Bucks/Bulls--pre-season warm-up...October 10th

[bucksjam]

...if you tuned into WGN tonight...you would have seen the Bucks shoot 44% from the floor, in a victory up in Green Bay...against the Bulls...I caught a few glimpses of the game and was happy...I'll report more, tomorrow...after I watch the whole game I recorded on my Tivo...

I was just happy to see Bogut out there, running up and down the court, to be honest. More to follow...tomorrow...Go Bucks...

[sidney lanier]

Nice to hear he looks healthy. With all the changes, this team needs stability from Bogut and Redd.

I'm looking forward to a fun season. Maybe if we all go in with lowered expectations we'll be pleasantly surprised!

[bucksjam]

thanks for being optimistic....Sid...

OK...watched the whole game...Bogut came out and just scored 10 points, right away...It's the best time I ever seen him play...You'll notice Bogut's body has slimmed down, less bulky muscle. He's quicker out there and more agile than I've seen him...

Redd looks a little tentative, his footing just seemed a little bit off. His shot wasn't there yet, but hey, it's only pre-season...

Delfino was solid, he's more of a 3 and really likes to hoist them from the perimeter, like Ersan...

Boute didn't play much but really hustled and will hit the boards and do the dirty work that Skiles asks him.

Ridnour was lights out, hitting shot after shot. He's a starter for sure. A nice stabilizing force as Jennings comes along...

Jennings is definitely better than T. J. Ford...Not as quick but equally elusive. He's got great instincts and I think he'll progress sooner than expected...

GADS and Joe Alexander didn't play...

Ersan is about 40 pounds heavier and isn't the skiddish kid from Turkey anymore or is he...???...We all love Ersan to do well and hope he can pick up the American game quickly...ASAP...

Kurt Thomas is showing his age but knows where he belongs on the court at all times...

Meeks played a little and was impressive. Another second round gem in the making...

Ukic can run the floor...good...but his shot is coming up short, time and time again...

Hakim had some nice post up moves....

The Bucks looked very poised hitting alot of uncontested shots from the perimeter. Sure, that's gonna be off and on...all year...but it was just nice to see us winning the game from opening tip until the final buzzer.

Overall...I'm a happy bucks fan...maybe we can dare say .500 and a play-off bid for the 8th seed if Skiles and Hammy can work some magic...

[moses]

Bogut's been beastly in his limited minutes this year. Looking for more of the same tonight against the Rockets, I hope.

Jennings has been skittish and rookie-ish but he is going to be a player for sure. Ridnour will hold it down until he is ready.

[Rick in Cali]

More Jennings sooner than later. How much time does Luke need at this point?!

[bucksjam]

Rick in Cali said:

More Jennings sooner than later. How much time does Luke need at this point?!

hey rick...ya'know, Skiles will run the kid ragged...look how Moute' hit the "rookie wall" half-way thru the season

also, it's kinda unfair to rip on Rids cuz' I think he was hurt for a good portion of the year

[Rick in Cali]

I'm not ripping on Luke. Just think he needs less time to tune himself than does Jennings. You know we probably won't win even 40 games, so let the kids run IMHO. I actually like the idea of having Luke (albeit at a better price than what they're paying). I just hope Skiles and Hammond are secure enough to suffer with the youngsters as they should.

[Rick in Cali]

BTW: Like the comment on the rookie wall. Very true, but he's better for having gone through it. Wonder if Potsy, the Prince and BJ run enough this year for that to happen? Wonder if Meeks sees meaningful time at all? I hope so in all cases. Fun to watch, and if we're going to suffer this year and next in cap hell, then why not play the youngsters, and keep Redd healthy enough to trade at the deadline?

[matt51776]

With regard to Ridnour he was hurt last year, but I was never very sure what to make of him. He had a pretty promising first couple of NBA seasons, I think he was invited to train with team USA a couple of Olympics back, probably because he was young and showed some promise. However Luke was not hurt when he lost his job in Seattle to essentially a journeyman player in Earl Watson, I think he peaked or plateaued early and has struggled since. Seattle apparently gave up on him. I kind of feel the same way, he is merely OK and that to me is erring a little on the generous side.

I don't really advocate giving the keys to a rookie because he was picked high necessarily but with all the extenuating circumstances if throwing him out there early doesn't hamper his development (sometimes it does) I can live with rookie mistakes because we aren't going to be very good. If Sessions were here I could see some argument for learning from limited minutes, or splitting time up and all that. Given the situation as it stands starting Ridnour only makes sense if Jennings is terrible out of the gate.

Unfortunately we aren't a wave the white flag organization, we don't make clear decisions to rebuild we simply try to gut it out for the casual fans. I would simply love it if they just said here is what we got we aren't going to be very good so we are shedding salary, taking our lumps, drafting the best we can and eyeing a rebuild with the money saved when enough money is available to do so. I realize they'd never say that but you'd know it if it were actually taking place. Wholesale tanks are easy to spot, and I don't really advocate that either Certainly not this early, but decisions like letting Alexander F up on the court, Starting a young guy over an old guy, whatever are the kinds of things we just don't do.

Alexander is probably bad, seems the team thinks that way, but I haven't seen that dude play hardly at all, and given the fact that there is a D league and he was supposed to be a bit of a project, why wasn't he there? Its kind of a mixed message, he terrible but we want him with the pro team?

I hope everything breaks just right and we at least establish a good defensive team, that competes night in and out but I just don't think there is enough there yet to be considering making moves based on that ( this offseason). I think the team will be fun to watch at least for awhile especially if Jennings can play or Ersan, maybe thats enough for now.