SANDERS!, Greece Lightning, and Mayo - Your 2013-14 Bucks Preview

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Coming off a successful season were they won 38 games and earned the right to get pummeled by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks decided it was time for a change. More accurately, they decided going for the 8th seed was fine but decided to do it with different players. They jettisoned most of the roster in favor of more efficient and well-rounded basketball players in an attempt to become more watchable and less like they suck so bad. Unfortunately, the Eastern Conference has gotten a little better, so the road to the playoffs will be a little rougher. Let's start this Bucks preview by looking at what they did this summer.

Additions and subtractions

Subtractions
SG Monta Ellis (free agent, signed with the Dallas Mavericks)
PG Brandon Jennings (traded to the Detroit Pistons for Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton and some random big dude)
SG JJ Redick (sign-and-trade with the LA Clippers, received two second-round picks)
G/F Mike Dunleavy (free agent, signed with the Chicago Bulls)
F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (traded to the Sacramento Kings for two second-round picks)
C Samuel Dalembert (free agent, signed with the Dallas Mavericks)
G/F Marquis Daniels (free agent)
F/C Drew Gooden (amnesty, LOL)
F/C Gustavo Ayon (waived, signed with the Atlanta Hawks)
C Joel Przybilla (free agent)
PG Ish Smith (traded to the Phoenix Suns for Caron Butler)

Additions
PG Brandon Knight (trade with Detroit Pistons)
SG OJ Mayo (free agent)
G/F Carlos Delfino (free agent)
SF Caron Butler (trade with Phoenix Suns)
C Zaza Pachulia (free agent)
G Gary Neal (free agent)
F Khris Middleton (free agent)
C Miroslav Raduljica (free agent)
PG Luke Ridnour (trade with Minnesota Timberwolves)
F Giannis Antetokounmpo (first-round pick)
G Nate Wolters (second-round pick)

That's a lot of moves.

Some dude in front of Ersan has a question

Bucks by position

Probable Starting Lineup

PG Brandon Knight
SG OJ Mayo
SF Caron Butler
PF Ersan Ilyasova
C LARRY SANDERS!

Bench
Guards: Gary Neal, Luke Ridnour, Nate Wolters, Carlos Delfino
Forwards: John Henson, Ekpe Udoh, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton
Centers: Zaza Pachulia, Miroslav Raduljica





Guards

The Bucks sent their whole 2012-13 backcourt away this offseason, and rightfully so. Brandon Jennings was clearly unhappy in Milwaukee, and wasn't progressing the way the front office expected. Monta Ellis was a no-defense, inefficient ballhog and JJ Redick couldn't fit in. Ish Smith wasn't the champion the Bucks needed.

By trading Jennings for Knight, they essentially swapped disappointing guards with the Pistons. Knight shoots the 3 well, can defend, and has had some moments (not all were good), but overall isn't a natural point guard and isn't a very efficient shooter inside the three-point line.

Pictured: meh

He does have youth on his side, and head coach Larry Drew had success turning Jeff Teague into a good NBA point guard, so the jury is still out on Knight. His backcourt mate, OJ Mayo, is a little more of a known quantity. He's also a good three-point shooter, can create his own shot, passes well, and at least early on in his career was regarded as a solid defender. He's also inconsistent and has had issues with effort on both sides of the ball. He should lead the team in scoring, but that says more about the team than it does about Mayo.

Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour both fill similar roles as solid backup combo guards that can shoot. Ridnour is an excellent midrange shooter and the better pure point guard while Neal is better behind the three-point line and better defensively. Carlos Delfino is a "three and D" guy who will play both shooting guard and small forward, but will likely miss the first couple months of the season with a foot injury. Nate Wolters probably won't play much but has a skillset similar to Neal.

Forwards

In the last couple seasons the Bucks seemed to acquire every forward possible, something that CPU teams would constantly do in NBA Live 2010 which would lead to the hilarious result of Zach Randolph or David Lee starting at small forward for opposing teams. Fortunately, the Bucks seemed to have fixed that glitch by trading Mbah a Moute and cutting Drew Gooden and now have a reasonable amount of bigs on the roster.

#NeverForget

Caron Butler's best days are behind him, but he's a fairly reliable veteran and a juicy trade asset with an expiring contract. Like Delfino, he shoots well from beyond the arc and can defend but doesn't contribute much else at this point. Middleton is an intriguing youngster with great size who is a dark horse to take the starting small forward job if Butler is washed up and Delfino takes longer than expected to recover.

Ersan Ilyasova is the starter at power forward but is not a traditional player there. He's an excellent shooter and good rebounder who doesn't do much defensively and can't create his own shot. John Henson showed flashes in his rookie year and is the future at the position, but needs to put on some weight and improve his shot selection. Ekpe Udoh is a good defender but is hilariously bad offensively and can't rebound, like, at all. He's also an expiring deal and as such is a likely trade candidate.

And that leads us to Giannis Antetokounmpo, the young rookie from Greece who has every Bucks fan excited. And they should be excited. BEHOLD:

The positives; he's fearless, has good shooting touch, is a willing passer, rebounds well, has a knack for blocking shots, possesses monstrous hands, is long, strong, and down to get the friction on. The negatives; is extremely raw, a little careless with the ball, has poor footwork, occasionally looses his man defensively, and is, like, eight years old or something. There's a ridiculously wide range of outcomes when it comes to Giannis (hashtag Greece Lightning) during his rookie season - he could be overwhelmed by the pro game and end up stuck in the D-League all year, force his way into the starting lineup and emerge as a ROY candidate, or anything in between. Nothing would shock me. But one thing he won't be is boring.

Centers

At this point last year, I wasn't even sure if LARRY SANDERS! was on the roster. His first two NBA seasons were eventful but not particularly useful. He blocked shots but fouled constantly and couldn't catch the ball. He was a bit of a hothead. After a brutal showing during summer league in 2012, it looked like he might not even make the team. But somehow, he did make the team, and I can only imagine that a mighty basketball demon possessed his soul and turned him into a defensive anchor and franchise building block. He cut down on the silly fouls while finishing second in the NBA in blocks while shooting over 50% from the field and nearly averaging a double-double. His impact went even beyond the traditional statistics, evidenced by this graph by Kirk Goldsberry that became popular after last year's Sloan Sports and Analytics Conference. It measured the field goal percentage of opposing teams while LARRY SANDERS! was on the court, juxtaposed against defensive sieve (and NBA Live "small forward") David Lee.

Hint: green is better than red

SANDERS' breakout season earned him a four-year, 44 million dollar deal, and he is now the de facto face of the franchise. He still is a bit of a hothead and could stand to improve offensively, but is one of the better young centers in the league and the Bucks aren't going anywhere without him.

Zaza Pachulia was paid too much to be the backup to SANDERS!, but is as reliable as they come and could start for a lot of NBA teams. I know nothing about Miroslav Raduljica, other than he is large and white and his name is an annoyance to spell. As long as he's better than Joel Przybilla, I'll be satisfied.

Head Coach

"Why do you keep calling me Windu?"

Former Hawks coach Larry Drew replaces the hapless Jim Boylan, who himself was the mid-season replacement for Scott Skiles. I don't know a whole lot about Drew, but he's supposedly a players coach who has some skills on both sides of the ball but isn't much for in-game adjustments. He had success in Atlanta and seems to me like the right kind of guy for the Bucks' young roster, but I also thought Larry Krystkowiak would be a good coach and I was comically wrong.

Prediction time

10 bold predictions

1. LARRY SANDERS! will win the Defensive Player of the Year award
2. Ersan Ilyasova will shoot a career-high 48% from beyond the arc and participate in the three-point contest during All-Star weekend
3. Brandon Knight will lead the team in scoring (17-ish PPG)
4. SANDERS! will lead the league in technical fouls
5. Khris Middleton will start more games at small forward than Caron Butler
6. OJ Mayo will lead the team in assists
7. Ekpe Udoh will rebound a basketball at least once
8. Giannis will have a 5x5 game (at least 5 points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals)
9. John Henson will have at least two 20/20 games
10. The Bucks will trade for Steve Nash at the trade deadline because YOLO

Where they'll finish

The Bucks finished 8th in the East last year, but that said more about the bottom of the East than it did about the Bucks. This is an entirely new roster and it's impossible to tell how the pieces will fit. On the plus side, the Bucks probably have the deepest roster of competent players in the East, and SANDERS! is a difference-maker. On the down side, they have no real superstar, and a handful of teams that finished below them in the standings got a lot better in the offseason while the Celtics are the only team that finished above them to get markedly worse.

Predictions on the Bucks are all over the place. Bill Simmons has them as a playoff team with the possibility of reaching the 6th seed. Marc Stein has them at 26th in his power rankings and NBA.com has them at 24th. I'm somewhere in the middle - I do think the Bucks are a better team talent-wise than they were last season, but I don't think it will show up in the standings. Here's how I see the East shaking out:

1. Miami Heat
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Indiana Pacers
5. New York Knicks
6. Detroit Pistons
7. Atlanta Hawks
8. Washington Wizards
9. Milwaukee Bucks
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
11. Toronto Raptors
12. Orlando Magic
13. Charlotte Bobcats
14. Boston Celtics
15. Philadelphia 76ers

40 wins is a realistic mid-point, and I could see them finishing anywhere between 7th and 12th. The depth is good enough to keep them from completely tanking, but the lack of front-end talent keeps their ceiling low. While continuing to wallow in mediocrity and chasing the #8 seed is no fun, the team should at least be fun to watch on a nightly basis, especially if Greece Lightning is involved. For better or worse, I'm along for the ride.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Jerry Eldred (@jheldred)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, and @10iskristin.

Final Predictions For The Bucks Heading Into The NBA Draft

We are just about twenty-four hours away from the 2013 NBA Draft getting underway from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Many rumors have surfaced regarding the Bucks as well as a few names that have been associated with the Bucks 15th overall pick. I'll go over what is true, false, and what to take with a grain of salt. I'm also going to give you some insight on what to expect tomorrow from the Milwaukee Bucks on who we are likely to draft with each pick Here we go.

First, I want to tackle the rumors for everyone.

"The Bucks are interested in acquiring small forward Paul Pierce from the Celtics." 

GRAIN OF SALT - The rumor is true as it's been confirmed by multiple sources. However, this is pretty simple to debunk to show why it won't happen. Unless the Celtics throw in Rajon Rondo too, this isn't happening. Although we all know the Bucks love acquiring guys past their prime, there is no way they are in a position to take on Paul's contract. He would be a great veteran to have, but there are better small forwards that are free agents if we really want one. (Not to mention we can draft one, too). The nostalgia is cool, but it's not a move the Bucks should make if they want to rebuild. They have bigger issues at hand this offseason, like who will be in the backcourt for example, than worry about a veteran presence.

"The Pacers are looking to deal small forward Danny Granger to the Bucks in a sign/trade for point guard Brandon Jennings."

TRUE - The Pacers are/were really serious about getting Brandon Jennings. It's been documented by many NBA analysts, including Sam Amico from Fox Sports Ohio, that the Pacers are extremely interested in trading for Brandon Jennings from the Milwaukee Bucks.

However, now the Pacers instead want to Bucks to sign and trade Monta Ellis instead. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN asked an NBA executive for some names that are hot-and-heavy in trade talks. The names he got back were the Pacers' Danny Granger, the Bucks' Monta Ellis (sign and trade).

Whether it's Jennings or Ellis, in return the Pacers would send small forward Danny Granger. Granger was a bit banged up last year and didn't play at all, really. He's a great shooter who the Bucks should seriously look at. The Pacers have Paul George now, which makes Granger very expendable. The Bucks will be careful here, however. They obviously won't trade for him if they don't feel he's healthy, especially for Brandon Jennings.

"The Bobcats have placed Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the trading block. The Bucks have expressed interest in him."

FALSE - Charlotte Bobcats GM Rich Cho denied that the team is shopping former No. 2 overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist during a radio interview. 

"No! We're not shopping him,'' Cho said on WFNZ-AM 610. "We get calls about all our players. It's my job to take calls. We're not shopping MKG.''

Cho said, "all the teams that are listed in the report are 100 percent false,'' adding "We still like Kidd-Gilchrist. We think he had a good year.''

The Bucks would have had to give up Larry Sanders, according to the report which made me scratch my head right away. I'd love MKG, but not for Sanders.

"The Bucks have interest in shooting guard J.R. Smith"

Based on early conversations, Milwaukee and Detroit are among several teams that have shown interest in free agent J.R. Smith, sources say.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 26, 2013

TRUE, BUT GRAIN OF SALT - God I really hope this doesn't happen. This is such a Hammond thing to do, though. If you thought Stephen Jackson was a cancer in the locker room, just wait for J.R. Smith if he comes to Milwaukee.

Those are all of the rumors I've heard of. Let's quickly move onto the draft.

Final Draft Predictions:

Pick 15 - UCLA SF Shabazz Muhammad - Shabazz is going to fall, and I feel the Bucks will bite the bullet and draft him. Contrary to the media outlets questioning Shabazz, I don't feel there is anything to worry about. Off the court he has some issues with his father, but that's about it. If he's on the board, the Bucks need to risk it can take him strictly on value. Maybe they look to trade him during the draft. They've been known to do that. Bottom line, the Bucks need depth a small forward if they don't pull off a trade for one after trading away Tobias Harris last season. Shabazz would be a steal at #15.

Pick 43 - Texas PG Myck Kabongo - He's considered one of the best pure point guards in the draft, and I would rank him as a Top 5 overall point guard in the draft. He was originally considered a lottery pick, but some issues at school caused his draft stock to drop. He's got way more pros than cons, that's for sure. His only downside is his size and the NCAA sanctions that kept him from playing last year. He's got great speed, he's a great passer, and great vision of the court. He rarely converts turnovers. The Bucks need depth at point guard considering they may not have a single one they had from last year. Kabongo sounds like a second round steal for me.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @Mik3_Schu, and @10iskristin.

NBA Year End Awards

I initially started this as a “Bucks end-of-season awards” piece, but that quickly became depressing so I moved on to the NBA as a whole. The internet would do just fine without my opinion on the matter but I really wanted to write something NBA-centric, so deal with it.

MVP
1. Lebron James, F, Miami Heat
2. Kevin Durant, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Carmelo Anthony, F, New York Knicks
4. Chris Paul, PG, LA Clippers
5. Tim Duncan, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs

Well, duh. I don’t really feel that this choice needs much explanation, but I’ll give you one anyways. Lebron is the best player in the league. He plays on the best team, a team that happens to be the best because he plays on it. He just set career-highs in field goal %, 3-point %, and true shooting %, and also posting career lows in fouls and turnovers per game. His PER (Player Efficiency Rating) was off the charts (blowing away the rest of the league), and he also managed to be one of the top defensive players in the league. If stats are not your bag, watching any Heat game will tell you everything you need to know. He’s the boring choice for MVP, but he’s unquestionably the right choice. In a world where Lebron James does not exist, Durant would be the worthy MVP. But Lebron does exist, so….

Rookie of the Year
1. Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trailblazers
2. Anthony Davis, C, New Orleans Hornets
3. Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards
4. Andre Drummond, PF/C, Detroit Pistons
5. John Henson, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks

This race is just as clear-cut as MVP. Lillard ran away with it plain and simple, keeping a mediocre Portland team relevant for a majority of the season. Despite coming from a small school and playing a demanding position both physically and mentally, Lillard played more like a 10-year veteran than a rookie. He finished 12th in scoring (19.0 ppg), 17th in assists (6.5 apg), 5th in made threes (185), and second in minutes (38.6 mpg). He played big in big moments, having some of his best games against the top teams in the league. He was putrid defensively, but that’s not all that surprising for a rookie who carried as big a load as he did.

Davis was a nightly double-double threat who averaged nearly two blocks a game, and probably would have given Lillard a run for his money had he not missed 18 games due to injury. Every other candidate had their moments but couldn’t maintain production consistently.

Defensive Player of the Year
1. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
2. Paul George, Indiana Pacers
3. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
4. Andre Iguodala, Denver Nuggets
5. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Gasol’s traditional numbers aren’t flashy (7.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.7 blocks), but he’s the anchor of the toughest defensive team in the league. He’s the Grizzlies’ quarterback on defense, making sure everyone’s in the right spot and helping out when they’re not. He’s too strong for opponents to take one-on-one, and protects the basket well against penetration. He does it all.

All of the other players on the list had tremendous defensive seasons in their own right, but Gasol was head and shoulders above the competition. Noah would have made it more of a discussion, but simply missed too many games with a foot injury.

Sixth Man of the Year
1. Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
2. J.R. Smith, New York Knicks
3. Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Hornets
4. Jarrett Jack, Golden State Warriors
5. Kevin Martin, Oklahoma City Thunder

This was the toughest one for me to pick. I considered copping out and splitting the award between Smith and Crawford, but I took a stand and chose Crawford. Smith has been ridiculously hot since the All-Star break and as a result is probably the odds-on favorite, but Crawford’s been consistently excellent off the bench all season, and I think consistency should play a huge part in this award. Crawford has a significant edge in FG %, 3-pt %, and FT %. Smith has a large edge in rebounds and points per game, but also plays more minutes; Crawford’s per-36 minutes scoring average is better.  Neither guy plays a lick of defense, so there’s no edge to be had there. Smith’s tremendous run of games will probably earn him the award, but I find Crawford equally deserving.

 

Most Improved Player
1. LARRY SANDERS!, Milwaukee Bucks
2. Greivis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets
3. Earl Clark, Los Angeles Lakers
4. Nikola Vukevic, Orlando Magic
5. Tobias Harris, Orlando Magic/Milwaukee Bucks

This award literally has no criteria, so there’s almost no wrong answer. You could legitimately argue for Lebron or Durant, and no one could tell you you’re wrong. But I view this award differently than most people. Here’s how I view it; who made the greatest leap in usefulness? Who went from being a bottom-of-the-roster player or fringe rotation guy to a legitimate NBA player? Paul George and Jrue Holiday aren’t eligible for me; they were already good players who just saw a boost in playing time or progressed as they were expected to. All of the players I listed were either unknowns or poor players that made huge strides this season.

Sanders may be a homer pick, but his progression is nothing short of incredible. Prior to the 2012-13 season, he was barely playable. Inefficient offensively and undisciplined defensively, he pretty much only saw playing time because the Bucks had no one else. His per-36 minutes numbers really tell the story; he’s retained his elite shot-blocking skill while drastically cutting down on his fouls, and improving in every other statistical category. He’s become one of the better defensive big men in the game despite being undersized for his position, and has grown into a much more efficient offensive player, showing better hands in the post and cutting down on the foolish shots.

Vasquez had a similar boost in productivity this season, but showed some flashes at the end of last year. Vukevic probably had the best season of the group, but also showed flashes last year and almost fits under the category of a good player who saw a big boost in minutes.

Coach of the Year
1. George Karl, Denver Nuggets
2. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
3. Eric Spoelstra, Miami Heat
4. Mike Woodson, New York Knicks
5. Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls

This one’s pretty difficult to pick without actually knowing what’s going on behind the scenes. We can judge a coach’s performance based on how his team played relative to our expectations, or based on perceived level of difficulty based on injuries. But it’s pretty much impossible for us to know everything a coach does for his team, especially in the locker room. There are a lot of unknowns, but I went with my gut feeling here. Karl’s Nuggets have been impressive all season, weathering a difficult schedule early on before going on a late-season tear that earned them the third seed in the West. The Nuggets were their usual dominant selves at home, but became a better road team this season and imposed their unique style of play on just about every opponent. And they managed all this without a star player, a truly impressive feat in a league dominated by star players. Cases could be made for anyone on this list, but to me Karl stands out.

So there are my picks. Now go enjoy the playoffs.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Jerry Eldred (@jheldred)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @Stevie2Westside, and @olewr7. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Milwaukee Bucks Quarter Season Recap

Who are the 2012-2013 Bucks?  They’re cerebral, clutch and potent. 

Not many experts had the Bucks in 2nd place a quarter’s way through the season, and fewer expected an opening night like they had in Boston to kick off the season, trumping the Celtics 99-88.  The next night would really spark the season as Brandon Jennings drained a game winning three pointer at the buzzer after the Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving tied the game with under two seconds on the clock. 


The Walking Dead
Milwaukee radio was buzzing and the team has showed its promise.  The Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis trade has already justified itself as Bogut sits injured on the Golden State bench while Ellis has averaged 19.6 PPG through his first 30 games of the season.  The improvement of Larry Sanders as a defensive beast and the presence of Ekpe Udoh have filled the void of Bogut.  Simply put, the trade is looking like an absolute steal and Ellis leads the team in scoring and lives up to his scouting report as a dynamite transition player and lightning quick guard.  Meanwhile, in Golden State, Andy Bogut sits.  (Though we sincerely wish him the best of luck going forward, a former fan favorite).

Breaking Bad
The scary thing?  Ellis hasn’t even flashed his best looks yet; Ellis has not played up to his career norms from the shooting side.  He’s shot just 22% from 3-point territory, down from his career average of 32%, and he’s been less efficient from the field to date, too (39% in ’12, 46% career).  So where does Ellis go from here?  The Mississippi native needs to learn how to play with Jennings on the court—with efficiency.  Having two similar backcourt players on the court at the same time can sometimes negate the way they play.  Using Monta Ellis’ PER of 16.3 (Player Efficiency Rating statistic, used to measure per-minute production), he has been less “efficient” than his career norm of about 17.  The best is yet to come… 

Fringe
Brandon Jennings, the Bucks fringe All-Star (currently 9th for Eastern backcourt stars), continues to improve each year in the league.  The 23-year old veteran has seen spikes in most all of his efficiency stats (3P%, FT%) and with Ellis at his side, has the ability to dish the ball and get his share of assists (6.1 APG—highest of his career).  Also following his career trend, Jennings has been a fourth quarter force, demanding the ball and putting up strong numbers in the game’s closing minutes.   

Homeland
The Bucks have played solid at home—not incredible, but their 9-7 record will allow them to remain competitive as long as they play .500 on the road (just as they’ve done at 7-7).  Moreover, the Bucks backcourt is the highest scoring backcourt in the NBA, which is pretty impressive with duos like Ginobli and Parker, Kobe and Nash, and Deron Williams and Joe Johnson lighting it up. 

The Americans
Nobody had a tougher start to the season then Erysan Ilyasova, but after Coach Scott Skiles starting using him as the 6th man off the bench, Ilyasova has begun to replicate his breakout 2011-2012 season.   After a pitiful November where he shot under 35% from the field, Ilyasova countered by shooting 46%  since the calendar struck December and has been draining three pointers at a 52% clip.  While he went on an offensive vacation for most of November, his defense has continued to be top notch and its one of Ilyasova’s major assets to his game.  Coming into the season, we were worried that last year was a fluke, aberration for Ilysavoa, but the 25 year old Turkish Tornado has followed up with a great month of basketball and is on the right track to rebound after a disturbing first month.

Modern Family
The Bucks are really starting to come together and learn how to play together.  For the majority of the team, this is their second year together.  Mike Dunleavy and Larry Sanders deserve big ups and credit for much improvement (specifically on the defensive end) in their game this season, and a few masterful performance this season (Dunleavy’s 29 point outburst against the Cavs as the Bucks went to win by 2 in early December / Sanders’ evolution in becoming a one man SWAT team as supported by his league leading 3.0 blocks per game).

The Bucks Outlook: The Bucks have had a very adequate quarter+ to their season as they sit in the no. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.  They remain one game behind the Chicago Bulls in the conference and while they’ve lost their last two (5-5 in their last 10), the Bucks have a realistic chance to get the no. 5 seed in conference and, if everything goes right, even a shot at the no. 4 seed (just 2 GB the Pacers).

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Sean Mahon (@SMahon2Go)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @Brandon_BFP, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)