memphis Grizzlies (236.4)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (230.6)

Injuries:

Notable injuries from around the league:

C. Anthony - a broken wrist (55 d) - The Nuggets have been winning without Melo, too. Wow.
D. Wade - a broken wrist (31 d) - With Wade out, the Heat are freefalling.
C. Mihm - a broken arm (31 d)
B. Haywood - a torn knee tendon (144 d)

Transactions:

No trades to report.

Rookie Watch:

Wow. This batch of rookies is chock-full of talent. Eight rookies are averaging double-figures in scoring, with many rookies being talented enough to start for their teams. Myron Adams and Brian Doctor are the fast track to stardom and are the front-runners for the ROY award.

Here is a look at some of the notable players from this rookie class:

(#1 overall) Myron Adams, Wizards - 16.7 ppg, 2.8 apg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.8 bpg, 2.3 topg
(#3 overall) Brian Doctor, Magic - 16.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.6 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.4 topg
(#4 overall) Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 14.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.1 topg
(#7 overall) Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 8.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 10.1 rpg, 0.9 spg, 2.6 bpg, 2.6 topg
(#12 overall) Toomas Zukauskas, Mavericks - 13.2 ppg, 1.9 apg, 6.9 rpg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.3 topg

Neon_Chaos · 12-21-2008, 09:16 PM

Dec 2, 2008 - vs San Antonio - WIN (98-77)

Michael Redd scored 22 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead us over the Spurs. The game was pretty close until we pulled ahead on a 31-15 4th quarter. Tim Duncan was held to 16 points and 4 rebounds, while Grant Hill scored 13 points for the Spurs in this loss.

Dec 5, 2008 - @ Indiana - WIN (106-96)

Michael Redd lights up the Pacers with 35 points, 6 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut has a triple-double: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in this win over Indiana. Corey Brewer was injured early in the 2nd quarter, however, and is diagnosed with a minor concussion. He will be questionable for the next week or so. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 21 points and 5 rebounds.

Dec 6, 2008 - vs Miami - LOSS (121-107)

We suffer our first loss of the season against the Wade-less Miami Heat. Corey Brewer moved to the bench, as Julian Wright started at SF, Acie Law started the game at PG, and Michael Redd played at SG. Redd had 29 points, and Al Jefferson scored 19, but it was not enough to overcome a superhuman effort from Shaquille O'neal, who put in 39 points and 12 rebounds to lead five other players in double figures for the Heat

Dec 8, 2008 - vs Indiana - WIN (115-84)

We beat Indiana again, thanks to 28 points from Michael Redd and 24 points and 11 rebounds from Andrew Bogut. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks, while Acie Law dished out 10 assists as a starter. Jermaine O'neal had 31 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, but couldn't get enough help from his teammates. Channing Frye was also injured with a sore foot, and is expected to be questionable for less than a week.

Dec 10, 2008 - @ Philadelphia - LOSS (106-80)

Michael Redd scored 27 points, and Al Jefferson pitched in 24 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the 76ers, who had six players score in double digits. We couldn't overcome a slow start, as we only mustered 12 points in the first quarter against a suffocating Philly defense. The 76ers were led by Andre Iguodala, who scored 38 points and had 5 assists.

Dec 12, 2008 - vs Sacramento - WIN (102-77)

Earl Boykins stole the show as he came off the bench to have 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead us over the Kings at home. Michael Redd only mustered 18 points, while Al Jefferson scored 15. The Kings were led by Kevin Martin's 14 points, as they struggled to find shots all throughout the game, shooting 38% from the field.

Dec 14, 2008 - @ Chicago - WIN (97-89)

Michael Redd scored 30 points, and Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 21 rebounds in this win over the Bulls. Al Jefferson and Julian Wright had 12 points each, while Earl Boykins put in 13 points off the bench. The Bulls were led by Kirk Hinrich's 22 points, while Ben Gordon was only limited to 4 points as he played only 22 minutes due to foul trouble.

Dec 16, 2008 - vs Philadelphia - WIN (102-74)

We pay the 76ers back with this victory, thanks to 32 points from Michael Redd. Al Jefferson had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Andrew Bogut had 16 rebounds for us. Corey Brewer came back to the starting line-up tonight and pitched in 13 points, but was re-injured with a strained knee towards the end of the game. He is diagnosed to be out for another week or so. Andrew Iguodala scored 25 points but could not find help from his teammates tonight.

Dec 20, 2008 - vs Portland - WIN (106-85)

The Blazers fall as Michael Redd scores 31 points and Andrew Bogut has 14 points and 16 rebounds. Al Jefferson scored 10 points in 21 minutes, but was saddled with 5 fouls. JVG decided to shuffle things around and played our veteran bigs. Alonzo Mourning and PJ Brown had 14 and 12 points off the bench. Zach Randolph led the Blazers with 21 points and 8 rebounds.

Dec 24, 2008 - vs Chicago - LOSS (86-83)

Michael Redd scored 26 points, but could not stop the game-winning 3-point shot by Ben Gordon from falling in. Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 11 points. Al Jefferson was saddled with 5 fouls and only scored 8 points tonight. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 21 points, while Luol Deng scored 19.

Dec 26, 2008 - vs Houston - LOSS (106-88)

JVG questionably starts Julian Wright at PG tonight... and we suffer our first back-to-back losses of the season. Al Jefferson scored 27 points and had 15 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 23 points. Wright held up well on his own: 10 points and 9 assists, but we couldn't get enough firepower from our bench. TMac led the Rockets with 39 points, and Yao Ming pitched in 19 points and 10 rebounds for the win.

Dec 27, 2008 - @ Orlando - WIN (106-77)

The Wright experiment continues, as our starting lineup has Wright and Redd at the guard spots, with Frye at SF and Jefferson at PF. Redd scored 33 points, and Jefferson had 20 points and 6 rebounds. Corey Brewer is taking advantage of his role as the 6th man now, scoring 21 points off the bench. The Magic starters could not score on our big lineup, and they were led by Jerry Stackhouse's 22 points off the bench.

Dec 29, 2008 - @ Houston - LOSS (102-90)

The Rockets defeat us in Houston, as we fail to find an answer for Yao Ming and the Rockets' defense. Michael Redd had 24 points for us, and Channing Frye scored 17 points. The Rockets were led by 32 points and 8 rebounds from Yao Ming, and they got a boost from TMac, who scored 13 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists. The Rockets are for real... they're one hell of a team.

Dec 31, 2008 - @ Dallas - WIN (119-103)

We defeat the Mavericks in Dallas, thanks to 45 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists from Michael Redd. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Channing Frye had 23 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Wright had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists as the starting PG. The Mavs were fueled by 33 points from Dirk Nowitzki and 23 points from Jason Terry.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We go 9-5 during December, and are currently still at the top of the NBA at 22-5.

Jeff Van Gundy has gone to an unconventional rotation lately, going for even more height than we had at the start of the season:

Starters:
PG - Julian Wright 6'8"
SG - Michael Redd 6'6"
SF - Channing Frye 6'11"
PF - Al Jefferson 6'10"
C - Andrew Bogut 7'0"

Corey Brewer has been coming off the bench after being sidelined a couple of times through injury as a starter. Acie Law is seeing good minutes, while Earl Boykins is relegated to an on-off role as the third string PG, despite how well he did for us last season. Alonzo Mourning has been coming in as a back-up big man, although he has been quite limited in his ability to come off the bench for Andrew Bogut.

So far, that switch has resulted in a 2-2 record, both losses coming off the talented Rockets. It will be interesting to see if this lineup switch pays off in the end.

I contemplate on extending the contracts of Bogut and Frye, but eventually decide against it. Frye wants a 6-year contract worth about 42 million, while Bogut wants a 6-year contract worth about 55 million. I consider that we're probably going to have 15 million worth of cap space next season if we renounce contracts, and I think it's worth a risk seeing Bogut and Frye walk to check which players hit free agency next season.

Around the League:

We are on top of the Eastern Conference, thanks to our 22-5 record. The Central Division is the most competitive in the league, with four of five teams having winning records. The Pistons are behind us at 21-9, the Cavs are at 18-12, and the Bulls are at 15-13.

In the Atlantic, the Knicks are ahead at 19-11, while the Raptors are behind at 17-13. In the Southeast, the Heat are the sole owners of the best record in their division with a humble 17-16 clip, with the closest team behind them being the Hawks at 13-16.

The Wizards and Magic are trailing in the Atlantic, despite having the two guys in the race for ROY (Adams and Doctor) in their lineups. I expect the Wizards to basically call it a season and the Magic to try and claw their way back into a playoff berth.

The Western Conference is very competitive this season, with 5 teams having records above .600. The Rockets are tied with the Nuggets for the best record in the Western Conference at 23-8. Behind the Rockets in the Southwest are the Spurs, who hold a 20-12 record. In the Northwest, the Sonics and Jazz are behind the Nuggets with 17-12 and 18-14 records. In the Pacific, a two-team race is going on as the Suns and Kings jockey for position again. The Suns are at 22-8 and the Kings are at 20-8.

Power Rankings:

1. Houston Rockets (305.3)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (298.0)
3. Sacramento Kings (287.8)
4. Phoenix Suns (279.3)
5. Denver Nuggets (275.7)
6. New York Knicks (267.9)
7. Utah Jazz (262.2)
8. New Jersey Nets (261.9)
9. Chicago Bulls (260.6)
10. Seattle Supersonics (252.5)
11. San Antonio Spurs (251.9)
12. Charlotte Bobcats (247.6)
13. Golden State Warrios (247.5)
14. Detroit Pistons (247.1)
15. Toronto Raptors (244.3)
16. Cleveland Cavaliers (242.5)
17. Orlando Magic (241.1)
18. New Orleans Hornets (236.3)
19. Atlanta Hawks (234.2)
20. Portland Trailblazers (224.9)
21. Indiana Pacers (221.7)
22. Miami Heat (220.4)
23. LAL Lakers (219.3)
24. LAC Clippers (218.8)
25. Boston Celtics (212.0)
26. Washington Wizards (207.5)
27. Dallas Mavericks (207.0)
28. Memphis Grizzlies (203.0)
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (200.3)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (184.7)

Major Injuries:

T. Zukauskas, Mavericks - a broken ankle (33 d) - The Mavs rookie suffers a big injury and is basically sent to the D-League (inactive list) for the time being.
C. Anthony, Nuggets - a broken wrist (23 d) - Anthony is still out, but the Nuggets are still competing without him.
N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (324 d)
S. Francis, Knicks - a broken elbow (30 d) - Franchise's injury is giving rookie SG Bran Granberry enough minutes to play and show his stuff.
A. Horford, Trailblazers - a broken wrist (15 d)
B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (112 d) - Haywood is still a long way from playing, but he has an outside shot of making it to the playoff roster... if the Wiz even make the playoffs.

Transactions:

Dec 21, 2008 - Pistons trade PF Jason Maxiell for Wizards PG Jason Williams, 2009 2nd round pick(WAS) - The Pistons fill out a need and get rid of an excess player. The Wizards really shouldn't have done this deal, as Maxiel does nothing for them.

Rookie Watch:

The ROY race is shaping up to be a two-horse thing, with Adams and Doctor vying for the award. Bran Granberry, Anu Paulaskas, and Branden Levett have an outside chance of grabbing the title, though, given the amount of minutes they're getting from their teams.

(#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.8 bpg, 2.6 topg
(#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 14.2 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.3 topg
(#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 12.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 3.5 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.4 topg
(#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.3 ppg, 1.8 apg, 9.3 rpg, 0.7 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.5 topg
(#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.4 ppg, 1.4 apg, 3.7 rpg, 0.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.5 topg

Neon_Chaos · 01-05-2009, 04:10 AM

Jan 2, 2009 - @ Indiana - WIN (95-88)

Michael Redd scored 26 points and dishes out 6 assists as we defeat the Pacers in Indiana. Channing Frye had a great game: 20 points and 11 rebounds. Andrew Bogut chipped in 7 points and 16 rebounds, while Julian Wright had 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 27 points and 8 rebounds, while Robert Johnson had 10 points and 7 assists.

Jan 3, 2009 - vs New Jersey - WIN (109-83)

Three Bucks scored 20 points or more as we defeat the Nets by 16 points. Michael Redd led us with 26 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Al Jefferson had 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Corey Brewer had 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench. The Nets had 34 points from Vince Carter, but no one else scored in double figures for them.

Jan 5, 2009 - @ Toronto - WIN (101-73)

Michael Redd scores 33 points, and Al Jefferson has 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, as we demolish the Raptors in Toronto. Andrew Bogut had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Julian Wright contributed 14 points and 5 assists. PJ Brown came off the bench and had 6 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut sprained his ankle and is going to be questionable for the next week or so.

The Raptors were led by Greg Oden’s 23 points and 6 rebounds, but they only shot 40% from the field and 1/12 from the three-point arc. They also turned the ball over 21 times.

Jan 6, 2009 - vs Jazz – WIN (106-81)

Jeff Van Gundy goes back to our opening day lineup tonight, with the only difference being Andrew Bogut coming off the bench for Channing Frye at center.

Michael Redd and Al Jefferson destroy the Jazz in this 25-point blowout. Michael Redd scored 31 points at PG, while Al Jefferson had 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Acie Law scored 17 points and dished out 6 assists off the bench.

Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 29 points and 12 rebounds, but the Jazz shot 39% from the field.

Jan 9, 2009 - @ Atlanta – WIN (95-90)

We barely escape with a 5-point win over the Hawks in Atlanta, thanks to 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists from Michael Redd. Julian Wright scored 14 points, while Channing Frye had 12 points, and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bogut pitched in 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

The Hawks were led by 27 points from Josh Smith, 21 points from Joe Johnson, and 17 points from Zaza Pachulia.

Jan 10, 2009 - @ San Antonio – WIN (104-82)

We limit the Spurs to only 31 points in the 2nd half and grab this 18-point win in San Antonio.

Michael Redd has a scorching 37-point, 5-rebound, 11-assist performance. Channing Frye had 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Corey Brewer had 15 points and 3 assists. Al Jefferson fouled out in the 2nd quarter, and only had 2 points and 2 assists.

The Spurs were led by 19 points from Tony Parker, and 17 points from Manu Ginobili. Tim Duncan scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebound for the Spurs.

Jan 12, 2009 - vs Washington – WIN (95-67)

We embarrass the Wizards at home with this 28-point victory.

Michael Redd leads us with 28 points, while Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 22 minutes of play due to foul trouble.

The Wizards were led by 23 points and 12 assists from Gilbert Arenas. Myron Adams scored 16 points, while Antawn Jamison had 17. Noone else scored more than 5 points for the Wizards, who shot 35% from the field.

Jan 13, 2009 - @ Memphis – WIN (103-81)

We continue in our winning ways as we demolish the Grizzlies to the tune of 22 points.

Michael Redd lights up with 42 points and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 17 points, Channing Frye contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 14 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 16 points, while Kyle Lowry and Anu Paulaskas have 15 and 13 points each. Al Jefferson held Pau Gasol to 2 points on 1 of 6 shooting.

Jan 15, 2009 - @ Charlotte – WIN (106-95)

Van Gundy goes back to the unorthodox lineup of playing Wright at PG and Frye at SF against the Bobcats, and we defeat them by nine points thanks to a 28-18 4th quarter.

Michael Redd had 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists to lead our team, while Al Jefferson had 21 points and 13 rebounds. Julian Wright had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The Bobcats were paced by Gerald Wallace’s 23 points, and Emeka Okafor’s 22.

Jan 17, 2009 - @ New Jersey – WIN (98-77)

We close out a three-game road trip with a 21-point victory over the Nets in New Jersey.

Michael Redd drops in 34 points and 6 assists against the Nets. Al Jefferson had 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Andrew Bogut had 6 points and 20 rebounds.

The Nets got 17 points from Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson scored 15. We out-rebounded the Nets 52-23 to grab this lopsided win.

Jan 19, 2009 - vs Detroit – LOSS (95-89)

We suffer the first loss of the month at home against a pretty strong Pistons team.

Michael Redd had 28 points and 5 assists, while Channing Frye put up 18 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Brewer also pitched in 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists from the bench. But Al Jefferson and Andrew Bogut both fouled out of the game, and combined for only 7 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pistons were led by Jamaal Magloire’s 23 points and 19 rebounds. Rip Hamilton scored 18 points, Rasheed Wallace pitched in 16 points, and Chauncey Billups had 14.

Jan 21, 2009 - @ New York – WIN (119-89)

We bounce back against the Knicks and bury them by 30 points.

Michael Redd exploded with 38 points and 5 assists. Corey Brewer came off the bench and was largely effective with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Channing Frye had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Al Jefferson pitched in 14 points and 2 blocks, while Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Jamal Crawford led the Knicks from the bench with his 24 points. Kevin Durant had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rookie Brad Granberry had an awful night, shooting 0/10 from the field and having only 2 points and 2 assists.

Jan 24, 2009 - vs Phoenix – WIN (108-89)

We send the Suns crashing at home thanks to Michael Redd’s continuous hot performance.

Redd scored 34 points and had 5 assists to lead all scorers. Julian Wright had 14 points and 10 assists. Andrew Bogut had 9 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists. PJ Brown and Corey Brewer pitched in 10 and 13 points off the bench.

Shawn Marion led the suns with 22 points. Amare Stoudamire had 15 points and 16 rebounds. Steve Nash had 12 points and 7 assists. The Suns commited 30 fouls, turned the ball over 21 times, and only shot 38% from the field.

Jan 26, 2009 - vs Denver – LOSS (103-102)

Michael Redd missed a potential game winner, and we fall to the Nuggets by one point.

Six Bucks scored in double figures, led by Michael Redd’s 22 points and Julian Wright’s 20 points. It wasn’t enough, however, as the Nuggets got great numbers from their guys.

Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and 5 rebounds, Allen Iverson had 20 points and 9 assists, while Marcus Camby had 19 points, 22 rebounds, and 3 blocks for the Nuggets.

Jan 28, 2009 - @ Cleveland – WIN (97-79)

We bounce back from that loss thanks to an 18-point win over the Cavaliers sans an injured Caron Butler.

Michael Redd had 27 points and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Channinf Frye had 12 points and 5 rebounds. Corey Brewer and Acie Law contributed from the bench with 12 and 11 points.

Lebron James tried to keep his team afloat, but his 25 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds were not enough to overcome our team effort.

Jan 30, 2009 - vs Minnesota – WIN (114-76)

We finish the month with a 38-point victory over the Timberwolves at home.

Michael Redd led six Bucks in double digit scoring with 27 points and 7 assists. Andrew Bogut had 15 points, whiel Al Jefferson and Channing Frye both had 12 points. Corey Brewer came off the bench with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while PJ Brown had 10 points and 6 rebounds.

Kevin Garnett had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Ricky Davis had 19 points for the TWolves, who couldn’t get anyone else to score in double figures.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We go 14-2 during the month of January, and walk into the New Year still on top of the NBA at 36-7. We’re currently on pace for a 60+ win season and are hopeful that we can avoid the late-season fatigue that bit us toward the second half of last year’s run to the playoffs.

Michael Redd is the 3rd leading scorer in the league with 28.5 ppg. He is trailing Kobe Bryant’s 31.9 ppg and Allen Iverson’s 31.5 ppg.

Al Jefferson is averaging 16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg, and 1.9 bpg this season. He has been very instrumental in our wins, but has had a penchant for committing a lot of fouls, averaging about 4 pfpg.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Bucks (36-7), Central
Pistons (35-11), Central
Bulls (26-17), Central
Cavaliers (26-18), Central
Heat (27-20), Southwest
Raptors (25-21), Atlantic
Knicks (22-23), Atlantic
Hawks (20-24), Atlantic

The Central division is really the most competitive division in the Eastern Conference, with the top four teams in the division being the top four teams in the conference itself. The Southwest is represented by the Heat, and the Heat alone, as everyone else is below .500 and a mile away from the division leaders. In the Atlantic, there is competition for the best team in the division, but the Raptors are also the only team above .500. The Knicks and Hawks are barely there and round out the playoff hopefuls for the conference.

The Magic and Wizards look like they’re headed for the lottery once again. Their rookies are unable to carry the burden of lifting a team from the dregs of the league.

Western Conference:

Rockets (35-12), Southwest
Suns (35-13), Pacific
Nuggets (33-13), Northwest
Kings (29-16), Pacific
Spurs (29-18), Southwest
Supersonics (24-20), Northwest
Jazz (24-22), Northwest
Hornets (22-23), Southwest

There is a legitimate race for the best record in the West between the Rockets, Nuggets, and Suns. In the Southwest, the Spurs are racing to catch up with the red-hot Rockets, while in the Pacific, the Kings are looking to race after the Suns’ best record in the Division. The Nuggets have a firm grip on the Northwest, with the Sonics and Jazz being 8 and 9 games behind.

The Lakers, Warriors, and Clippers are all barely outside the playoff hunt and are looking to make it past the Hornets, Jazz, and Sonics.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (279.0)
2. Houston Rockets (272.6)
3. Phoenix Suns (249.6)
4. Denver Nuggets (239.6)
5. Detroit Pistons (237.6)
6. Chicago Bulls (230.9)
7. Sacramento Kings (230.2)
8. San Antonio Spurs (219.7)
9. Utah Jazz (219.0)
10. Toronto Raptors (217.5)
11. Seattle Supersonics (215.0)
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (211.4)
13. Golden State Warriors (207.4)
14. Charlotte Bobcats (206.6)
15. New York Knicks (206.5)
16. LAL Lakers (204.4)
17. New Orleans Hornets (201.6)
18. Miami Heat (201.2)
19. Atlanta Hawks (199.5)
20. Orlando Magic (192.8)
21. Portland Trailblazers (190.5)
22. New Jersey Nets (189.0)
23. Boston Celtics (184.9)
24. LAC Clippers (182.7)
25. Indiana Pacers (181.0)
26. Dallas Mavericks (176.5)
27. Philadelphia 76ers (169.0)
28. Washington Wizards (159.4)
29. Memphis Grizzlies (155.7)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (149.6)

Major Injuries:

G. Wallace, Bobcats - a broken finger (31 d)
C. Butler, Cavaliers - a broken arm (5 d)
T. Zukauskas, Mavericks - a broken ankle (4 d)
N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (295 d)
J. Green, Timberwolves - a broken toe (33 d)
S. Francis, Knicks - a broken elbow (1 d)
B. Roy, Trailblazers - a broken hand (25 d)
L. Ridnour, Supersonics - a broken wrist (23 d)
B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (83 d)

Transactions:

No trades for the month.

Rookie Watch:

Myron Adams would like to distance himself from the Doctor in the ROY race. Doctor has upped his scoring for this month, and is slowly catching up with Adams’ scoring output.

(#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.7 bpg, 2.5 topg
(#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 15.9 ppg, 2.3 apg, 5.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.3 bpg, 2.4 topg
(#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 14.7 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.7 topg
(#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.6 ppg, 1.9 apg, 9.4 rpg, 0.8 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.5 topg
(#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.8 ppg, 1.5 apg, 3.8 rpg, 0.8 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.5 topg

Neon_Chaos · 01-05-2009, 04:10 AM

FEBRUARY 2009 GAMES:

Feb 2, 2009 - vs Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (107-97)

Michael Redd had 37 points and 4 assists as we defeat the Clippers to start off the month. Channing Frye had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Julian Wright had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Corey Brewer pitched in 11 points and 4 assists off the bench.

Elton Brand had 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who couldn’t hold on to their lead in the fourth quarter, as we outscored them 29-13 to grab a ten-point win.

Feb 3, 2009 - @ Washington – LOSS (108-99)

The lowly Wizards blast us in the first half of our game, and we were never able to recover in the second half as we lose by nine.

Gilbert Arenas had a superhuman 46 points and 8 assists for the Wizards, while Antawn Jamison had 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Michael Redd was limited to 17 points and 7 assists, while Andrew Bogut showed up tonight with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Channing Frye pitched in 15 points.

Feb 6, 2009 - vs Boston – WIN (107-79)

Michael Redd lights up the Celtics with 38 points and 7 rebounds, helping us defeat the Green Machine at home. Al Jefferson had 16 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks.

Gerald Green led the Celtics from the bench with 14 points. Paul Pierce had 12 points, and Wallzy Sczerbiak scored 13.

We shot 60% from the field, while the Celtics shot 36% from the field.

Feb 7, 2009 - @ Toronto – WIN (98-81)

Michael Redd leads us with 30 points and 7 assists as we beat the Raptors in Toronto.

Al Jefferson had 14 point and 6 rebounds, while Julian Wright had 11 points and 8 rebounds. Corey Brewer had 16 points off the bench.

The Raptors were led by Chris Bosh who scored 20 points, and TJ Ford who had 16 points and 10 assists.

Feb 10, 2009 - vs Atlanta – WIN (101-64)

Six Bucks scored in double figures as we destroy the Hawks at home. The Hawks never scored more than 19 points in one quarter tonight.

Michael Redd had 23 points and 9 assists. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Channing Frye had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Julian Wright had 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. PJ Brown scored 10 and Corey Brewer had 12 off the bench.

The Hawks were led by Sam Cassell, who scored 14 points. They shot 33% from the field and 61% from the FT line.

Feb 12, 2009 - @ Detroit – LOSS (89-79)

Ouch. The Piston hold our offense to only 79 points and show that they’re a legit contender in the East, drawing closer being only several games behind us in the Central.

Michael Redd scored 26 points, and Al Jefferson had 12 points, but no other Buck scored in double figures. We shot only 41% from the field and made 61% of our free throws.

The Pistons were led by Rip Hamilton’s 25 points, and Chauncey Billups’ 16 points and 10 assists. Jamaal Magloire had 12 points and 7 rebounds for the Pistons.

Feb 14, 2009 - @ New York – WIN (98-70)

Michael Redd had 31 points and 5 assists in this 28-point win over the Knicks in New York.

Andrew Bogut pitched in 15 points and 13 rebounds, Al Jefferson had 11 points, and Channing Frye had 12 points and 7 rebounds.

The Knicks were led by 17 points from Kevin Durant and 11 points from Bobby Simmons off the bench. They shot a measley 33% from the field and no one else scored in double figures.

Feb 16, 2009 – ALL STAR WEEKEND CONTESTS

Ronnie Brewer of the Jazz won the Slam Dunk Title, while Kyle Korver of the 76ers won the 3-Point Crown.

Feb 17, 2009 – NBA ROOKIE-SOPHOMORE GAME – SOPHS WIN (91-77)

Anu Paulaskas might have won the MVP of the game with a dazzling performance: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, but the sophomores showed their grit and demolished the rookies in the 2nd half of the game, outscoring them 48-31.

Kevin Durant led the rookies with 20 points, while Mike Conley had 14 points, and our very own Julian Wright had 15 points and 7 assists from the bench.

Brian Doctor scored 7 points and Myron Adams scored 12 points for the Rookies.

We sent all three of our rookies to the game: Corey Brewer started as the SG for the Soph squad while Wright and Law came off the bench.

Feb 18, 2009 – NBA ALL-STAR GAME – WEST WIN (119-101)

Talk about two weird nights. The best player from the losing team won the Game MVP Trophy for the second night in a row.

Chris Bosh’s 25-points, 15-rebound performance was enough to net him the All Star MVP award. The West, however, proved their dominance over the East tonight.

Seven Western Conference All Stars scored in double digits, including all five starters, led by Kevin Garnett’s 22 points, Tim Duncan’s 18 points, and Yao Ming’s 18 points.

Dwyane Wade and Paul Pierce provided extra firepower for the East, with Wade having 22 points and 9 assists and Pierce scoring 19 points. It wasn’t enough, however, as the East struggled to shoot the ball, making only 42% of their shots, as opposed to the West’s 55%.

Michael Redd only played 12 minutes and scored 5 points for the East.

West All Stars: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis, Marcus Camby, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Peja Stojakovic

East All Stars: Paul Pierce, Andrew Bargnani, Chris Bosh, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd, Wally Sczerbiak, Gilbert Arenas, Jermaine O’neal, Shaquille O’neal, Ben Gordon , Chauncey Billups

Feb 20, 2009 - @ Charlotte – LOSS (110-103 OT)

Michael Redd, Acie Law, and Al Jefferson suffer injuries during the game, and we collapse against the Bobcats, losing by seven points in overtime.

Redd tweaked his knee and played only 16 minutes, scoring 15 points. He was diagnosed to be alright after game, saying that it was only a minor bruise.

Channing Frye led us with 19 points, and Andrew Bogut provided 17 points and 18 rebounds. Al Jefferson had 12 points and 11 rebounds before being taken out of the game in OT due to a sore leg. Acie Law suffered a strained abdominal muscle. Both players will be able to play but won’t be 100% for the week.

Brevin Knight scored 21 points and dished out 8 assists for the Bobcats, while Raymond Felton and Adam Morrison threw in 18 and 16 points each.

Feb 21, 2009 - vs New Jersey – LOSS (99-86)

Michael Redd can’t shake off the funk he’s been in and only scores 18 points as we lose to the Nets, thanks to an uninspired 38-point 1st half.

Channing Frye led us again in scoring with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Julian Wright had 15 points and 6 assists.

Vince Carter had 25 points for the Nets, while Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists.

Feb 23, 2009 - vs Toronto – LOSS (116-109)

The losing streak continues as we fall to the Raptors by seven points.

Michael Redd finally came out of his post-AS game slump and scored 36 points. Channing Frye had 20 points, while Al Jefferson had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Raptors were led by Chris Bosh’s 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani had 17 points and 7 rebounds, and TJ Ford and Hedo Turkoglu pitched in 18 and 17 points each.

Feb 25, 2009 - vs Seattle – WIN (92-75)

We beat the Sonics thanks to 36 points and 6 assists from Michael Redd and 25 points and 13 rebounds from Al Jefferson.

Andrew Bogut also pitched in 7 points, 7 assists, and 14 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 8 points and 9 rebounds.

Ray Allen led the Sonics with 23 points, and Rashard Lewis scored 18. We outscored the Sonics 53-30 during the 2nd half to grab this win.

Feb 27, 2009 - vs Philadelphia – WIN (102-89)

Channing Frye and Michael Redd score 24 points each, while Andrew Bogut has 16 points and 11 rebounds in this win over the 76ers.

Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 23 points, and Samuel Dalembert contributed 16 poitns and 10 rebounds for Philly, who turned the ball over 20 times.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We hit a bit of a stumbling block in February, going 7-5 and losing big games to playoff-bound teams such as the Pistons and Raptors. The Pistons loss was pretty big, considering that they’ve already closed the gap between our teams and currently hold a tie-breaker over us.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Pistons (43-12), Central
Bucks (43-12), Central
Bulls (34-20), Central
Cavaliers (34-22), Central
Heat (34-24), Southwest
Raptors (32-25), Atlantic
Knicks (27-30), Atlantic
Nets (26-32), Atlantic

The Pistons have a great month of February and draw even with us to take the best record in the NBA via a tie-breaker. The Top 4 teams in the Conference are still from the Central, with the Bulls and Cavs close by. The Heat own the Southwest, while tree Atlantic teams round out the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

Western Conference:

Rockets (44-14), Southwest
Suns (43-14), Pacific
Nuggets (40-17), Northwest
Spurs (35-22), Southwest
Supersonics (32-24), Northwest
Jazz (32-25), Northwest
Kings (33-26), Pacific
Hornets (28-29), Southwest

The Rockets and Suns are racing for the best record in the West, with the Nuggets close behind. The Spurs, Sonics, and Jazz are close by, and the Kings have suffered from various minor injuries to fall from the #4 spot to the #7 spot. The Hornets are still manning the bottom of the West, slowly pulling away from the other teams outside of the playoff hunt.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (247.7)
2. Houston Rockets (245.9)
3. Phoenix Suns (233.4)
4. Detroit Pistons (223.6)
5. Denver Nuggets (211.7)
6. Chicago Bulls (211.4)
7. San Antonio Spurs (197.9)
8. Seattle Supersonics (195.4)
9. Utah Jazz (195.3)
10. Toronto Raptors (192.0)
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (189.5)
12. Miami Heat (180.5)
13. Sacramento Kings (178.8)
14. New York Knicks (171.0)
15. New Jersey Nets (169.4)
16. New Orleans Hornets (168.8)
17. LAL Lakers (164.2)
18. Golden State Warriors (163.7)
19. Charlotte Bobcats (159.3)
20. Orlando Magic (159.2)
21. Portland Trailblazers (159.1)
22. Atlanta Hawks (148.3)
23. LAC Clippers (144.0)
24. Indiana Pacers (142.6)
25. Dallas Mavericks (140.9)
26. Memphis Grizzlies (136.1)
27. Boston Celtics (135.3)
28. Philadelphia 76ers (135.3)
29. Washington Wizards (122.9)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (109.0)

Major Injuries:

G. Wallace, Bobcats - a broken finger (2 d)
Z. Ilgauskas, Cavaliers - a broken hand (52 d)
N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (266 d)
E. Brand, Clippers - a broken ankle (38 d)
J. Green, Timberwolves - a broken toe (4 d)
J. Boone, Nets - a broken wrist (46 d)
Q. Douby, Kings - a broken hand (14 d)
B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (54 d)

Transactions:

Feb 21, 2009 - Supersonics trade PG Earl Watson, 2009 1st round pick(SEA) for Magic PG Jameer Nelson

Rookie Watch:

Adams and Doctor are still in the running for ROY, while Anu Paulaskas has had a great month and a boost after winning the MVP for the Rookie-Sophomore game. PF Gerrick Baxter has had limited minutes (23 mpg), but has been performing well as a sixth man for the Hornets.

(#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 18.0 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg, 2.6 topg
(#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 15.7 ppg, 2.3 apg, 5.5 rpg, 1.4 spg, 2.4 bpg, 2.4 topg
(#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 16.1 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.8 topg
(#6 overall) PF Gerrick Baxter, Hornets – 10.1 ppg, 1.6 apg, 4.2 rpg, 0.6 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.7 topg
(#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.4 ppg, 2.0 apg, 8.9 rpg, 0.8 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.4 topg
(#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.7 ppg, 1.6 apg, 3.8 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.4 topg

Neon_Chaos · 01-05-2009, 04:11 AM

MARCH 2009 GAMES:

Mar 2, 2009 - @ Minnesota – LOSS (109-95)

Michael Redd scores 33 points, and Channing Frye has 21 points and 5 rebounds, but we are saddled by fouls and lack of defense as we succumb to KG and the Timberwolves in Minny.

Garnett had a monster game: 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Ricky Davis has 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists for the Timberwolves. Rany Foye contributed 16 points and 11 assists for the Wolves.

Mar 3, 2009 - vs Chicago – LOSS (97-84)

The trip home was exhausting, and we lose the tail-end of a back-to-back at home.

Michael Redd puts up his usual 30 points along with 7 assists, but our other guys fail to find their groove after coming back from the Minny loss. Al Jefferson had 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Three Bulls hit 20 points or more tonight: Ben Gordon (26 points), Luol Deng (21 points), and Tyrus Thomas (20 points).

Mar 5, 2009 - @ Chicago – LOSS (115-95)

The skid continues as we travel to Chicago and fail to learn from our mistakes two days back.

Redd has 34 points and 4 assists, while Al Jefferson contributes 18 points and 8 rebounds. Corey Brewer also suffered a mild concussion and will be questionable for the next week.

The same Bulls trio terrorizes us with their scoring. Ben Gordon has 27 points and 8 assists, Luol Deng has 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyrus Thomas has 20 points and 7 rebounds.

Mar 6, 2009 - vs Atlanta – WIN (109-81)

We stop the losing streak at home, determined to forget about the jet lag in this back-to-back by pounding the Hawks, limiting them to only 10 points in the first half.

Michael Redd has 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson has 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. PJ Brown contributed 12 points off the bench.

The Hawks were led by Salim Stoudamire’s 15 poins off the bench as the Hawks fail to get significant numbers from their starters.

Mar 9, 2009 - vs Dallas – WIN (105-76)

Dallas feels the Wrath of Al Jefferson, as he destroys them with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Michael Redd only scores 15 points, but we got a lot from our other guys. Channing Frye had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 19 points and 9 rebounds.

Josh Howard had 21 points, and Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points, being the only two Mavericks in double digits for the game.

Mar 10, 2009 - @ New Orleans – LOSS (106-103)

I am starting to hate these back to back games.

Michael Redd scores 42 points, but his attempt to send the game into overtime rattled out. We tried to storm back from a double-digit deficit at the end of the third with a 38-point fourth quarter but fell short.

Peja Stojakovic scored 32 points for the Hornets, who also got 17 points from Chris Paul and 16 points from Ronald Murray.

Mar 12, 2009 - @ Miami – WIN (106-91)

Michael Redd scores 23 points and dishes out 9 assists, and Channing Fyre puts in 25 points as we defeat the Heat in Miami.

Shaquille O’neal only had 14 points for the Heat, and Dwyane Wade was saddled with foul trouble and only contributed 12 points.

Mar 14, 2009 - vs Cleveland – WIN (106-90)

Three Bucks score over 20 points as we defeat the Cavaliers by sixteen.

Andrew Bogut had 28 points and 9 rebounds, Michael Redd had 23 points and 9 assists, and Al Jefferson had 22 points and 5 rebounds.

Lebron James had 21 points and 9 assists, and Larry Hughes scored 20 points for the Cavs.

Mar 16, 2009 - vs Washington – WIN (111-69)

It feels good to be winning again, specially if you win by 42 points.

Michael Redd scored 38 points and had 5 assists, while Julian Wright had 16 points and 7 assists in this win. Channing Frye pitched in 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with 16 points, while Myron Adams scored 10. Gilbert Arenas was limited to only 8 points thanks to foul trouble.

Mar 18, 2009 - @ Denver – LOSS (89-81)

We lose the opening game of a five-game Western Conference road trip against red-hot Denver.

Allen Iverson lit us up with 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Marcus Camby had 13 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Al Jefferson led the way for us with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Michael Redd shot 5/18 from the field and only scored 15 points.

Mar 20, 2009 - @ Seattle – LOSS (105-86)

Ray Allen had 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 16 assists, as the Sonics abused us in Seattle. Newcomer Jameer Nelson had 13 points and 8 assists, while Luke Ridnour had 15 points and 7 assists off the bench for the Sonics.

Michael Redd scored 23 points, and Channing Frye contributed 14 points and 5 rebounds for us. No other Buck scored in double digits.

Mar 21, 2009 - @ Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (108-98)

We break out of the road funk and win against the Clippers.

Michael Redd had 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Al Jefferson had 30 points. Channing Frye contributed 17 points as well.

Corey Maggette led six Clippers in double figures with 17 points. Daniel Gibson scored 15 points and dished out 6 assists.

Mar 23, 2009 - @ Golden State – LOSS (93-86)

Ugh. The season has worn us down, I think. We lose to the Warriors by seven points.

Michael Redd leads us with 28 points, while Andrew Bogut has 8 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Al Harrington leads the Warriors with 22 points. Jason Richardson had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Baron Davis has 18 points and 14 assists for the Warriors.

Mar 24, 2009 - @ Utah – WIN (106-81)

We close out our road trip with a win against the Jazz in Utah.

Al Jefferson led the way with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Michael Redd was held to 15 points and 5 assists, while Corey Brewer put up 21 points and 5 rebounds from the bench. Andrew Bogut had another good game on the boards with 6 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Andrei Kirilenko led the Jazz with 18 points, while Deron Williams had 14 points. Carlos Boozer was held to 6 points.

Mar 26, 2009 - vs Indiana – WIN (110-84)

Michael Redd sinks in 41 points, and Channing Frye had 24 points and 8 rebounds as we defeat the Pacers at home.

Jermaine O’neal had 29 points, while Troy Murphy scored 17 points for Indiana.

Mar 28, 2009 - vs Golden State – LOSS (113-106)

We are unable to redeem our loss against Golden State and lose to the Warriors at home.

Michael Redd had 39 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 17 points. Julian Wright had 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Jaon Richardson was on fire with 32 points and 6 assists, while Baron Davis had a great game, putting in 22 points and 18 assists.

Mar 30, 2009 - vs Memphis – WIN (103-70)

We finish the month with a thirty-three-point win over the hapless Grizzlies.

Michael Redd had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists Al Jefferson had 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Julian Wright scored 13 points.

Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 13 points, and Mike Miller puts in 11 points. We hold rookie SG Anu Paulaskas to only 10 points on 5 of 23 shooting and Pau Gasol to only 7 points.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We go 9-8 during March, the most difficult month of the season so far to put us at 52-20, tied with the Pistons for the best record in the East. Our 60+ win season is seriously in jeopardy, and we really need to nut up during the final ten games in order to put ourselves in a favorable position for the playoffs.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Pistons (52-20), Central
Bucks (52-20), Central
Bulls (48-24), Central
Cavaliers (41-30), Central
Raptors (41-31), Atlantic
Heat (39-35), Southwest
Nets (38-36), Atlantic
Knicks (35-36), Atlantic

The Race for the best record in the East is being fought in the Central Division. The Pistons are still ahead of the East by virtue of a tiebreaker over us. The Bulls had a great run during the month of March, closing the gap between them and us via a 14-4 clip for the month. The Nets and Knicks are fighting for positioning, basically, as the Magic, Hawks, and 76ers are most likely not going to be able to catch up to them.

Western Conference:

Suns (55-17), Pacific
Rockets (54-19), Southwest
Nuggets (50-22), Northwest
Spurs (45-28), Southwest
Jazz (42-30), Northwest
Kings (42-32), Pacific
Supersonics (40-32), Northwest
Hornets (35-37), Southwest

On the trail:
Lakers (34-38), PAcific

The Suns and Rockets now own the best records in the league, thanks to a power-packed March. The Nuggets are still on pace to finish as the #3 seed, while the Spurs, Jazz, Kings, and Sonics are all jockeying for playoff positioning. The Hornets and Lakers are going to be in a tight race for the final playoff spot in the West.

Power Rankings:

1. Phoenix Suns (207.6)
2. Houston Rockets (204.1)
3. Milwaukee Bucks (202.5)
4. Detroit Pistons (185.2)
5. Denver Nuggets (182.9)
6. Chicago Bulls (179.5)
7. San Antonio Spurs (164.3)
8. Utah Jazz (158.7)
9. Toronto Raptors (156.8)
10. Seattle Supersonics (154.3)
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (153.0)
12. Sacramento Kings (147.0)
13. New Jersey Nets (138.8)
14. New York Knicks (135.2)
15. Miami Heat (134.2)
16. LAL Lakers (131.0)
17. New Orleans Hornets (129.2)
18. Golden State Warrios (113.6)
19. Atlanta Hawks (109.5)
20. Dallas Mavericks (109.3)
21. Charlotte Bobcats (108.8)
22. Orlando Magic (106.1)
23. Philadelphia 76ers (103.7)
24. Memphis Grizzlies (102.9)
25. Indiana Pacers (99.8)
26. Portland Trailblazers (96.6)
27. Boston Celtics (94.1)
28. LAC Clippers (93.1)
29. Washington Wizards (78.3)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (65.5)

Major Injuries:

Z. Ilgauskas, Cavaliers - a broken hand (21 d)
N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (235 d)
C. Billups, Pistons - a broken hand (60 d) – Hopefully, this means that we’re going to have an easier time of taking the Division and the Conference from the Pistons.
E. Brand, Clippers - a broken ankle (7 d)
J. Boone, Nets - a broken wrist (15 d)
J. Redick, Magic - a broken ankle (44 d)
B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (23 d)

Rookie Watch:

Anu Paulaskas has upped his scoring in the final stretch of the season, hoping to nab that ROY award, but Adams’ and Doctor’s overall games are just going to be too much to sway the voters to switch over.

(#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.0 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, 2.3 topg
(#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 15.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, 2.3 bpg, 2.4 topg
(#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 17.1 ppg, 2.6 apg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.1 topg
(#6 overall) PF Gerrick Baxter, Hornets – 9.6 ppg, 1.5 apg, 4.2 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.7 topg
(#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 9.2 rpg, 0.7 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.2 topg
(#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.7 ppg, 1.6 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.5 topg

Neon_Chaos · 01-05-2009, 04:11 AM

APRIL 2009 GAMES:

Apr 1, 2009 – vs New York – WIN (107-84)

A 23-point victory over the Knicks keeps us in pace with the Pistons who defeated the Raptors tonight, 106-103.

Michael Redd leads the team with 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Andrew Bogut had 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Corey Brewer had 16 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Julian Wright had 4 points and 7 assists on 1 of 13 shooting.

Jamal Crawford and Bobby Simmons led the Knicks from the bench with 16 and 13 points. We held Kevin Durant to only 8 points on 4 of 20 shooting.

Apr 4, 2009 - @ Boston – WIN (82-71)

Michael Redd had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson put in 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks as we defeat the Celtics at Boston. Andrew Bogut had 10 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The Celtics were led by Wally Sczerbiak’s 25 points. Paul Pierce had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Detroit beat the Wizards, 106-85, keeping pace with us.

Apr 6, 2009 – vs Bobcats – WIN (101-76)

We give the Bobcats fits as we defeat them by 25 points at home.

Michael Redd had 32 points and 7 assists, while Al Hefferson had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut continues his rebounding tear with 7 points, 5 assists, and 15 rebounds. Channing Frye had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The Bobcats couldn’t get any double-figure points from their starters and managed to get 20 points from Hilton Armstrong off the bench.

The Pistons defeat the Orlando Magic, 101-83. We are currently tied with 55 wins and 20 losses each.

Apr 7, 2009 - @ Cleveland – LOSS (100-96)

Cleveland hits us with a jackhammer and we fall by four points in a very close game.

Michael Redd had 34 points, Al Jefferson scored 18, and Channing Frye scored 16 points, but it was not enough to stave off the Cavs from winning.

Lebron James scored 24 points and had 7 assits, while Larry Hughes and Caron Butler both scored 18 points for the Cavaliers.

Apr 9, 2009 - @ Washington – WIN (106-82)

The Pistons won yesterday against the Heat, 100-84. They, however, lost to the Bulls today, 102-98, making this a very big win for us.

Michael Redd had 43 points and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 9 rebounds.

Gilbert Arenas had 21 points and 9 assists for the Wizards, while Myron Adams and Macus Vinicius contributed 16 and 14 points for their cause.

Apr 11, 2009 – vs Boston – WIN (121-116)

Very big win at home against Boston, as we match the Pistons’ 105-76 victory over the Magic.

Michael Redd scored 37 points, while Al Jefferson had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Channing Frye had 21 points and 7 rebounds, while Corey Brewer pitched in 18 points off the bench.

Paul Pierce nearly had a triple-double with 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Wally Sczerbiak had 25 points for the Celtics.

Apr 13, 2009 - @ Detroit – WIN (92-84)

The Pistons struggled in the first half; we outscored them 47-30 during the first two quarters and took the lead in the East and the Central Division with this win.

Michael Redd had 36 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Al Jefferson pitched in 12 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 8 points and 18 rebounds in the effort. Julian Wright had 12 points and 6 assists, while Corey Brewer had 14 points off the bench.

The Pistons were led by Rip Hamilton’s 31 points and 4 assists. Rasheed Wallace was the only other Piston in double digits with 10 points. Jason Williams, acquired mid-season, has done a good job of filling in for the injured Billups with 8 points and 9 assists.

We are now at 58-21, and the Pistons are at 57-22. The Bulls are at 52-27.

Apr 14, 2009 – vs Orlando – WIN (94-84)

Michael Redd had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, as we defeat the Magic and hold on to our lead in the East. The Pistons defeated the Cavs, 113-101 tonight.

Al Jefferson had 18 points and 7 rebounds, Channing Frye had 14 points and 9 rebounds, and Julian Wright pitched in 14 points for us.

The Magic were led by Brian Doctor’s 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Keith Bogans had 18 points off the bench. Dwight Howard and Charlie Villanueva contributed 12 and 8 points each for the Magic.

We are now at 59-21, and the Pistons are at 58-22. In the West, the Suns have virtually assured themselves of the best record in the league with a 62-18 record.

Apr 16, 2009 - @ Philadelphia – LOSS (101-89)

Philly gives us a cause for concern, as we drop one on the road and now have to defeat the Raptors at home to assure us of home-court advantage in the East.

Michael Redd had 22 points, and Al Jefferson had 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Corey Brewer continues to be hot from the bench with 19 points and 6 rebounds.

Andre Miller led the 76ers with 20 poitns and 11 assists. Rodney Carney and Darius Songaila had 16 and 15 points each from the 76ers bench.

Apr 17, 2009 – vs Toronto – LOSS (104-95)

The Pistons won tonight, and are now ahead of the conference with a 59-22 record, with one game left to play. We drop the ball on this one, and fall one game short of a 60-win season, ending with a 59-23 record and unsure if we’re going to get the home-court advantage should the Pistons lose tomorrow night against the Bobcats (not likely)

Michael Redd had 34 points, but had to be taken out of the game in the 4th quarter after being hit hard on a foul by Maurice Williams. Al Jefferson had 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Chris Bosh had a superhuman performance to lead the Raptors with 23 points and 22 rebounds. Andrea Bargnani had 24 points and 6 rebounds. Greg Oden has been mysteriously coming off the bench for the past 25 games or so, despite being 100%. Who did he piss off? I don’t know.

To add injury to insult, Michael Redd is diagnosed with a sprained ankle, and is going to be at 80% for the next 11 days. The Playoff start in 4 days, which means Redd will not be 100% for the first 3 or 4 games of the first round of the playoffs. Crap.

April 19, 2009

The Pistons win their match-up against the Bobcats and own the East with a 60-22 record. We could have taken the top spot had we not choked against the 76ers and the Raptors. Bah.

APRIL MONTH END:

Team Report:

Michael Redd finishes the season averaging 29.0 ppg, the third-best scorer in the league behind Kobe Bryant (31.6 ppg) and Allen Iverson (31.0 ppg). He rounds out his statistical output by also averaging 3.9 rpg, 4.9 apg, and 1.4 spg.

Al Jefferson has been inconsistent in his performances throughout the season, often saddled by fouls. When he was on, however, he played really, really well. Jefferson averaged 15.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, and 1.7 bpg.

Channing Frye is our 3rd best scorer on the team with 13.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 1.1 bpg playing out of position at the SF spot.

Andrew Bogut averaged 9.7 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.1 spg, and 1.0 bpg, while Julian Wright had 9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 apg, and 1.1 bpg as a hybrid G/F playing Point.

Corey Brewer averaged 10.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, and 2.5 apg as our sixth man off the bench.

Playoff Picture:

Eastern Conference Seeding:

1. Detroit Pistons (60-22) – Central Division Champs
2. Milwaukee Bucks (59-23)
3. Toronto Raptors (47-35) – Atlantic Division Champs
4. Miami Heat (43-39) – Southeast Division Champs
5. Chicago Bulls (55-27)
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34)
7. New Jersey Nets (43-39)
8. New York Knicks (36-46)

There’s a lot of very interesting match-ups in the East. The Pistons and Bucks both have injured stars, which might open the door for either the Nets or Knicks to make it through via an upset.

The Bulls and Cavs own better records than their counterparts, thus giving them the home-court advantage. Also, with Shaq's season ending injury, the Heat are going to have a hard time against the Bulls. There is a good chance that the #5 seed Cavs and #6 seed Bulls could advance into the next round thanks to this.

Western Conference Seeding:

1. Phoenix Suns (62-20) - Pacific Division Champs
2. Denver Nuggets (59-23) - Northwest Division Champs
3. Houston Rockets (58-24) - Southwest Division Champs
4. San Antonio Spurs (52-30)
5. Sacramento Kings (47-35)
6. Utah Jazz (46-36)
7. Seattle Supersonics (43-39)
8. Los Angeles Lakers (39-43)

The Suns, Nuggets, and Rockets all look like serious contenders in the West. Kobe makes the playoffs with the Lakers, but they're going to have to go up against the ridiculously powerful Suns.

Power Rankings:

1. Phoenix Suns (185.7)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (181.0)
3. Detroit Pistons (172.6)
4. Denver Nuggets (171.9)
5. Houston Rockets (171.5)
6. Chicago Bulls (157.4)
7. San Antonio Spurs (149.1)
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (131.2)
9. Toronto Raptors (131.2)
10. Sacramento Kings (129.9)
11. Utah Jazz (126.2)
12. Seattle Supersonics (120.7)
13. New Jersey Nets (118.0)
14. Miami Heat (116.9)
15. LAL Lakers (102.7)
16. New Orleans Hornets (94.7)
17. Dallas Mavericks (91.7)
18. New York Knicks (89.0)
19. Atlanta Hawks (86.0)
20. Charlotte Bobcats (81.3)
21. Golden State Warrios (80.4)
22. Indiana Pacers (79.7)
23. Philadelphia 76ers (78.1)
24. Orlando Magic (75.7)
25. LAC Clippers (71.3)
26. Memphis Grizzlies (70.5)
27. Portland Trailblazers (59.8)
28. Boston Celtics (57.6)
29. Washington Wizards (55.5)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (42.3)

Major Injuries:

R. Felton, Bobcats - a broken finger (57 d)
B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (297 d) – After signing that nice fat contract, Knight ends the season with ANOTHER major injury.
Z. Ilgauskas, Cavaliers - a broken hand (1 d) – Should be ready for the playoffs.
N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (215 d)
C. Billups, Pistons - a broken hand (40 d) – Interesting to see how Jason Williams will fare in the playoffs.
S. O'Neal, Heat - a torn ACL (272 d) – So much for the Heat’s chances against the Bulls.
S. Francis, Knicks - a broken ankle (52 d) - Not good for the Knicks in the first round against the Pistons
J. Redick, Magic - a broken ankle (24 d)
B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (3 d)

Neon_Chaos · 01-07-2009, 01:33 AM

BUCKS-NETS SERIES PREVIEW:

On paper, we would have a big advantage on the New Jersey Nets. Despite their ability to score from the wings in Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, they have a relatively weak front-court and a weak bench.

Unfortunately, Redd’s injury has us at a disadvantage. Without the usual 30 points from Redd, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble figuring out who gets the shots. Al Jefferson is the most likely candidate, but he has disappeared at times during the season… who knows if he’s going to show up tonight. Chandler, Bogut, Brewer, and Wright all play supporting roles and are not poised to take over games on a nightly basis.

The Wright/Kidd match-up will also be interesting. Wright is in no way a true PG, but he is tall and long, meaning he can give Kidd fits on the defensive end.

If we can find the scoring we need, we can easily win this in four or five games. If not, and we let Carter and Jefferson go nuts on us, we can lose this in seven or six.

April 21, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game One

We take game one of the series against the Nets, 107-95, thanks to a solid overall effort from our guys.

Channing Frye led us in scoring with 22 points and 5 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Michael Redd’s injury limited him to only 21 points, while Al Jefferson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Corey Brewer pitched in 16 points and 7 assists from the bench.

The Nets were led by 27 points from Vince Carter, 26 points from Richard Jefferson, and 14 points and 12 assists from Jason Kidd. No other Net scored in double digits.

Channing Frye was diagnosed after the game to have suffered a sore shoulder, and won’t be 100% for the next five days or so. Crap. Injuries galore, definitely not a fun way to start the post-season.

April 22, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game Two

Corey Brewer fills in for Channing Frye at the starting line-up, and we survive game two, pulling away with a 2-0 series lead thanks to a 92-81 victory.

Andrew Bogut and Al Jefferson explode tonight with Bogut having 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Michael Redd was held to only 8 points in 27 minutes of play.

The Nets were led by Vince Carter’s 23 points and 8 rebounds. Richard Jefferson and Nenad Kristic had 14 and 13 points, while Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists.

April 24, 2009 - @ New Jersey, Game Three

Andrew Bogut has one of the greatest rebounding performances ever seen in Milwaukee playoff basketball, as he scores 18 points, grabs 28 rebounds, and dishes out 5 assists in our 88-74 win over the Nets in New Jersey.

Michael Redd scored 24 points in 30 minutes, and Al Jefferson had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Vince Carter had 20 points, while Richard Jefferson had 18 points for the Nets. Jason Kidd had 12 points and 10 assists for New Jersey.

April 25, 2009 - @ New Jersey, Game Four

The Nets refuse to go down in four games and bounce back with a 104-82 victory over us.

Six Nets score in double digits, led by Vince Carter’s 27 points and Richard Jefferson’s 21 points. Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists.

Corey Brewer and Al Jefferson scored 19 points each, while Julian Wright added 12 points. Michael Redd was limited to only 10 points, and Andrew Bogut had 4 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Around the League:

The Suns sweep the Lakers in four games, being the only team to sweep their opponents in this year’s playoffs.

April 27, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game Five

We head back home and finish the series off with a 92-82 victory to take the series in five games.

Al Jefferson led us with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 14 points and 7 assists, while Michael Redd managed to score only 12 points in 30 minutes of play.

The Nets got 18 points each from Carter and Jefferson, and Kidd had 12 points and 9 assists.

Thank goodness that we're going to have Redd at 100% in the next series. He only averaged 15 ppg against the Nets, with Al Jefferson and Andrew Bogut consistently coming up big for us.

Around the League:

The Bulls defeat the Shaq-less Heat in 5 games.
The Rockets defeat the Jazz in 5 games.
The Sonics upset the 2nd-seeded Nuggets in 5 games.

April 29, 2009

The Pistons defeat the Knicks in 6 games.
Toronto forces a game 7 against the Cavaliers.
Sacramento forces a game 7 against the Spurs.

May 1, 2009

Toronto defeats Cleveland on the road and advances after seven games.
Sacramento defeats San Antonio on the road and advances to face the Suns in the 2nd round.

2nd Round Match-ups:

East:
#1 Pistons vs. #5 Bulls
#2 Bucks vs. #3 Raptors

West:
#1 Suns vs. #5 Kings
#3 Rockets vs. #7 Sonics

Neon_Chaos · 01-07-2009, 01:34 AM

BUCKS-RAPTORS SERIES PREVIEW:

This is a rematch of last year’s 2nd round match-up that we took from the Toronto Raptors in seven big games.

Despite being the same team as last year, the Raptors have had several changes in their lineup, the most glaring being Oden’s move to the bench mid-season, and Maurice Williams’ promotion into the starting SG spot. Hedo Turkoglu now mans the SF spot, with Bargnani at PF and Bosh as the starting C.

The Raptors can now run with a high-tempo offense with Williams and Ford in the back-court, and can bring in fresh legs for the paint with Oden coming off the bench for Bosh and Bargnani.

Michael Redd will have to impose his will into this series if we’re even going to have a chance. Bogut cannot defend Bosh, but he can try to grab rebounds and facilitate our offense from the post like he has for most of the season. Al Jefferson will have to stand his ground against Bargnani, who is averaging over 25 ppg in the post-season. Channing Frye, Julian Wright, and Corey Brewer will also have to provide the length and defense that we need to stop the Raptors from creating space in the court for Ford, Williams, and Turkoglu.

This is a big toss-up, what with the Raptor’s strength inside, and predict that either we’re going to take this in 6 games, or the Raptors are going to finish it in 6.

May 3, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game One

Julian Wright has the game of his career as we defeat the Raptors in a close one at home, 113-109. Wright was the player of the game, and rightfully so, putting up 28 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 blocks against the Raptors.

Michael Redd had 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Corey Brewer pitched in 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists for us as well.

The Raptors were led by TJ Ford, who had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 16 assists. Chris Bosh had 19 points and 20 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani had 22 points and 6 rebounds. Maurice Williams had 18 points and 5 assists, while Greg Oden pitched in 6 points in 16 minutes of play.

May 4, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game Two

Al Jefferson took matters into his own hands and led the way to a 103-88 beat-down of the Raptors in game two. Big Al had 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks against the Raptors.

Michael Redd had 27 points and 7 assists, while Julian Wright had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Andrea Bargnani led the Raptors with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Chris Bosh had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while TJ Ford had 10 points and 12 assists for the Raptors.

May 6, 2009 - @ Toronto – Game Three

I have to admit, with Oden coming off the bench, we’re finding it easy enough to contain the Raptors and to dominate the boards.

Game 3 is no exception, as we defeat them in their home turf, 93-83. We out-rebound them 55-38 for the game.

Michael Redd had 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Corey Brewer had 21 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while Channing Frye had 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks.

Andrea Bargnani led the Raptors with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 33 blocks, while Chris Bosh had 13 points and 11 rebounds. TJ Ford had 15 points, but was held to only 3 assists.

May 7, 2009 - @ Toronto – Game Four

Toronto refuses to get swept, and they pull out with a 106-96 win by coming out and playing hard after half time. They outscored us 58-41 in the 2nd half.

Michael Redd had 28 points, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 9 rebounds for us.

Chris Bosh led the way for the Raptors with 33 points and 6 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Around the League:

The Suns sweep the Kings in four games and exert their dominance in these Playoffs.

May 9, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game Five

The Raptors fought hard and ended up having a 66-56 lead at the end of three quarters, but we refuse to go down and outscore them 33-16 in the final quarter to win 89-82 and wrap up this series in 5 games.

Michael Redd had 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 6 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Corey Brewer had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench.

The Raptors were led by Chris Bosh’s 18 points and 17 rebounds. Andrea Bargnani had 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Maurice Williams had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.

May 11, 2009

The Pistons defeat the Bulls in six games.
The Rockets defeat the Sonics in six games.

Conference Finals Match-ups:

East:
#1 Pistons vs. #2 Bucks

West:
#1 Suns vs. #3 Rockets

Neon_Chaos · 01-07-2009, 01:34 AM

BUCKS-PISTONS SERIES PREVIEW:

Somehow, back when we were embroiled in a fight over the best record in the East, I already had a feeling that we would most likely be headed for a collision course with the Pistons this year.

The good news: Chauncey Billups is still out with a broken hand (16 more days).
The bad news: Jason Williams has filled in well in the absence of Billups.

On paper, we should have the overall talent to defeat the Pistons. We rely heavily on attacking the paint and torching opponents with our collection of mid-range shooters. The Pistons have weak interior defense, with Rasheed Wallace leading the team in blocks in the post-season at only 1.0 bpg.

We run an unconventional offense, mostly going through our Center, Andrew Bogut, who is 2nd in the team in assists per game. Aside from Acie Law coming off the bench, and the occasional appearance from Earl Boykins, Julian Wright has assumed responsibility of manning the point for us, concentrating more on using his body to tire out the opposing PG both on offense or defense. We would like for Julian to be able to do that to Jason Williams.

Detroit has home-court advantage on their side, an advantage that we gave away in the final two games of the season. If we lose this series, we can easily look back and point to that moment in time where we most likely would have lost it: the moment we gave away home court advantage.

No matter how I feel about the home-court thing… the Pistons cannot match up with us in the paint or on defense. They have one guy who can explode for points, and we have that too. I expect to win this one in six games, just because they have home court advantage.

May 15, 2009 - @ Detroit – Game One

We start off the series on a flat foot, as we shoot only 40% from the field, led by a horrendous 4 of 24 from Michael Redd, who mustered 20 points thanks to 11 free throw shots. We lose, 94-81.

Julian Wright had 17 points for us, while Al Jefferson shot 1 of 8, scoring only 2 points.

Rip Hamilton had 18 points, while Tayshaun Prince had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jason Williams had 11 points and 8 assists.

May 16, 2009 - @ Detroit – Game Two

We bounce back and gain home-court advantage, thanks to a 95-85 win in Detroit. Al Jefferson led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 18 points and 14 rebounds. Michael Redd had 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Rip Hamilton led the Pistons with 23 points and 7 assists, while Jamaal Magloire had 12 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Williams had 9 points and 8 assists.

May 18, 2009 – vs Detroit – Game Three

All our starters score in double figures, with Michael Redd leading the way through his 27 points, and we win at home, 100-81.

Julian Wright had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Al Jefferson had 16 points and 9 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Channing Frye had 11 points.

Rip Hamilton scored 19 points, and Jamaal Magloire had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace both had 11 points for the Pistons.

May 19, 2009 – vs Detroit – Game Four

We hold the Pistons to 32% shooting at home, and move to one game from being back in the NBA Finals, running away with a 102-64 victory. The Pistons only managed to score 24 points in the first half of play.

Michael Redd led the way with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Julian Wright had 18 points and 3 assists, while Al Jefferson had 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Rip Hamilton and Jamaal Magloire are the only double-digit scorers for the Pistons, as Hamilton scored 12 points and Magloire scored 10.

May 21, 2009 - @ Detroit – Game Five

We shock the crowd in Detroit, as we defeat their Pistons by five points, thanks to a 36-27 4th quarter.

Michael Redd had 34 points, and Al Jefferson had 28 points and 9 rebounds. Julian Wright had 13 points and 10 assists, while Andrew Bogut had 8 points and 16 rebounds.

Jamaal Magloire had 21 points and 9 rebounds for the Pistons, while Tayshaun Prince finally showed up in a failed effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Rip Hamilton was limited to only 10 points tonight.

We now await the winner of the Suns-Rockets series, which have the Suns one game away from the finals, holding a 3-2 advantage over the Rockets.

May 23, 2009

The Rockets force a game seven in Phoenix, thanks to a 119-99 smashing of the Suns at home.

May 25, 2009

The Suns face their first real challenge of the playoffs, but prevail over the Rockets, 101-90, winning in 7 games. We know we're headed straight for a car wreck with the Suns... bring it on.

Your 2009 NBA Finals: Phoenix vs. Milwaukee!

Neon_Chaos · 01-07-2009, 01:35 AM

BUCKS-SUNS SERIES PREVIEW:

Two years as the GM of the Bucks, two Conference Championships. Can we win the NBA Title two years in a row? Not if the Suns have anything to say about it. They are the best team in the NBA, no doubt about it. After sweeping their first two opponents, they faced their first serious challenge against the Rockets, who almost knocked them out in the Western Conference Finals.

The defending NBA Champion Bucks, on the other hand, have anticipated tough opposition throughout the playoffs, but have actually met little to none, beating all three of their previous opponents in five games.

Here is a position breakdown (stats are for the 2009 Playoffs)

Point Guard

Bucks: Julian Wright – 12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 0.3 spg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 topg
Suns: Steve Nash – 22.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 10.3 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.1 topg

Steve Nash’s successful return from a season-ending injury last season has been the sparkplug that the Suns needed in order to get to their current top-of-the-line form this year. He is their best player and the general of the squad.

Julian Wright’s performance as a tall point guard / small forward hybrid has caused match-up problems with most of the Bucks’ opponents. He is severely outclassed, however, by Nash.

Advantage: Suns

Shooting Guard

Bucks: Michael Redd – 22.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.0 bpg, 2.4 topg
Suns: Boris Diaw – 12.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg, 1.5 topg

Michael Redd is clearly the leader of the Milwaukee bucks, he is their go-to guy, and is the main reason why they are where they are right now. He suffered an injury that left him struggling for points in the first round against the Nets. He did bounce back and immediately made his presence felt against the Raptors and Pistons. Expect Redd to do more of the same in this series.

Boris Diaw is a great defender with good height and length, and he will be tasked to try and stop Michael Redd from going on explosive scoring streaks. But you can’t help but feel that Diaw is outclassed by Redd much like how Wright is outclassed by Nash.

Advantage: Bucks

Small Forward

Bucks: Channing Frye – 9.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2apg, 0.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.3 topg
Suns: Raja Bell – 8.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.3 topg

Channing Frye and Raja Bell couldn’t be more different, but both are going to be asked by their teams to hustle on defense and provide scoring, rebounds, and assists to help the main guys.

Advantage: Even

Power Forward

Bucks: Al Jefferson – 17.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.0 topg
Suns: Shawn Marion – 16.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.7 topg

Here are two solid guys who can practically shadow each other in the lane. They are tenacious post players, rebounders, and defenders. Both Jefferson and Marion have the ability to find players on the break, or hit the break themselves. I will have to call it even for this spot.

Advantage: Even

Center

Bucks: Andrew Bogut – 12.1 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.4 bpg, 2.5 topg
Suns: Amare Stoudamire – 13.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.5 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.6 topg

Amare Stoudamire’s role as the third wheel in the Suns’ offense has left him concentrating on rebounds and defense. He is capable of much more offensively, but he will have to let Nash and Marion do their thing if the Suns are to succeed.

Andrew Bogut, on the other hand, is not a prolific scorer, but he does have a tenacity for rebounding and excellent court vision and court presence, able to dish out a healthy number of assists.

I’ll call it even, based on how each player is performing.

Advantage: Even

Bench

Bucks:
Corey Brewer – 12.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.7 bpg, 1.7 topg

Suns:
Kurt Thomas – 10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.0 topg
Leandro Barbossa – 9.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.1 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.1 topg

The Bucks might have a better 6th man in Corey Brewer, but the Suns have a deeper bench. Expect the Suns’ bench to be able to lift them in times of trouble against the Bucks.

Advantage: Suns

Final Prediction: Phoenix in Seven Games

May 27, 2009 – @ Phoenix – Game One

The Suns assert themselves on the very first game, showing why they are the best team in the league. We lose, 113-85.

Steve Nash led the Suns with 24 points, and 8 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Shawn Marion had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

Michael Redd scored 19 points on 6 of 23 shooting, but noone else scored more than ten points for us during the game.

May 28, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Two

We come out with a purpose on Game Two. We didn’t want to fall into a two-game hole headed back home. This was a close game, and a stunned Phoenix crowd watched as Leandro Barbossa missed the game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, as we win 106-103.

Michael Redd exploded for 48 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists. Al Jefferson had 20 points, and Channing Frye had 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Leandro Barbossa led the Suns from the bench with 24 points and 5 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Steve Nash had 11 points and 13 assists.

We head home tied with the Suns, 1-1.

May 30, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Three

Michael Redd led a late rally during the final two minutes, and we win the game, 110-106, taking a big 2-1 lead over the Suns.

Redd scored 34 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists. Julian Wright had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Al Jefferson had 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Corey Brewer scored 14 points off the bench.

The Suns were led once again by Amare and Leandro. Amare had 28 points, and 13 rebounds, exposing Andrew Bogut’s lack of inside defense. Leandro Barbossa burned our bench once again with 23 points. Shawn Marion had 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Steve Nash had a quiet 6 points and 7 assists, thanks to foul trouble.

May 31, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Four

Talk about a nail-biter. The Suns fail once again to force the game into overtime, as Boris Diaw misses the potential game-tying three point shot in the dying seconds of the game, and we hang on to win, 111-108, taking a commanding 3-1 lead against the Suns.

Michael Redd had 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Andrew Bogut had 7 points, 5 assists, and 17 rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 24 off the bench, while Al Jefferson had 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Steve Nash had 14 points and 16 assists, while Boris Diaw led the team in scoring with 26 points. Shawn Marion had 20 points and 8 rebounds.

We have one more game at home, up 3-1, and our back-to-back so close that I can almost taste it.

Jun 2, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Five

The champagne was ready. The balloons were on the rafters. The crowd was hot. But the Suns refuse to say die, as they rally with a 36-21 4th quarter, grabbing a crucial 104-96 win against us, and pulling to 3-2, taking the series back to Phoenix.

Michael Redd had 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, and PJ Brown had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 blocks, but we got little help from our other guys.

Steve Nash reasserts himself with 29 points and 10 assists. Boris Diaw had 19 points and 5 assists, while Raja Bell pitched in 11 points. Amare had 9 points and 12 rebounds.

Jun 4, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Six

Phoenix started off with a frenzied attack, and we never really got into the game, too shocked by our Game Five fourth-quarter collapse. The Suns handily defeat us, 110-98.

Michael Redd had 28 points and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 15 points and 18 rebounds.

Leandro Barbossa kills us AGAIN, with 29 points off the bench to lead the Suns in scoring. Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists. Boris Diaw scored 14 points, and Shawn Marion had 13 points.

The Suns have pulled even, 3-3. The season, the title, and the chance for a back-to-back all boils down to one game…

Jun 6, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Seven

Michael Redd scored 34 points in game seven, leading the Bucks in scoring. Channing Frye put in 21 points and 7 assists, while Al Jefferson had 16 points. Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Shawn Marion led the Suns with 34 points and 8 rebounds. Steve Nash would have a great game: 28 points and 15 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 13 points and 7 rebounds for the game.

How fitting that this tough series should all boil down to one shot.

We clawed our way through six grueling games, winning three of them by close margins. This was no exception. All scoring, no defense. Whoever made the most shots would win.

Eleven seconds left in the clock. Channing Frye had given us a one-point margin, 121-120, thanks to a thundering dunk on the other end. Phoenix ball.
Shawn Marion inbounds the ball to Steve Nash, who then sits at the top of the key. He glances at the clock and makes his move.

Nash drives down the lane, and he beats Corey Brewer off the dribble. Channing Frye collapses on Nash, leaving behind Raja Bell, who was horrible for the entire night, hitting only 3/13 shots from the field.

Nash sees Bell from the corner of his eye. The seconds tick away… 5… 4… Nash kicks it out to Bell. 3… 2… Bell lines up for a shot from beyond the arc. 1… BOOM!!!!

Nothing but the bottom of the freaking net.

Suns win, 123-121.

The US Airways Center exploded.

I sink in my chair. This was probably the worst feeling I’ve felt since I was dumped by my highschool sweetheart.

Your 2009 NBA Champions: The Phoenix Suns.

Neon_Chaos · 01-12-2009, 01:59 AM

Jun 7, 2009 - NBA LOTTERY

Pre-Lottery Rankings:

14. New Orleans
13. Dallas
12. Atlanta
11. Indiana
10. Charlotte
9. Golden State
8. Philadelphia
7. Orlando
6. Memphis
5. LA Clippers
4. Portland
3. Washington
2. Boston
1. Minnesota

Lottery:

14. New Orleans
13. Dallas
12. Atlanta
11. Indiana
10. Charlotte
9. Golden State
8. Philadelphia
7. Orlando
6. Memphis
5. LA Clippers
4. Portland

None of the 11 teams outside the top 3 manage to land a top 3 pick…

3. Boston

Boston gets bumped from #2 to #3, it’s down to the last two teams, Minny and Washington…

2. Washington

Washington will have their 2nd Top 3 pick in two seasons. Lucky them.

1. Minnesota
The #1 pick goes to the Minnesota Timberwolves!

Jun 17, 2009 – League Awards

Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
Defensive Player of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
Rookie of the Year: Brian Doctor, Orlando Magic
6th Man of the Year: Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers
Coach of the Year: Flip Saunders, Detroit Pistons

All League 1st Team:
PG – Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
SF – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
C - Yao Ming, Houston Rockets

All League 2nd Team:
PG – Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
SG – Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
SF – Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
PF – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
C - Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors

All League 3rd Team:
PG – Chris Paul, Milwaukee Bucks
SG – Allen Iverson, Denver Nuggets
SF – Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets
PF – Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
C – Brad Miller, Sacramento Kings

All Defensive 1st Team:
PG- Baron Davis, Golden State Warriors
SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
PF – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
C - Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls

All Defensive 2nd Team:
PG - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
SG – Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
SF – Ron Artest, Sacramento Kings
PF – Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
C - Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets

All Rookie 1st Team:
PG – Cassidy Johnson, Denver Nuggets
SG – Anu Paulaskas, Memphis Grizzlies
SF – Brian Doctor, Orlando Magic
PF – Gerrick Baxter, New Orleans Hornets
C – Brandin Levett, Minnesota Timberwolves

All Rookie 2nd Team:
PG – Robert Johnson, Indiana Pacers
SG – Myron Adams, Washington Wizards
SF – Lavor Nixon, Portland Trailblazers
PF – Matt Greenwalt, Los Angeles Lakers
C – John Anderson, Golden State Warriors

Yao Ming and Andrei Kirilenko repeat on the MVP and DPOY awards. No one on the team earns any award… and rightfully so. We could have been NBA Champs, but we weren’t. That was the award that we needed; the award we wanted.

Brian Doctor’s overall game wins him the ROY award. Anu Paulaskas used a late-season surge to overtake Myron Adams in the All Rookie Team selection.

Notable retirees and contract extensions:

Michael Finley, Sam Cassell, PJ Brown, Bruce Bowen, and Rasho Nesterovic call it quits.

Doc Rivers is returning to Boston to coach.

The Knicks fire Isiah Thomas as Head Coach, but he is still the GM of the team. At least he's out of the sidelines.

Maurice Cheeks and Flip Saunder’s contracts have been extended by the 76ers and Pistons.

Mike Woodson and Pat Riley are coming back for the Hawks and Heat.

Chris Ford replaces Isiah Thomas as Head Coach of New York. Good luck with that.

Phil Jackson, Mike Dunleavy, Avery Johnson, George Karl, and Gregg Popovich are all resigned by their teams (Lakers, Clippers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Spurs).

Jun 18 - 20, 2008 – Meeting with Team Owner Greg Masters

My meeting with Greg goes smoothly. Heck, the team made it back to the NBA Finals, and we were only $5 million above the cap. We’re poised to have about $15 mil available in cap space too. He asks me to come back for another season. I agree.

I tell Greg that we’re going to be playoff bound this year, but with Frye and Bogut’s futures in question, we’re not sure how deep we can go. Fortunately, he’s still riding high on the fact that I brought a championship two seasons ago and tells me that making the playoffs would be enough. As for spending, I ask for more leeway, perhaps giving me some flexibility with cap space. He tells me that he can give me about 10 to 15 million above the cap, but not the luxury tax. Good enough for me.

Jun 21 – 24, 2009 – Coach Signings

Larry Brown signs a 4-year deal to coach the Minnesota Timberwolves. #1 pick and a new coach… things might be looking up for the TWolves.

Jun 25, 2009 - Draft Workouts

We have no first rounder this season, only having the #49 overall pick. We decide to work out every single big name recruit out there, just in case we might want to trade up. There is one stand-out player, PF Emile Clemente, a 20-year old from Brazil. He looks like he’s one of the few NBA-ready players from this batch of rookies.

2009 NBA DRAFT - Jun 28, 2009

Welcome to the 2009 NBA draft! The anticipation for the #1 pick is brewing, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have their hands full contemplating on who to select at #1.

The consensus best overall player in this draft is 20-year old Brazilian sensation, PF Emile Clemente. Kevin Garnett’s contract is up, and it seems like the TWolves might let him go in order to grab other fish in the sea.

The commissioner walks up the podium and announces the first pick of the draft.

1. Minnesota Timerwolves - PF Emile Clemente - And there goes Clemente, the 6'8" phenom from Brazil. This might spell the final days of the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota.

2. Washington Wizards - PF Jamal Chaney - Chaney fills out a positional need for the Wizards. The Wizards just might have found the missing piece of the playoff puzzle, if they decide to re-sign Gilbert Arenas.

3. Boston Celtics - PF Perry Wallace
4. Portland Trailblazers - C Mike Piper - The Blazers had to pick between Piper and the heavily favored Pole, Herman Maskorzewski. Piper is workout freak, though, and is better acclimated to the American style of ball that the NBA environment represents.

5. LA Clippers - PG Daniel Salihovic - The first guard taken from this draft, and the 2nd foreigner, this time from Prussia. They already drafted a PG last season in Ramon Sawyer, and there might be some trouble finding playing time between these two young guys.

6. Memphis Grizzlies - C Herman Maskorzewski - Maskorzewski is the third foreigner to be picked in the draft, hailing from Poland. The Grizzlies' foreign legion is only growing, with Maskorzewski, Petro (France), Paulaskas (Lithuania), the two Gasols (Spain).

7. Orlando Magic - PG Umit Besikci - Lots of foreigners being drafted early. Besikci hails from Turkey. Besikci is a good player, but he's a long way from being NBA ready.

8. Philadelphia 76ers - PG Travis Hampton - The analysts are blasting this pick, saying that Hampton isn't worth a top-10 pick.

9. Golden State Warriors - C Brandon Prince
10. Charlotte Bobcats - SF Isaac Houston - One of the last good picks of the draft, IMO. The talent considerably drops off after the top 10.

11. Indiana Pacers - SG Anthony Linton
12. Atlanta Hawks - SG Tyrone McIntyre
13. Dallas Mavericks - SG Mike Armstrong
14. New Orleans Hornets - PG Nick Clagget
15. New York Knicks - PF Fernando Rich
16. LA Lakers - SF Dereck Cokley - Yes. His name is Cokley.

17. Miami Heat - SG Teddy Heath - I can read the headlines now, "Heath goes to the Heat!"
18. New Jersey Nets - SF Tim Davies
19. Orlando Magic - C Shon Riddick
20. Utah Jazz - PG Shea Duany
21. Sacramento Kings - PF Marshall Glover
22. Toronto Raptors - SF Austen King
23. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Marcus Wolfe
24. San Antonio Spurs - C Adam Brown
25. Chicago Bulls - SF Antonio Mason
26. Houston Rockets - SF Mike Felts
27. Denver Nuggets - PG Bevon Tyler
28. Orlando Magic - SG Ben Fein
29. Detroit Pistons - PF Steve Williams
30. Phoenix Suns - SF Wesley Howard

We select C James Mixson from Oklahoma St., although we’re pretty sure that we won’t be signing him to a contract.

There is a good amount of great FAs in the market, although I think that there will be a lot of big contract re-signings going down. We’ll see.

Our main objective will be to renounce contracts, create cap space and sign a big name during FA, and then attempt to re-sign Andrew Bogut and Channing Frye to cheaper contracts.

Neon_Chaos · 01-12-2009, 02:01 AM

Summer League:

We send the following players to Summer league:

PG Acie Law
SF Julian Wright
SF Corey Brewer
PF Jason Ellis
C James Mixson

July 7, 2009 - @ Sacramento - WIN (109-77)

Julian Wright scored 15 points to lead us in this win over the Bucks. Lots of double digit scorers for the us, mostly from the players we invited. Jason Ellis had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists off the bench. Acie Law had 8 points and 6 assists.

July 9, 2009 - vs San Antonio - WIN (99-75)

Julian Wright had 15 points and 7 rebounds, while James Mixson had 12 points and 8 rebounds off the bench for us in this win.

July 11, 2009 - @ Toronto - WIN (107-72)

Julian Wright and Acie Law have great games as we beat the Raptors. Wright had 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Law had 21 points and 6 assists.

July 13, 2009 - vs. Washington - WIN (108-83)

Corey Brewer had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Julian Wright had 15 points 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Acie Law had 10 points and 8 assists for us as well.

July 15, 2009 - @ Utah - WIN(105-96)

Julian Wright led the team with 18 points and 8 rebounds as we defeat the Jazz in the final summer league game to go 5-0.

Onward to free agency!!!

Free Agency:

At first glance, this FA class is full of talent.

Gilbert Arenas, Kevin Garnett, Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Wally Sczerbiak, Corey Magette, Allen Iverson, Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd... all big names. But what disappoints me is that fact that my two C free agents, Channing Frye and Andrew Bogut, are the best C's out there.

Despite having potentially $15,000,000 to work with, I really can’t see myself outbidding the max offers that everyone is getting from their previous teams.

I decide to wait it out and see if anyone isn’t going to go through the usual motions, if not, I’ll be re-signing Tyson Chandler and Andrew Bogut back.

After most of the big names go back to their teams, I decide that I’m better of with what I had last season, and it would be better to use my mid-level exception to perhaps grab a journeyman veteran to sign up with us.

We re-sign both Bogut and Frye to 6-year contracts. Bogut gets a total of about $55 mil, while Frye gets about $44 mil.

We get into the race for Mike Bibby, who seems to want out of Sacto. Me, Chicago, and Detroit get into a small bidding war, that Detroit wins, thanks to a 5-year mid-level offer. The Pistons just got another legit 20 ppg PG to go along with Chauncey Billups.

After losing the race for Bibby, we decide to throw our mid-level exception to another veteran PG, and manage to ink a 36-year old Jason Kidd to a one-year contract.

The Atlanta Hawks take a chance on Stephon MarburyaHH and sign him to a two-year contract worth about 6 mil a year.

We add SG Nick Young to the roster for the league minimum, and one of the big bench vets who helped the Suns to a title last season, Kurt Thomas, to the league minimum as well. We also ink young PG Javaris Crittenton to a single year contract, and SG Jerry Stackhouse to a 1-year contract. That brings our salary cap to about 8 million over.

The Magic sign Steve Francis to a two-year contract, hoping he can give them the firepower at the guard spot that they need.

The Suns pull off the steal of the free agency and sign Wally Szczerbiak, who averaged 23 ppg for Boston last season, for the two-year minimum, giving them more reason to be early favorites to repeat.

Complete list:

Quote:

San Antonio Spurs re-sign Gerry McNamara to a 4-year contract worth $6,300,698

Washington Wizards re-sign Gilbert Arenas to a 6-year contract worth $105,950,932

LAC Clippers re-sign Elton Brand to a 6-year contract worth $118,891,497

New Orleans Hornets re-sign Chris Paul to a 6-year contract worth $84,518,106

Minnesota Timberwolves re-sign Kevin Garnett to a 3-year contract worth $49,575,829

Denver Nuggets re-sign Allen Iverson to a 2-year contract worth $31,593,816

Golden State Warriors re-sign Baron Davis to a 6-year contract worth $108,700,797

Utah Jazz re-sign Deron Williams to a 6-year contract worth $76,025,856

Milwaukee Bucks re-sign Andrew Bogut to a 6-year contract worth $54,415,302

Philadelphia 76ers re-sign Rodney Carney to a 5-year contract worth $37,018,995

Milwaukee Bucks re-sign Channing Frye to a 6-year contract worth $44,212,431

Miami Heat sign Ronnie Brewer to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Boston Celtics re-sign Gerald Green to a 4-year contract worth $30,996,068

Phoenix Suns re-sign Shawn Marion to a 5-year contract worth $61,911,086

Atlanta Hawks re-sign Zaza Pachulia to a 4-year contract worth $24,680,705

New York Knicks re-sign David Lee to a 6-year contract worth $46,586,046

LAC Clippers re-sign Corey Maggette to a 6-year contract worth $63,085,285

Philadelphia 76ers re-sign Andre Miller to a 3-year contract worth $28,574,953

Boston Celtics re-sign Leon Powe to a 4-year contract worth $28,455,402

Seattle Supersonics re-sign Hakim Warrick to a 4-year contract worth $20,688,238

Sacramento Kings re-sign Ron Artest to a 5-year contract worth $45,444,015

Boston Celtics sign Luther Head to a 2-year contract worth $1,603,935

Detroit Pistons sign Rasheed Wallace to a 1-year contract worth $5,109,688

Indiana Pacers re-sign Shawne Williams to a 4-year contract worth $17,421,676

Sacramento Kings re-sign Quincy Douby to a 3-year contract worth $11,361,124

New Jersey Nets sign Drew Gooden to a 4-year contract worth $24,370,822

LAL Lakers re-sign Lamar Odom to a 5-year contract worth $40,848,552

Seattle Supersonics re-sign Saer Sene to a 3-year contract worth $18,935,211

Detroit Pistons sign Mike Bibby to a 5-year contract worth $32,266,305

New Orleans Hornets sign Mardy Collins to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Chicago Bulls sign Darko Milicic to a 1-year contract worth $5,500,000

Sacramento Kings re-sign Al Thornton to a 2-year contract worth $4,094,854

Toronto Raptors sign Chris Wilcox to a 2-year contract worth $2,007,584

Milwaukee Bucks sign Jason Kidd to a 1-year contract worth $5,500,000

Philadelphia 76ers sign Oleksiy Pecherov to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Boston Celtics re-sign Rajon Rondo to a 2-year contract worth $6,972,427

Charlotte Bobcats sign Robert Swift to a 2-year contract worth $1,738,484

LAC Clippers sign Jorge Garbajosa to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Atlanta Hawks sign Stephon Marbury to a 2-year contract worth $12,692,802

LAC Clippers sign Paul Millsap to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Milwaukee Bucks sign Nick Young to a 1-year contract worth $719,373

Orlando Magic sign Steve Francis to a 2-year contract worth $13,563,937

Milwaukee Bucks sign Kurt Thomas to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Milwaukee Bucks sign Javaris Crittenton to a 1-year contract worth $719,373

Denver Nuggets sign Chris Duhon to a 2-year contract worth $1,738,484

Phoenix Suns sign Joel Freeland to a 2-year contract worth $1,550,115

Phoenix Suns sign Wally Szczerbiak to a 2-year contract worth $2,368,080

Denver Nuggets sign Marvin Williams to a 2-year contract worth $1,603,935

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Ike Diogu to a 1-year contract worth $771,123

Toronto Raptors sign Jeff Foster to a 1-year contract worth $2,396,578

Orlando Magic sign Morris Peterson to a 1-year contract worth $1,428,998

Memphis Grizzlies re-sign Craig Smith to a 1-year contract worth $863,247

New Jersey Nets sign Sebastian Telfair to a 1-year contract worth $2,571,859

Miami Heat sign Jason Williams to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Detroit Pistons re-sign Robert Archibald to a 1-year contract worth $770,097

Washington Wizards re-sign Shannon Brown to a 1-year contract worth $2,898,277

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Marquis Daniels to a 1-year contract worth $900,498

Phoenix Suns re-sign Jared Dudley to a 1-year contract worth $1,429,574

LAC Clippers re-sign Daniel Gibson to a 1-year contract worth $863,247

Dallas Mavericks re-sign Taj Gray to a 1-year contract worth $770,097

Denver Nuggets re-sign Eric Hicks to a 1-year contract worth $863,247

Miami Heat re-sign Juan Carlos Navarro to a 1-year contract worth $478,514

Charlotte Bobcats re-sign Sung-Yoon Bang to a 1-year contract worth $1,347,669

Atlanta Hawks sign Keith Bogans to a 1-year contract worth $900,498

New York Knicks sign Earl Boykins to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500

Houston Rockets re-sign Lynn Greer to a 1-year contract worth $863,247

Washington Wizards re-sign Sammy Mejia to a 1-year contract worth $1,966,688

Milwaukee Bucks sign Jerry Stackhouse to a 1-year contract worth $1,138,500
[/quote]

Rookie Options:

We decide to extend the rookie options on Acie Law, Julian Wright, and Corey Brewer.

D-League:

We assign noone to the D-league this season and skip the draft. We also decide to sign 4-year C Peter John Ramos to add to our front-court depth and round out our roster to 15 players.

Opening Day Roster:

JVG continues to go with playing Frye at SF. Wright and Brewer will be rotating with him at the SF spot, while Frye will probably see minutes as a C as well. We are definitely looking to make our 3rd consecutive Finals appearance this season, hopefully, adding a legit PG gives us that edge.

Who's In: PG Jason Kidd (FA), SG Nick Young (FA), C Peter John Ramos (FA), SG Jerry Stackhouse (FA), PF Kurt Thomas (FA), PG Javaris Crittenton (FA)

Who's Out: PG Earl Boykins (FA), C Alonzo Mourning (FA), PF PJ Brown (Retirement), SG Fred Jones (FA), PG Shaun Livingston (FA), PF Malik Rose (Retirement)

Following an improbable run to the best record in the league and an NBA Championship in 2008, the Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Finals last season, only to fall short of a back-to-back thanks to a Game 7 miracle buzzer-beater from Raja Bell.

The Bucks return with the same core group of players that brought them to the big dance for two seasons in a row. With the re-signing of Channing Frye and Andrew Bogut, the Bucks have shown their confidence in these two young big men to take them back to the Finals this season.

The biggest change for the Bucks would be the addition of 36-year old PG Jason Kidd. Kidd's inability to win an NBA title in Dallas, Phoenix, and New Jersey has cast a shadow on his career. I can only imagine the damage that Kidd can cause for the Bucks if paired with swingman Michael Redd. Expect big scoring numbers from Redd this year, now that he's got a legitimate point guard quarterbacking this team. Couple that with Bogut's ability to positively influence the Bucks' offense with his passing skills in the post, the Bucks are going to be a very hard team to stop when they've got the ball.

One question to be answered in the season is who will rise up as the team's 6th man? With Kidd's arival, Julian Wright and Corey Brewer will most likely have less minutes than they were used to during the past couple of seasons. Wright has proven to be the more versatile player of the two, able to play and defend four positions. Brewer is a much more tenacious defender than Wright, and has shown that he can put in points off the bench. The answer to this question might also be the answer as to which of them will be the most likely candidate for a contract extension once their rookie contracts run out in 2011.

Starting Line-up:
PG - Jason Kidd
SG - Michael Redd
SF - Channing Frye
PF - Al Jefferson
C - Andrew Bogut

Bench:
SF Julian Wright
SF Corey Brewer
SG Nick Young
PG Acie Law
C Peter John Ramos
PF Jason Ellis
SG Jerry Stackhouse

Inactive:
Kurt Thomas
Javaris Crittenton
Dan Gazuric

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:07 AM

NBA Season Preview Rankings:

The NBA rankings are out, and there are several questionable rankings!

Eastern Conference

1. Raptors - The Raptors have the best front-court in the league in Oden, Bosh, and Bargnani. Sam Mitchell's coaching and choice of rotation has left a lot to be desired, and many feel that he is the one holding back this team from matching their potential.
2. Hawks - The addition of Stephon Marbury is very intriguing for the Hawks. He could be a boon or a bust. The predicted ranking is too high, in my opinion, specially since they're still shackling 2nd year SF Mark Howard to the bench in favor of Josh Smith.
3. Bucks - The Bucks added a legitimate, albeit aging star PG to their lineup in Jason Kidd. Expect the Bucks to be among the teams racing for the best record in the East once again.
4. Wizards - The Wizards have a strong lineup in Arenas, Adams, Jamison, and Chaney. Haywood may prove to be a weak spot in the roster, and their bench is sorely lacking. Still, you can't deny the potential of this team to do great things this year.
5. Bulls - More of the same old, same old for the Bulls. Gordon and Deng remain the focal points of this team. The addition of Nate Robinson and Darko Milicic beefs up their bench a bit. Expect them to still compete this year.
6. Bobcats - Brevin Knight is still injured and won't be coming back for 3 months. The Bobcats will need all the luck they can get to make it to the playoffs in the East. Too high of a ranking, in my opinion.
7. Cavaliers - They still don't have a PG, but Lebron does have sidekicks in Hughes and Caron Butler. The Cavs are still going to compete in the tough Central division.
8. Nets - With Kidd gone, it's Donald Braun's time to shine at PG. Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson will continue to shine in New Jersey, while the addition of Drew Gooden at PF gives them at least a legitimate post presence since Kenyon Martin's departure.
9. Magic - Steve Francis returns to give the Magic some boost at PG while rookie Umit Besikci gets acquainted to the league. Brian Doctor and Dwight Howard will continue to develop as players, and this could be their break-out season.
10. Knicks - With Stephon and Franchise gone, the Knicks are now entering the Kevin Durant era. The biggest quesiton is will Durant be able to lead the Knicks out of its sordid past and into a bright new future?
11. Celtics - Paul Pierce and the Celtics lost the lottery for Emil Clemente, and will most likely be headed back to the lottery this year.
12. Pacers - The Pacers slowed down last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make it to the playoffs this year as well.
13. Pistons - Once again, the Pistons are being written off. The addition of Mike Bibby was huge. The Pistons might be a step slower this season, but they'll have two legitimate guys who can handle the rock in Bibby and Billups. This is a very low ranking, and I think that the Pistons are going to prove the analysts wrong again this season.
14. 76ers - Andre Iguodala will be all alone in trying to lead this team again. Expect the 76ers to be languishing towards the lottery this season.
15. Heat - Shaq is still out for more than 2 months due to a torn ACL. I think that Dwyane Wade can carry this team to mediocrity until the big man comes back, and that when they make a push for the playoffs. I certainly don't think they're deserving of the last-place in the East.

Western Conference

1. Blazers - The addition of rookie C Mark Piper has given analysts good reason to favor the Blazers this year. But Piper alone cannot lift this team up from the doldroms. The Blazers will need more from their other guys if they want to live up to this billing.
2. Timberwolves - A 33-year old Kevin Garnett finally gets some help thanks to Emile Clemente and Brandin Levett. Can they compete with the best in the west? For now, I think they're a playoff team, just because they have a scary front-court.
3. Rockets - 2-time MVP Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady were one game away from the NBA Finals last year. Expect them to kick ass on their way to the playoffs and try to get over that hump.
4. Jazz - The Jazz will continue to be consistent, but can they ever make it to the Conference Finals?
5. Suns - The defending champs added a legitimate scorer at SF in Wallyworld. I think they're the best team in the West right now.
6. Warriors - The Warriors didn't really make any big moves in the offseason, and C Brandon Prince looks like a bust. I don't expect the Warriors to be in the playoff hunt this year.
7. Lakers - Kobe got a taste of the playoffs last year. He will need his teammates to step up to make it back this year.
8. Grizzlies - The Grizzlies really need a PG. They have enough international talent to get over the hump, but their lack of a solid PG will hurt them in the season.
9. Nuggets - The Nuggets were deadly last season, until they were ousted in the first round. They will need to learn how to play defense if they expect to make it to the Conference Finals.
10. Hornets - The Hornets missed the playoffs last year, and we're inclined to agree that they'll probably miss the playoffs again this year, considering they didn't make any solid moves at all in the offseason.
11. Mavericks - The Mavs are sorely lacking good shooters on the wings (aside from Dirk Nowitzki).
12. Sonics - Allen's Sonics upset the Nuggets last year, and took the Rockets to six games. I think the Sonics will still be there come playoff time and will be playing spoiler to many teams in the postseason.
13. Kings - The loss of Mike Bibby sends this team plummeting down to the lotto. Sorry, but it's true.
14. Clippers - Having two young PGs in Sawyer and Salihovic, the Clippers still don't look like a playoff team.
15. Spurs - The Spurs are a year older, yes, but they're still a playoff team. This ranking baffles me a lot. Perhaps it's because they lost Darko at C?

Nov 1, 2009 - @ Orlando - WIN (109-91)

We start off the season with a resounding bang, defeating the Orlando Magic by 18 points.

Michael Redd picked up where he left off last season and led the team with 30 points and 5 assists, while Jason Kidd had a great first game in a Bucks uniform, scoring 23 points and dishing out 13 assists. Al Jefferson played well with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

The Orlando Magic were led by last year’s ROY, Brian Doctor, who had 35 points and 7 rebounds. Bonzi Wells added 21 points and 6 rebounds for the team. Dwight Howard had 10 points and 12 rebounds but was held to only 4 of 14 from the field.

Nov 4, 2009 - vs Cleveland - WIN (111-94)

Michael Redd explodes with 38 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds in this lopsided victory over the Cavaliers.

Al Jefferson had 26 points and 8 rebounds, while Jason Kidd only had 6 points and 6 assists in his home debut for us.

LeBron James had 31 points and 8 assists, but the Cavs couldn’t stop our shooters as we go 58% from the field.

Nov 8, 2009 - vs Charlotte - WIN (109-76)

The pain train continues, as Michael Redd scores 36 points to lead us in a 33-point thrashing of the Bobcats.

Andrew Bogut had 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks, while Al Jefferson had 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Channing Frye was held to only 14 minutes of play thanks to an ankle sprain, but Julian Wright filled in nicely with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jason Kidd had 7 points and 7 assists.

Gerald Wallace had 18 points for the Bobcats, and Sean May and Isaac Houston both contributed 11 points. Noone else from Charlotte scored in double digits.

Nov 11, 2009 - vs New Orleans - WIN (105-90)

Michael Redd continues to be hot, scoring 37 points, while Jason Kidd had 15 points and 11 assists in this victory over the Hornets.

Julian Wright moved to the starting line-up to replace Channing Frye and had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Peja Stojakovic had 32 points for the Hornets, while Chris Paul had 13 points and 11 assists.

Nov 12, 2009 - @ Miami - WIN (105-77)

Michael Redd scored 26 points and had 4 rebounds and 4 assists as we thrash the hapless Heat in Miami.

Jason Kidd had 17 points and 8 assists, while Al Jefferson had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Julian Wright returned to the bench, but put in 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Dwyane Wade had 23 points and 9 assists for the Heat, but he turned the ball over 8 times. The Heat were sorely missing Shaq as we out-rebounded them 43-26.

Nov 15, 2009 - vs Miami - WIN (112-87)

Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 7 assists, but the Heat couldn’t stop three Bucks from scoring 20 points or more tonight.

Michael Redd had 26 points, and Al Jefferson had 23 points and 6 rebounds. Julian Wright lit things up from the bench with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Jason Kidd played only 19 minutes due to foul trouble, but dished out 9 assists and had 3 steals.

Nov 17, 2009 - @ Portland - WIN (109-77)

The string of blowout wins continue, as Michael Redd leads us over the Blazers with 27 points and 3 assists.

Channing Frye had 20 points and 9 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 14 points and 10 assists. Peter John Ramos filled out for a foul-plagued Andrew Bogut and had 5 points, 4 assists, and 13 rebounds off the bench.

Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 16 points, while Lamarcus Aldridge had 15 points for the Blazers.

Nov 19, 2009 - @ Sacramento - WIN (102-93)

Michael Redd lights up Sacto with 39 points as we defeat the Kings by nine. Andrew Bogut had 7 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, while Jason Kidd had 9 points and 9 assists.

Kevin Martin had 28 points for the Kings, while Al Thornton had 23 points and 7 rebounds.

Nov 21, 2009 - @ LA Lakers – WIN (97-76)

Al Jefferson sank his teeth into the Lakers, with 30 points and 8 rebounds, tearing it up in Los Angeles. Michael Redd was held to only 13 points, while Jason Kidd flirted with a triple double with 12 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Jordan Farmar had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kobe Bryant only scored 5 points for the Lakers, as he was saddled with foul trouble.

Nov 22, 2009 - @ Phoenix - WIN (88-81)

We return to the site of our game seven loss and dish out some payback to the Suns. Michael Redd had 29 points, and Andrew Bogut had 16 points, 22 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks as we beat the Suns by seven.

Wally Sczerbiak led the Suns with 20 points, while Steve Nash had 18 points and 9 assists. Amare Stoudamire was held to only 4 points and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes of play thanks to foul trouble.

Nov 25, 2009 - vs Detroit - WIN (121-90)

We welcome last season’s #1 team in the East with open arms and destroy them by 31 points at home.

Michael Redd had 30 points and 6 assists, while Julian Wright had 26 points off the bench to lead us over the Pistons. Al Jefferson had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the effort, and Jason Kidd had 4 points and 11 asasists.

Mike Bibby led the Pistons with 24 points and 5 assists, while Chauncey Billups had 16 points and 4 assists.

Nov 28, 2009 - vs LA Lakers - WIN (118-94)

We meet the Lakers in our home floor and beat them by a margin of 24 points.

Al Jefferson had 32 points, while Michael Redd pitched in 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Channing Frye had 21 points, while Jason Kidd had 16 points and 10 assists. We shot a ridiculous 64% from the field (44 of 68 FGs)

Kobe Bryant scored 29 points for the Lakers, and Andrew Bynum added 25 points, but they couldn’t get enough scoring from their other guys tonight.

Nov 29, 2009 - @ Boston -WIN (100-83)

Michael Redd torches the Celtics with 42 points as we defeat the Celtics by 17. Andrew Bogut had a great game: 11 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, but was sidelined late in the 4th with a sprained ankle. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists.

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points, and Mike Conley scored 14 points.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We remain the only undefeated team in the league at 13-0.

With the addition of Jason Kidd, our offense has been pretty much near unstoppable. Michael Redd has had the most to gain with Kidd’s arrival. Redd leads the league in scoring with 30.8 ppg.

With Kidd in control of the offense, we are leading the league in PPG (106.6). Our defense hasn’t slacked off either, the Bucks are leading the league as well in PPGA (85.3). We’re on top of the league in assists per game at 31.3 and in FG% at 53.2%, being the only team in the league above 50%.

Around the League:

The Central proves to be a battleground once again with us at 13-0, the Bulls at 10-2, and the Pistons at 11-3. The Cavs are, stunningly, at 4-12. The Celtics are on top of the Atlantic at 95, with the 76ers and Raptors behind at 8-6 and 9-8. The Bobcats are on top of the Southeast at 7-6, the Hawks and Magic are both at 6-8.

The Rockets are on top of the Midwest at 14-3, with the Spurs behind them at 9-7. The Warriors are ahead in the Pacific at 10-4, with the Suns and Lakers at 10-5 and 10-6. The Sonics are on top of the Northwest at 11-6, with the Jazz at 9-7, and the Nuggets at 7-8. Minnesota is currently 5-9.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (366.6)
2. Chicago Bulls (355.6)
3. Golden State Warrios (354.4)
4. Phoenix Suns (351.6)
5. Houston Rockets (329.2)
6. Atlanta Hawks (328.5)
7. Charlotte Bobcats (318.4)
8. Toronto Raptors (317.3)
9. Utah Jazz (313.2)
10. Portland Trailblazers (310.9)
11. LAL Lakers (310.8)
12. Denver Nuggets (308.8)
13. Detroit Pistons (303.4)
14. Indiana Pacers (296.2)
15. Boston Celtics (292.8)
16. Philadelphia 76ers (287.4)
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (287.0)
18. New Orleans Hornets (286.1)
19. New Jersey Nets (283.5)
20. Washington Wizards (282.8)
21. Sacramento Kings (281.9)
22. Seattle Supersonics (280.8)
23. San Antonio Spurs (272.3)
24. Orlando Magic (271.4)
25. Memphis Grizzlies (270.8)
26. Dallas Mavericks (266.0)
27. New York Knicks (257.4)
28. Cleveland Cavaliers (253.8)
29. LAC Clippers (239.2)
30. Miami Heat (223.9)

Injuries:

Notable injuries from around the league:

B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (73 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (274 d) – Tmac’s season is essentially done. The Rockets might be on a downward spiral without Yao Ming’s sidekick.
S. O'Neal, Heat - a torn ACL (48 d)
M. Blount, Timberwolves - a broken elbow (39 d)
Z. Randolph, Blazers - a broken elbow (16 d)

Transactions:

No trades to report.

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:07 AM

Dec 2, 2009 - vs San Antonio – WIN (106-80)

Michael Redd scores 33 points and grabs 9 rebounds as we trash the Spurs at home. Channing Frye had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Andrew Bogut suffered a sprained ankle and played only 28 minutes.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 22 points. We held Tim Duncan to only 8 points in 22 minutes of play thanks to foul trouble.

Dec 5, 2009 - @ Indiana – WIN (109-89)

Michael Redd scores 30 points, while Julian Wright puts up 20 points off the bench to lift us over the Pacers in Indiana. Jason Kidd had 16 points and 13 assists, while Al Jefferson had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Jermaine O’neal had 24 points and 8 rebounds for the Pacers, while Shawne Williams had 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Dec 6, 2009 - vs Miami - WIN (106-94)

The Heat are spiraling out of control without Shaq, and we handily defeat them tonight by 12 points. Michael Redd had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Al Jefferson pitched in 16 points and 11 rebounds as well.

Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 31 points and 11 assists. Udonis Haslem had 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Dec 8, 2009 - vs Indiana - WIN (108-84)

Indiana fails to avenge their loss against us three days ago, and we crush them at home by 24 points. Al Jefferson had 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks while Michael Redd had 26 points for us. Channing Frye continues to impress in Andrew Bogut’s injury with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Jermaine O’neal led the Pacers with 12 points and 9 rebounds, but was held to only 2 of 20 shooting by our defense.

A TRADE! - In what may come as a shock to many Bucks fans, the NBA announces the very first trade of the 2009-2010 season to be a trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers have agreed to ship 23-year old C Andrew Bynum to Milwaukee for 25-year old C Andrew Bogut. There has been little to no information as to why the deal was made or that either player was even available. There is a rumor however, that Jeff Van Gundy has been pressing GM Jackson Jackson for a back-to-the-basket big man in the mold of Patrick Ewing. The Lakers, on the other hand, would like a better passing big man in the post to be able to take advantage of the triangle offense. It looks like an even trade for both teams that would fill out the needs of their coaches, but Bynum has been performing better than Bogut this season, averaging 17 ppg and 10 rpg for the Lakers. Bynum’s contract is also easier to swallow, being at least $2 million less than what Bogut’s contract is worth per year.

Dec 10, 2009 - @ Philadelphia - LOSS (119-114)

Andrew Bynum’s very first game may have resulted in the Bucks’ first loss for the season, but that doesn’t mean we’re not looking forward to what he can bring for us. Bynum had 32 points and 16 rebounds in his debut as a Buck, and Michael Redd scored 32 and had 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 15 assists as well.

The 76ers were fueled by 34 points from Andre Iguodala, 22 points from Rodney Carney, and 20 points from Andre Miller.

Dec 12, 2009 - vs Sacramento - WIN (109-92)

Michael Redd has an absolutely stunning 54-point game to lead us over the Kings by 17 points. Jason Kidd had 13 assists, while Al Jefferson and Andrew Bynum both fouled out in the 3rd quarter. Al Jefferson was also diagnosed with a sore back after the game and won’t be 100% in the next couple of days.

Five Kings scored in double digits, led by Kevin Martin’s 24 points, but Redd’s offensive performance was too much to top.

Dec 14, 2009 - @ Chicago - LOSS (102-90)

Michael Redd follows up his sizzling performance against Sacto with a very cold one against Chitown. Red scored only 15 points on 4 of 16 shooting. Channing Frye had 19 points, and Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 13 assists.

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 25 points, while Andres Nocioni had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Bulls off the bench.

Dec 16, 2009 - vs Philadelphia - WIN (104-82)

We avenge our loss to the 76ers with this 22-point drubbing of Philadelphia at home. Michael Redd had 28 points and 9 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 14 assists, and Andrew Bynum had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Andre Iguodala had 23 points for the 76ers and Samuel Dalembert added 10 rebounds.

Dec 20, 2009 - vs Portland - WIN (113-85)

Andrew Bynum had 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists as we defeat the Blazers at home. Channing Frye had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Al Jefferson had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 9 points and 9 assists.

Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 25 points, and Lamarcus Aldridge had 11 points and 15 rebounds for Portland.

Dec 24, 2009 - vs Chicago - WIN (102-86)

We avenge our loss to the Bulls with this Christmas Eve win over Chicago. Andrew Bynum led us with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Michael Redd contributed 23 points and 6 rebounds. Channing Frye had 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 11 assists. Julian Wright pitched in 13 points and 9 assists off the bench.

Tyrus Thomas had 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, and Ben Gordon had 18 points, but they couldn’t get enough points from their supporting cast.

Dec 26, 2009 - vs Houston - WIN (122-96)

We welcome the Rockets the day after Christmas and give them something to remember us by, thanks to this 26-point drubbing. Channing Frye led us with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists. Julian Wright scored 25 points off the bench. Jason Kidd had 10 points and 12 assists. Michael Redd only played 19 minutes after spraining his ankle and scored 16 points. Redd was diagnosed to be alright after the game.

Yao Ming had a monstrous 32 points and 12 rebounds, but couldn’t really get any help from the other Rockets.

Dec 27, 2009 - @ Orlando - LOSS (115-103)

The Magic trash us with a 36-19 4th quarter, and we drop the ball on this one. Michael Redd scored 25 points, and Andrew Bynum had 13 points and 16 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 18 points and 9 assists, while Al Jefferson had 16 points.

Brian Doctor led the Magic with 27 points and 7 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva had 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Dwight Howard had 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Dec 29, 2009 - @ Houston - WIN (106-85)

Al Jefferson had a great game with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Michael Redd had 18 points and Jason Kidd had 17 points and 11 assists as we defeat the Rockets twice in four nights.

Yao Ming had 23 points and 18 rebounds, but couldn’t get enough from his teammates again.

Dec 31, 2009 - @ Dallas - WIN (125-120)

We celebrate New Year’s ever win a close victory over the Dallas Mavericks and end 2009 with a confident swagger.

Andrew Bynum has his best game as a Buck so far with a career-high 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. Michael Redd had 26 points and 9 rebounds, while Jason Kidd put in 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Jason Terry had 33 points and 12 assists for the Mavericks, while Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a losing effort.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

Thanks to an 11-3 month, we are on top of the league at a 22-3 record.

The Bynum trade was generally positive, despite losing our 3 games when he came into the roster, as we finally got a legitimate low-post big man who can draw defenders away from Michael Redd and Al Jefferson. The 23-year old Bynum is signed to a 6-year contract that’s relatively cheap for what he’s bringing to table for us, so I’m very, very happy with the trade. My front-court is looking very nice, with a 23-year old Bynum, a 24-year old Jefferson, and a 27-year old Frye all locked up to long-term contracts.

The odd-man out between Julian Wright and Corey Brewer seems to be Brewer, who has seen his minutes dwindle to only 11 per game. Wright has averaged 28 mpg and has brought a lot to the table, averaging 11 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg, and 1 bpg off the bench.

Around the League:

We are sitting on top of the most competitive division in the league, the Central, with a 24-3 record. The Bulls are behind us at 22-5, and the Pistons are 3rd with a 22-7 record.

In the Southeast, the Bobcats are leading at 14-13, followed by the Hawks at 13-16. The Heat are sorely missing Shaq, and are 10-22 at dead last in the division. In the Atlantic, the Nets are on top at 15-14, while the 76ers and Raptors are at 14-15 and 14-17.

The Rockets are on top of the Southwest at 25-6, with the Spurs far behind at 15-17. In the Northwest, the Nuggets are at 20-10, with the Jazz and Sonics behind them at 19-12 and 17-11. In the Pacific, the Suns are ahead at 22-8, with the Lakers behind them at 17-11.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (328.7)
2. Chicago Bulls (324.3)
3. Phoenix Suns (298.5)
4. Houston Rockets (294.4)
5. Denver Nuggets (289.6)
6. LAL Lakers (281.0)
7. Atlanta Hawks (278.0)
8. Utah Jazz (276.3)
9. Detroit Pistons (274.2)
10. Charlotte Bobcats (267.0)
11. Golden State Warrios (262.9)
12. Portland Trailblazers (255.4)
13. Indiana Pacers (255.2)
14. Seattle Supersonics (254.6)
15. Toronto Raptors (252.2)
16. New Jersey Nets (251.4)
17. New Orleans Hornets (246.6)
18. Sacramento Kings (241.2)
19. Minnesota Timberwolves (240.5)
20. Philadelphia 76ers (238.0)
21. Washington Wizards (236.6)
22. Memphis Grizzlies (231.0)
23. Orlando Magic (228.9)
24. San Antonio Spurs (226.1)
25. Dallas Mavericks (225.7)
26. Boston Celtics (220.6)
27. LAC Clippers (220.5)
28. Cleveland Cavaliers (208.6)
29. New York Knicks (205.4)
30. Miami Heat (191.0)

Major Injuries:

B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (42 d)
C. Webber, Cavaliers - a broken nose (41 d)
T. Prince, Pistons - a broken wrist (25 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (243 d)
P. Gasol, Grizzlies - a broken toe (40 d)
S. O'Neal, Heat - a torn ACL (17 d)
M. Blount, Timberwolves - a broken elbow (8 d)

Transactions:

Dec 9, 2009 - Bucks trade C Andrew Bogut for Lakers C Andrew Bynum

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:08 AM

Jan 2, 2010 - @ Indiana - WIN (91-81)

We frustrate the Pacers with a balanced attack, and, thanks to a Jason Kidd triple double, we walk away with a ten point win on the road. Kidd had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Michael Redd led us with 25 points, while Andrew Bynum had 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Jermaine Oneal led the Pacers with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks, while Troy Murphy had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Jan 3, 2010 - vs New Jersey - WIN (107-84)

Michael Redd scores 28 points, and Andrew Bynum has 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks as we defeat the Nets by 23. Jason Kidd had 15 assists against his former team, and Al Jefferson had 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Vince Carter led the Nets with 29 points and 9 rebounds.

Jan 5, 2010 - @ Toronto - WIN (107-82)

Michael Redd leads us with 30 points, while Channing Frye had 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists. Julian Wright put in 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench.

The Raptors got 29 points and 11 rebounds from Chris Bosh, but couldn’t get anyone else from their team to score in double digits.

Jan 6, 2010 - vs Jazz – WIN (105-82)

Seven Bucks score in double digits led by Michael Redd’s 23 points as we defeat the Jazz. Channing Frye scored 16, and Al Jefferson scored 14 points. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 10 assists.

Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrei Kirilenko had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Jan 9, 2010 - @ Atlanta – WIN (119-88)

Michael Redd powers us with 34 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists as we trash the Hawks in Atlanta. Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Channing Frye had 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 18 points, and Spencer Williams scored 13 points.

Jan 10, 2010 - @ San Antonio – WIN (92-73)

Michael Redd leads us again with 26 points and 5 rebounds, while Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds. Channing Frye scored 16 points and had 9 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 26 point5 and 6 assists. Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Jan 12, 2010 - vs Washington – WIN (103-82)

Michael Redd’s 29 points leads six other Bucks in double-digit scoring as we defeat the Wizards by 21. Andrew Bynum had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Julian Wright had 14 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.

Gilbert Arenas had 24 ppints, 16 assists, and 8 rebounds for the Wizards, and Myron Adams had 28 points and 7 rebounds. No other Wizard reached double figures, however.

Jan 13, 2010 - @ Memphis – WIN (118-99)

We are yet to lose in 2010, as we cruise via a 19-point win over the Pau Gasol-less Grizzlies. Al Jefferson led us with 34 points and 6 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 14 points and 16 assists, while Michael Redd had 19 points and 9 assists.

Anu Paulaskas and Mike Miller both put in 21 points, while Rudy Gay had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies.

Jan 15, 2010 - @ Charlotte – LOSS (106-82)

Ouch. We suffer our most lopsided loss this year, as we drop a game to the Bobcats by 24 points. Seven Bobcats score in double figures, led by Gerald Wallace’s 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Redd scored only 13 points on 4 of 12 shooting. We shot 38% from the field, one of our worst shooting nights in this season so far.

Jan 17, 2010 - @ New Jersey – WIN (106-94)

We quickly bounce back with a win over Jersey. Michael Redd had 26 points, Andrew bynum had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Al Jefferson had 22 points and 9 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists.

Vince Carter led the Nets with 34 points, and Richard Jefferson scored 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.

Jan 19, 2010 - vs Detroit – WIN (95-69)

Ka-pow. The Pistons get pistol-whipped as we hold them to only 31% shooting for the night. Channing Frye led us with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 17 points and 6 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Julian Wright had 18 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 20 points, but was the only Piston in double digits.

Jan 21, 2010 - @ New York – WIN (107-94)

Michael Redd had 35 points and 5 assists, while Andrew Bynum had 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead us over the Knicks in New York. Channing Frye had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Kidd dished out 10 assists in the win.

Kevin Durant led the Knicks with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Jamal Crawford had 19 points and 6 assists.

Jan 24, 2010 - vs Phoenix – WIN (124-89)

Our 7-point win over Phoenix back in November was nice, but this was even better. Michael Redd led us with 34 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 19 points off the bench. Channing Frye had 18 points and 8 rebounds, and Al Jefferson had 13 points and 9 rebounds as we trash the Suns at home. Andrew Bynug only played 12 minutes due to foul trouble and only scored 6 points.

Leandro Barbosa scored 19 points off the bench for the Suns, who did not have any starter score in double digits and only shot 36% from the field.

Jan 26, 2010 - vs Denver – WIN (105-77)

Another tough Western Conference team and we beat them handily, thanks to 31 points and 15 rebounds from Al Jefferson. Julian Wright had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench. Michael Redd only had 11 points, and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 6 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony scored 18 and Allen Iverson scored 17 for the Nuggets, who shot 35% from the field and never led during the entire game.

Jan 28, 2010 - @ Cleveland – WIN (107-102)

Andrew Bynum had 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 22 points and 11 rebounds as we defeat the Cavs in a close one in Cleveland. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Redd had 19 points and 4 assists as well.

Caron Butler led the Cavs with 26 points and 6 assists, and Lebron James had 24 points and 8 assists. Larry Hughes also pitched in 17 points for the Cavs, who staged a late 4th quarter rally only to fall short at the end.

Jan 30, 2010 - vs Minnesota – WIN (103-75)

Our final game of the month sees us crush the Timberwolves at home, thanks to a 22-point 12-rebound performance from Andrew Bynum. Michael Redd scored 26 points and dished out 6 assists. Al Jefferson and Channing Frye both pitched in 16 points each.

Kevin Garnett had 31 points and 7 rebounds for the Timberwolves, and Emil Clemente had 10 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We go 15-1 in the month of January, sitting on top of the league at 39-4. Six bucks are averaging double digit scoring for the season, led by Michael Redd’s 27.0 ppg. Jason Kid is averaging 10.2 ppg and 10.0 apg for the season. Andrew Bynum has performed well as our starting center and, along with Al Jefferson and Channing Frye, form one of the better front courts in the league. Julian Wright has cemented himself as our 6th man, while Acie Law and Corey Brewer have found their minutes dwindle to about 10 per game. Back-up big man Peter John Ramos has also performed well off the bench.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Bucks (39-4), Central
Bulls (35-8), Central
Pistons (34-12), Central
Bobcats (23-19), Southeast
Hawks (24-20), Southeast
Raptors (24-22), Atlantic
76ers (23-22), Atlantic
Nets (21-25), Atlantic

The Central remains to be the best division in the Conference, and perhaps the league. The Bucks, Bulls, and Pistons remain to be the teams to beat in the East. The Southeast race is between the Hawks and the Bobcats who are neck-and-neck, while in the Atlantic, the Raptors, 76ers, and Nets are all racing to grab the division crown. The Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all playoff hopefuls looking for a solid run in the final stretch of the season in order to break through for a playoff berth.

Western Conference:

Suns (38-10), Pacific
Rockets (36-11), Southwest
Sonics (26-18), Northwest
Nuggets (27-19), Northwest
Jazz (26-20), Northwest
Lakers (23-20), Pacific
Kings (23-23), Pacific
Hornets (22-23), Southwest

The Suns and Rockets are racing for the best record in the West, while the Nuggets and Sonics are in the heat for the #3 seed. Meanwhile, there is a tight race going on involving most of the teams in the West, as everyone is close enough to each other that there might be an 8-team race for the last four playoff spots in the West.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (305.1)
2. Chicago Bulls (281.2)
3. Phoenix Suns (268.1)
4. Houston Rockets (262.9)
5. Atlanta Hawks (243.3)
6. Detroit Pistons (240.9)
7. Charlotte Bobcats (233.5)
8. LAL Lakers (230.4)
9. Seattle Supersonics (224.4)
10. Utah Jazz (224.2)
11. Denver Nuggets (223.3)
12. Toronto Raptors (221.7)
13. Portland Trailblazers (213.9)
14. New Orleans Hornets (212.2)
15. Golden State Warrios (211.3)
16. Dallas Mavericks (207.0)
17. Sacramento Kings (203.6)
18. Philadelphia 76ers (199.7)
19. Indiana Pacers (199.7)
20. New Jersey Nets (198.6)
21. LAC Clippers (190.8)
22. Memphis Grizzlies (186.8)
23. Washington Wizards (184.4)
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (181.0)
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (180.4)
26. San Antonio Spurs (180.0)
27. Orlando Magic (171.2)
28. Boston Celtics (167.2)
29. Miami Heat (145.5)
30. New York Knicks (144.2)

Major Injuries:

B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (11 d)
C. Webber, Cavaliers - a broken nose (10 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (212 d)
P. Gasol, Grizzlies - a broken toe (9 d)
A. Paulauskas, Grizzlies - a broken nose (51 d)
M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (329 d) – The #4 pick of the draft has his season end early, thanks to a torn Achilles.

Transactions:

Mavericks trade SG Marcus Williams for Celtics SG Luther Head, 2010 2nd round pick(BOS)

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:08 AM

Here we go! We’ve stumbled in the past during the tail-end of the season in February and March… let’s see if we can prevent that from happening this year.

Feb 2, 2010 - vs Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (107-95)

Michael Redd scores 41 points and grabs 6 rebounds to lead us over the Clippers at home. Andrew Bynum had 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Julian Wright pitched in 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench.

Corey Maggette and Elton Brand scored 26 and 24 points, respectively, while Chris Kaman had 14 points and 20 rebounds for the Clippers.

Feb 3, 2010 - @ Washington – WIN (122-97)

We slaughter the Wizards in Washington, thanks to 29 points and 14 rebounds from Andrew Bynum. Michael Redd scored 21 points, Al Jefferson had 18 points and 13 rbeounds, and Jason Kidd added 14 points and 11 assists.

Myron Adams led the Wizards with 25 points, Antawn Jamison had 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Gilbert Arenas had 11 points and 14 assists.

Feb 6, 2010 - vs Boston – WIN (109-73)

Al Jefferson led six bucks in double figures with 20 points and 12 rebounds as we smash the Celtics at home. Michael Redd had 17 points, and Channing Frye pitched in 16 points from the wings. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 rebounds.

The Celtics struggled, shooting only 36% from the field, with Paul Pierce scoring 26 points and Gerald Green scoring 18. Noone else from the Celtics scored in double digits.

Feb 7, 2010 - @ Toronto – LOSS (98-87)

The Raptors hold us to only 38% from the field and defeat us in their home turf, thanks to a 38-23 4th quarter from their boys. Greg Oden had 25 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 blocks, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 24 points for the Raptors.

Channing Frye led us with 24 points and 8 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 17 rebounds. Michael Redd only scored 15 points for the game.

Feb 10, 2010 - vs Atlanta – WIN (132-101)

We head back home and demolish the Hawks by 31 points, thanks to 33 points from Michael Redd. Al Jefferson scored 20 points, and Andrew Bynum had 15 points. Jason Kidd scored 12 points and had 10 assists, while Julian Wright had 14 points and 7 assists from the bench. We shot 65% from the field as a team.

Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 23 points and 6 assists, and Spencer Hawes had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks.

Feb 12, 2010 - @ Detroit – LOSS (103-100)

Michael Redd missed a game-tying three pointer and we drop a big one against the Detroit Pistons. Al Jefferson led s with 27 points and 7 rebounds, and Michael Redd had 21 points, but shot 9 of 25 from the field. Julian Wright had 16 points off the bench.

Chauncey Billups had 22 points and 7 assists, Mike Bibby had 22 points and 9 assists, and Tayshaun Prince had 21 points and 6 assists for the Pistons.

Feb 14, 2010 - @ New York – WIN (103-77)

A visit to New York made us forget of the Detroit loss, and we demolish them by 26 points. Al Jefferson continues to be hot, scoring 21 points with 9 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 15 assists, while Andrew Bynum and Michael Redd both scored 18 points.

Devid Lee led the Knicks with 17 points, while Kevin Durant scored 16 in a losing effort.

Feb 16, 2010 – ALL STAR WEEKEND CONTESTS

Quncy Douby of the Sacramento Kings went home with the Slam Dunk Title, while Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns was crowned as the 3-Point Champ.

Feb 17, 2010 – NBA ROOKIE-SOPHOMORE GAME – SOPHS WIN (91-83)

The Wizards’ Myron Adams leads the Sophomores in a win over the Rookies in the NBA Rookie-Sophomore game. Adams had 21 points and 3 rebounds and won the Game MVP award.. Orlando forward Brian Doctor had 5 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists for the Sophomores, and Donald Braun of the Nets had 18 points and 4 assists off the bench.

Tyrone McIntyre of the Hawks led the Rookies with 18 points, while #1 pick Emile Clemente scored 8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.

Feb 18, 2010 – NBA ALL-STAR GAME – EAST WIN (102-97)

The Eastern All Stars stage a late 4th quarter rally to defeat the Western All Stars in the 2010 All Star Game. Elton Brand had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Western All Stars and won the MVP award, but it was not enough to win the game.

LeBron James led the Eastern All Stars with 23 points, and Chris Bosh had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the East. Gilbert Arenas had 13 points and 12 assists off the bench, and Dwight Howard scored 13 points.

Kobe Bryant led the Western All Stars in scoring with 22 points. Kevin Garnet and Allen Iverson scored 16 and 12 points, while Tim Duncan had 18 rebounds for the West.

West All Stars: Elton Brand, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Yao Ming, Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Ray Allen, Brad Miller, Steve Nash

East All Stars: Paul Pierce, Jermaine O’neal, Chris Bosh, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Andre Iguodala, Michael Redd, Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson

Feb 20, 2010 - @ Charlotte – WIN (102-84)

Michael Redd scores 37 points and leads us over the Bobcats in Charlotte. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 13 assists, while Al Jefferson had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Andrew Bynum and Channing Frye combined for 10 blocks against the Bobcats.

Adam Morrison led the Bobcats with 19 points, and Gerald Wallace scored 17 points for Charlotte.

With the trade deadline tomorrow, we get two trades from four teams.

TRADES:

Hawks trade SG Tyrone McIntyre, SF Keith Bogans, PG Speedy Claxton, C Primoz Brezec for Wizards SF Antawn Jamison, 2010 2nd round pick(WAS)

Analysis: The Hawks essentially thin their roster and add a solid post player in Jamison. This, of course, means bad tidings for last year’s #2 pick, Mark Howard, since the Hawks are now loaded at SF with Jamison and Josh Smith. The Wizards, on the other hand, unload Jamison’s contract in return for a young SG in Tyrone McIntye and a lot of cap space for next year.

Jazz trade SF Fredrik Johnson, PG Shea Duany, SG Salim Stoudamire, C Andrew DeClercq for Magic PF Charlie Villanueva, 2010 2nd round pick(ORL)

Analysis: The Magic did this trade to free up cap space, finding out that Charlie V isn’t the big man for them. They immediately release Duany, Stouamire, and Declerq, keeping Johnson’s contract only to let it expire at season’s end. They are going to try and keep in pace with the Wizards’ ability to spend next season after their trade. The Jazz, on the other hand, get a solid big man to back-up Boozer, Okur, and Kirilenko, in return for cap fodder.

Feb 21, 2010 - vs New Jersey – WIN (92-82)

Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 16 points and 11 assists, as we win over the Nets, thanks to a good overall game from everyone. Michael Redd scored 18 points, and Al Jefferson had 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Richard Jefferson led the Nets with 17 points and 7 rebounds, and Nenad Kristic had 16 points and 17 rebounds. Vince Carter scored 16 points for the Nets, who shot 38% from the field.

The trade deadline hits, and we have one deadline deal.

TRADE:

Supersonics trade PF Nick Collison, SF Damien Wilkins, 2010 1st round pick(SEA) for Knicks C Eddy Curry

Analysis: It is, indeed, a new day for the Knicks, as they trade away Eddy Curry for some cap space, a 1st round pick, and a change of pace in Nick Collison. The Sonics are looking to make good their run for the playoffs, and Eddy Curry brings them a big body to fight with in the West.

Feb 23, 2010 - vs Toronto – WIN (109-93)

Michael Redd has 32 points and Al Jefferson pitched in 21 points and 7 rebounds as we defeat the Raptors at home. Andrew Bynum scored 16, and Channing Frye scored 14 points. Jason Kidd had 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists for us.

Chris Bosh had 16 poitns and 18 rebounds to lead the Raptors, while Hedo Turkoglu and Andrea Bargnani scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Feb 25, 2010 - vs Seattle – WIN (117-100)

Seattle tests our mettle, but we prove to be too much for them, as Michael Redd drops 41 points and 10 rebounds, and Al Jefferson has 25 points and 7 rebounds in this win at home. Jason Kidd had 13 points and 15 assists for us as well.

Eddy Curry led the Sonics with 22 points, while Ray Allen had 17 points for Seattle.

Feb 27, 2010 - vs Philadelphia – WIN (88-75)

Jason Kidd led us with 17 points and 7 assists, as we defeat the 76ers in a rare low-scoring affair at home. Al Jefferson, Andrew Bynum, and Michael Redd all scored 15 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 12 points off of the bench.

Andre Miller scored 20 points for the 76ers, while Andre Iguodala put in 15 points, as the 76ers shot only 38% from the field.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

February turns out to be a good month for us, as we go 10-2, further solidifying our record as the best team in the league.

It seems that our scoring has evened out, with Michael Redd no longer needing to put up nearly 30 points every game, thanks to Andrew Bynum’s arrival here in Milwaukee. Jason Kidd, even at 36 years old, has done a masterful job of orchestrating the offense. Al Jefferson has been able to transition from being the #2 guy in the offense last year to being the third wheel behind Redd and Bynum. We have the talent and depth to storm the playoffs, but it wouldn’t do to be complacent about how strong our team is.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Bucks (49-6), Central
Bulls (42-12), Central
Pistons (40-15), Central
Hawks (32-25), Southeast
Bobcats (30-25), Southeast
76ers (30-27), Atlantic
Raptors (30-27) Atlantic
Pacers (26-30), Central

On the outside looking in:

Nets (26-32), Atlantic
Cavaliers (24-32), Central

Lotto likely:

Magic (20-36), Southeast
Celtics (20-38), Atlantic
Heat (18-40), Southeast
Wizards (17-39), Southeast
Knicks (11-46), Atlantic

The Central Division remains strong, with all five teams in the hunt for the playoffs. The Bucks, Bulls, and Pistons are the best teams in the East right now. In the Atlantic, the 76ers and Raptors are in a tight battle for the division crown, while in the Southeast, the Hawks and Bobcats have emerged as division leaders amidst rebuilding from Orlando and Washington, and an ailing Miami team.

Western Conference:

Suns (45-12), Pacific
Rockets (45-13), Southwest
Jazz (32-25), Northwest
Sonics (31-25), Northwest
Lakers (29-27), Pacific
Nuggets (29-28), Northwest
Warriors (28-29), Pacific
Trailblazers (26-29), Northwest

On the outside looking in:

Kings (27-32), Pacific
Hornets (26-31), Southwest
Mavericks (25-31), Southwest
Spurs (25-32), Southwest
Clippers (25-33), Pacific

Lotto likely:

Timberwolves (22-36), Northwest
Grizzlies (20-37), Southwest

The Rockets and Suns are in a race for the top of the west, similar to last season. The Jazz and Sonics seem to have the inside trade to the Northwest division title. Nine teams are also closely ranked and will most likely be fighting for the last four playoff spots in the conference.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (279.5)
2. Chicago Bulls (250.6)
3. Phoenix Suns (248.5)
4. Houston Rockets (240.1)
5. Detroit Pistons (223.6)
6. Atlanta Hawks (211.5)
7. Utah Jazz (201.4)
8. Seattle Supersonics (196.5)
9. Charlotte Bobcats (190.8)
10. Toronto Raptors (190.7)
11. LAL Lakers (189.1)
12. Golden State Warriors (184.3)
13. Portland Trailblazers (183.0)
14. Denver Nuggets (180.4)
15. Philadelphia 76ers (174.7)
16. Dallas Mavericks (171.0)
17. New Orleans Hornets (170.1)
18. Indiana Pacers (166.8)
19. New Jersey Nets (161.5)
20. Cleveland Cavaliers (159.5)
21. San Antonio Spurs (157.0)
22. Sacramento Kings (157.0)
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (152.2)
24. LAC Clippers (151.7)
25. Memphis Grizzlies (145.9)
26. Orlando Magic (142.4)
27. Washington Wizards (133.4)
28. Boston Celtics (132.0)
29. Miami Heat (122.0)
30. New York Knicks (101.0)

Major Injuries:

M. Camby, Nuggets - a broken toe (41 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (184 d)
A. Paulauskas, Grizzlies - a broken nose (23 d)
M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (301 d)

Transactions:

Feb 20, 2010 - Hawks trade SG Tyrone McIntyre, SF Keith Bogans, PG Speedy Claxton, C Primoz Brezec for Wizards SF Antawn Jamison, 2010 2nd round pick(WAS)

Jazz trade SF Fredrik Johnson, PG Shea Duany, SG Salim Stoudamire, C Andrew DeClercq for Magic PF Charlie Villanueva, 2010 2nd round pick(ORL)

Feb 21, 2010 - Supersonics trade PF Nick Collison, SF Damien Wilkins, 2010 1st round pick(SEA) for Knicks C Eddy Curry

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:09 AM

March has been a tough month for us in the past two seasons, with 18 games and several back-to-backs, along with a 5-game west coast road trip toward the end of the month. We’ll see if we can avoid stumbling in March this year.

Mar 2, 2010 - @ Minnesota – WIN (88-74)

This was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless. Michael Redd scored 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 5 assists to lead us over the Timberwolves in Minnesota. Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists.

The Wolves were led by Brandin Levett’s 15 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 blocks. Emile Clemente had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Kevin Garnett had 10 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks for the Wolves.

Mar 3, 2010 - vs Chicago – LOSS (102-99)

The Bulls put the hurting on us early, as we tried to scramble in the fourth quarter but fell short of a comeback at home. This is our first home loss of the season, and our hopes of winning all our home games go down the drain.

Michael Redd scored 31 points, and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 9 points and 13 assists.

Ben Gordon had 30 points and 5 assists, and Kirk Hinrich also scored 30 points and dished out 8 assists. Luol Deng had 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists to drive Chicago to a win.

Mar 5, 2010 - @ Chicago – WIN (112-107 OT)

Payback is sweet, as we march into Chicago, force over time, and defeat the Bulls in a grind-out game.

Andrew Bynum reigned supreme with 26 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks. Michael Redd scored 28 points, while Channing Frye added 17 points. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 7 assists.

Tyrus Thomas led the Bulls with 32 points, and Ben Gordon scored 24 points. Kirk Hinrich had 10 points and 13 assists for Chicago.

Mar 6, 2010 - vs Atlanta – WIN (105-96)

Andrew Bynum had 26 points 12 rebounds and 2 blocks, while Michael Redd adds 23 points and 5 assists as we defeat the Hawks at home. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 9 assists, while Julian Wright had 16 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

Shelden Williams led the Hawks with 25 points, and Antawn Jamison had 15 points 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Mar 9, 2010 - vs Dallas – WIN (113-88)

Michael Redd scores 28 points and Al Jefferson has 24 points and 7 rebounds in this win over the Mavericks at home. Jason Kidd had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Channing Frye had 13 points and 8 rebounds.

Josh Howard led the Mavericks with 20 points, while Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.

Mar 10, 2010 - @ New Orleans – WIN (116-113)

This game wasn’t as close as the box scores indicate. We were up by a hefty 15 points until a late 4th quarter rally by the Hornets made it that close.

Michael Redd scored 31 points, and Andrew Bynum had 24 points. Jason Kidd had 10 points nad 16 assists, while Julian Wright and Acie Law contributed 16 and 11 points, respectively.

Chris Paul had 24 points and 15 assists for the Hornets. David West had 22 points and 9 rebounds, and Peja Stojakovic scored 20 points.

Mar 12, 2010 - @ Miami – WIN (107-71)

Michael Redd scored 30 points and Julian Wright had 23 points off the bench as we trounce the Heat in Miami. Andrew Bynum had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Channing Frye had 12 points and 9 rebounds.

Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 22 points. No one else on the Heat roster broke into double-digit scoring.

Mar 14, 2010 - vs Cleveland – WIN (111-90)

Andrew Bynum had 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 25 points and 5 assists as we defeat the Cavaliers thanks to a strong first half-showing.

Al Jefferson had 10 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. Acie Law scored 13 points off the bench.

Lebron James led the Cavs with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Caron Butler scored 21 points for Cleveland. James Posey scored 11 points off the bench.

Mar 16, 2010 - vs Washington – WIN (101-74)

Michael Redd scored 23 points, while Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists in this win over the Wizards at home. Al Jefferson had 9 points and 16 rebounds, while Andrew Bynum had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Channing Frye also scored 14 points for us.

The Wizards were led by 24 points from Myron Adams, and 12 points and 14 assists from Gilbert Arenas. They shot 33% from the field in this loss.

Mar 18, 2010 - @ Denver – WIN (139-129 2OT)

We start off our 5-game Western Conference road trip with a double overtime win against the Denver Nuggets.

Michael Redd scored 38 points and had 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Channing Frye pitched in 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 8 points and 11 assists, while Peter John Ramos filled in for Andrew Bynum, who fouled out early in the 3rd quarter, with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 40 points and 12 rebounds, while Nene Hilario had 31 points and 11 rebounds. Allen Iverson scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Chris Duhon had 6 points and 15 assists.

Mar 20, 2010 - @ Seattle – WIN (100-95)

Game two of our road trip, and we defeat the Sonics by five points, thanks to a 38-25 4th quarter rally.

Jason Kidd scored 23 points and had 9 assists to lead us tonight. Michael Redd scored 22 points, while Andrew Bynum had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Al Jefferson and Channing Frye had 16 and 14 points, respectively.

Ray Allen had 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Rashard Lewis scored 22 points for the Sonics.

Mar 21, 2010 - @ Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (110-83)

We destroy the Clippers in Los Angeles and get our 60th win of the season. Six Bucks score in double digits, led by Michael Redd’s 24 points. Andrew Bynum had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Jason Kidd had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Cuttino Mobley led the Clippers with 17 points. Thaddeus Young scored 13 off the bench, and noone else on the Clippers scored in double digits.

Mar 23, 2010 - @ Golden State – WIN (112-92)

Michael Redd scored 33 points and dished out 7 assits, and Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 15 rebounds as we defeat the Warriors. Al Jefferson had 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 10 point and 9 rebounds.

Baron Davis led the Clippers with 29 points and 8 assists, while Jason Richardson and Al Harrington scored 13 and 12 points each for the Warriors.

Mar 24, 2010 - @ Utah – LOSS (92-91)

Mehmet Okur hit the game-winning shot as the Jazz defeat us in the last game of what has been a successful 5-game Western Conference tour.

Michael Redd had a bad shooting night with 15 points on 5 of 18 FG. Channing Frye and Al Jefferson scored 18 points each, while Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds for us.

Mehmet Okur had 29 points and 10 rebounds. Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals, and 5 blocks for the Jazz. Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Matt Harpring scored 17 points.

Mar 26, 2010 - vs Indiana – LOSS (93-91)

We fail to catch up in the final minutes of this match and suffer our first back-to-back loss of the season as well as our 2nd home loss. Michael Redd had 24 points, while Andrew Bynum scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 14 points and 9 assists.

Jermaine O’neal had 39 points and 6 rebounds, while Antony Linton scored 10 points for the Pacers.

Mar 28, 2010 - vs Golden State – WIN (117-93)

Michael Redd scored 36 points as we destroy the Warriors at home. Al Jefferson had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 16 rebounds. Jason Kidd also dished out 10 assists.

Al Harrington led the Warriors with 18 points. Baron Davis had 14 points and 11 assists for Golden State.

Mar 30, 2010 - vs Memphis – WIN (108-95)

Al Jefferson leads us with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks to lead us over the Grizzlies. Andrew Bynum had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Michael Redd had 22 points, while Jason Kidd had 13 points and 11 assists.

Anu Paulaskas leads the Grizzlies with 29 points, while Mike Miller had 18 points and 6 assists for Memphis.

MONTH-END REPORT:

Bucks Report:

We go 14-3 during the month, far better than how we fared during the past two years. We are currently on pace for a 70 win season, leading the league at 63-9. Reaching 70 wins would be a great achievement for this team, but it would also put undue pressure to living up to those 70 wins during the playoffs. We haven’t suffered any major injuries so far, which is a good thing, and it would be a shame if any one of our guys actually got injured during the final month of the season headed into the playoffs.

Around the League:

Eastern Conference:

Bucks (63-9), Central
Bulls (56-16), Central
Pistons (52-20), Central
Hawks (43-29), Southeast
Bobcats (38-34), Southeast
Raptors (37-35), Atlantic
76ers (35-37) Atlantic
Nets (35-39), Atlantic
~
Cavaliers (29-42), Central
Pacers (28-42), Central
Heat (28-46), Southeast
Celtics (25-47), Atlantic
Magic (25-48), Southeast
Wizards (24-47), Southeast
Knicks (12-59), Atlantic

Western Conference:

Suns (55-17), Pacific
Rockets (55-18), Southwest
Sonics (41-31), Northwest
Jazz (40-32), Northwest
Nuggets (39-33), Northwest
Mavericks (37-35), Southwest
Lakers (36-36), Pacific
Trailblazers (35-37), Northwest
~
Kings (35-39), Pacific
Warriors (33-39), Pacific
Clippers (33-40), Pacific
Hornets (32-40), Southwest
Spurs (32-41), Southwest
Timberwolves (26-47), Northwest
Grizzlies (24-47), Southwest

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (242.6)
2. Chicago Bulls (212.1)
3. Phoenix Suns (209.8)
4. Houston Rockets (201.7)
5. Detroit Pistons (193.0)
6. Atlanta Hawks (169.8)
7. Seattle Supersonics (157.3)
8. Utah Jazz (154.2)
9. Denver Nuggets (148.6)
10. Toronto Raptors (144.4)
11. Dallas Mavericks (142.1)
12. Charlotte Bobcats (142.0)
13. LAL Lakers (138.5)
14. Portland Trailblazers (132.7)
15. Philadelphia 76ers (129.7)
16. Golden State Warrios (128.7)
17. Sacramento Kings (122.9)
18. New Jersey Nets (121.8)
19. New Orleans Hornets (119.6)
20. LAC Clippers (118.8)
21. San Antonio Spurs (115.0)
22. Cleveland Cavaliers (113.9)
23. Indiana Pacers (112.3)
24. Memphis Grizzlies (100.4)
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (99.4)
26. Washington Wizards (96.3)
27. Miami Heat (93.7)
28. Boston Celtics (92.9)
29. Orlando Magic (90.5)
30. New York Knicks (50.4)

Major Injuries:

M. Camby, Nuggets - a broken toe (10 d)
K. Martin, Nuggets - a broken foot (58 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (153 d)
N. Krstic, Nets - a broken hand (31 d)
D. Braun, Nets - a broken elbow (32 d)
M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (270 d)
T. Parker, Spurs - a broken toe (7 d)

Neon_Chaos · 05-22-2009, 04:09 AM

Apr 1, 2010 – vs New York – WIN (113-76)

We trash the Knicks by 37 points, thanks to 30 points and 4 assists from Michael Redd. Jason Kidd had 18 points and 10 assists, while Andrew Bynum had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Al Jefferson had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Kevin Durant and Brad Granberry led the Knicks with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Apr 4, 2010 - @ Boston – LOSS (103-99)

The Celtics come back big in the 4th quarter and beat us in Boston. Andrew Bynum scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 16 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Redd, however, had a horrible game, 2 points on 1 of 12 shooting in only 22 minutes thanks to foul trouble and a sore knee suffered in the 2nd quarter.

Six Celtics score in double figures led by Leon Powe, Gerald Green, and Mike Conley who all score 18 points each.

Apr 6, 2010 – vs Bobcats – LOSS (101-97)

Another four point loss, and another 4th quarter meltdown, this time at home. Al Jefferson led us with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Michael Redd, still nursing a sore knee, scored 19 points and had 6 assists.

Emeka Okafor led the Bobcats with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Adam Morrison and Ervin Gunn both score 17 points each, and Hilton Armstrong has 8 points and 16 rebounds.

The hope for 70 wins is still alive. Two more losses would take us out of the running for 70, though.

Apr 7, 2010 - @ Cleveland – WIN (111-85)

Al Jefferson led the charge once again, with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Channing Frye scored 21 points and had 6 steals as we demolish the Cavs in Cleveland. Michael Redd had 15 points, and Andrew Bynum had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Wright had 18 points off the bench.

The Cavs were led by Chris Webber’s 17 points and 5 rebounds. Lebron James and Larry Hughes both scored 15 points tonight.

Apr 9, 2010 - @ Washington – WIN (96-91)

Michael Redd had 25 points and Al Jefferson had 21 points and 7 rebounds as we defeat the Wizards in a close on in Washington. Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 12 points and 9 rebounds.

Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, but couldn’t get enough from his other teammates to put them over.

Apr 11, 2010 – vs Boston – WIN (119-75)

Al Jefferson continues to be a driving force with 28 points and 9 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 27 points and 8 assists as we crush the Celtics at home to avenge our loss earlier in the month. Andrew Bynum had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 24 points, and Leon Power had 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Apr 13, 2010 - @ Detroit – LOSS (114-106)

Michael Redd’s 39 points is not enough, as we drop this game against the Pistons in Detroit. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 10 points and 12 assists.

Chauncey Billups scored 30 points, Richard Hamilton had 26, and Mike Bibby had 20 points and 13 assists for the Pistons.

We are now at 12 losses, and one more loss would take us out of reach of 70.

Apr 14, 2010 – vs Orlando – WIN (96-86)

We keep our hopes up for the big seven zero and defeat the Magic at home by ten. Michael Redd had 25 points and 6 assists, Andrew Bynum had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and Channing Frye had 20 points for us.

Dwight Howard had 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Magic. Steve Francis scored 17 points and Tony Battie had 12 points and 16 rebounds.

Apr 16, 2010 - @ Philadelphia – WIN (95-75)

Michael Redd leads us with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, as we defeat the 76ers and move to being one win away from seventy wins. Jason Kidd had 13 points, 13 assists, and 4 rebounds. Al Jefferson scored 15 points, and Julian Wright had 12 points off the bench.

Scott Duncan led the 76ers with 25 points, and Andre Miller scored 16. Andre Iguodala was held to 3 points on 1 of 19 shooting, thanks to smothering defense. The 76ers shot 37% from the field tonight.

Apr 17, 2010 – vs Toronto – WIN (107-93)

We did it! On the final game of the season, we manage to hit seventy wins, the second team to ever achieve the feat. Michael Redd had 32 points, while Andrew Bynum had 24 points and 9 rebounds. Julian Wright had 18 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

Andrea Bargnani had 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Chris Bosh had 22 points and 17 rebounds for the Raptors.

APRIL MONTH END:

Team Report:

We finish the season with a 70-12 record, the best in the league, and only the 2nd time in NBA history that any team has won 70 games in a season. We now have a giant target painted on our back, with everyone looking to knock us out of the playoffs.

The acquisitions of Jason Kidd in the off season and Andrew Bynum in the middle of the season were big turning points for us. Kidd brought us a legitimate point guard and floor general, and Bynum gave us a true paint presence that we were lacking when Andrew Bogut was our starting center.

It’s all about the playoffs now and winning a title. Those 70 wins will be for nothing if we don’t win.

Playoff Picture:

Eastern Conference Seeding:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (70-12) – Central Division Champs
2. Chicago Bulls (66-16)
3. Atlanta Hawks (50-32) – Southeast Division Champs
4. Toronto Raptors (42-40) – Atlantic Division Champs
5. Detroit Pistons (60-22)
6. Charlotte Bobcats (42-40)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42)
8. New Jersey Nets (38-44)

Three teams in the East reached 60+ wins… and they’re all from the Central. The Hawks manage to finish strong thanks to the trade deadline deal for Antawn Jamison. The Hawks-Bobcats series might be the only series to actually watch and expect any upsets, as the Bobcats have a habit of beating top teams every now and then. I fully expect the Pistons, and Bulls to make it past the first round. I expect to sweep the Nets, seeing as their starting center, shooting guard, and point guard are all suffering major injuries and are done for the season.

Western Conference Seeding:

1. Phoenix Suns (65-17) - Pacific Division Champs
2. Houston Rockets (61-21) - Southwest Division Champs
3. Utah Jazz (49-33) – Northwest Division Champs
4. Seattle Supersonics (47-35)
5. Dallas Mavericks (42-40)
6. Denver Nuggets (41-41)
7. Los Angeles Lakers (41-41)
8. Portland Trailblazers (39-43)

In the West, the Suns and Rockets have shown their dominance. The Rockets, however, are playing without SG Tracy McGrady, will it affect them in the playoffs going up against Kobe and the Lakers? I expect the Suns to make a solid run for another title, with everyone else in the west scrambling for a chance to knock them out. The Blazers and Mavericks are playing without key players. Zach Randolph and Dirk Nowitzki are both sidelined for the season with major injuries.

Power Rankings:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (217.4)
2. Chicago Bulls (197.9)
3. Phoenix Suns (194.8)
4. Houston Rockets (179.1)
5. Detroit Pistons (177.8)
6. Atlanta Hawks (139.4)
7. Utah Jazz (134.3)
8. Seattle Supersonics (131.1)
9. Toronto Raptors (113.7)
10. Dallas Mavericks (113.4)
11. Charlotte Bobcats (111.3)
12. Denver Nuggets (111.1)
13. LAL Lakers (107.6)
14. Philadelphia 76ers (104.8)
15. Sacramento Kings (100.3)
16. Portland Trailblazers (97.8)
17. New Jersey Nets (96.0)
18. New Orleans Hornets (91.5)
19. Golden State Warrios (91.0)
20. LAC Clippers (89.3)
21. San Antonio Spurs (88.4)
22. Indiana Pacers (84.1)
23. Cleveland Cavaliers (81.0)
24. Miami Heat (79.8)
25. Boston Celtics (74.7)
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (71.9)
27. Memphis Grizzlies (65.3)
28. Orlando Magic (60.1)
29. Washington Wizards (57.8)
30. New York Knicks (17.3)

Major Injuries:

D. Nowitzki, Mavericks - a torn knee tendon (382 d)
K. Martin, Nuggets - a broken foot (38 d)
M. Ellis, Warriors - a broken ankle (49 d)
T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (133 d)
J. Green, Timberwolves - a broken ankle (47 d)
N. Krstic, Nets - a broken hand (11 d)
V. Carter, Nets - a broken foot (38 d)
D. Braun, Nets - a broken elbow (12 d)
Z. Randolph, Trailblazers - a broken hand (42 d)
M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (250 d)
J. Chaney, Wizards - a broken hand (23 d)

12-17-2008, 05:41 AM	#9
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	APRIL 2008 GAMES: Here we go with the final stretch of the season. Ten games left to determine if we’re going to have home court advantage in the East. The race in the East is tightening, and I will occasionally be keeping track of the race for #1. Apr 1, 2008 – vs New York – WIN (114-92) We bounce back from our two-game skid via this April Fools win over the Knicks. Six Bucks are in double figures, as Michael Redd and Earl Boykins lead the pack with 28 and 22 points, respectively. Eddy Curry leads the Knicks with 20 points. Apr 4, 2008 - @ Boston – LOSS (105-100) Michael Redd’s 35 points and Andrew Boguts 18 points and 16 rebounds are not enough, as we lose to the Celtics, 105 to 100. Six Celtics score in double figures, led by Paul Pierce’s 25 points. They got good help from their bench, as Mike Conley and Ryan Gomes score 10 points each. East Race: Milwaukee Bucks – 50-24 Cleveland Cavaliers – 49-25 Miami Heat – 47-28 Apr 6, 2008 – vs Bobcats – WIN (119-92) Michael Redd lit up the Bobcats with 38 points, while Charlie Villanueva returned to the starting lineup to score 18. Julian Wright was relegated to the bench, but pitched in 10 points. Early Boykins and Acie Law combined for 23 points and 19 assists for the game. The Bobcats’ Gerald Wallace was hot with 31 points and 8 rebounds, but his teammates weren’t able to give him the lift he needed. The Cavs lost to the 76ers, 101-98, and the Heat lost to the Grizzlies, 111-88, giving us some breathing room on top. Apr 7, 2008 - @ Cleveland – LOSS (113-112) Michael Redd misses the game-winning jumper as the Cavs cut our standings lead by two games by defeating us in Cleveland. Michael Redd had 22 points, while five other bucks were in double digits. The Cavs got their scoring from Grant Hill (30 points), Larry Hughes (23 points), and Lebron James (22 points, 15 assists). East Race: Milwaukee Bucks – 51-25 Cleveland Cavaliers – 50-26 Miami Heat – 47-29 Apr 9, 2008 - @ Washington – WIN (105-97) Channing Frye and Michael Redd score 24 and 22 points each, and Earl Boykins had 19 points and 10 assists, as we beat the Wizards on the road. Corey Brewer made his return, playing 19 minutes and scoring 6 points off the bench. Antawn Jamison had 25 points for the Wizards, while Gilbert Arenas had 18 points and 11 assists. The Cavs beat the Magic, 109-99, while the Heat beat the Pistons, 108-99. Apr 11, 2008 – vs Boston – WIN (118-95) We dole out some punishment against the Celtics, as Michael Redd scored 38 points and dished out 5 assists at home against Boston. Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Earl Boykins scored 23 points. Paul Pierce and Wally Sczerbiak led the Celtics with 32 and 20 points each. The Cavaliers defeat the Knicks the next day, 95-83, and the Heat keep their #1 hopes alive as they defeat the 76ers, 104-79 East Race: Milwaukee Bucks - 53-25 Cleveland Cavaliers - 52-26 Miami Heat - 49-29 Apr 13, 2008 - @ Detroit - WIN (100-68) A 32-point drubbing of the Detroit Pistons gives us a slight edge against the Cavs, who lose tonight against the Wizards, 103-77. Michael Redd had 35 points, while Andrew Bogut had 20 points and 16 rebounds. Corey Brewer pitched in 10 points off the bench. Rip Hamilton scored 20 for the Pistons, who had noone else score in double figures. Miami loses to the Boston Celtics, 100-118, effective ending their chase for the #1 seed. Apr 14, 2008 – vs Orlando - LOSS (102-92) We lose a crucial game against the Orlando Magic despite Michael Redd's 33 points. Earl Boykins had 13 points and 10 assists. Dwight Howard had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Tony Battie scored 18 points off the bench for the Magic. The Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons, 92-90, closing down our gap once again. East Race: Milwaukee Bucks - 54-26 Cleveland Cavaliers - 53-27 Apr 16, 2008 - @ Philadelphia - WIN (115-84) We defeat the 76ers handily thanks to 37 points from Michael Redd, his 4th straight game over 30 points. Julian Wright and Acie Law pitched in 16 and 13 points each, both coming off the bench. Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 26 points. Julian Wright is injured with a sore shoulder but should still be able to play. This win puts us in a very interesting position. It at least guarantees that we're going to have a tiebreaker with the Cavaliers. We split the season series 2-2, and I don't have an NBA rulebook beside me, so I don't know what the additional tiebreaker is. The Cavs have two games left. If we win tomorrow against Toronto, we win the East outright. If we lose, the Cavs have to avoid losing in their last two games: against the Celtics, and the Raptors as well. East Race: Milwaukee Bucks - 55-26 Cleveland Cavaliers - 53-27 Apr 17, 2008 – vs Toronto - WIN (100-89) It doesn't matter that the Cavs beat the Celtics handily minutes before the final buzzer of this game. We finish the season with a remarkable bang! In front of a sellout crowd of 18,717 fans, we defeat the Toronto Raptors and stake claim to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Michael Redd plows through with another great scoring performance, putting in 33 points. Andrew Bogut, Channing Frye, and Charlie Villanueva, our tall front court, put in 18, 17, and 16 points, respectively. TJ Ford led the Raptors with 15 points and 8 assists, but the Raptors only managed to squeeze 8 points each from Greg Oden and Chris Bosh. After learning that we would have home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, we get word that the Suns lost a game that would have put us in a tie, essentially giving us the best record in the entire league at 56-26! APRIL MONTH END: Team Report: We finish the season strong by winning 7 of 10 games and ensuring that we at least have an upper hand during the playoffs. Having the best record in the NBA was not part of what I signed up for this season, but I will take it with a smile. Michael Redd finishes the season 2nd in the league in scoring at 30.7 ppg. Kobe Bryant is first with 32.7 ppg, Allen Iverson is 3rd with 30.0 ppg. Ray Allen and Gilbert Arenas finish 4th and 5th with 29.8 and 29.0 ppg. Baron Davis leads the league in assists per game at 10.4 apg. Chauncey Billups and Dwyane Wade are ranked 2nd and 3rd with 10.3 apg and 10.0 apg, respectively. Yao Ming, Ben Walace, and Chris Bosh all break the 13.0 rpg barrier with 13.4 rpg, 13.1 rpg, and 13.0 rpg, respectively. Andrew Bogut is ranked 7th with 11.5 rpg. Andrei Kirlenko leads the league in blocked shots with 3.8 bpg. Josh Smith and Elton Brand follow him with 3.4 and 3.1 bpg each. Gerald Wallace, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant lead the league in steals per game. Wallace averaged 2.1 spg, while Iverson and Bryant averaged 2.0 spg. Michael Redd is 9th in the league in steals with 1.5 spg. Kevin Durant leads all rookies in scoring at 14.8 ppg, with Greg Oden second at 12.0 ppg. Corey Brewer and Julian Wright are 3rd and 4th at 9.9 ppg and 9.8 ppg. Acie Law finishes second in apg for rookies with 4.8 behind Mike Conley's 5.2 apg. Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference Seeding: 1. Milwaukee Bucks (56-26) - Central Division Champs 2. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-28) 3. Miami Heat (52-30) - Southeast Division Champs 4. Toronto Raptors (47-35) - Atlantic Division Champs 5. Detroit Pistons (47-35) 6. Chicago Bulls (46-36) 7. Boston Celtics (43-39) 8. Indiana Pacers (39-43) Western Conference Seeding: 1. Phoenix Suns (55-27) - Pacific Division Champs 2. Sacramento Kings (55-27) 3. Houston Rockets (49-33) - Midwest Division Champs 4. Denver Nuggets (47-35) - Southwest Division Champs 5. San Antonio Spurs (47-35) 6. Utah Jazz (46-36) 7. Seattle Supersonics (46-36) 8. Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) All five Central Division teams make it to the NBA Playoffs (Bucks, Cavs, Pistons, Bulls, and Pacers), with the Indiana Pacers making it as an 8th seed. The Southeast Division only have the Miami Heat, while the Atlantic have the Raptors and Celtics. In the West, the Northwest and Pacific send three teams each, while the Southwest only send 2. The Suns are remarkably on top of the West, despite Nash missing over half of the regular season. __________________ Come and see.

12-18-2008, 11:58 AM	#10
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS PLAYOFF SERIES PREVIEW: Coming in to this series against the Indiana Pacers, we are going to need to be able to neutralize Jermaine O'neal's presence in the paint. That means Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye, and Andrew Bogut will have to step it up defensively against the Pacer's main man who, for the season, averaged 25.4 ppg and 8.5 rpg. Our weakest position remains the PG spot, where Earl Boykins and Acie Law have provided good offense but terrible defense. We are like a porous sieve at the PG spot, which means we have to watch out for Jamaal Tinsley, who might take advantage of it. Tinsley has only averaged 6.2 apg during the season, but might get more facing our weak defense at PG. Michael Redd will have to light up Mike Dunleavy Jr. at the SG spot. Dunleavy is 3 inches taller than Redd, although Redd is a much better shooter/scorer to be fazed by Dunleavy's height advantage. I fully expect Redd to use his speed and quickness to blow by Dunleavy on the offensive end. Julian Wright will be coming into the series with a minor injury, so Corey Brewer will have to carry the bench load for now. Wright should be 100% by Game 2, which is a very big plus for us. Having the defensive presence of Brewer and the presence of mind of Wright gives us a very big advantage when we need to bring in talent off the bench. We beat the Pacers, 3-1, during the regular season. This should be a good series. I'm would love to win this in six games, but we could easily lose it in six as well. Apr 21, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game One - LOSS (113-106) We are stunned by a game-one loss against the Pacers, denting the confidence and swagger we brought in via the regular season. The Pacers out-rebound us 49 to 31, with them having 21 offensive rebounds. Michael Redd had 25 points, Charlie Villanueva had 22 while injuring his hand in the process, while Earl Boykins had 16 points and 8 assists. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Troy Murphy came out of nowhere and poured in 21 points for the Pacers, who had four other players score in double figures. Jamaal Tinsley had 15 points and 11 assists, exploiting our obvious weakness at defending the PG spot. Charlie Villanueva will be questionable for the next week or so, dampening our spirits. Apr 22, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Two - LOSS (115-99) If game one was a stunner, game two felt like a dagger through our heart. With Charlie Villanueva coming off the bench, the Pacers abuse us again on the boards, 49-27. Michael Redd poured in 42 points, and Channing Frye had 20, but our other starters were definitely out of it. Corey Brewer pitched in 14 off the bench in a losing effort. Villanueva only socred 2 points in 21 minutes of play. Jermaine O'neal scored 24 points, while Jeff Foster put in 18. Danny Granger scored 20 points off the bench, while David Harrison grabbed 13 rebounds off the bench as well. Jamaal Tinsley has another good game with 15 points and 12 assists. We need to steal two games in Indiana if we expect to win this series. Ugh. Apr 24, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Three - WIN (103-82) A ray of hope - we defeat the Pacers in Indiana and finally take control of the glass this game. We out-rebound the Pacers, 47-34, as Michael Redd lit everyone up with 44 points. Andrew Bogut showed up tonight with 14 points and 19 rebounds, while Earl Boykins pitched in 10 points and 6 assists. Jermaine Oneal was the only Pacer in double figures with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Jamaal Tinlsey had 9 points and 9 assists. David Harrison injured his right calf although he is probable for the next week and will most likely play. A win tomorrow night at Indiana puts the momentum back on our side, a loss will most likely be a death knell for our playoff hopes. Apr 25, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Four - WIN (125-118) This was a thriller of a match, as we only really pulled away in the final 3 minutes. Michael Redd scored 43 points, his 3rd straight 40-point game in this series. Channing Frye had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 20 points off the bench. Jermaine O'neal and Troy Murphy led the Pacers with 39 points and 23 points, respectively. Jamaal Tinsley had 8 points and 15 assists. The win came at a price, though, as Acie Law was injured with a strained abdominal muscle, putting him in the questionable column for a week or so. Toronto wrapped up its series against Detroit in the East, 4-0, they'll be waiting for the winner of this series in the next round. Phoenix swept the Clippers, and Sacramento also garnered a sweep of the Sonics in the West. Apr 27, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Five - LOSS (107-99) The home team is yet to win a game in this series, as we crumble to the Pacers tonight. Our hopes brightened up in the 2nd quarter as Jermaine O'neal appeared to be injured on an awkward rebound. He is sent to the back, and I fully expected my team to take over. Not so. Danny Granger poured in the best game of his entire career with 35 points on 16/24 shooting from the bench. Murphy and Tinley scored 15 points each, while O'neal only managed 12 points in 12 minutes of play. Michael Redd had 29 points and Earl Boykins put in 19 points for us. My heart sinks even further as we receive news that O'neal is FINE, and he WILL play Game 6 in Indiana. Crap. Cleveland beats Boston in 5 games, while San Antonio goes over Denver in the West. Apr 29, 2008 - @ Indiana, Game Six - WIN (97-83) With out season hanging in the balance, our guys played one hell of a game to take this series back to Milwaukee for a deciding Game Seven! Andrew Bogut scored seven points, but grabbed 23 rebounds as we out-rebound the Pacers, 52-33. Earl Boykins led the team with 26 points, while Michael Redd had 21 points. Charlie Villanueva came back to the starting lineup and contributed 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jermaine O'neal scored 24 for the pacers, while Troy Murphy had 20. #6 seed Chicago upset #3 seed Miami in six games to advance to the next round. So it's off to Game Seven in a win or go to summer scenario for us. And, with the season and the best record in the NBA on the line, we head back to Milwaukee and play our hearts out... May 1, 2008 - vs Indiana, Game Seven - WIN (137-97) BUCKS WIN! BUCKS WIN! BUCKS WIN! The elation inside the Bradley Center was indescribable. Michael Redd just had one of the greatest offensive performances ever seen in the NBA Playoffs, dropping 59 points against the Indiana Pacers on 22 of 32 shooting, and we advance into the next round of the playoffs. Earl Boykins pitched in 13 points and 16 assists. Channing Frye and Charlie Villanueva had 14 points each, while Julian Wright and Corey Brewer scroed 12 and 10 off the bench. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 28 points, but was only held to 4 rebounds. Danny Granger had 16 points, and Jamaal Tinsley scored 15 for the Pacers. If you saw the celebration at the arena, it was like we just won the NBA Championship. Wow. What a wierd series, with the home team winning only the last game, in a blow-out nonetheless. This series basically showed me that we were far from being the best team in the NBA. We had the best record, yes, but we're not the best team. Not if the 8th seed Pacers could have taken us to seven games. The Raptors beckon, and they look to be a tougher cookie to crack that Indiana. In other news, the Rockets defeat the Jazz in their own game 7 and advance to the 2nd round. __________________ Come and see.

12-19-2008, 12:51 AM	#13
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	NBA FINALS PREVIEW: How the Bucks got here: - best record in the NBA at 56-26 - 1st seed overall in the East - defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games - defeated the Toronto Raptors in seven games - defeated the Chicago Bulls in six games How the Kings got here: - 2nd best record in the West by virtue of a tie with Phoenix, who became #1 (55-27) - 2nd seed overall in the West - defeated the Seattle Supersonics in four games - defeated the Houston Rockets in seven games - defeated the Phoenix Suns in four games The long road to the NBA Finals has led both the Bucks and Kings to face each other for the NBA Title. The Bucks, led by the miracle-man Michael Redd, are looking to cap off a fairy-tale season under the management of new GM Jackson Jackson and new head coach Jeff Van Gundy. The Kings, on the other hand, led by the unheralded Mike Bibby, are ready to exorcise ghosts of playoffs past as they stake their claim to be on top of the mountain. Michael Redd leads all scorers in the playoffs with a 31.5 ppg average, while Mike Bibby overtook Ben Gordon as the second most prolific scorer in these playoffs with 29.3 ppg. There is no doubt that both teams will have to rely heavily on these two guys in order to win against the opposing team. As far as supporting casts go, both teams have guys ready to step up and take over a game. For the Bucks, in these playoffs, it's been the diminuative Earl Boykins, who's been averaging 15.3 ppg and 7.3 apg as Michael Redd's wingman. For the Kings, Kevin Martin has proven to be an able lieutenant to Bibby's scorching performances, averaging 18.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 5.3 apg. The Bucks will have to rely once again on their collective number of big men to show up during the series and not back down. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, Andrew Bogut, Corey Brewer, and Julian Wright must be able to provide the rebounds that the Bucks need in order to control the tempo of the game. The Kings will also have to reply on Brad Miller, Ron Arters, Shareef Abdur-Raheem, and Kenny Thomas to dominate the boards and make the paint a no-fly zone for any of the Bucks' slashers. The Bucks and Kings split their season series 1-1, with the away team winning on each occasion. Expect every game to be a hard-fought battle between these two teams. May 27, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game One This is it. This is what we've been playing for all season long. We open up the NBA Finals on our home court, and we do not disappoint. In front of a sell-out crowd in the Bradley Center, we dispose of the Kings, 104-95. Six Bucks score in double figures, with Earl Boykins as an unlikely hero. Boykins scored 25 points and dished out 7 assists. Michael Redd had a silent 18 points and 6 assists. Andrew Bogut put in 13 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 15 points off the bench. Mike Bibby led the Kings with 21 points and 12 assists, while Kevin Martin had 12 points. One win down, three to go. Bring it on. May 28, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game Two Game two leaves a sour taste in Bucks fans' mouths as we not only lose to the Kings, 110-95, but we also lose three players to injuries. Channing Frye, Earl Boykins, and Eric Williams all suffered different injuries during the game. Michael Redd had 22 points, but turned the ball over 8 times in the loss. Mike Bibby scored 34 points and dished out 11 assists for the Kings. We get the different diagnoses on our guys. Frye broke his toe during the third quarter and will be out for the next two months. Boykins banged up his knee and will be questionable for the next week. Eric Williams has a sore back and will also be questionable for a week. Ouch. The Kings pull even, and we now face three road games... probably the hardest road games we'll have this season. May 30, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Three How do you make a statement? You make it by beating the home team by 25 points to the tune of 100-75 in our game three victory against the Kings. Michael Redd dropped in 30 points, while Julian Wright filled in for Channing Frye and scored 16 for us. Acie Law started the game and had 8 points and 6 assists. Earl Boykins came off the bench and had 6 points and 10 assists for us. Mike Bibby was held to 8 points and 9 assists before he had to be taken out of the game in the third quarter after complaining about his back. Kevin Martin and Brad Miller were the only two Kings in double figures with 18 and 14 points each. We get news that Mike Bibby will be questionable for the next two weeks. Good freaking news for us. Very, very good news. May 31, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Four News circulates that Mike Bibby will not be suiting up for tonight. We learn soon enough that he is, indeed, in street clothes and will not be playing. Wow. What a way to chicken out of winning a title. Nut up, Mike, your team needs you! We handily defeat the Kings 103-89, and move ourselves closer to an NBA Title. Michael Redd had 22 points and got a lot of help from his teammates. Charlie Villanueva had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 18 points and 18 rebounds. Corey Brewer also put in 17 points off the bench. Kevin Martin led the Kings with 30 points, but he was the only King in double figures. They really felt Mike Bibby's absence, as Quincy Douby started in his place and had a below average performance: 9 points and 4 assists with 8 turnovers. We lead the series 3-1 and get three chances to wrap things up, let's hope that we do. Jun 2, 2008 - @ Sacramento, Game Five Mike Bibby suits up for game five and wills his entire team into not losing this series on their home court, leading the Kings to a 110-93 rout of my Bucks. Mike Bibby played only 31 minutes but put in 12 points and 13 assists. Keivn Martin scorched us with 33 points, while Ron Artest and Brad Miller came to life tonight and had 25 and 17 points, each. Michael Redd scores 29 points, while Charlie VIllanueva pitches in 16 points in this loss. Acie Law has a good game with 10 points and 10 assists. We're up 3-2, and we get two chances at home to wrap everything up. I definitely don't want to go to a game seven against these Kings. Jun 4, 2008 - vs Sacramento, Game Six Despite being close behind throughout the game, the Kings never really appeared like they would be able to snatch this victory and the NBA Crown from us, not when we're this close to it. We obliterate the Bulls and win the NBA Title with a 101-87 victory at home. Michael Redd scored 25 points and had 8 rebounds, while Charlie Villanieva had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut and Earl Boykins chipped in 12 points and 15 rebounds and 8 points and 11 assists. Kevin Martin had 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, in a losing effort to keep their title hopes alive for the Kings. Mike Bibby played with his sore back and managed 13 points and 7 assists. The entire arena is going nuts as the players are reintroduced to the home crowd. Hugs all around, and Jeff Van Gundy finally gets an NBA Title. He really brought this team together and worked well with all the young talent we had in this team. The long season is finally finished. Thanks mostly to luck (the Bibby injury) and avoiding many of the other tough teams in the NBA Playoffs, we've managed to climb the mountain in a remarkable turnaround from last season. What was deemed impossible at the beginning of the season has turned into reality, and the Milwaukee Bucks are YOUR 2007-2008 NBA Champions!!! ~~~ Jun 7, 2008 - NBA LOTTERY Here is how the lottery order before the ping pong balls are picked breaks down, from last to first: 14. Philadelphia 13. Atlanta 12. Charlotte 11. Dallas 10. Golden State 9. LA Lakers 8. Portland 7. New York 6. Minnesota 5. New Orleans 4. Orlando 3. Washington 2. New Jersey 1. Memphis After the lotto: 14. Philadelphia (same) 13. Charlotte (-1) - Atlanta gets lucky and hits the top 3! 12. Dallas (-1) 11. Golden State (-1) 10. LA Lakers (-1) 9. Portland (-1) 8. New York (-1) 7. Minnesota (-1) 6. New Orleans (-1) 5. New Jersey (-3) - Ouch... from #2 to #5, which means that Orlando made it to the top 3! 4. Memphis (-3) - The Grizzlies run out of luck and are nudged to the #4 spot. 3. Orlando (+2) 2. Atlanta (+12) 1. Washington (+2) NBA Awards Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets Defensive Player of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, Toronto Raptors 6th Man of the Year: Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks Coach of the Year: Jeff Van Gundy, Milwaukee Bucks All League 1st Team: PG - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers SF - Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves C - Yao Ming, Houston Rockets All League 2nd Team: PG - Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings SG - Ray Allen, Seattle Supersonics SF - Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets PF - Jermaine O'neal, Indiana Pacers C - Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors All League 3rd Team: PG - Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons SG - Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers SF - Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards PF - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic C - Shaquille O'neal, Miami Heat All Defensive 1st Team: PG- Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves C - Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls All Defensive 2nd Team: PG - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets SG - Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings SF - Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats PF - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic C - Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets All Rookie 1st Team: PG - Mike Conley, Boston Celtics SG - Ron Lewis, Philadelphia 76ers SF - Kevin Durant, New York Knicks PF - Yi Jianlian, Golden State Warriors C - Greg Oden, Toronto Raptors All Rookie 2nd Team: PG - Acie Law, Milwaukee Bucks SG - Rodney Stuckey, Indiana Pacers SF - Julian Wright, Milwaukee Bucks PF - Brandan Wright, Houston Rockets C - Spencer Hawes, Atlanta Hawks JVG definitely deserves the Coach of the Year nod. I take the snub to Michael Redd on the All NBA Team personally, as I do not consider Ray Allen to be an player equal to Redd's caliber. The two All Rookie 2nd Team selections are nice, as both players have definitely provided us with firepower off the bench and as starters during our ridiculous run to the title. So, it's off to the next season! Yay! __________________ Come and see.

12-21-2008, 09:14 PM	#14
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Notable retirees and contract extensions: Robert Horry, Brent Barry, and Gary Payton have all retired. Hubie Brown, Lenny Wilkens, and Mike Montgomery have all called quits on their coaching careers. Jerry West has retired as a GM. Isiah Thomas has his contract extended by the Knicks. I laugh. Mike Brown and Mike Diantoni's coaching careers continue with the Cavs and Suns, thanks to taking them deep in the playoffs. June 19, 2008 Greg Masters, the Bucks owner, holds a big dinner for me, my staff, and the rest of the team. It's like he filled an entire reception hall with one big Bucks booster club. The night ends well, everyone has a good time, and Masters invites me for a one-on-one informal sitdown. He tells me that he is excited with what we've accomplished this season. A freaking NBA Title, for crying out loud. He also loves the fact that we did it without even going over the cap (I managed to keep the salary about 900k below the salary cap). We go over the details of the team and talk about where we go from here. He tells me if I think the Bucks are going to be an average team this year like I said last year. I laugh. I tell him that we're going to make the playoffs, at least. He's pleased, saying that we might have had a great run this year, but he believes that other teams will be gunning for us this season. He then asks about salaries, and I ask for more leeway to spend, perhaps going 10 to 15 mil above the cap. He tells me that I will have to keep expenses low, so I won't get much leeway. He wants me to keep player salaries near the cap. Well... that sucks. Draft Workouts We have the #30 pick and we seriously do not have anyone that we think we're going to take at that spot. I'll see to trading the pick away for a second rounder. We do hold workout with several players, just in case we want to jump ahead. 2008 NBA DRAFT - June 28, 2008 Here we go with the 2008 NBA draft. We're seriously considering trading away the #30 pick if we don't find a suitable PG-type player to select when our turn comes. The top 3 players on people's lists are SF Brian Doctor from North Carolina St., SG Myron Adams from Connectictut, and SG Anu Paulauskas from Lithuania. There is a rumor going around that the Wizards are considering trading away the #1 pick, but noone takes it seriously. The commissioner walks up the podium and announces the first pick. 1. Washington Wizards - SG Myron Adams - The Wizards get a gift dropped on their lap, as they select Myron Adams, a ridiculously talented shooting guard. Adams averaged 29.6 ppg, 7.2 apg, 13.0 rpg, 3.1 spg, and 2.3 bpg as a freshman in Connecticut last season. 2. Atlanta Hawks - SF Mark Howard - There is a huge uproar on this pick by the Hawks. JP says that he would have gone with Doctor instead of Howard. Chris says, however, that Howard is a talented player and will find a way to shine in the NBA. 3. Orlando Magic - SF Brian Doctor - The Magic get a great pick in Doctor. He's talented and is NBA-ready. Aside from that, think about the merchandising on this guy! The Doctor is In! 4. Memphis Grizzlies - Anu Paulauskas 5. New Jersey Nets - PG Donald Braun 6. New Orleans Hornets - PF Gerrick Baxter - JP and Chris think that Baxter was taken about 5 to 10 picks too early. 7. Minnesota Timberwolves - C Brandin Levett 8. New York Knicks - SG Brad Granberry - The Knicks amazingly select an SG to add to their plethora of wing players. The pick gets booed, and FIRE ISIAH chants start. A little hint... THEY RESIGNED HIM!!! Chris reasons that Granberry is a good player and should be able to find minutes in New York. 9. Portland Trailblazers - SF Lavor Nixon 10. Los Angeles Lakers - PF Matt Greenwalt 11. Golden State Warriors - C John Anderson 12. Dallas Mavericks - SF Toomas Zukauskas - The other Lithuanian in the draft gets picked by the Blazers, and JP likes this pick for what it is. 13. Charlotte Bobcats - SG Ervin Gunn 14. Philadelphia 76ers - SG Scott Duncan 15. Indiana Pacers - PG Robert Johnson 16. Boston Celtics - SG Dickey Dotson 17. Los Angeles Clippers - PG Ramon Sawyer 18. Chicago Bulls - PF Darius Jackson 19. Utah Jazz - SG Fredrik Johnson 20. Seattle Supersonics - C Darrell Tibbetts 21. Toronto Raptors - SF Dereck Allison 22. Denver Nuggets - PG Cassidy Johnson 23. San Antonio Spurs - PF Tony Taylor 24. Detroit Pistons - SG Dickey Dotson 25. Houston Rockets - SG Bryant Osbourne 26. Miami Heat - SF Will Murphy 27. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Marty Booker 28. Sacramento Kings - C Michael Emerson 29. Phoenix Suns - C Valder Owens We take a look at who's left on the table and decide we really don't like anyone left, so we shop around our pick and find a taker. The Seattle Supersonics receive our 1st round pick (#30 overall), and trade us four 2nd rounders (#31, #50 this year, and the Sonics 2009 and 2010 2nd rounders). 30. Seattle Supersonics - PG Steve Duggins In the 2nd round we grab two guys that we like. (#31 overall) PF Jason Ellis - Ellis was projected as a late 1st round pick. He averaged 12 ppg and 18 rpg as a senior in Louisville. (#50 overall) PG Billy Selby - There were several PGs left, and we had to choose the one we felt had a good chance of at least making it to the D-League, if ever. Post-draft Analysis: This was a good draft, but we didn't have high picks. Jason Ellis turns out to be a nice pick for a 2nd rounder, while Selby was a throwaway. We decide to sign Ellis to a 3-year contract. June 30, 2008 - Contracts: Contracts To Renounce: SG Derek Anderson - $2,400,000 PG Earl Boykins - $9,600,000 SG Yakhouba Diawara - $ 900,000 PF Charlie Villanueva - $ 4,000,000 PF Eric Williams - $2,400,000 I renounce everyone, opting instead for the $10,000,000 of cap space that we're going to get if we renounce everyone. Summer League: Same as last year, we try to send everyone we can to the summer league. PG Acie Law PG Billy Selby SF Julian Wright SF Corey Brewer PF Jason Ellis C Channing Frye We even invite Charlie Villanueva to play with our team. July 7, 2008 - @ Sacramento - WIN (96-86) Charlie Villanueva scores 23 points and leads us over the Kings in a quasi-rematch of the NBA Finals. Julian Wright scored 13 points and Acie Law contributed 12. July 9, 2008 - vs San Antonio - WIN (104-91) Charlie Villanueva has 24 points and Julian Wright scored 12 in this win over the Spurs. July 11, 2008 - @ Toronto - WIN (100-94) Charlie Villanueva continues to make a strong case for us to resign him. He's actually making me regret renouncing our bird rights on him. He scores 33 points and grabs 10 rebounds for the win. July 13, 2008 - vs. Washington - WIN (122-77) Charlie V. leads the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 21 points, while Acie Law had 15 points and 11 assists. July 15, 2008 - @ Utah - LOSS (110-105) Charlie V stumbles in the last game of the summer league with only 9 points. Acie Law leads us with 21. Summer league is over! Yay. Charlie Villanueva will most likely get his dollars this season... let's see if we can bring him back for cheap. __________________ Come and see.

12-21-2008, 09:15 PM	#16
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Nov 1, 2008 - @ Orlando - WIN (107-97) Six Bucks score in double figures as we defeat the Orlando Magic in our season opener. Michael Redd had 35 points, 4 rebounds, and four assists as he starts his new career as a point guard. Al Jefferson had 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks in his first official game as a Buck. The Magic were fueled by 24 points and 6 rebounds from rookie Brian Doctor. Dwight Howard put in 20 pints and 12 rebounds, while Charlie Villanueva had 15 points and 8 rebounds for the Magic. Nov 4, 2008 - vs Cleveland - WIN (109-72) Al Jefferson debuts at home with a sizzling performance as we trash the Cavaliers: 22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 7 blocks. Michael Redd had 25 points and 8 assists, while Channing Frye pitched in 20 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Nov 8, 2008 - vs Charlotte - WIN (108-98) The Redd-Jefferson combo continues with this win over the Bobcats. Michael Redd has 31 points and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson has 22 points and 16 rebounds. Andrew Bogut and Julian Wright pitched in 16 and 14 points for us. Raymond Felton led the Bobcats off the bench with 23 points. Nov 11, 2008 - vs New Orleans - WIN (106-78) Michael Redd leads us with 22 points, 9 assists, and 6 steals. Corey Brewer pitched in 18 points and 5 rebounds, while Channing Frye came off the bench with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Acie Law is getting the nod over Earl Boykins this year, coming off the bench with 8 points and 8 assists. The Hornets were led by Tyson Chandler's 15 points off the bench. Nov 12, 2008 - @ Miami - WIN (100-97) Corey Brewer scored 12 points and sank the game-winning triple and sends us to 5-0 with this win over the Heat. Al Jefferson led the way with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Michael Redd was held to only 13 points in 28 minutes of play thanks to foul trouble. Julian Wright put in 16 points, while Channing Frye and Acie Law came off the bench wsith 13 and 12 points each. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 28 points, and Shaq put in 20 points and 13 rebounds. Nov 15, 2008 - vs Miami - WIN (112-100) We defeat the Heat in our home floor thanks to great performances from Redd (29 points), Wright (20 points), and Jefferson (16 points). Channing Frye is turning into a beast coming off the bench for us, as he scores 12 points and grabs 7 rebounds. Dwyane Wade was injured late in the second quarter with a broken wrist and finished with only 11 points. Shaquille O'neal had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat. Nov 17, 2008 - @ Portland - WIN (89-59) Michael Redd scores 32 points and Al Jefferson has 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks, as we demolish the Trailblazers in Portland. Zach Randolph is the only Blazer in double figures with 14 points. This game is a testament to how Jefferson has positively affected our defense. We're hustling more and getting stops, so we're not just relying on trying to outscore the other team like we did last season. Nov 19, 2008 - @ Sacramento - WIN (112-90) Mike Bibby scores 31 points, and Kevin Martin scores 19, but it's not enough to stave off the red-hot Bucks. Michael Redd had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, Al Jefferson had 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 19 rebounds during the win. Channing Frye came off the bench with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Nov 21, 2008 - @ LA Lakers - WIN(114-84) Seven bucks score in double figures as we defeat the Lakers by 30 points. Kobe Bryant had 36 points for the night, but got little to nothing from his teammates with Andrew Bynum the only other Laker in double figures with 10 points. Al Jefferson led the pack with 19 points, Michael Redd had 18. Channing Frye and Acie Law socred 16 and 13 off the bench. Andrew Bogut scored 12, while Corey Brewer and Julian Wright scored 12 points each. Nov 22, 2008 - @ Phoenix - WIN (100-91) Michael Redd leads us with 27 points as we defeat the Suns at Phoenix. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Suns were led by Shawn Marion, who put in 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Raja Bell, who scored 16 points. Nov 25, 2008 - vs Detroit - WIN (103-70) The streak continues as Michael Redd scores 30 points to lead us over the Pistons. Channing Frye had 16 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 14 points and 9 rebounds. Rip Hamilton had 17 points and Morris Peterson had 13 points for the Pistons, who shot 33% from the field. Nov 28, 2008 - vs LA Lakers - WIN (122-79) Al Jefferson had 27 points and 6 rebounds, Michael Redd scored 22 and dished out 8 assists, while Channing Frye had 22 points and 5 rebounds off the bench to lead us in a rout over the Lakers. Andrew Bogut also had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant scored 29 points for the Lakers, while Matt Greenwalt pitched in 12, the only two Lakers in double figures. Nov 29, 2008 - @ Boston -WIN (124-110) Corey Brewer explodes with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson and Michael Redd score 25 and 22 points each to lead us over the Celtics in a high-scoring affair and help us remain undefeated at 13-0. Channing Frye had 19 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, as he continues to be an amazing player for us. Wally Sczerbiak had 33 points to lead five other Celtics who scored in double figures. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: With our fast-paced offense and our new-found energy on defense, we are on top of the NBA with a 13-0 record. We lead the league in PPG, at 108.2, and in PPG allowed, at 85.6. Our winning margin per game is 22.6 ppg. We are also 2nd in the league in least turnovers per game at only 12.5 topg. The addition of Al Jefferson has had a huge impact on our fortunes (19.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg), not to mention Channing Frye's emergence as one of the league's best 6th men (13.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg off the bench). Six Bucks are averaging double digits in scoring, led by Michael Redd's 25.3 ppg. Redd has done a wonderful transition at the PG spot, what with Acie Law being able to shadow him from off the bench. Law is averaging 7.9 ppg and 6.0 apg in 20.2 mpg. Around the League: Behind us in the Central Division are the Pistons (8-6) and the Cavaliers (9-7). In the Atlantic, the Raptors are leading (10-7), with the Knicks (8-6) and Celtics (7-7) close behind. The Bobcats (8-5), on the other hand, are surprisingly on top of the Southeast, with the closes team being the Heat (8-8). In the West, the Denver Nuggets are on top with a scorching 13-1 record, with the (10-7) Sonics behind them in the Northwest. The Southwest have three good teams jockeying for position in the Rockets (13-4), Spurs (14-5), and Hornets (8-6). While in the Pacific, the Suns and Kings have similar records (8-6). Power Rankings: 1. Houston Rockets (349.5) 2. Milwaukee Bucks (340.5) 3. Denver Nuggets (321.4) 4. Charlotte Bobcats (318.9) 5. Orlando Magic (312.2) 6. Sacramento Kings (306.8) 7. Phoenix Suns (305.8) 8. Golden State Warriors (302.5) 9. New York Knicks (301.6) 10. New Jersey Nets (295.2) 11. Chicago Bulls (294.9) 12. San Antonio Spurs (293.6) 13. Utah Jazz (291.3) 14. Cleveland Cavaliers (286.8) 15. Toronto Raptors (284.8) 16. New Orleans Hornets (282.0) 17. Boston Celtics (279.2) 18. Seattle Supersonics (276.4) 19. Portland Trailblazers (273.6) 20. LAL Lakers (269.4) 21. Washington Wizards (267.4) 22. Miami Heat (266.3) 23. Atlanta Hawks (264.0) 24. Indiana Pacers (261.1) 25. Detroit Pistons (260.3) 26. LAC Clippers (250.6) 27. Dallas Mavericks (248.9) 28. Minnesota Timberwolves (244.6) 29. Memphis Grizzlies (236.4) 30. Philadelphia 76ers (230.6) Injuries: Notable injuries from around the league: C. Anthony - a broken wrist (55 d) - The Nuggets have been winning without Melo, too. Wow. D. Wade - a broken wrist (31 d) - With Wade out, the Heat are freefalling. C. Mihm - a broken arm (31 d) B. Haywood - a torn knee tendon (144 d) Transactions: No trades to report. Rookie Watch: Wow. This batch of rookies is chock-full of talent. Eight rookies are averaging double-figures in scoring, with many rookies being talented enough to start for their teams. Myron Adams and Brian Doctor are the fast track to stardom and are the front-runners for the ROY award. Here is a look at some of the notable players from this rookie class: (#1 overall) Myron Adams, Wizards - 16.7 ppg, 2.8 apg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.8 bpg, 2.3 topg (#3 overall) Brian Doctor, Magic - 16.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.6 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.4 topg (#4 overall) Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 14.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.1 topg (#7 overall) Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 8.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 10.1 rpg, 0.9 spg, 2.6 bpg, 2.6 topg (#12 overall) Toomas Zukauskas, Mavericks - 13.2 ppg, 1.9 apg, 6.9 rpg, 0.8 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.3 topg __________________ Come and see.

12-16-2008, 07:53 AM	#2
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	June 20, 2007 I have a sit-down meeting with the owner of the Bucks, Greg Masters. After going over minor details with the team, he finally gets down to the meat of our meeting. Calmly, he asks me about how I think the team is going to fare in the upcoming season. Knowing Greg, I simply mention that we're going to have an average year and not to expect a playoff berth. Greg shrugs his shoulders and tells me that that's fine with him, as long as we bring in the fans. I relax a bit and brace for his next question: How much would the team cost him? After going through the financials, I mention that if I'm going to be able to rebuild this team properly and rake in fans, I'll need to be able to spend, so I say about $10 to $15 million above the cap. He raises his eyebrows and says that it would be wise for me to not spend more than I need. Looks like I'll be working near the salary cap this year. I would've loved some leeway with spending, but I think that I can free up a ton of cap space by renouncing our FAs. June 21, 2007 With my objectives for the season set, I hold a meeting with our coaching staff. With a little bit of glee, I fire Larry Kryskowiak as head coach. I mention something about cleaning house and the like, and he takes it like a man. Atta boy, Larry. Tony Brown, Brian James, and Jim Todd all look at me anxiously. I tell them that they're going to be here for this season and that I can't promise anything after that. I inform them that we're going to be looking for a new head coach and they're not in the running. Boo hoo. They all appear to be relieved that they still have their jobs, good for them. June 24, 2007 There are a lot of potential coaches in the market right now. Lenny Wilkens, Mike Fratello, Rudy Tomajonovic, Larry Brown... but I have my eye on one person, specifically, former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. I would love him to instill some toughness into this team of ours. His guys meet with our guys and we finally bring him in. He's looking to get paid, and we were willing to part with the cash to bring in a high-profile coach. Jeff Van Gundy agrees to a 4-year contract worth $3.5 million each season. We introduce him to a frenzied Milwaukee press. Yay. Draft Workouts With a new head coach, we get ready for the 2007 draft. We've got the #15 pick, although we're seriously considering being able to ship it out for future considerations. Noone really impresses us during the workouts, although we did have our eye on PG Acie Law if he dropped far enough to 15. 2007 NBA Draft - June 26, 2008 Draft night beckons, and we're all set for a big day. The question of the night, who will the Toronto Raptors select at #1? Greg Oden or Kevin Durant? There is a lot of buzz that Durant just might go at #1 over the big man. The Commish ends all specualtion... 1. Toronto Raptors - C Greg Oden JP loves the pick, while Chris thought that this was too early for Oden. Of course, the Knicks have no other option than... 2. New York Knicks - SF Kevin Durant JP, again, laudes the pick. But Chris says Durant shouldn't have gone here either. Whatever Chris is Smoking, I would love to have some right now. 3. Charlotte Bobcats - SG Brad Newley 4. Portland Trailblazers - PF Al Horford 5. Atlanta Hawks - C Spencer Hawes 6. Minesotta TWolves - SF Jeff Green 7. Boston Celtics - PG Mike Conley 8. Houston Rockets - PF Brandan Wright 9. Golden State Warriors - PF Yi Jianlian The announcers all blast this pick by the Warriors, stating that Yi is not a top-10 pick. 10. Seattle Supersonics - PF Joakim Noah At this point, I decide to bite the bullet and move up... well, not in that sense, but I do decide to trade my 2009 1st round pick to the Orlando Magic for the #11 pick. There were two good forwards available at this pick (Wright/Brewer) and we decided with the guy we actually worked out and appears to be a great guy with a good work ethic... 11. Milwaukee Bucks - SF Julian Wright 12. New Orleans Hornets - SG Morris Almond 13. Philadelphia 76ers - PF Jason Smith 14. Utah Jazz - C Sean Williams Big surprises here. The Morris pick gets booed by almost everyone in the building, followed by two picks that didn't surprise us. The 76ers and Jazz already had good guards on their team. Our turn comes up, and our guy is still on the board. We gladly snatch him up. 15. Milwaukee Bucks - PG Acie Law The commentators applaude our pick with us being able to fill out a position and getting one of the best players available on the board. 16. Chicago Bulls - PG Javaris Crittenton 17. Indiana Pacers - SG Rodney Stuckey (dropped down from projected as #7) 18. Washington Wizards - SG Sammy Mejia 19. Sacramento Kings - SF Al Thornton It's at this point that we decide to deal a bit more. We send SF Damir Makota and our 2007, 2008, and 2009 2nd rounders to the Nuggets for SG Yakhouba Diawara and the Nuggets #20 overall pick. 20. Milwaukee Bucks - SF Corey Brewer The announcers gush over us again. Hoorah. They can't believe Brewer fell this low. I can't either. 21. LA LAkers - PF Tiago Splitter 22. LA Clippers - SF Thaddeus Young The Grizzlies shock noone by making their pick... 23. Memphis Grizzlies - C Marc Gasol 24. New Jersey Nets - PF Josh McRoberts 25. Cleveland Cavaliers - SF Glen Davis 26. Miami Heat - PG D.J. Strawberry 27. Phoenix Suns - SF Jared Dudley 28. Dallas Mavericks - SG Marcus Williams 29. San Antonio Spurs - SF Wilson Chandler 30. Detroit Pistons - PG Ramon Sessions We don't have a 2nd round pick, so we wrap it up early. Whoo. Post-draft Analysis: As soon as the draft ends, we work the phones and immediately make moves to shift players. We come to a deal with the Knicks, as we trade SF Bobby Simmons and our 2010 2nd round pick in return for PF Malik Rose and C Channing Frye. Rose's contract is shorter and much more manageable. Now it's only a matter of moving Dan Gadzuric's contract. It's going to be hard. Back to the post-draft analysis... I'm not so sure that I am glad with my decision to move up on Julian Wright, seeing as though he might have even dropped to 20 or so. However, he looks more NBA-ready than Corey Brewer, although I'm pleased to have nabbed Brewer at the #20 spot. Acie Law looks nice, although I doubt he's starter material right now. All in all, I liked this draft. Well done, I say. Up next will be tearing down all the useless contracts we have to renounce. __________________ Come and see.

12-17-2008, 05:39 AM	#4
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	NOVEMBER GAMES: Nov 1, 2007 - @ Orlando - WIN Welcome to the NBA, boys. We win our season opener against the Magic, 92-88, and essentially haze the rookies into the league. Michael Redd scored 25 points, while Andrew Bogut had a monster game with 12 pts, 21 rebounds, and 5 assists. Julian Wright had a forgettable 9 points and 4 rebounds, Acie Law was in foul trouble and only played 14 minutes with 4 points and 0 assists. Corey Brewer scored 6 points off the bench. A bad start for the rookies. Nov 4, 2007 - vs Cleveland - WIN We open our home campaign in front of a sold-out crowd against the pre-season #1 team, and we demolish Lebron and the cavs, 111-91. Michael Redd had 32 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals. Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and 9 rebounds. Acie Law played only 20 minutes, but had 8 points and 8 assists. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer combine for 20 points. LeBron James had a dubious triple double... 24 points, 12 assists, and... whoops... 11 turnovers. Nov 8, 2007 - vs Charlotte - WIN We remain undefeated and win our 3rd game, beating the Bobcats 101-93. Michael Redd has 28 points despite having 5 fouls. Charlie Villanueva has 12 points and 14 rebounds. Acie Law plays only 22 minutes, and it seems that coach Van Gundy is relying on Earl Boykins to be the main playmaker for the team. Boykins has 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists off the bench. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer combine for only 9 points. Nov 11, 2007 - vs New Orleans - WIN Michael Redd continues to lead us as we win our 4th straight thanks to his 33 points. Charlie Villanueva had 18 as well. Earl Boykins had 11 points and 8 assists in 29 minutes off the bench, but he suffered an injury in the 4th (a strained abdomen), and is questionable for 12 days. Bad news for us. Earl has been remarkable as back-up to Acie Law, often covering up for our rookie PG's obvious lack of experience. Perhaps this is a chance for Law to step up Nov 12, 2007 - @ Miami - WIN We go up against the 4-1 Miami Heat, and we walk away with a surprising 130-106 victory. Michael Redd continues to be red hot, scoring 38 points and dishing out 6 assists. Julian Wright has his first good game, 22 points and 5 rebounds. Corey Brewer added 17 points, while Acie Law played 20 minutes and dished out 9 assists. Earl Boykins played 21 minutes and had 5 assists. Dwyane Wade had 30 points and 13 assists against us. Nov 15, 2007 - vs Miami - WIN Miami fails to learn from their mistakes, and we take away another win. Michael Redd has 29 points. Charlie Villanueva scores 18 points, while Channing Frye has 17 off the bench. Boykins has 14 points and 5 assists. Nov 17, 2007 - @ Portland - LOSS Jeff Van Gundy decides to start Boykins over Law, and we suffer our first loss of the season against the Blazers, 102-89. Michael Redd had 25 points in the losing effort. Channing Frye had 23 points off the bench in another strong performance. It was not enough for us to stop ZBo's 27 points and Jarret Jack's 22 off the bench. Nov 19, 2007 - @ Sacramento - WIN We bounce back from the Portland loss with a 117-110 win against the Kings. Redd scored 30 points along with 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Earl Boykins had 18 points and 6 assists. Bogut shows up and has 15 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Bibby lit us up for 40 points, but we held their bench to only 19 points. Nov 21, 2007 - @ LA Lakers - WIN With this win, we are now 8-1, and we're starting to think that we might have a solid shot at the playoffs or even better. We beat the Lakers 104-93, with Redd's 23 points spearheading a solid all-around performance from everyone. Bogut had 17 points and 9 rebounds and four other players score in double figures. We keep Kobe down to only 16 points and stop the rest of the Lakers from being a factor. Nov 22, 2007 - @ Phoenix - LOSS The Suns bring us down to earth with a 106-74 thrashing. Redd had his 25 points, but Julian Wright was the only other Buck who scored in double figures with 13. Acie Law started the game today and was thoroughly destroyed by Steve Nash, who had 23 points and 12 assists. Nov 25, 2007 - vs Detroit - WIN Michael Redd lights the Pistons up for 27 points and 8 rebounds as we beat them 98-82. Acie Law continues to start, and has 10 points and 8 assists in 22 minutes. Charlie Villanueva had 17 points, while Wright, Frye, and Brewer had 10 points each. Frye suffers a sore hip and is advised to take it slow. Nov 28, 2007 - vs LA Lakers - WIN Kobe has 41 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds, all in a losing effort. We beat the Lakers 109-98. Six Bucks are in double figures, led by Andrew Bogut's 21 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Redd has 18 points, 7 assists and 6 steals. Charlie Villanueva and Earl Boykins score 16 points a piece. Julian Wright and Eric Williams scored 14 and 10, respectively. Nov 29, 2007 - @ Boston - WIN Our last match of November sees us defeat pre-season favorites Boston Celtics, 98-87. Andrew Bogut is on a roll with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Michael Redd scores 26 points. Earl Boykins had 16 assists off the bench. The Celtics' only significant scorer was Paul Pierce, who had 26 points. NOVEMBER MONTH-END REPORT: One month into the season, and we are 11-2, owning the best record in the entire NBA. We certainly took everyone by surprise and came out of the gates like a bat out of hell. Heck, my guys even surprised everyone in the front office. The Nets and Raptors lead the Atlantic with a 9-6 and a 9-8 record, respectively. The Heat lead the Southeast with a 10-6 record. In the Central, the Cavaliers are behind us at 10-6. The Suns are on top of the West and the Pacific with a 12-3 record. The Mavs are on top of the Southwest at 12-5. Denver and Seattle are on top of the Northwest at 10-5 and 11-6. The Clippers are behind the Suns in the Pacific at 10-6. Michael Redd's 27.6 ppg is 5th in the league behind Kobe Bryant (32.4), Allen Iverson (31.9), Ray Allen (31.8), and Lebron James (28.9). Julian Wright and Corey Brewer are 3rd and 7th in rookie scoring with 9.2 ppg and 8.1 ppg, respectively. Acie Law leads all rookies in assists per game with 5.2 apg. This is amazing, considering the fact that he is only averaging 19 minutes per game as a semi-starter. Julian Wright is tied for 1st in rookie steals per game with 1.2. All in all, a very, very surprising and pleasant beginning to my Bucks GM career. __________________ Come and see.

12-17-2008, 05:40 AM	#5
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	DECEMBER GAMES: Dec 2, 2007 - vs San Antonio - LOSS We only manage 32 points in the first half, and the Spurs beat us 94-85. Michael Redd leads us with 24 points. Tony Parker had a great game for the Spurs, 24 points and 7 assists. Darko Milicic had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Dec 5, 2007 - @ Indiana - WIN We bounce back from that loss with a 109-98 victory against the Pacers. Michael Redd scored 37, and Julian Wright had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jermaine O'Neal led the Pacers with 25 points. Dec 6, 2007 - vs Miami - WIN Coming back home to play the Heat was tough, but we prevail in a close game, 107-105. Michael Redd has another big game with 38 points. Julian Wright had another good overall showing with 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Dwyane Wade had 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Shaq had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat. Dec 8, 2007 - vs Indiana - WIN Michael Redd remains hot, scoring 37 points during our 115-107 win over the Pacers at home. Acie Law had 10 assists in 20 minutes. Jermaine O'Neal scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Pacers. Dec 10, 2007 - @ Philadelphia - WIN We defeat the 76ers in a close game, 107-104. Andrew Bogut had an amazing game, registering a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Michael Redd scored 29 points. Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 38 points and 6 rebounds. Dec 12, 2007 - vs Sacramento - LOSS Sacramento takes advantage of an off night for us as they win 107-98. Michael Redd only scored 19 to lead the Bucks. Kevin Martin had 31 points and Mike Bibby had 23 points for the Kings. Dec 14, 2007 - @ Chicago - WIN We're yet to lose back-to-back games, as we defeat the Chicago Bulls, 92-89. Michael Redd finds his shooting stroke again, scoring 39 points. Andrew Bogut had 6 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists. Kirk Hinrich had 19 points and 9 assists for the Bulls. Dec 16, 2007 - vs Philadelphia - WIN Michael Redd scored 48 points in a 126-101 demolishing of the Philadelphia 76ers. Earl Boykins had 19 points and 9 assists off the bench. Andre Miller led the 76ers with 26 points and 8 assists but had 9 turnovers. Dec 20, 2007 - vs Portland - WIN We cherish the 3-day rest, and then defeat the Trailblazers 97-79. Charlie Villanueva had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Michael Redd had 27 points. Earl Boykins moved back to starter and had 15 points and 11 assists. Brandon Roy scored 23 points for the Blazers. Dec 24, 2007 - vs Chicago - WIN We get another 3-day rest and beat the Bulls 96-83 during Christmas Eve at home in our 3rd home game of a four-game stretch. Michael Redd had 38 points and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bogut was 2 assists shy of a triple double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Earl Boykins has his first DNP, although he's not injured. I guess JVG just wanted to rest our veteran PG. Dec 26, 2007 - vs Houston - WIN We beat the Rockets 101-86 in front of a packed Milwaukee crowd. Michael Redd leads six Bucks in double figures with 24 points. Yao Ming had 29 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort. Earl Boykins comes back as a starter, and I think JVG has done a great job of shuffling our two point guards to keep everyone fresh. Dec 27, 2007 - @ Orlando - LOSS Our 5-game win streak comes to an end with a close 101-99 loss to the Magic at Orlando, the first of a four-game road trip. Michael Redd had 21 points, Andrew Bogut had 22 pts and 15 rebounds, Julian Wright and Corey Brewer had 17 and 15 points, respectively. Dwight Howards had 32 points and 16 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson had 21 points and 10 assists. Dec 29, 2007 - @ Houston - WIN We are yet to lose back-to-back, and we bounce back with a 108-94 win, thanks to a 40-point fourth quarter from our guys. Michael Redd had 36 points. Andrew Bogut scored 14 and grabbed 15 rebounds. Yao Ming had 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Tracy McGrady scored 24 points, but no other Rocket scored in double figures. Dec 31, 2007 - @ Dallas - WIN We enter 2008 on a good note and start our New Year's Eve party early with a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Michael Redd had 38 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Andrew Bogut had 22 points and 17 rebounds. Earl Boykins had 15 points and 12 assists as a starter. Dirk Nowitzki had 34 points and Jason Terry scored 27, but noone else from the Mavs scored in double figures. DECEMBER MONTH-END REPORT: Standings: The miracle season continues, as we enter 2008 with a 22-5 record to lead the entire NBA. I'm sure everyone's puzzled as to how this young team has been able to win games, because even I am. The Miami Heat are in control of the Southeast division, with a 21-11 record. The Cavaliers and Pistons are both at 17-12 in the Central behind us. The Atlantic is the weakest East Division, with the Nets and Raptors vying for control with 15-14 and 16-15 records. The West have 6 teams above .600, and proves to be the tougher conference. The Clippers are amazingly on top, with a 20-9 record in the Pacific, closely followed by the surprising Suns (more on this below) who have a 20-10 record, and the Sacramento Kings, who are at 18-10. The Sonics have a solid grip on the Northwest, with a 19-9 record, followed by the Nuggets with a 16-14 record. The Southwest is a free-for-all as well with the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs close together with records of 19-11, 19-12, and 19-13, respectively. Transaction Report: No trades to report in the first two months of the season. Around the League: So, I take a look at the injury list and notice that Steve Nash of the Suns is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He is projected to be out for 278 days. Ouch. Gilbert Arenas of the Wizards is 17 days away from coming back from a broken ankle. Team Report: We lead the league in PPG with 103.3 points per game. We are 7th in APG with 26.8 apg. We're a measley 27th in RPG with only 40.1 rpg. Player Report: Michael Redd has upped his scoring average to 30.0 ppg. He is 4th in the league behind Kobe Bryant (34.0 ppg), Allen Iverson (31.5 ppg), and Ray Allen (30.5 ppg). Andrew Bogut is 12th in the league in rebounds per game with 10.7 rpg. Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut are 2nd and 3rd in the league in FG% with 57.7% and 54.9% behind Shaq, who is at 60.9%. Julian Wright is 3rd in scoring among all rookies with 9.9 ppg behind Kevin Durant (14.9 ppg) and Greg Oden (13.3 ppg). Corey Brewer is 6th with 7.9 ppg. Acie Law is 2nd in assists with 5.0 apg behind Mike Conley's 5.3 apg. Julian Wright leads all rookies in steals per game with 1.5 spg and is 3rd among all rookies in blocks per game with 1.0 bpg. I certainly can't wait to see what 2008 holds for the Bucks. __________________ Come and see.

12-18-2008, 11:59 AM	#11
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS-RAPTORS SERIES PREVIEW: We get a single day's rest before we open the next series against Toronto. The Raptors have had a week's worth of rest after sweeping the Detroit Pistons in their series. Andrea Bargnani has been amazing for the Raptors here in the offseason, averaging 25 ppg and 8 rpg against Detroit after only averaging 13 ppg during the regular season. The Raptors are essentially six men strong, with the talent level dropping low past 6th man Eddie Jones. I expect this to be a battle of the boards once again. With Oden, Bosh, and Bargnani manning their front-court, Andrew Bogut, Channing Frye, and Charlie VIllanueva must show up every night if we expect to deny the opposing team offensive rebounds. Bosh is leading all rebounders in the playoffs with 15.5 rpg. We're also going to need good games from our young front court off the bench, Corey Brewer and Julian Wright. Once again, Michael Redd goes up against a taller but slower defender in Hedo Turkoglu. Expect Redd to use his speed and quickness to continue his scoring streak. Redd leads all scorers in the playoffs, averaging 37.6 ppg. We give up a lot of ground on the PG side as well. Boykins will have his hands full trying to stop TJ Ford, who is leading the league in the playoffs with 10.6 apg. If we let Ford abuse us like how Tinsley did in the first round, we're not going to last as long as we did. The series against the Pacers exposed our weaknesses and basically gave us a giant red target on our backs. Jeff Van Gundy is more optimistic about our chances against the Raptors. I will have to trust him right now. After all, he's taken us to the best record in the league, hasn't he? Depending on the breaks, it's 6 games to either team, I think. May 3, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game One The Toronto Raptors outrebound us, 56 to 45, as Chris Bosh has a stellar 28-point 22-rebound game. This, however, wasn't enough to stiffle a great game from all our starters, as we defeat the Raptors 108-93. Michael Redd scored 26 points, while Earl Boykins had 21 points and 6 assists. Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut all had double-doubles tonight, keeping pace with the Raptors' big men. Bargnani had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while TJ Ford had 12 points and 10 assists for the Raptors. May 4, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Two Michael Redd lights up the Raptors with 42 points as we cruise to a 91-79 victory of the Raptors and take a 2-0 advantage in our series. Earl Boykins pitches in 15 points and Julian Wright has 10 points off the bench. Chris Bosh had 23 points and 19 rebounds, while TJ Ford has 13 points and 10 assists in a losing effort. We were able to contain Bargnani and Oden from exploding in the post, limiting them to 12 points and less than 10 rebounds each. May 6, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Three Michael Redd and Earl Boykins score 28 and 24 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the Raptors from winning against us 104-83. Andrew Bogut was saddled with 5 fouls, while Channing Frye and Charlie Villanueva were mostly invisible during the entire game, and we were unable to stop Chris Bosh and Greg Oden from killing us in the paint. Chris Bosh had 29 points, while Greg Oden had 23. Eddie Jones also pitched in 17 points off the bench for the Raptors. May 7, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Four The Raptors bench comes to the rescue tonight, and they fuel them to a 109-90 victory to tie the series 2-2. Michael Redd had 20 points, while Andrew Bogut had 21 points and 13 rebounds tonight, but the Raptors managed to fuel their offense via their bench. Hedo Turkoglu and TJ Ford only played 19 and 17 minutes before fouling out early in the game. Juan Dixon and Jorge Garbajosa led six Raptors in scoring with 18 points and 17 points. Bosh, Oden, Bargnani, and Jones all scored more than 10 points tonight. We squander a 2-0 series lead and now head back home. We need to protect our home court advantage if we expect to make it past Toronto. May 9, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Five Six Bucks score in double digits, and we take control of the series once again with a 100-87 win against the Raps at home. Michael Redd scored 25 points with 6 assists, and Earl Boykins put in 22 points and 6 assists as we never relinquished the lead during the entire game. We managed to keep their guys in foul trouble, effectively fouling out Bargnani, Oden, and Turkoglu. Chris Bosh did pitch in 24 points and 16 rebounds, while TJ Ford has 21 points and 13 assists. We now head back to Canada hoping to wrap this series up in Toronto. May 11, 2008 - @ Toronto, Game Six Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva both foul out early in this game, and we are rendered helpless by the dominance of Chris Bosh in the paint. We lose the chance to wrap this series up in six games by losing to the Raptors, 92-75, in Toronto. Chris Bosh had 24 points and 11 rebounds. TJ Ford had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Andrea Bargnan and Greg Oden put in 14 and 16 points each. Michael Redd is the only Buck in double figures with 27 points. In what has to be the best news business-wise for the NBA, all four playoff series are headed for a decisive game seven. The Bucks-Raptors in Milwaukee, Bulls-Cavs in Cleveland, the Suns-Spurs in Phoenix, and the Rockets-Kings in Sacramento. Wow. May 13, 2008 - vs Toronto, Game Seven The atmosphere in the Bradley Center was inceridble. They already bore witness to a game seven miracle against the Pacers... now, they fully expect it against the Raptors. After all, we clinched the best record in the NBA against them right here in the same arena. Clinching a Conference Finals berth? That would be harder. The game is a blur, and when it's all set and done, my assistant starts shaking me. "WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!" I look up at the scoreboard. Milwaukee - 98 Toronto - 78 Champagne bottles start popping all around the owner's box. I refuse to celebrate, however, no matter how elated I am. We still had a long way to go, and I certainly was concerned that two seven-game series was going to be hard on our guys' bodies. Michael Redd powered in a 27-point performance tonight, but he got a lot of help from other guys. Charlie Villanueva had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Earl Boykins scored 16 points, and Julian Wright had 12 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Jermain Oneal had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while TJ Ford pitched in 16 points and 7 assists in an attempt to have their season continue on. It ends with this loss against us, just as ours continues with this win. And then... there were four. In the three other game sevens tonight: Ben Gordon and Chicago stun Lebron James and the Cavaliers, 109-90, to advance to the Conference Finals. Boris Diaw hits a game-winning mid-range jumper for the Suns, sending the Spurs packing, 101-100. Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby power through against the Rockets and into the Western Conference Finals, 107-87. So, there you go... Bucks vs. Bulls Suns vs. Kings Two of the leading scorers of the postseason, Redd and Gordon, in one series. I smell rivalry. __________________ Come and see.

12-19-2008, 12:50 AM	#12
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS-BULLS SERIES PREVIEW: All eyes are on the Eastern Conference Finals, featuring two of this year's playoffs' best scorers: Michael Redd, leading the Bucks on a miraculous playoff run, and Ben Gordon, who led the Bulls past the highly-touted Cavaliers of Lebron James. Redd is first in scoring in the playoffs with 32.7 ppg, while Gordon is close behind with 30.3 ppg. With both players matching up with each other in this series, there is no doubt that there are going to be a couple of shoot-outs between these two triggermen. The Bulls will have to rely heavily on their other starters to compete with the Bucks. Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng will have to carry some of the scoring load for their team in this series, and Tyrus Thomas must continue his defensive prowess in the lane (2.6 bpg in the playoffs) and be able to provide ample help for Ben Wallace on the boards. Andres Nocioni and Mike Sweetney are also going to need to be more assertive as a presence off the bench for the Bulls. For the Bucks, Earl Boykins must continue to be efficient with his shooting (2nd in the team in scoring in the playoffs at 15.1 ppg) and he must be able to at least stop Kirk Hinrich from dishing out assists (something that he couldn't do against Jamaal Tinley or TJ Ford). Channing Frye, Charlie Villanueva, and Andrew Bogut must all show up during the games, as they have a tendency to disappear once Michael Redd gets a hot hand. The rookie bench combination of Julian Wright and Corey Brewer must continue to provide solid production despite limited minutes. We have a 3-1 regular season advantage over the Bulls, but I fully expect them to be riding on a high after beating out the Cavs in the previous series. Seven games again? For the sake of the health of my players, I think we should aim to beat them in five or six games. May 15, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game One The Chicago Bulls obliterate us during the first game, 116-89. All the Bulls starters were in double figures, yes, including Ben Wallace. Ben Gordon led them with 29 points, while Luol Deng pitched in 21. Kirk Hinrich had 18 points and 14 assists. Michael Redd scored 26 points, Earl Boykins had 19, and Channing Frye scored 15, but we didn't get enough production from the other guys to match Chicago's starters. Andrew Bogut was limited to only 5 points, while Charlie Villanueva had 9. May 16, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game Two We bounce back with a great Game Two, defeating the Bulls 108-94. Michael Redd led all scorers with 34 points and dished out 6 assists. Channing Frye had 24 points, while Charlie Villanueva scored 15. Julian Wright had 13 points off the bench. Ben Gordon had 23 points, while Kirk Hinrich was only limited to 14 points and 4 assists. Andres Nocioni pitched in 15 points off the bench for Chicago. Charlie Villanueva was diagnosed with a sore calf and would be iffy for the next give days. Bad news. Ugh. He'll probably be coming off the bench next game. We head to the windy city for Game Three, and we're looking to steal homecourt advantage back from the Bull's clutches. May 18, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Three Michael Redd and Earl Boykins score 24 and 21 points as they lead us over the Bulls, 106-89. We take back home-court advantage with this win. Andrew Bogut had a great game: 13 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists. Corey Brewer and Charlie Villanueva came off the bench, each scoring ten points. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 26 points, with Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas scoring 16 and 13, respectively. We find out after the game that Andrew Bogut is having back spasms, and is questionable for the next week. Jeez. Not sure how JVG is going to fix the lineups for tommorow with our two best big men injured and most likely coming off the bench. May 19, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Four We have our ugliest game of the year and lose to the Bulls, 95-71. Michael Redd had a horrible game, scoring only 18 points on 5-28 shooting. Earl Boykins put up 18 points as well, but we couldn't get our offense going at all. tonight as noone else scores in double figures for us. Andrew Bogut started the game, but is ineffective for 15 minutes before fouling out. He scored 0 points and only grabs 3 rebounds. The Bulls get double figures from all their starters, including 24 points from Ben Gordon and 20 points from Kirk Hinrich. The Bulls just evened things up, and it's not looking good for us headed into game five at home. In other news, the Sacramento Kings just obliterated the Suns in four games to make it to the NBA Finals. Wow. That was unexpected. They now await the winner of this series. May 21, 2008 - vs Chicago, Game Five With our season quite possibly on the line, we enter Game Five with a sense of urgency, and our players do not dissapoint. Michael Redd bounces back from one of his worst performances this season with a 38-point, 7-rebound, 4-assist game that saw us defeat the Bulls, 95-86, and take a 3-2 advantage in this series. Earl Boykins chips in 15 points, while Channing Frye fills in for Andrew Bogut at the center spot with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva is back as a starter, while Julian Wright plays at SF. Andrew Bogut played 20 minutes off the bench and grabbed 7 rebounds. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with a bad 17-point 8/23 shooting performance. Tyrus Thomas scores 15, while Kirk Hinrish chips in 12 points. We head back to Chicago to try and wrap things up. I'm not sure that having another game seven is going to do us any favors if we make it to the NBA Finals against the fresh Kings. May 23, 2008 - @ Chicago, Game Six A stunned Chicago crowd watches the seconds run off as we take away their hopes of an NBA Title this year by defeating their Bulls, 101-92. Michael Redd had 32 points and 6 assists, while Channing Frye put in 14 points and 15 rebounds for us. Earl Boykins had 12 points and 10 assists, while Julian Wright had a 12-point, 5-rebound, 4-assist game. Ben Gordon put in 35 points for the Bulls, but it wasn't enough as he couldn't get enough production from Luol Deng (11 points, 4/18 shooting) or Kirk Hinrich (3 points, 6 assists, 6 fouls in 29 minutes). Tyrus Thomas had 17 points, while Ben Wallace pitched in 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Bulls. I join the team on the court and immediately make a beeline for Jeff Van Gundy, who is probably the biggest reason why we're in the Finals. Van Gundy simply smiles and takes my offer of a handshake. Julian Wright and Corey Brewer are celebrating with Michael Redd in the middle of the court. I give them a nod and a wave. Redd nods right back, he knows that this isn't over yet. Who would have thought that we'd be playing for the NBA Title this season when it began so many months ago? Certainly not me. Heck, I expected this to be a lotto team, a borderline playoff team at best. JVG simply made Michael Redd our cornerstone and built the entire system around him this year. The dream lives on, as we make it to the NBA Finals where the Sacramento Kings lie in wait. __________________ Come and see.

12-21-2008, 09:16 PM	#17
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Dec 2, 2008 - vs San Antonio - WIN (98-77) Michael Redd scored 22 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead us over the Spurs. The game was pretty close until we pulled ahead on a 31-15 4th quarter. Tim Duncan was held to 16 points and 4 rebounds, while Grant Hill scored 13 points for the Spurs in this loss. Dec 5, 2008 - @ Indiana - WIN (106-96) Michael Redd lights up the Pacers with 35 points, 6 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut has a triple-double: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists in this win over Indiana. Corey Brewer was injured early in the 2nd quarter, however, and is diagnosed with a minor concussion. He will be questionable for the next week or so. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 21 points and 5 rebounds. Dec 6, 2008 - vs Miami - LOSS (121-107) We suffer our first loss of the season against the Wade-less Miami Heat. Corey Brewer moved to the bench, as Julian Wright started at SF, Acie Law started the game at PG, and Michael Redd played at SG. Redd had 29 points, and Al Jefferson scored 19, but it was not enough to overcome a superhuman effort from Shaquille O'neal, who put in 39 points and 12 rebounds to lead five other players in double figures for the Heat Dec 8, 2008 - vs Indiana - WIN (115-84) We beat Indiana again, thanks to 28 points from Michael Redd and 24 points and 11 rebounds from Andrew Bogut. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks, while Acie Law dished out 10 assists as a starter. Jermaine O'neal had 31 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, but couldn't get enough help from his teammates. Channing Frye was also injured with a sore foot, and is expected to be questionable for less than a week. Dec 10, 2008 - @ Philadelphia - LOSS (106-80) Michael Redd scored 27 points, and Al Jefferson pitched in 24 points, but it wasn't enough to stop the 76ers, who had six players score in double digits. We couldn't overcome a slow start, as we only mustered 12 points in the first quarter against a suffocating Philly defense. The 76ers were led by Andre Iguodala, who scored 38 points and had 5 assists. Dec 12, 2008 - vs Sacramento - WIN (102-77) Earl Boykins stole the show as he came off the bench to have 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead us over the Kings at home. Michael Redd only mustered 18 points, while Al Jefferson scored 15. The Kings were led by Kevin Martin's 14 points, as they struggled to find shots all throughout the game, shooting 38% from the field. Dec 14, 2008 - @ Chicago - WIN (97-89) Michael Redd scored 30 points, and Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 21 rebounds in this win over the Bulls. Al Jefferson and Julian Wright had 12 points each, while Earl Boykins put in 13 points off the bench. The Bulls were led by Kirk Hinrich's 22 points, while Ben Gordon was only limited to 4 points as he played only 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Dec 16, 2008 - vs Philadelphia - WIN (102-74) We pay the 76ers back with this victory, thanks to 32 points from Michael Redd. Al Jefferson had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Andrew Bogut had 16 rebounds for us. Corey Brewer came back to the starting line-up tonight and pitched in 13 points, but was re-injured with a strained knee towards the end of the game. He is diagnosed to be out for another week or so. Andrew Iguodala scored 25 points but could not find help from his teammates tonight. Dec 20, 2008 - vs Portland - WIN (106-85) The Blazers fall as Michael Redd scores 31 points and Andrew Bogut has 14 points and 16 rebounds. Al Jefferson scored 10 points in 21 minutes, but was saddled with 5 fouls. JVG decided to shuffle things around and played our veteran bigs. Alonzo Mourning and PJ Brown had 14 and 12 points off the bench. Zach Randolph led the Blazers with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Dec 24, 2008 - vs Chicago - LOSS (86-83) Michael Redd scored 26 points, but could not stop the game-winning 3-point shot by Ben Gordon from falling in. Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 15 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 11 points. Al Jefferson was saddled with 5 fouls and only scored 8 points tonight. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 21 points, while Luol Deng scored 19. Dec 26, 2008 - vs Houston - LOSS (106-88) JVG questionably starts Julian Wright at PG tonight... and we suffer our first back-to-back losses of the season. Al Jefferson scored 27 points and had 15 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 23 points. Wright held up well on his own: 10 points and 9 assists, but we couldn't get enough firepower from our bench. TMac led the Rockets with 39 points, and Yao Ming pitched in 19 points and 10 rebounds for the win. Dec 27, 2008 - @ Orlando - WIN (106-77) The Wright experiment continues, as our starting lineup has Wright and Redd at the guard spots, with Frye at SF and Jefferson at PF. Redd scored 33 points, and Jefferson had 20 points and 6 rebounds. Corey Brewer is taking advantage of his role as the 6th man now, scoring 21 points off the bench. The Magic starters could not score on our big lineup, and they were led by Jerry Stackhouse's 22 points off the bench. Dec 29, 2008 - @ Houston - LOSS (102-90) The Rockets defeat us in Houston, as we fail to find an answer for Yao Ming and the Rockets' defense. Michael Redd had 24 points for us, and Channing Frye scored 17 points. The Rockets were led by 32 points and 8 rebounds from Yao Ming, and they got a boost from TMac, who scored 13 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists. The Rockets are for real... they're one hell of a team. Dec 31, 2008 - @ Dallas - WIN (119-103) We defeat the Mavericks in Dallas, thanks to 45 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists from Michael Redd. Al Jefferson had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Channing Frye had 23 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Wright had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists as the starting PG. The Mavs were fueled by 33 points from Dirk Nowitzki and 23 points from Jason Terry. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We go 9-5 during December, and are currently still at the top of the NBA at 22-5. Jeff Van Gundy has gone to an unconventional rotation lately, going for even more height than we had at the start of the season: Starters: PG - Julian Wright 6'8" SG - Michael Redd 6'6" SF - Channing Frye 6'11" PF - Al Jefferson 6'10" C - Andrew Bogut 7'0" Corey Brewer has been coming off the bench after being sidelined a couple of times through injury as a starter. Acie Law is seeing good minutes, while Earl Boykins is relegated to an on-off role as the third string PG, despite how well he did for us last season. Alonzo Mourning has been coming in as a back-up big man, although he has been quite limited in his ability to come off the bench for Andrew Bogut. So far, that switch has resulted in a 2-2 record, both losses coming off the talented Rockets. It will be interesting to see if this lineup switch pays off in the end. I contemplate on extending the contracts of Bogut and Frye, but eventually decide against it. Frye wants a 6-year contract worth about 42 million, while Bogut wants a 6-year contract worth about 55 million. I consider that we're probably going to have 15 million worth of cap space next season if we renounce contracts, and I think it's worth a risk seeing Bogut and Frye walk to check which players hit free agency next season. Around the League: We are on top of the Eastern Conference, thanks to our 22-5 record. The Central Division is the most competitive in the league, with four of five teams having winning records. The Pistons are behind us at 21-9, the Cavs are at 18-12, and the Bulls are at 15-13. In the Atlantic, the Knicks are ahead at 19-11, while the Raptors are behind at 17-13. In the Southeast, the Heat are the sole owners of the best record in their division with a humble 17-16 clip, with the closest team behind them being the Hawks at 13-16. The Wizards and Magic are trailing in the Atlantic, despite having the two guys in the race for ROY (Adams and Doctor) in their lineups. I expect the Wizards to basically call it a season and the Magic to try and claw their way back into a playoff berth. The Western Conference is very competitive this season, with 5 teams having records above .600. The Rockets are tied with the Nuggets for the best record in the Western Conference at 23-8. Behind the Rockets in the Southwest are the Spurs, who hold a 20-12 record. In the Northwest, the Sonics and Jazz are behind the Nuggets with 17-12 and 18-14 records. In the Pacific, a two-team race is going on as the Suns and Kings jockey for position again. The Suns are at 22-8 and the Kings are at 20-8. Power Rankings: 1. Houston Rockets (305.3) 2. Milwaukee Bucks (298.0) 3. Sacramento Kings (287.8) 4. Phoenix Suns (279.3) 5. Denver Nuggets (275.7) 6. New York Knicks (267.9) 7. Utah Jazz (262.2) 8. New Jersey Nets (261.9) 9. Chicago Bulls (260.6) 10. Seattle Supersonics (252.5) 11. San Antonio Spurs (251.9) 12. Charlotte Bobcats (247.6) 13. Golden State Warrios (247.5) 14. Detroit Pistons (247.1) 15. Toronto Raptors (244.3) 16. Cleveland Cavaliers (242.5) 17. Orlando Magic (241.1) 18. New Orleans Hornets (236.3) 19. Atlanta Hawks (234.2) 20. Portland Trailblazers (224.9) 21. Indiana Pacers (221.7) 22. Miami Heat (220.4) 23. LAL Lakers (219.3) 24. LAC Clippers (218.8) 25. Boston Celtics (212.0) 26. Washington Wizards (207.5) 27. Dallas Mavericks (207.0) 28. Memphis Grizzlies (203.0) 29. Minnesota Timberwolves (200.3) 30. Philadelphia 76ers (184.7) Major Injuries: T. Zukauskas, Mavericks - a broken ankle (33 d) - The Mavs rookie suffers a big injury and is basically sent to the D-League (inactive list) for the time being. C. Anthony, Nuggets - a broken wrist (23 d) - Anthony is still out, but the Nuggets are still competing without him. N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (324 d) S. Francis, Knicks - a broken elbow (30 d) - Franchise's injury is giving rookie SG Bran Granberry enough minutes to play and show his stuff. A. Horford, Trailblazers - a broken wrist (15 d) B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (112 d) - Haywood is still a long way from playing, but he has an outside shot of making it to the playoff roster... if the Wiz even make the playoffs. Transactions: Dec 21, 2008 - Pistons trade PF Jason Maxiell for Wizards PG Jason Williams, 2009 2nd round pick(WAS) - The Pistons fill out a need and get rid of an excess player. The Wizards really shouldn't have done this deal, as Maxiel does nothing for them. Rookie Watch: The ROY race is shaping up to be a two-horse thing, with Adams and Doctor vying for the award. Bran Granberry, Anu Paulaskas, and Branden Levett have an outside chance of grabbing the title, though, given the amount of minutes they're getting from their teams. (#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.8 bpg, 2.6 topg (#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 14.2 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.3 topg (#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 12.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 3.5 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.4 topg (#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.3 ppg, 1.8 apg, 9.3 rpg, 0.7 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.5 topg (#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.4 ppg, 1.4 apg, 3.7 rpg, 0.1 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.5 topg __________________ Come and see.

01-05-2009, 04:10 AM	#18
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Jan 2, 2009 - @ Indiana - WIN (95-88) Michael Redd scored 26 points and dishes out 6 assists as we defeat the Pacers in Indiana. Channing Frye had a great game: 20 points and 11 rebounds. Andrew Bogut chipped in 7 points and 16 rebounds, while Julian Wright had 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Jermaine O'neal led the Pacers with 27 points and 8 rebounds, while Robert Johnson had 10 points and 7 assists. Jan 3, 2009 - vs New Jersey - WIN (109-83) Three Bucks scored 20 points or more as we defeat the Nets by 16 points. Michael Redd led us with 26 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Al Jefferson had 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Corey Brewer had 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench. The Nets had 34 points from Vince Carter, but no one else scored in double figures for them. Jan 5, 2009 - @ Toronto - WIN (101-73) Michael Redd scores 33 points, and Al Jefferson has 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists, as we demolish the Raptors in Toronto. Andrew Bogut had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Julian Wright contributed 14 points and 5 assists. PJ Brown came off the bench and had 6 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bogut sprained his ankle and is going to be questionable for the next week or so. The Raptors were led by Greg Oden’s 23 points and 6 rebounds, but they only shot 40% from the field and 1/12 from the three-point arc. They also turned the ball over 21 times. Jan 6, 2009 - vs Jazz – WIN (106-81) Jeff Van Gundy goes back to our opening day lineup tonight, with the only difference being Andrew Bogut coming off the bench for Channing Frye at center. Michael Redd and Al Jefferson destroy the Jazz in this 25-point blowout. Michael Redd scored 31 points at PG, while Al Jefferson had 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Acie Law scored 17 points and dished out 6 assists off the bench. Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 29 points and 12 rebounds, but the Jazz shot 39% from the field. Jan 9, 2009 - @ Atlanta – WIN (95-90) We barely escape with a 5-point win over the Hawks in Atlanta, thanks to 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists from Michael Redd. Julian Wright scored 14 points, while Channing Frye had 12 points, and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bogut pitched in 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. The Hawks were led by 27 points from Josh Smith, 21 points from Joe Johnson, and 17 points from Zaza Pachulia. Jan 10, 2009 - @ San Antonio – WIN (104-82) We limit the Spurs to only 31 points in the 2nd half and grab this 18-point win in San Antonio. Michael Redd has a scorching 37-point, 5-rebound, 11-assist performance. Channing Frye had 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Corey Brewer had 15 points and 3 assists. Al Jefferson fouled out in the 2nd quarter, and only had 2 points and 2 assists. The Spurs were led by 19 points from Tony Parker, and 17 points from Manu Ginobili. Tim Duncan scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebound for the Spurs. Jan 12, 2009 - vs Washington – WIN (95-67) We embarrass the Wizards at home with this 28-point victory. Michael Redd leads us with 28 points, while Andrew Bogut had 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 22 minutes of play due to foul trouble. The Wizards were led by 23 points and 12 assists from Gilbert Arenas. Myron Adams scored 16 points, while Antawn Jamison had 17. Noone else scored more than 5 points for the Wizards, who shot 35% from the field. Jan 13, 2009 - @ Memphis – WIN (103-81) We continue in our winning ways as we demolish the Grizzlies to the tune of 22 points. Michael Redd lights up with 42 points and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 17 points, Channing Frye contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 14 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 16 points, while Kyle Lowry and Anu Paulaskas have 15 and 13 points each. Al Jefferson held Pau Gasol to 2 points on 1 of 6 shooting. Jan 15, 2009 - @ Charlotte – WIN (106-95) Van Gundy goes back to the unorthodox lineup of playing Wright at PG and Frye at SF against the Bobcats, and we defeat them by nine points thanks to a 28-18 4th quarter. Michael Redd had 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists to lead our team, while Al Jefferson had 21 points and 13 rebounds. Julian Wright had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Bobcats were paced by Gerald Wallace’s 23 points, and Emeka Okafor’s 22. Jan 17, 2009 - @ New Jersey – WIN (98-77) We close out a three-game road trip with a 21-point victory over the Nets in New Jersey. Michael Redd drops in 34 points and 6 assists against the Nets. Al Jefferson had 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Andrew Bogut had 6 points and 20 rebounds. The Nets got 17 points from Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson scored 15. We out-rebounded the Nets 52-23 to grab this lopsided win. Jan 19, 2009 - vs Detroit – LOSS (95-89) We suffer the first loss of the month at home against a pretty strong Pistons team. Michael Redd had 28 points and 5 assists, while Channing Frye put up 18 points and 10 rebounds. Corey Brewer also pitched in 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists from the bench. But Al Jefferson and Andrew Bogut both fouled out of the game, and combined for only 7 points and 10 rebounds. The Pistons were led by Jamaal Magloire’s 23 points and 19 rebounds. Rip Hamilton scored 18 points, Rasheed Wallace pitched in 16 points, and Chauncey Billups had 14. Jan 21, 2009 - @ New York – WIN (119-89) We bounce back against the Knicks and bury them by 30 points. Michael Redd exploded with 38 points and 5 assists. Corey Brewer came off the bench and was largely effective with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Channing Frye had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Al Jefferson pitched in 14 points and 2 blocks, while Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Jamal Crawford led the Knicks from the bench with his 24 points. Kevin Durant had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rookie Brad Granberry had an awful night, shooting 0/10 from the field and having only 2 points and 2 assists. Jan 24, 2009 - vs Phoenix – WIN (108-89) We send the Suns crashing at home thanks to Michael Redd’s continuous hot performance. Redd scored 34 points and had 5 assists to lead all scorers. Julian Wright had 14 points and 10 assists. Andrew Bogut had 9 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists. PJ Brown and Corey Brewer pitched in 10 and 13 points off the bench. Shawn Marion led the suns with 22 points. Amare Stoudamire had 15 points and 16 rebounds. Steve Nash had 12 points and 7 assists. The Suns commited 30 fouls, turned the ball over 21 times, and only shot 38% from the field. Jan 26, 2009 - vs Denver – LOSS (103-102) Michael Redd missed a potential game winner, and we fall to the Nuggets by one point. Six Bucks scored in double figures, led by Michael Redd’s 22 points and Julian Wright’s 20 points. It wasn’t enough, however, as the Nuggets got great numbers from their guys. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and 5 rebounds, Allen Iverson had 20 points and 9 assists, while Marcus Camby had 19 points, 22 rebounds, and 3 blocks for the Nuggets. Jan 28, 2009 - @ Cleveland – WIN (97-79) We bounce back from that loss thanks to an 18-point win over the Cavaliers sans an injured Caron Butler. Michael Redd had 27 points and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Channinf Frye had 12 points and 5 rebounds. Corey Brewer and Acie Law contributed from the bench with 12 and 11 points. Lebron James tried to keep his team afloat, but his 25 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds were not enough to overcome our team effort. Jan 30, 2009 - vs Minnesota – WIN (114-76) We finish the month with a 38-point victory over the Timberwolves at home. Michael Redd led six Bucks in double digit scoring with 27 points and 7 assists. Andrew Bogut had 15 points, whiel Al Jefferson and Channing Frye both had 12 points. Corey Brewer came off the bench with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while PJ Brown had 10 points and 6 rebounds. Kevin Garnett had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Ricky Davis had 19 points for the TWolves, who couldn’t get anyone else to score in double figures. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We go 14-2 during the month of January, and walk into the New Year still on top of the NBA at 36-7. We’re currently on pace for a 60+ win season and are hopeful that we can avoid the late-season fatigue that bit us toward the second half of last year’s run to the playoffs. Michael Redd is the 3rd leading scorer in the league with 28.5 ppg. He is trailing Kobe Bryant’s 31.9 ppg and Allen Iverson’s 31.5 ppg. Al Jefferson is averaging 16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg, and 1.9 bpg this season. He has been very instrumental in our wins, but has had a penchant for committing a lot of fouls, averaging about 4 pfpg. Around the League: Eastern Conference: Bucks (36-7), Central Pistons (35-11), Central Bulls (26-17), Central Cavaliers (26-18), Central Heat (27-20), Southwest Raptors (25-21), Atlantic Knicks (22-23), Atlantic Hawks (20-24), Atlantic The Central division is really the most competitive division in the Eastern Conference, with the top four teams in the division being the top four teams in the conference itself. The Southwest is represented by the Heat, and the Heat alone, as everyone else is below .500 and a mile away from the division leaders. In the Atlantic, there is competition for the best team in the division, but the Raptors are also the only team above .500. The Knicks and Hawks are barely there and round out the playoff hopefuls for the conference. The Magic and Wizards look like they’re headed for the lottery once again. Their rookies are unable to carry the burden of lifting a team from the dregs of the league. Western Conference: Rockets (35-12), Southwest Suns (35-13), Pacific Nuggets (33-13), Northwest Kings (29-16), Pacific Spurs (29-18), Southwest Supersonics (24-20), Northwest Jazz (24-22), Northwest Hornets (22-23), Southwest There is a legitimate race for the best record in the West between the Rockets, Nuggets, and Suns. In the Southwest, the Spurs are racing to catch up with the red-hot Rockets, while in the Pacific, the Kings are looking to race after the Suns’ best record in the Division. The Nuggets have a firm grip on the Northwest, with the Sonics and Jazz being 8 and 9 games behind. The Lakers, Warriors, and Clippers are all barely outside the playoff hunt and are looking to make it past the Hornets, Jazz, and Sonics. Power Rankings: 1. Milwaukee Bucks (279.0) 2. Houston Rockets (272.6) 3. Phoenix Suns (249.6) 4. Denver Nuggets (239.6) 5. Detroit Pistons (237.6) 6. Chicago Bulls (230.9) 7. Sacramento Kings (230.2) 8. San Antonio Spurs (219.7) 9. Utah Jazz (219.0) 10. Toronto Raptors (217.5) 11. Seattle Supersonics (215.0) 12. Cleveland Cavaliers (211.4) 13. Golden State Warriors (207.4) 14. Charlotte Bobcats (206.6) 15. New York Knicks (206.5) 16. LAL Lakers (204.4) 17. New Orleans Hornets (201.6) 18. Miami Heat (201.2) 19. Atlanta Hawks (199.5) 20. Orlando Magic (192.8) 21. Portland Trailblazers (190.5) 22. New Jersey Nets (189.0) 23. Boston Celtics (184.9) 24. LAC Clippers (182.7) 25. Indiana Pacers (181.0) 26. Dallas Mavericks (176.5) 27. Philadelphia 76ers (169.0) 28. Washington Wizards (159.4) 29. Memphis Grizzlies (155.7) 30. Minnesota Timberwolves (149.6) Major Injuries: G. Wallace, Bobcats - a broken finger (31 d) C. Butler, Cavaliers - a broken arm (5 d) T. Zukauskas, Mavericks - a broken ankle (4 d) N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (295 d) J. Green, Timberwolves - a broken toe (33 d) S. Francis, Knicks - a broken elbow (1 d) B. Roy, Trailblazers - a broken hand (25 d) L. Ridnour, Supersonics - a broken wrist (23 d) B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (83 d) Transactions: No trades for the month. Rookie Watch: Myron Adams would like to distance himself from the Doctor in the ROY race. Doctor has upped his scoring for this month, and is slowly catching up with Adams’ scoring output. (#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.7 bpg, 2.5 topg (#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 15.9 ppg, 2.3 apg, 5.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 2.3 bpg, 2.4 topg (#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 14.7 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.7 topg (#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.6 ppg, 1.9 apg, 9.4 rpg, 0.8 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.5 topg (#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.8 ppg, 1.5 apg, 3.8 rpg, 0.8 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.5 topg __________________ Come and see.

01-05-2009, 04:11 AM	#20
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	MARCH 2009 GAMES: Mar 2, 2009 - @ Minnesota – LOSS (109-95) Michael Redd scores 33 points, and Channing Frye has 21 points and 5 rebounds, but we are saddled by fouls and lack of defense as we succumb to KG and the Timberwolves in Minny. Garnett had a monster game: 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Ricky Davis has 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists for the Timberwolves. Rany Foye contributed 16 points and 11 assists for the Wolves. Mar 3, 2009 - vs Chicago – LOSS (97-84) The trip home was exhausting, and we lose the tail-end of a back-to-back at home. Michael Redd puts up his usual 30 points along with 7 assists, but our other guys fail to find their groove after coming back from the Minny loss. Al Jefferson had 14 points and 8 rebounds. Three Bulls hit 20 points or more tonight: Ben Gordon (26 points), Luol Deng (21 points), and Tyrus Thomas (20 points). Mar 5, 2009 - @ Chicago – LOSS (115-95) The skid continues as we travel to Chicago and fail to learn from our mistakes two days back. Redd has 34 points and 4 assists, while Al Jefferson contributes 18 points and 8 rebounds. Corey Brewer also suffered a mild concussion and will be questionable for the next week. The same Bulls trio terrorizes us with their scoring. Ben Gordon has 27 points and 8 assists, Luol Deng has 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyrus Thomas has 20 points and 7 rebounds. Mar 6, 2009 - vs Atlanta – WIN (109-81) We stop the losing streak at home, determined to forget about the jet lag in this back-to-back by pounding the Hawks, limiting them to only 10 points in the first half. Michael Redd has 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson has 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. PJ Brown contributed 12 points off the bench. The Hawks were led by Salim Stoudamire’s 15 poins off the bench as the Hawks fail to get significant numbers from their starters. Mar 9, 2009 - vs Dallas – WIN (105-76) Dallas feels the Wrath of Al Jefferson, as he destroys them with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Michael Redd only scores 15 points, but we got a lot from our other guys. Channing Frye had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 19 points and 9 rebounds. Josh Howard had 21 points, and Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points, being the only two Mavericks in double digits for the game. Mar 10, 2009 - @ New Orleans – LOSS (106-103) I am starting to hate these back to back games. Michael Redd scores 42 points, but his attempt to send the game into overtime rattled out. We tried to storm back from a double-digit deficit at the end of the third with a 38-point fourth quarter but fell short. Peja Stojakovic scored 32 points for the Hornets, who also got 17 points from Chris Paul and 16 points from Ronald Murray. Mar 12, 2009 - @ Miami – WIN (106-91) Michael Redd scores 23 points and dishes out 9 assists, and Channing Fyre puts in 25 points as we defeat the Heat in Miami. Shaquille O’neal only had 14 points for the Heat, and Dwyane Wade was saddled with foul trouble and only contributed 12 points. Mar 14, 2009 - vs Cleveland – WIN (106-90) Three Bucks score over 20 points as we defeat the Cavaliers by sixteen. Andrew Bogut had 28 points and 9 rebounds, Michael Redd had 23 points and 9 assists, and Al Jefferson had 22 points and 5 rebounds. Lebron James had 21 points and 9 assists, and Larry Hughes scored 20 points for the Cavs. Mar 16, 2009 - vs Washington – WIN (111-69) It feels good to be winning again, specially if you win by 42 points. Michael Redd scored 38 points and had 5 assists, while Julian Wright had 16 points and 7 assists in this win. Channing Frye pitched in 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with 16 points, while Myron Adams scored 10. Gilbert Arenas was limited to only 8 points thanks to foul trouble. Mar 18, 2009 - @ Denver – LOSS (89-81) We lose the opening game of a five-game Western Conference road trip against red-hot Denver. Allen Iverson lit us up with 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Marcus Camby had 13 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Al Jefferson led the way for us with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Michael Redd shot 5/18 from the field and only scored 15 points. Mar 20, 2009 - @ Seattle – LOSS (105-86) Ray Allen had 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 16 assists, as the Sonics abused us in Seattle. Newcomer Jameer Nelson had 13 points and 8 assists, while Luke Ridnour had 15 points and 7 assists off the bench for the Sonics. Michael Redd scored 23 points, and Channing Frye contributed 14 points and 5 rebounds for us. No other Buck scored in double digits. Mar 21, 2009 - @ Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (108-98) We break out of the road funk and win against the Clippers. Michael Redd had 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Al Jefferson had 30 points. Channing Frye contributed 17 points as well. Corey Maggette led six Clippers in double figures with 17 points. Daniel Gibson scored 15 points and dished out 6 assists. Mar 23, 2009 - @ Golden State – LOSS (93-86) Ugh. The season has worn us down, I think. We lose to the Warriors by seven points. Michael Redd leads us with 28 points, while Andrew Bogut has 8 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists. Al Harrington leads the Warriors with 22 points. Jason Richardson had 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Baron Davis has 18 points and 14 assists for the Warriors. Mar 24, 2009 - @ Utah – WIN (106-81) We close out our road trip with a win against the Jazz in Utah. Al Jefferson led the way with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Michael Redd was held to 15 points and 5 assists, while Corey Brewer put up 21 points and 5 rebounds from the bench. Andrew Bogut had another good game on the boards with 6 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 assists. Andrei Kirilenko led the Jazz with 18 points, while Deron Williams had 14 points. Carlos Boozer was held to 6 points. Mar 26, 2009 - vs Indiana – WIN (110-84) Michael Redd sinks in 41 points, and Channing Frye had 24 points and 8 rebounds as we defeat the Pacers at home. Jermaine O’neal had 29 points, while Troy Murphy scored 17 points for Indiana. Mar 28, 2009 - vs Golden State – LOSS (113-106) We are unable to redeem our loss against Golden State and lose to the Warriors at home. Michael Redd had 39 points and 8 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut chipped in 17 points. Julian Wright had 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jaon Richardson was on fire with 32 points and 6 assists, while Baron Davis had a great game, putting in 22 points and 18 assists. Mar 30, 2009 - vs Memphis – WIN (103-70) We finish the month with a thirty-three-point win over the hapless Grizzlies. Michael Redd had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists Al Jefferson had 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Julian Wright scored 13 points. Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 13 points, and Mike Miller puts in 11 points. We hold rookie SG Anu Paulaskas to only 10 points on 5 of 23 shooting and Pau Gasol to only 7 points. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We go 9-8 during March, the most difficult month of the season so far to put us at 52-20, tied with the Pistons for the best record in the East. Our 60+ win season is seriously in jeopardy, and we really need to nut up during the final ten games in order to put ourselves in a favorable position for the playoffs. Around the League: Eastern Conference: Pistons (52-20), Central Bucks (52-20), Central Bulls (48-24), Central Cavaliers (41-30), Central Raptors (41-31), Atlantic Heat (39-35), Southwest Nets (38-36), Atlantic Knicks (35-36), Atlantic The Race for the best record in the East is being fought in the Central Division. The Pistons are still ahead of the East by virtue of a tiebreaker over us. The Bulls had a great run during the month of March, closing the gap between them and us via a 14-4 clip for the month. The Nets and Knicks are fighting for positioning, basically, as the Magic, Hawks, and 76ers are most likely not going to be able to catch up to them. Western Conference: Suns (55-17), Pacific Rockets (54-19), Southwest Nuggets (50-22), Northwest Spurs (45-28), Southwest Jazz (42-30), Northwest Kings (42-32), Pacific Supersonics (40-32), Northwest Hornets (35-37), Southwest On the trail: Lakers (34-38), PAcific The Suns and Rockets now own the best records in the league, thanks to a power-packed March. The Nuggets are still on pace to finish as the #3 seed, while the Spurs, Jazz, Kings, and Sonics are all jockeying for playoff positioning. The Hornets and Lakers are going to be in a tight race for the final playoff spot in the West. Power Rankings: 1. Phoenix Suns (207.6) 2. Houston Rockets (204.1) 3. Milwaukee Bucks (202.5) 4. Detroit Pistons (185.2) 5. Denver Nuggets (182.9) 6. Chicago Bulls (179.5) 7. San Antonio Spurs (164.3) 8. Utah Jazz (158.7) 9. Toronto Raptors (156.8) 10. Seattle Supersonics (154.3) 11. Cleveland Cavaliers (153.0) 12. Sacramento Kings (147.0) 13. New Jersey Nets (138.8) 14. New York Knicks (135.2) 15. Miami Heat (134.2) 16. LAL Lakers (131.0) 17. New Orleans Hornets (129.2) 18. Golden State Warrios (113.6) 19. Atlanta Hawks (109.5) 20. Dallas Mavericks (109.3) 21. Charlotte Bobcats (108.8) 22. Orlando Magic (106.1) 23. Philadelphia 76ers (103.7) 24. Memphis Grizzlies (102.9) 25. Indiana Pacers (99.8) 26. Portland Trailblazers (96.6) 27. Boston Celtics (94.1) 28. LAC Clippers (93.1) 29. Washington Wizards (78.3) 30. Minnesota Timberwolves (65.5) Major Injuries: Z. Ilgauskas, Cavaliers - a broken hand (21 d) N. Mohammed, Pistons - a torn MCL (235 d) C. Billups, Pistons - a broken hand (60 d) – Hopefully, this means that we’re going to have an easier time of taking the Division and the Conference from the Pistons. E. Brand, Clippers - a broken ankle (7 d) J. Boone, Nets - a broken wrist (15 d) J. Redick, Magic - a broken ankle (44 d) B. Haywood, Wizards - a torn knee tendon (23 d) Rookie Watch: Anu Paulaskas has upped his scoring in the final stretch of the season, hoping to nab that ROY award, but Adams’ and Doctor’s overall games are just going to be too much to sway the voters to switch over. (#1 overall) SG Myron Adams, Wizards - 17.0 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, 2.3 topg (#3 overall) SF Brian Doctor, Magic - 15.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, 2.3 bpg, 2.4 topg (#4 overall) SG Anu Paulauskas, Grizzlies - 17.1 ppg, 2.6 apg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.9 bpg, 1.1 topg (#6 overall) PF Gerrick Baxter, Hornets – 9.6 ppg, 1.5 apg, 4.2 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.7 topg (#7 overall) C Branden Levett, Timberwolves - 9.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 9.2 rpg, 0.7 spg, 2.2 bpg, 2.2 topg (#8 overall) SG Bran Granberry, Knicks - 13.7 ppg, 1.6 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.5 topg __________________ Come and see.

01-07-2009, 01:33 AM	#22
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS-NETS SERIES PREVIEW: On paper, we would have a big advantage on the New Jersey Nets. Despite their ability to score from the wings in Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, they have a relatively weak front-court and a weak bench. Unfortunately, Redd’s injury has us at a disadvantage. Without the usual 30 points from Redd, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble figuring out who gets the shots. Al Jefferson is the most likely candidate, but he has disappeared at times during the season… who knows if he’s going to show up tonight. Chandler, Bogut, Brewer, and Wright all play supporting roles and are not poised to take over games on a nightly basis. The Wright/Kidd match-up will also be interesting. Wright is in no way a true PG, but he is tall and long, meaning he can give Kidd fits on the defensive end. If we can find the scoring we need, we can easily win this in four or five games. If not, and we let Carter and Jefferson go nuts on us, we can lose this in seven or six. April 21, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game One We take game one of the series against the Nets, 107-95, thanks to a solid overall effort from our guys. Channing Frye led us in scoring with 22 points and 5 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Michael Redd’s injury limited him to only 21 points, while Al Jefferson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Corey Brewer pitched in 16 points and 7 assists from the bench. The Nets were led by 27 points from Vince Carter, 26 points from Richard Jefferson, and 14 points and 12 assists from Jason Kidd. No other Net scored in double digits. Channing Frye was diagnosed after the game to have suffered a sore shoulder, and won’t be 100% for the next five days or so. Crap. Injuries galore, definitely not a fun way to start the post-season. April 22, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game Two Corey Brewer fills in for Channing Frye at the starting line-up, and we survive game two, pulling away with a 2-0 series lead thanks to a 92-81 victory. Andrew Bogut and Al Jefferson explode tonight with Bogut having 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Al Jefferson had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Michael Redd was held to only 8 points in 27 minutes of play. The Nets were led by Vince Carter’s 23 points and 8 rebounds. Richard Jefferson and Nenad Kristic had 14 and 13 points, while Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists. April 24, 2009 - @ New Jersey, Game Three Andrew Bogut has one of the greatest rebounding performances ever seen in Milwaukee playoff basketball, as he scores 18 points, grabs 28 rebounds, and dishes out 5 assists in our 88-74 win over the Nets in New Jersey. Michael Redd scored 24 points in 30 minutes, and Al Jefferson had 10 points and 15 rebounds. Vince Carter had 20 points, while Richard Jefferson had 18 points for the Nets. Jason Kidd had 12 points and 10 assists for New Jersey. April 25, 2009 - @ New Jersey, Game Four The Nets refuse to go down in four games and bounce back with a 104-82 victory over us. Six Nets score in double digits, led by Vince Carter’s 27 points and Richard Jefferson’s 21 points. Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists. Corey Brewer and Al Jefferson scored 19 points each, while Julian Wright added 12 points. Michael Redd was limited to only 10 points, and Andrew Bogut had 4 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists. Around the League: The Suns sweep the Lakers in four games, being the only team to sweep their opponents in this year’s playoffs. April 27, 2009 – vs New Jersey, Game Five We head back home and finish the series off with a 92-82 victory to take the series in five games. Al Jefferson led us with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Julian Wright had 14 points and 7 assists, while Michael Redd managed to score only 12 points in 30 minutes of play. The Nets got 18 points each from Carter and Jefferson, and Kidd had 12 points and 9 assists. Thank goodness that we're going to have Redd at 100% in the next series. He only averaged 15 ppg against the Nets, with Al Jefferson and Andrew Bogut consistently coming up big for us. Around the League: The Bulls defeat the Shaq-less Heat in 5 games. The Rockets defeat the Jazz in 5 games. The Sonics upset the 2nd-seeded Nuggets in 5 games. April 29, 2009 The Pistons defeat the Knicks in 6 games. Toronto forces a game 7 against the Cavaliers. Sacramento forces a game 7 against the Spurs. May 1, 2009 Toronto defeats Cleveland on the road and advances after seven games. Sacramento defeats San Antonio on the road and advances to face the Suns in the 2nd round. 2nd Round Match-ups: East: #1 Pistons vs. #5 Bulls #2 Bucks vs. #3 Raptors West: #1 Suns vs. #5 Kings #3 Rockets vs. #7 Sonics __________________ Come and see.

01-07-2009, 01:34 AM	#23
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS-RAPTORS SERIES PREVIEW: This is a rematch of last year’s 2nd round match-up that we took from the Toronto Raptors in seven big games. Despite being the same team as last year, the Raptors have had several changes in their lineup, the most glaring being Oden’s move to the bench mid-season, and Maurice Williams’ promotion into the starting SG spot. Hedo Turkoglu now mans the SF spot, with Bargnani at PF and Bosh as the starting C. The Raptors can now run with a high-tempo offense with Williams and Ford in the back-court, and can bring in fresh legs for the paint with Oden coming off the bench for Bosh and Bargnani. Michael Redd will have to impose his will into this series if we’re even going to have a chance. Bogut cannot defend Bosh, but he can try to grab rebounds and facilitate our offense from the post like he has for most of the season. Al Jefferson will have to stand his ground against Bargnani, who is averaging over 25 ppg in the post-season. Channing Frye, Julian Wright, and Corey Brewer will also have to provide the length and defense that we need to stop the Raptors from creating space in the court for Ford, Williams, and Turkoglu. This is a big toss-up, what with the Raptor’s strength inside, and predict that either we’re going to take this in 6 games, or the Raptors are going to finish it in 6. May 3, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game One Julian Wright has the game of his career as we defeat the Raptors in a close one at home, 113-109. Wright was the player of the game, and rightfully so, putting up 28 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 blocks against the Raptors. Michael Redd had 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Al Jefferson had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Corey Brewer pitched in 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists for us as well. The Raptors were led by TJ Ford, who had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 16 assists. Chris Bosh had 19 points and 20 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani had 22 points and 6 rebounds. Maurice Williams had 18 points and 5 assists, while Greg Oden pitched in 6 points in 16 minutes of play. May 4, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game Two Al Jefferson took matters into his own hands and led the way to a 103-88 beat-down of the Raptors in game two. Big Al had 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks against the Raptors. Michael Redd had 27 points and 7 assists, while Julian Wright had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Andrea Bargnani led the Raptors with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Chris Bosh had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while TJ Ford had 10 points and 12 assists for the Raptors. May 6, 2009 - @ Toronto – Game Three I have to admit, with Oden coming off the bench, we’re finding it easy enough to contain the Raptors and to dominate the boards. Game 3 is no exception, as we defeat them in their home turf, 93-83. We out-rebound them 55-38 for the game. Michael Redd had 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Corey Brewer had 21 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while Channing Frye had 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks. Andrea Bargnani led the Raptors with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 33 blocks, while Chris Bosh had 13 points and 11 rebounds. TJ Ford had 15 points, but was held to only 3 assists. May 7, 2009 - @ Toronto – Game Four Toronto refuses to get swept, and they pull out with a 106-96 win by coming out and playing hard after half time. They outscored us 58-41 in the 2nd half. Michael Redd had 28 points, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 9 rebounds for us. Chris Bosh led the way for the Raptors with 33 points and 6 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu had 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. Around the League: The Suns sweep the Kings in four games and exert their dominance in these Playoffs. May 9, 2009 – vs Toronto – Game Five The Raptors fought hard and ended up having a 66-56 lead at the end of three quarters, but we refuse to go down and outscore them 33-16 in the final quarter to win 89-82 and wrap up this series in 5 games. Michael Redd had 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 6 rebounds, while Andrew Bogut had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Corey Brewer had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench. The Raptors were led by Chris Bosh’s 18 points and 17 rebounds. Andrea Bargnani had 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Maurice Williams had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. May 11, 2009 The Pistons defeat the Bulls in six games. The Rockets defeat the Sonics in six games. Conference Finals Match-ups: East: #1 Pistons vs. #2 Bucks West: #1 Suns vs. #3 Rockets __________________ Come and see.

01-07-2009, 01:35 AM	#25
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	BUCKS-SUNS SERIES PREVIEW: Two years as the GM of the Bucks, two Conference Championships. Can we win the NBA Title two years in a row? Not if the Suns have anything to say about it. They are the best team in the NBA, no doubt about it. After sweeping their first two opponents, they faced their first serious challenge against the Rockets, who almost knocked them out in the Western Conference Finals. The defending NBA Champion Bucks, on the other hand, have anticipated tough opposition throughout the playoffs, but have actually met little to none, beating all three of their previous opponents in five games. Here is a position breakdown (stats are for the 2009 Playoffs) Point Guard Bucks: Julian Wright – 12.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 0.3 spg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 topg Suns: Steve Nash – 22.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 10.3 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.1 topg Steve Nash’s successful return from a season-ending injury last season has been the sparkplug that the Suns needed in order to get to their current top-of-the-line form this year. He is their best player and the general of the squad. Julian Wright’s performance as a tall point guard / small forward hybrid has caused match-up problems with most of the Bucks’ opponents. He is severely outclassed, however, by Nash. Advantage: Suns Shooting Guard Bucks: Michael Redd – 22.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.0 bpg, 2.4 topg Suns: Boris Diaw – 12.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg, 1.5 topg Michael Redd is clearly the leader of the Milwaukee bucks, he is their go-to guy, and is the main reason why they are where they are right now. He suffered an injury that left him struggling for points in the first round against the Nets. He did bounce back and immediately made his presence felt against the Raptors and Pistons. Expect Redd to do more of the same in this series. Boris Diaw is a great defender with good height and length, and he will be tasked to try and stop Michael Redd from going on explosive scoring streaks. But you can’t help but feel that Diaw is outclassed by Redd much like how Wright is outclassed by Nash. Advantage: Bucks Small Forward Bucks: Channing Frye – 9.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2apg, 0.7 spg, 1.1 bpg, 1.3 topg Suns: Raja Bell – 8.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.3 topg Channing Frye and Raja Bell couldn’t be more different, but both are going to be asked by their teams to hustle on defense and provide scoring, rebounds, and assists to help the main guys. Advantage: Even Power Forward Bucks: Al Jefferson – 17.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 2.1 bpg, 2.0 topg Suns: Shawn Marion – 16.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.7 topg Here are two solid guys who can practically shadow each other in the lane. They are tenacious post players, rebounders, and defenders. Both Jefferson and Marion have the ability to find players on the break, or hit the break themselves. I will have to call it even for this spot. Advantage: Even Center Bucks: Andrew Bogut – 12.1 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.4 bpg, 2.5 topg Suns: Amare Stoudamire – 13.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.5 spg, 1.9 bpg, 1.6 topg Amare Stoudamire’s role as the third wheel in the Suns’ offense has left him concentrating on rebounds and defense. He is capable of much more offensively, but he will have to let Nash and Marion do their thing if the Suns are to succeed. Andrew Bogut, on the other hand, is not a prolific scorer, but he does have a tenacity for rebounding and excellent court vision and court presence, able to dish out a healthy number of assists. I’ll call it even, based on how each player is performing. Advantage: Even Bench Bucks: Corey Brewer – 12.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.7 bpg, 1.7 topg Suns: Kurt Thomas – 10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.0 topg Leandro Barbossa – 9.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.1 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.1 topg The Bucks might have a better 6th man in Corey Brewer, but the Suns have a deeper bench. Expect the Suns’ bench to be able to lift them in times of trouble against the Bucks. Advantage: Suns Final Prediction: Phoenix in Seven Games May 27, 2009 – @ Phoenix – Game One The Suns assert themselves on the very first game, showing why they are the best team in the league. We lose, 113-85. Steve Nash led the Suns with 24 points, and 8 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Shawn Marion had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Michael Redd scored 19 points on 6 of 23 shooting, but noone else scored more than ten points for us during the game. May 28, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Two We come out with a purpose on Game Two. We didn’t want to fall into a two-game hole headed back home. This was a close game, and a stunned Phoenix crowd watched as Leandro Barbossa missed the game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, as we win 106-103. Michael Redd exploded for 48 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists. Al Jefferson had 20 points, and Channing Frye had 16 points and 9 rebounds. Leandro Barbossa led the Suns from the bench with 24 points and 5 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 23 points and 9 rebounds, while Steve Nash had 11 points and 13 assists. We head home tied with the Suns, 1-1. May 30, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Three Michael Redd led a late rally during the final two minutes, and we win the game, 110-106, taking a big 2-1 lead over the Suns. Redd scored 34 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists. Julian Wright had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Al Jefferson had 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Corey Brewer scored 14 points off the bench. The Suns were led once again by Amare and Leandro. Amare had 28 points, and 13 rebounds, exposing Andrew Bogut’s lack of inside defense. Leandro Barbossa burned our bench once again with 23 points. Shawn Marion had 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Steve Nash had a quiet 6 points and 7 assists, thanks to foul trouble. May 31, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Four Talk about a nail-biter. The Suns fail once again to force the game into overtime, as Boris Diaw misses the potential game-tying three point shot in the dying seconds of the game, and we hang on to win, 111-108, taking a commanding 3-1 lead against the Suns. Michael Redd had 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Andrew Bogut had 7 points, 5 assists, and 17 rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 24 off the bench, while Al Jefferson had 15 points and 6 rebounds. Steve Nash had 14 points and 16 assists, while Boris Diaw led the team in scoring with 26 points. Shawn Marion had 20 points and 8 rebounds. We have one more game at home, up 3-1, and our back-to-back so close that I can almost taste it. Jun 2, 2009 – vs Phoenix – Game Five The champagne was ready. The balloons were on the rafters. The crowd was hot. But the Suns refuse to say die, as they rally with a 36-21 4th quarter, grabbing a crucial 104-96 win against us, and pulling to 3-2, taking the series back to Phoenix. Michael Redd had 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, and PJ Brown had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Al Jefferson had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 blocks, but we got little help from our other guys. Steve Nash reasserts himself with 29 points and 10 assists. Boris Diaw had 19 points and 5 assists, while Raja Bell pitched in 11 points. Amare had 9 points and 12 rebounds. Jun 4, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Six Phoenix started off with a frenzied attack, and we never really got into the game, too shocked by our Game Five fourth-quarter collapse. The Suns handily defeat us, 110-98. Michael Redd had 28 points and 6 assists, while Al Jefferson had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Andrew Bogut had 15 points and 18 rebounds. Leandro Barbossa kills us AGAIN, with 29 points off the bench to lead the Suns in scoring. Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists. Boris Diaw scored 14 points, and Shawn Marion had 13 points. The Suns have pulled even, 3-3. The season, the title, and the chance for a back-to-back all boils down to one game… Jun 6, 2009 - @ Phoenix – Game Seven Michael Redd scored 34 points in game seven, leading the Bucks in scoring. Channing Frye put in 21 points and 7 assists, while Al Jefferson had 16 points. Andrew Bogut had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Shawn Marion led the Suns with 34 points and 8 rebounds. Steve Nash would have a great game: 28 points and 15 assists. Amare Stoudamire had 13 points and 7 rebounds for the game. How fitting that this tough series should all boil down to one shot. We clawed our way through six grueling games, winning three of them by close margins. This was no exception. All scoring, no defense. Whoever made the most shots would win. Eleven seconds left in the clock. Channing Frye had given us a one-point margin, 121-120, thanks to a thundering dunk on the other end. Phoenix ball. Shawn Marion inbounds the ball to Steve Nash, who then sits at the top of the key. He glances at the clock and makes his move. Nash drives down the lane, and he beats Corey Brewer off the dribble. Channing Frye collapses on Nash, leaving behind Raja Bell, who was horrible for the entire night, hitting only 3/13 shots from the field. Nash sees Bell from the corner of his eye. The seconds tick away… 5… 4… Nash kicks it out to Bell. 3… 2… Bell lines up for a shot from beyond the arc. 1… BOOM!!!! Nothing but the bottom of the freaking net. Suns win, 123-121. The US Airways Center exploded. I sink in my chair. This was probably the worst feeling I’ve felt since I was dumped by my highschool sweetheart. Your 2009 NBA Champions: The Phoenix Suns. __________________ Come and see.

01-12-2009, 01:59 AM	#26
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Jun 7, 2009 - NBA LOTTERY Pre-Lottery Rankings: 14. New Orleans 13. Dallas 12. Atlanta 11. Indiana 10. Charlotte 9. Golden State 8. Philadelphia 7. Orlando 6. Memphis 5. LA Clippers 4. Portland 3. Washington 2. Boston 1. Minnesota Lottery: 14. New Orleans 13. Dallas 12. Atlanta 11. Indiana 10. Charlotte 9. Golden State 8. Philadelphia 7. Orlando 6. Memphis 5. LA Clippers 4. Portland None of the 11 teams outside the top 3 manage to land a top 3 pick… 3. Boston Boston gets bumped from #2 to #3, it’s down to the last two teams, Minny and Washington… 2. Washington Washington will have their 2nd Top 3 pick in two seasons. Lucky them. 1. Minnesota The #1 pick goes to the Minnesota Timberwolves! Jun 17, 2009 – League Awards Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets Defensive Player of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz Rookie of the Year: Brian Doctor, Orlando Magic 6th Man of the Year: Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers Coach of the Year: Flip Saunders, Detroit Pistons All League 1st Team: PG – Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers SF – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks PF - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves C - Yao Ming, Houston Rockets All League 2nd Team: PG – Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards SG – Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers SF – Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics PF – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs C - Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors All League 3rd Team: PG – Chris Paul, Milwaukee Bucks SG – Allen Iverson, Denver Nuggets SF – Peja Stojakovic, New Orleans Hornets PF – Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors C – Brad Miller, Sacramento Kings All Defensive 1st Team: PG- Baron Davis, Golden State Warriors SG - Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz PF – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs C - Ben Wallace, Chicago Bulls All Defensive 2nd Team: PG - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets SG – Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets SF – Ron Artest, Sacramento Kings PF – Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves C - Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets All Rookie 1st Team: PG – Cassidy Johnson, Denver Nuggets SG – Anu Paulaskas, Memphis Grizzlies SF – Brian Doctor, Orlando Magic PF – Gerrick Baxter, New Orleans Hornets C – Brandin Levett, Minnesota Timberwolves All Rookie 2nd Team: PG – Robert Johnson, Indiana Pacers SG – Myron Adams, Washington Wizards SF – Lavor Nixon, Portland Trailblazers PF – Matt Greenwalt, Los Angeles Lakers C – John Anderson, Golden State Warriors Yao Ming and Andrei Kirilenko repeat on the MVP and DPOY awards. No one on the team earns any award… and rightfully so. We could have been NBA Champs, but we weren’t. That was the award that we needed; the award we wanted. Brian Doctor’s overall game wins him the ROY award. Anu Paulaskas used a late-season surge to overtake Myron Adams in the All Rookie Team selection. Notable retirees and contract extensions: Michael Finley, Sam Cassell, PJ Brown, Bruce Bowen, and Rasho Nesterovic call it quits. Doc Rivers is returning to Boston to coach. The Knicks fire Isiah Thomas as Head Coach, but he is still the GM of the team. At least he's out of the sidelines. Maurice Cheeks and Flip Saunder’s contracts have been extended by the 76ers and Pistons. Mike Woodson and Pat Riley are coming back for the Hawks and Heat. Chris Ford replaces Isiah Thomas as Head Coach of New York. Good luck with that. Phil Jackson, Mike Dunleavy, Avery Johnson, George Karl, and Gregg Popovich are all resigned by their teams (Lakers, Clippers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Spurs). Jun 18 - 20, 2008 – Meeting with Team Owner Greg Masters My meeting with Greg goes smoothly. Heck, the team made it back to the NBA Finals, and we were only $5 million above the cap. We’re poised to have about $15 mil available in cap space too. He asks me to come back for another season. I agree. I tell Greg that we’re going to be playoff bound this year, but with Frye and Bogut’s futures in question, we’re not sure how deep we can go. Fortunately, he’s still riding high on the fact that I brought a championship two seasons ago and tells me that making the playoffs would be enough. As for spending, I ask for more leeway, perhaps giving me some flexibility with cap space. He tells me that he can give me about 10 to 15 million above the cap, but not the luxury tax. Good enough for me. Jun 21 – 24, 2009 – Coach Signings Larry Brown signs a 4-year deal to coach the Minnesota Timberwolves. #1 pick and a new coach… things might be looking up for the TWolves. Jun 25, 2009 - Draft Workouts We have no first rounder this season, only having the #49 overall pick. We decide to work out every single big name recruit out there, just in case we might want to trade up. There is one stand-out player, PF Emile Clemente, a 20-year old from Brazil. He looks like he’s one of the few NBA-ready players from this batch of rookies. 2009 NBA DRAFT - Jun 28, 2009 Welcome to the 2009 NBA draft! The anticipation for the #1 pick is brewing, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to have their hands full contemplating on who to select at #1. The consensus best overall player in this draft is 20-year old Brazilian sensation, PF Emile Clemente. Kevin Garnett’s contract is up, and it seems like the TWolves might let him go in order to grab other fish in the sea. The commissioner walks up the podium and announces the first pick of the draft. 1. Minnesota Timerwolves - PF Emile Clemente - And there goes Clemente, the 6'8" phenom from Brazil. This might spell the final days of the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota. 2. Washington Wizards - PF Jamal Chaney - Chaney fills out a positional need for the Wizards. The Wizards just might have found the missing piece of the playoff puzzle, if they decide to re-sign Gilbert Arenas. 3. Boston Celtics - PF Perry Wallace 4. Portland Trailblazers - C Mike Piper - The Blazers had to pick between Piper and the heavily favored Pole, Herman Maskorzewski. Piper is workout freak, though, and is better acclimated to the American style of ball that the NBA environment represents. 5. LA Clippers - PG Daniel Salihovic - The first guard taken from this draft, and the 2nd foreigner, this time from Prussia. They already drafted a PG last season in Ramon Sawyer, and there might be some trouble finding playing time between these two young guys. 6. Memphis Grizzlies - C Herman Maskorzewski - Maskorzewski is the third foreigner to be picked in the draft, hailing from Poland. The Grizzlies' foreign legion is only growing, with Maskorzewski, Petro (France), Paulaskas (Lithuania), the two Gasols (Spain). 7. Orlando Magic - PG Umit Besikci - Lots of foreigners being drafted early. Besikci hails from Turkey. Besikci is a good player, but he's a long way from being NBA ready. 8. Philadelphia 76ers - PG Travis Hampton - The analysts are blasting this pick, saying that Hampton isn't worth a top-10 pick. 9. Golden State Warriors - C Brandon Prince 10. Charlotte Bobcats - SF Isaac Houston - One of the last good picks of the draft, IMO. The talent considerably drops off after the top 10. 11. Indiana Pacers - SG Anthony Linton 12. Atlanta Hawks - SG Tyrone McIntyre 13. Dallas Mavericks - SG Mike Armstrong 14. New Orleans Hornets - PG Nick Clagget 15. New York Knicks - PF Fernando Rich 16. LA Lakers - SF Dereck Cokley - Yes. His name is Cokley. 17. Miami Heat - SG Teddy Heath - I can read the headlines now, "Heath goes to the Heat!" 18. New Jersey Nets - SF Tim Davies 19. Orlando Magic - C Shon Riddick 20. Utah Jazz - PG Shea Duany 21. Sacramento Kings - PF Marshall Glover 22. Toronto Raptors - SF Austen King 23. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Marcus Wolfe 24. San Antonio Spurs - C Adam Brown 25. Chicago Bulls - SF Antonio Mason 26. Houston Rockets - SF Mike Felts 27. Denver Nuggets - PG Bevon Tyler 28. Orlando Magic - SG Ben Fein 29. Detroit Pistons - PF Steve Williams 30. Phoenix Suns - SF Wesley Howard We select C James Mixson from Oklahoma St., although we’re pretty sure that we won’t be signing him to a contract. There is a good amount of great FAs in the market, although I think that there will be a lot of big contract re-signings going down. We’ll see. Our main objective will be to renounce contracts, create cap space and sign a big name during FA, and then attempt to re-sign Andrew Bogut and Channing Frye to cheaper contracts. __________________ Come and see.

05-22-2009, 04:07 AM	#28
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	NBA Season Preview Rankings: The NBA rankings are out, and there are several questionable rankings! Eastern Conference 1. Raptors - The Raptors have the best front-court in the league in Oden, Bosh, and Bargnani. Sam Mitchell's coaching and choice of rotation has left a lot to be desired, and many feel that he is the one holding back this team from matching their potential. 2. Hawks - The addition of Stephon Marbury is very intriguing for the Hawks. He could be a boon or a bust. The predicted ranking is too high, in my opinion, specially since they're still shackling 2nd year SF Mark Howard to the bench in favor of Josh Smith. 3. Bucks - The Bucks added a legitimate, albeit aging star PG to their lineup in Jason Kidd. Expect the Bucks to be among the teams racing for the best record in the East once again. 4. Wizards - The Wizards have a strong lineup in Arenas, Adams, Jamison, and Chaney. Haywood may prove to be a weak spot in the roster, and their bench is sorely lacking. Still, you can't deny the potential of this team to do great things this year. 5. Bulls - More of the same old, same old for the Bulls. Gordon and Deng remain the focal points of this team. The addition of Nate Robinson and Darko Milicic beefs up their bench a bit. Expect them to still compete this year. 6. Bobcats - Brevin Knight is still injured and won't be coming back for 3 months. The Bobcats will need all the luck they can get to make it to the playoffs in the East. Too high of a ranking, in my opinion. 7. Cavaliers - They still don't have a PG, but Lebron does have sidekicks in Hughes and Caron Butler. The Cavs are still going to compete in the tough Central division. 8. Nets - With Kidd gone, it's Donald Braun's time to shine at PG. Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson will continue to shine in New Jersey, while the addition of Drew Gooden at PF gives them at least a legitimate post presence since Kenyon Martin's departure. 9. Magic - Steve Francis returns to give the Magic some boost at PG while rookie Umit Besikci gets acquainted to the league. Brian Doctor and Dwight Howard will continue to develop as players, and this could be their break-out season. 10. Knicks - With Stephon and Franchise gone, the Knicks are now entering the Kevin Durant era. The biggest quesiton is will Durant be able to lead the Knicks out of its sordid past and into a bright new future? 11. Celtics - Paul Pierce and the Celtics lost the lottery for Emil Clemente, and will most likely be headed back to the lottery this year. 12. Pacers - The Pacers slowed down last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make it to the playoffs this year as well. 13. Pistons - Once again, the Pistons are being written off. The addition of Mike Bibby was huge. The Pistons might be a step slower this season, but they'll have two legitimate guys who can handle the rock in Bibby and Billups. This is a very low ranking, and I think that the Pistons are going to prove the analysts wrong again this season. 14. 76ers - Andre Iguodala will be all alone in trying to lead this team again. Expect the 76ers to be languishing towards the lottery this season. 15. Heat - Shaq is still out for more than 2 months due to a torn ACL. I think that Dwyane Wade can carry this team to mediocrity until the big man comes back, and that when they make a push for the playoffs. I certainly don't think they're deserving of the last-place in the East. Western Conference 1. Blazers - The addition of rookie C Mark Piper has given analysts good reason to favor the Blazers this year. But Piper alone cannot lift this team up from the doldroms. The Blazers will need more from their other guys if they want to live up to this billing. 2. Timberwolves - A 33-year old Kevin Garnett finally gets some help thanks to Emile Clemente and Brandin Levett. Can they compete with the best in the west? For now, I think they're a playoff team, just because they have a scary front-court. 3. Rockets - 2-time MVP Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady were one game away from the NBA Finals last year. Expect them to kick ass on their way to the playoffs and try to get over that hump. 4. Jazz - The Jazz will continue to be consistent, but can they ever make it to the Conference Finals? 5. Suns - The defending champs added a legitimate scorer at SF in Wallyworld. I think they're the best team in the West right now. 6. Warriors - The Warriors didn't really make any big moves in the offseason, and C Brandon Prince looks like a bust. I don't expect the Warriors to be in the playoff hunt this year. 7. Lakers - Kobe got a taste of the playoffs last year. He will need his teammates to step up to make it back this year. 8. Grizzlies - The Grizzlies really need a PG. They have enough international talent to get over the hump, but their lack of a solid PG will hurt them in the season. 9. Nuggets - The Nuggets were deadly last season, until they were ousted in the first round. They will need to learn how to play defense if they expect to make it to the Conference Finals. 10. Hornets - The Hornets missed the playoffs last year, and we're inclined to agree that they'll probably miss the playoffs again this year, considering they didn't make any solid moves at all in the offseason. 11. Mavericks - The Mavs are sorely lacking good shooters on the wings (aside from Dirk Nowitzki). 12. Sonics - Allen's Sonics upset the Nuggets last year, and took the Rockets to six games. I think the Sonics will still be there come playoff time and will be playing spoiler to many teams in the postseason. 13. Kings - The loss of Mike Bibby sends this team plummeting down to the lotto. Sorry, but it's true. 14. Clippers - Having two young PGs in Sawyer and Salihovic, the Clippers still don't look like a playoff team. 15. Spurs - The Spurs are a year older, yes, but they're still a playoff team. This ranking baffles me a lot. Perhaps it's because they lost Darko at C? Nov 1, 2009 - @ Orlando - WIN (109-91) We start off the season with a resounding bang, defeating the Orlando Magic by 18 points. Michael Redd picked up where he left off last season and led the team with 30 points and 5 assists, while Jason Kidd had a great first game in a Bucks uniform, scoring 23 points and dishing out 13 assists. Al Jefferson played well with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The Orlando Magic were led by last year’s ROY, Brian Doctor, who had 35 points and 7 rebounds. Bonzi Wells added 21 points and 6 rebounds for the team. Dwight Howard had 10 points and 12 rebounds but was held to only 4 of 14 from the field. Nov 4, 2009 - vs Cleveland - WIN (111-94) Michael Redd explodes with 38 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds in this lopsided victory over the Cavaliers. Al Jefferson had 26 points and 8 rebounds, while Jason Kidd only had 6 points and 6 assists in his home debut for us. LeBron James had 31 points and 8 assists, but the Cavs couldn’t stop our shooters as we go 58% from the field. Nov 8, 2009 - vs Charlotte - WIN (109-76) The pain train continues, as Michael Redd scores 36 points to lead us in a 33-point thrashing of the Bobcats. Andrew Bogut had 20 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks, while Al Jefferson had 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Channing Frye was held to only 14 minutes of play thanks to an ankle sprain, but Julian Wright filled in nicely with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Jason Kidd had 7 points and 7 assists. Gerald Wallace had 18 points for the Bobcats, and Sean May and Isaac Houston both contributed 11 points. Noone else from Charlotte scored in double digits. Nov 11, 2009 - vs New Orleans - WIN (105-90) Michael Redd continues to be hot, scoring 37 points, while Jason Kidd had 15 points and 11 assists in this victory over the Hornets. Julian Wright moved to the starting line-up to replace Channing Frye and had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Peja Stojakovic had 32 points for the Hornets, while Chris Paul had 13 points and 11 assists. Nov 12, 2009 - @ Miami - WIN (105-77) Michael Redd scored 26 points and had 4 rebounds and 4 assists as we thrash the hapless Heat in Miami. Jason Kidd had 17 points and 8 assists, while Al Jefferson had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Julian Wright returned to the bench, but put in 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Dwyane Wade had 23 points and 9 assists for the Heat, but he turned the ball over 8 times. The Heat were sorely missing Shaq as we out-rebounded them 43-26. Nov 15, 2009 - vs Miami - WIN (112-87) Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 7 assists, but the Heat couldn’t stop three Bucks from scoring 20 points or more tonight. Michael Redd had 26 points, and Al Jefferson had 23 points and 6 rebounds. Julian Wright lit things up from the bench with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Jason Kidd played only 19 minutes due to foul trouble, but dished out 9 assists and had 3 steals. Nov 17, 2009 - @ Portland - WIN (109-77) The string of blowout wins continue, as Michael Redd leads us over the Blazers with 27 points and 3 assists. Channing Frye had 20 points and 9 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 14 points and 10 assists. Peter John Ramos filled out for a foul-plagued Andrew Bogut and had 5 points, 4 assists, and 13 rebounds off the bench. Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 16 points, while Lamarcus Aldridge had 15 points for the Blazers. Nov 19, 2009 - @ Sacramento - WIN (102-93) Michael Redd lights up Sacto with 39 points as we defeat the Kings by nine. Andrew Bogut had 7 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, while Jason Kidd had 9 points and 9 assists. Kevin Martin had 28 points for the Kings, while Al Thornton had 23 points and 7 rebounds. Nov 21, 2009 - @ LA Lakers – WIN (97-76) Al Jefferson sank his teeth into the Lakers, with 30 points and 8 rebounds, tearing it up in Los Angeles. Michael Redd was held to only 13 points, while Jason Kidd flirted with a triple double with 12 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Jordan Farmar had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kobe Bryant only scored 5 points for the Lakers, as he was saddled with foul trouble. Nov 22, 2009 - @ Phoenix - WIN (88-81) We return to the site of our game seven loss and dish out some payback to the Suns. Michael Redd had 29 points, and Andrew Bogut had 16 points, 22 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks as we beat the Suns by seven. Wally Sczerbiak led the Suns with 20 points, while Steve Nash had 18 points and 9 assists. Amare Stoudamire was held to only 4 points and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes of play thanks to foul trouble. Nov 25, 2009 - vs Detroit - WIN (121-90) We welcome last season’s #1 team in the East with open arms and destroy them by 31 points at home. Michael Redd had 30 points and 6 assists, while Julian Wright had 26 points off the bench to lead us over the Pistons. Al Jefferson had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the effort, and Jason Kidd had 4 points and 11 asasists. Mike Bibby led the Pistons with 24 points and 5 assists, while Chauncey Billups had 16 points and 4 assists. Nov 28, 2009 - vs LA Lakers - WIN (118-94) We meet the Lakers in our home floor and beat them by a margin of 24 points. Al Jefferson had 32 points, while Michael Redd pitched in 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Channing Frye had 21 points, while Jason Kidd had 16 points and 10 assists. We shot a ridiculous 64% from the field (44 of 68 FGs) Kobe Bryant scored 29 points for the Lakers, and Andrew Bynum added 25 points, but they couldn’t get enough scoring from their other guys tonight. Nov 29, 2009 - @ Boston -WIN (100-83) Michael Redd torches the Celtics with 42 points as we defeat the Celtics by 17. Andrew Bogut had a great game: 11 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, but was sidelined late in the 4th with a sprained ankle. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points, and Mike Conley scored 14 points. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We remain the only undefeated team in the league at 13-0. With the addition of Jason Kidd, our offense has been pretty much near unstoppable. Michael Redd has had the most to gain with Kidd’s arrival. Redd leads the league in scoring with 30.8 ppg. With Kidd in control of the offense, we are leading the league in PPG (106.6). Our defense hasn’t slacked off either, the Bucks are leading the league as well in PPGA (85.3). We’re on top of the league in assists per game at 31.3 and in FG% at 53.2%, being the only team in the league above 50%. Around the League: The Central proves to be a battleground once again with us at 13-0, the Bulls at 10-2, and the Pistons at 11-3. The Cavs are, stunningly, at 4-12. The Celtics are on top of the Atlantic at 95, with the 76ers and Raptors behind at 8-6 and 9-8. The Bobcats are on top of the Southeast at 7-6, the Hawks and Magic are both at 6-8. The Rockets are on top of the Midwest at 14-3, with the Spurs behind them at 9-7. The Warriors are ahead in the Pacific at 10-4, with the Suns and Lakers at 10-5 and 10-6. The Sonics are on top of the Northwest at 11-6, with the Jazz at 9-7, and the Nuggets at 7-8. Minnesota is currently 5-9. Power Rankings: 1. Milwaukee Bucks (366.6) 2. Chicago Bulls (355.6) 3. Golden State Warrios (354.4) 4. Phoenix Suns (351.6) 5. Houston Rockets (329.2) 6. Atlanta Hawks (328.5) 7. Charlotte Bobcats (318.4) 8. Toronto Raptors (317.3) 9. Utah Jazz (313.2) 10. Portland Trailblazers (310.9) 11. LAL Lakers (310.8) 12. Denver Nuggets (308.8) 13. Detroit Pistons (303.4) 14. Indiana Pacers (296.2) 15. Boston Celtics (292.8) 16. Philadelphia 76ers (287.4) 17. Minnesota Timberwolves (287.0) 18. New Orleans Hornets (286.1) 19. New Jersey Nets (283.5) 20. Washington Wizards (282.8) 21. Sacramento Kings (281.9) 22. Seattle Supersonics (280.8) 23. San Antonio Spurs (272.3) 24. Orlando Magic (271.4) 25. Memphis Grizzlies (270.8) 26. Dallas Mavericks (266.0) 27. New York Knicks (257.4) 28. Cleveland Cavaliers (253.8) 29. LAC Clippers (239.2) 30. Miami Heat (223.9) Injuries: Notable injuries from around the league: B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (73 d) T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (274 d) – Tmac’s season is essentially done. The Rockets might be on a downward spiral without Yao Ming’s sidekick. S. O'Neal, Heat - a torn ACL (48 d) M. Blount, Timberwolves - a broken elbow (39 d) Z. Randolph, Blazers - a broken elbow (16 d) Transactions: No trades to report. __________________ Come and see.

05-22-2009, 04:08 AM	#30
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	Jan 2, 2010 - @ Indiana - WIN (91-81) We frustrate the Pacers with a balanced attack, and, thanks to a Jason Kidd triple double, we walk away with a ten point win on the road. Kidd had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Michael Redd led us with 25 points, while Andrew Bynum had 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Jermaine Oneal led the Pacers with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks, while Troy Murphy had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jan 3, 2010 - vs New Jersey - WIN (107-84) Michael Redd scores 28 points, and Andrew Bynum has 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks as we defeat the Nets by 23. Jason Kidd had 15 assists against his former team, and Al Jefferson had 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Vince Carter led the Nets with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Jan 5, 2010 - @ Toronto - WIN (107-82) Michael Redd leads us with 30 points, while Channing Frye had 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists. Julian Wright put in 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench. The Raptors got 29 points and 11 rebounds from Chris Bosh, but couldn’t get anyone else from their team to score in double digits. Jan 6, 2010 - vs Jazz – WIN (105-82) Seven Bucks score in double digits led by Michael Redd’s 23 points as we defeat the Jazz. Channing Frye scored 16, and Al Jefferson scored 14 points. Jason Kidd had 11 points and 10 assists. Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Andrei Kirilenko had 10 points and 15 rebounds. Jan 9, 2010 - @ Atlanta – WIN (119-88) Michael Redd powers us with 34 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists as we trash the Hawks in Atlanta. Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Channing Frye had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Josh Smith led the Hawks with 18 points, and Spencer Williams scored 13 points. Jan 10, 2010 - @ San Antonio – WIN (92-73) Michael Redd leads us again with 26 points and 5 rebounds, while Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 16 rebounds. Channing Frye scored 16 points and had 9 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 26 point5 and 6 assists. Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Jan 12, 2010 - vs Washington – WIN (103-82) Michael Redd’s 29 points leads six other Bucks in double-digit scoring as we defeat the Wizards by 21. Andrew Bynum had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Julian Wright had 14 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Gilbert Arenas had 24 ppints, 16 assists, and 8 rebounds for the Wizards, and Myron Adams had 28 points and 7 rebounds. No other Wizard reached double figures, however. Jan 13, 2010 - @ Memphis – WIN (118-99) We are yet to lose in 2010, as we cruise via a 19-point win over the Pau Gasol-less Grizzlies. Al Jefferson led us with 34 points and 6 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 14 points and 16 assists, while Michael Redd had 19 points and 9 assists. Anu Paulaskas and Mike Miller both put in 21 points, while Rudy Gay had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Jan 15, 2010 - @ Charlotte – LOSS (106-82) Ouch. We suffer our most lopsided loss this year, as we drop a game to the Bobcats by 24 points. Seven Bobcats score in double figures, led by Gerald Wallace’s 18 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Redd scored only 13 points on 4 of 12 shooting. We shot 38% from the field, one of our worst shooting nights in this season so far. Jan 17, 2010 - @ New Jersey – WIN (106-94) We quickly bounce back with a win over Jersey. Michael Redd had 26 points, Andrew bynum had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Al Jefferson had 22 points and 9 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists. Vince Carter led the Nets with 34 points, and Richard Jefferson scored 22 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Jan 19, 2010 - vs Detroit – WIN (95-69) Ka-pow. The Pistons get pistol-whipped as we hold them to only 31% shooting for the night. Channing Frye led us with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 17 points and 6 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Julian Wright had 18 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 20 points, but was the only Piston in double digits. Jan 21, 2010 - @ New York – WIN (107-94) Michael Redd had 35 points and 5 assists, while Andrew Bynum had 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead us over the Knicks in New York. Channing Frye had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Jason Kidd dished out 10 assists in the win. Kevin Durant led the Knicks with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Jamal Crawford had 19 points and 6 assists. Jan 24, 2010 - vs Phoenix – WIN (124-89) Our 7-point win over Phoenix back in November was nice, but this was even better. Michael Redd led us with 34 points, while Julian Wright pitched in 19 points off the bench. Channing Frye had 18 points and 8 rebounds, and Al Jefferson had 13 points and 9 rebounds as we trash the Suns at home. Andrew Bynug only played 12 minutes due to foul trouble and only scored 6 points. Leandro Barbosa scored 19 points off the bench for the Suns, who did not have any starter score in double digits and only shot 36% from the field. Jan 26, 2010 - vs Denver – WIN (105-77) Another tough Western Conference team and we beat them handily, thanks to 31 points and 15 rebounds from Al Jefferson. Julian Wright had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench. Michael Redd only had 11 points, and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 6 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony scored 18 and Allen Iverson scored 17 for the Nuggets, who shot 35% from the field and never led during the entire game. Jan 28, 2010 - @ Cleveland – WIN (107-102) Andrew Bynum had 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 22 points and 11 rebounds as we defeat the Cavs in a close one in Cleveland. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Redd had 19 points and 4 assists as well. Caron Butler led the Cavs with 26 points and 6 assists, and Lebron James had 24 points and 8 assists. Larry Hughes also pitched in 17 points for the Cavs, who staged a late 4th quarter rally only to fall short at the end. Jan 30, 2010 - vs Minnesota – WIN (103-75) Our final game of the month sees us crush the Timberwolves at home, thanks to a 22-point 12-rebound performance from Andrew Bynum. Michael Redd scored 26 points and dished out 6 assists. Al Jefferson and Channing Frye both pitched in 16 points each. Kevin Garnett had 31 points and 7 rebounds for the Timberwolves, and Emil Clemente had 10 points and 9 rebounds in the loss. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We go 15-1 in the month of January, sitting on top of the league at 39-4. Six bucks are averaging double digit scoring for the season, led by Michael Redd’s 27.0 ppg. Jason Kid is averaging 10.2 ppg and 10.0 apg for the season. Andrew Bynum has performed well as our starting center and, along with Al Jefferson and Channing Frye, form one of the better front courts in the league. Julian Wright has cemented himself as our 6th man, while Acie Law and Corey Brewer have found their minutes dwindle to about 10 per game. Back-up big man Peter John Ramos has also performed well off the bench. Around the League: Eastern Conference: Bucks (39-4), Central Bulls (35-8), Central Pistons (34-12), Central Bobcats (23-19), Southeast Hawks (24-20), Southeast Raptors (24-22), Atlantic 76ers (23-22), Atlantic Nets (21-25), Atlantic The Central remains to be the best division in the Conference, and perhaps the league. The Bucks, Bulls, and Pistons remain to be the teams to beat in the East. The Southeast race is between the Hawks and the Bobcats who are neck-and-neck, while in the Atlantic, the Raptors, 76ers, and Nets are all racing to grab the division crown. The Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all playoff hopefuls looking for a solid run in the final stretch of the season in order to break through for a playoff berth. Western Conference: Suns (38-10), Pacific Rockets (36-11), Southwest Sonics (26-18), Northwest Nuggets (27-19), Northwest Jazz (26-20), Northwest Lakers (23-20), Pacific Kings (23-23), Pacific Hornets (22-23), Southwest The Suns and Rockets are racing for the best record in the West, while the Nuggets and Sonics are in the heat for the #3 seed. Meanwhile, there is a tight race going on involving most of the teams in the West, as everyone is close enough to each other that there might be an 8-team race for the last four playoff spots in the West. Power Rankings: 1. Milwaukee Bucks (305.1) 2. Chicago Bulls (281.2) 3. Phoenix Suns (268.1) 4. Houston Rockets (262.9) 5. Atlanta Hawks (243.3) 6. Detroit Pistons (240.9) 7. Charlotte Bobcats (233.5) 8. LAL Lakers (230.4) 9. Seattle Supersonics (224.4) 10. Utah Jazz (224.2) 11. Denver Nuggets (223.3) 12. Toronto Raptors (221.7) 13. Portland Trailblazers (213.9) 14. New Orleans Hornets (212.2) 15. Golden State Warrios (211.3) 16. Dallas Mavericks (207.0) 17. Sacramento Kings (203.6) 18. Philadelphia 76ers (199.7) 19. Indiana Pacers (199.7) 20. New Jersey Nets (198.6) 21. LAC Clippers (190.8) 22. Memphis Grizzlies (186.8) 23. Washington Wizards (184.4) 24. Minnesota Timberwolves (181.0) 25. Cleveland Cavaliers (180.4) 26. San Antonio Spurs (180.0) 27. Orlando Magic (171.2) 28. Boston Celtics (167.2) 29. Miami Heat (145.5) 30. New York Knicks (144.2) Major Injuries: B. Knight, Bobcats - a torn ACL (11 d) C. Webber, Cavaliers - a broken nose (10 d) T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (212 d) P. Gasol, Grizzlies - a broken toe (9 d) A. Paulauskas, Grizzlies - a broken nose (51 d) M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (329 d) – The #4 pick of the draft has his season end early, thanks to a torn Achilles. Transactions: Mavericks trade SG Marcus Williams for Celtics SG Luther Head, 2010 2nd round pick(BOS) __________________ Come and see.

05-22-2009, 04:09 AM	#32
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	March has been a tough month for us in the past two seasons, with 18 games and several back-to-backs, along with a 5-game west coast road trip toward the end of the month. We’ll see if we can avoid stumbling in March this year. Mar 2, 2010 - @ Minnesota – WIN (88-74) This was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless. Michael Redd scored 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 5 assists to lead us over the Timberwolves in Minnesota. Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Jason Kidd had 11 points and 9 assists. The Wolves were led by Brandin Levett’s 15 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 blocks. Emile Clemente had 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Kevin Garnett had 10 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks for the Wolves. Mar 3, 2010 - vs Chicago – LOSS (102-99) The Bulls put the hurting on us early, as we tried to scramble in the fourth quarter but fell short of a comeback at home. This is our first home loss of the season, and our hopes of winning all our home games go down the drain. Michael Redd scored 31 points, and Andrew Bynum had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 9 points and 13 assists. Ben Gordon had 30 points and 5 assists, and Kirk Hinrich also scored 30 points and dished out 8 assists. Luol Deng had 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists to drive Chicago to a win. Mar 5, 2010 - @ Chicago – WIN (112-107 OT) Payback is sweet, as we march into Chicago, force over time, and defeat the Bulls in a grind-out game. Andrew Bynum reigned supreme with 26 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks. Michael Redd scored 28 points, while Channing Frye added 17 points. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 7 assists. Tyrus Thomas led the Bulls with 32 points, and Ben Gordon scored 24 points. Kirk Hinrich had 10 points and 13 assists for Chicago. Mar 6, 2010 - vs Atlanta – WIN (105-96) Andrew Bynum had 26 points 12 rebounds and 2 blocks, while Michael Redd adds 23 points and 5 assists as we defeat the Hawks at home. Jason Kidd had 15 points and 9 assists, while Julian Wright had 16 points and 9 rebounds off the bench. Shelden Williams led the Hawks with 25 points, and Antawn Jamison had 15 points 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Mar 9, 2010 - vs Dallas – WIN (113-88) Michael Redd scores 28 points and Al Jefferson has 24 points and 7 rebounds in this win over the Mavericks at home. Jason Kidd had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Channing Frye had 13 points and 8 rebounds. Josh Howard led the Mavericks with 20 points, while Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Mar 10, 2010 - @ New Orleans – WIN (116-113) This game wasn’t as close as the box scores indicate. We were up by a hefty 15 points until a late 4th quarter rally by the Hornets made it that close. Michael Redd scored 31 points, and Andrew Bynum had 24 points. Jason Kidd had 10 points nad 16 assists, while Julian Wright and Acie Law contributed 16 and 11 points, respectively. Chris Paul had 24 points and 15 assists for the Hornets. David West had 22 points and 9 rebounds, and Peja Stojakovic scored 20 points. Mar 12, 2010 - @ Miami – WIN (107-71) Michael Redd scored 30 points and Julian Wright had 23 points off the bench as we trounce the Heat in Miami. Andrew Bynum had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Channing Frye had 12 points and 9 rebounds. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 22 points. No one else on the Heat roster broke into double-digit scoring. Mar 14, 2010 - vs Cleveland – WIN (111-90) Andrew Bynum had 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Michael Redd had 25 points and 5 assists as we defeat the Cavaliers thanks to a strong first half-showing. Al Jefferson had 10 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. Acie Law scored 13 points off the bench. Lebron James led the Cavs with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Caron Butler scored 21 points for Cleveland. James Posey scored 11 points off the bench. Mar 16, 2010 - vs Washington – WIN (101-74) Michael Redd scored 23 points, while Jason Kidd had 13 points and 10 assists in this win over the Wizards at home. Al Jefferson had 9 points and 16 rebounds, while Andrew Bynum had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Channing Frye also scored 14 points for us. The Wizards were led by 24 points from Myron Adams, and 12 points and 14 assists from Gilbert Arenas. They shot 33% from the field in this loss. Mar 18, 2010 - @ Denver – WIN (139-129 2OT) We start off our 5-game Western Conference road trip with a double overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. Michael Redd scored 38 points and had 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Channing Frye pitched in 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Al Jefferson had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 8 points and 11 assists, while Peter John Ramos filled in for Andrew Bynum, who fouled out early in the 3rd quarter, with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 40 points and 12 rebounds, while Nene Hilario had 31 points and 11 rebounds. Allen Iverson scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Chris Duhon had 6 points and 15 assists. Mar 20, 2010 - @ Seattle – WIN (100-95) Game two of our road trip, and we defeat the Sonics by five points, thanks to a 38-25 4th quarter rally. Jason Kidd scored 23 points and had 9 assists to lead us tonight. Michael Redd scored 22 points, while Andrew Bynum had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Al Jefferson and Channing Frye had 16 and 14 points, respectively. Ray Allen had 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Rashard Lewis scored 22 points for the Sonics. Mar 21, 2010 - @ Los Angeles Clippers – WIN (110-83) We destroy the Clippers in Los Angeles and get our 60th win of the season. Six Bucks score in double digits, led by Michael Redd’s 24 points. Andrew Bynum had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Jason Kidd had 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Cuttino Mobley led the Clippers with 17 points. Thaddeus Young scored 13 off the bench, and noone else on the Clippers scored in double digits. Mar 23, 2010 - @ Golden State – WIN (112-92) Michael Redd scored 33 points and dished out 7 assits, and Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 15 rebounds as we defeat the Warriors. Al Jefferson had 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Channing Frye had 10 point and 9 rebounds. Baron Davis led the Clippers with 29 points and 8 assists, while Jason Richardson and Al Harrington scored 13 and 12 points each for the Warriors. Mar 24, 2010 - @ Utah – LOSS (92-91) Mehmet Okur hit the game-winning shot as the Jazz defeat us in the last game of what has been a successful 5-game Western Conference tour. Michael Redd had a bad shooting night with 15 points on 5 of 18 FG. Channing Frye and Al Jefferson scored 18 points each, while Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds for us. Mehmet Okur had 29 points and 10 rebounds. Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals, and 5 blocks for the Jazz. Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Matt Harpring scored 17 points. Mar 26, 2010 - vs Indiana – LOSS (93-91) We fail to catch up in the final minutes of this match and suffer our first back-to-back loss of the season as well as our 2nd home loss. Michael Redd had 24 points, while Andrew Bynum scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 14 points and 9 assists. Jermaine O’neal had 39 points and 6 rebounds, while Antony Linton scored 10 points for the Pacers. Mar 28, 2010 - vs Golden State – WIN (117-93) Michael Redd scored 36 points as we destroy the Warriors at home. Al Jefferson had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 16 rebounds. Jason Kidd also dished out 10 assists. Al Harrington led the Warriors with 18 points. Baron Davis had 14 points and 11 assists for Golden State. Mar 30, 2010 - vs Memphis – WIN (108-95) Al Jefferson leads us with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks to lead us over the Grizzlies. Andrew Bynum had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Michael Redd had 22 points, while Jason Kidd had 13 points and 11 assists. Anu Paulaskas leads the Grizzlies with 29 points, while Mike Miller had 18 points and 6 assists for Memphis. MONTH-END REPORT: Bucks Report: We go 14-3 during the month, far better than how we fared during the past two years. We are currently on pace for a 70 win season, leading the league at 63-9. Reaching 70 wins would be a great achievement for this team, but it would also put undue pressure to living up to those 70 wins during the playoffs. We haven’t suffered any major injuries so far, which is a good thing, and it would be a shame if any one of our guys actually got injured during the final month of the season headed into the playoffs. Around the League: Eastern Conference: Bucks (63-9), Central Bulls (56-16), Central Pistons (52-20), Central Hawks (43-29), Southeast Bobcats (38-34), Southeast Raptors (37-35), Atlantic 76ers (35-37) Atlantic Nets (35-39), Atlantic ~ Cavaliers (29-42), Central Pacers (28-42), Central Heat (28-46), Southeast Celtics (25-47), Atlantic Magic (25-48), Southeast Wizards (24-47), Southeast Knicks (12-59), Atlantic Western Conference: Suns (55-17), Pacific Rockets (55-18), Southwest Sonics (41-31), Northwest Jazz (40-32), Northwest Nuggets (39-33), Northwest Mavericks (37-35), Southwest Lakers (36-36), Pacific Trailblazers (35-37), Northwest ~ Kings (35-39), Pacific Warriors (33-39), Pacific Clippers (33-40), Pacific Hornets (32-40), Southwest Spurs (32-41), Southwest Timberwolves (26-47), Northwest Grizzlies (24-47), Southwest Power Rankings: 1. Milwaukee Bucks (242.6) 2. Chicago Bulls (212.1) 3. Phoenix Suns (209.8) 4. Houston Rockets (201.7) 5. Detroit Pistons (193.0) 6. Atlanta Hawks (169.8) 7. Seattle Supersonics (157.3) 8. Utah Jazz (154.2) 9. Denver Nuggets (148.6) 10. Toronto Raptors (144.4) 11. Dallas Mavericks (142.1) 12. Charlotte Bobcats (142.0) 13. LAL Lakers (138.5) 14. Portland Trailblazers (132.7) 15. Philadelphia 76ers (129.7) 16. Golden State Warrios (128.7) 17. Sacramento Kings (122.9) 18. New Jersey Nets (121.8) 19. New Orleans Hornets (119.6) 20. LAC Clippers (118.8) 21. San Antonio Spurs (115.0) 22. Cleveland Cavaliers (113.9) 23. Indiana Pacers (112.3) 24. Memphis Grizzlies (100.4) 25. Minnesota Timberwolves (99.4) 26. Washington Wizards (96.3) 27. Miami Heat (93.7) 28. Boston Celtics (92.9) 29. Orlando Magic (90.5) 30. New York Knicks (50.4) Major Injuries: M. Camby, Nuggets - a broken toe (10 d) K. Martin, Nuggets - a broken foot (58 d) T. McGrady, Rockets - a torn knee tendon (153 d) N. Krstic, Nets - a broken hand (31 d) D. Braun, Nets - a broken elbow (32 d) M. Piper, Trailblazers - a torn Achilles (270 d) T. Parker, Spurs - a broken toe (7 d) __________________ Come and see.

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