Milwaukee Bucks Blog – Page 57 – NBA Blog

Game 2: Johnson, Smith lead Hawks past Bucks

The AP reports:

Joe Johnson took control in the fourth quarter to finish off a 27-point effort, Josh Smith finished one assist shy of a triple-double and the Hawks ran away from the pesky but outmanned Milwaukee Bucks for a 96-86 victory in the Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday night…

Smith is certainly a player capable of taking control of a series in many ways, as he demonstrated with his 21 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists, not to mention two blocks and two steals…

“He’s one of those players that can control the game without calling plays for him,” said John Salmons, who led the Bucks with 21 points…

Johnson also led the defensive effort against Bucks rookie star Brandon Jennings, who followed up a 34-point performance in Game 1 with just nine points on 3-of-15 shooting.

Game 1: Johnson scores 22, Hawks beat Bucks

The AP reports: Led by Joe Johnson and getting production from all their key players, the Hawks blitzed the Bucks before halftime, survived a lackluster showing over the final two quarters and held off Milwaukee 102-92 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series… Milwaukee made a game of it led by Brandon Jennings, who scored 34 points in his playoff debut… Joe Johnson scored 22 points, Mike Bibby added 19 and the other Atlanta starters also were in double figures. Crawford put up 17 points in the first postseason appearance of his 10-year career.

Summer of rehab for Andrew Bogut

The Journal Times reports:

Bucks center Andrew Bogut met with the media after Friday’s practice and discussed his recent season-ending hand and wrist injuries.

Bogut, who suffered extensive damage after crashing to the floor after a dunk attempt in a game against the Phoenix Suns on April 3 at the Bradley Center, won’t be picking up a basketball anytime soon.

“It’s going to be a long summer rehabbing,’’ Bogut said. “It’ll be a three-to-four month rehab.’’

Considering the severity of the injuries — Bogut has large cast on his right arm — Bogut won’t be able to play for Australia in this summer’s FIBA World Championship in Turkey. The 24-team tournament runs from Aug. 28 until Sept. 12.

Bogut wouldn’t comment on his status for the World Games. An official announcement is expected to be made in the next three weeks.

Bucks should fill seats before seeking new arena

Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:

David Stern was asked about the Bucks’ performance this season, in which they made the playoffs, the team’s financial state and the Bradley Center.

“I think that it certainly is up to the Bucks to fill up their arena before we spend a lot of time thinking about a new one,” Stern said. “It’s also fair to say that the powers that be in Milwaukee understand that the Bradley Center is reaching sort of the end . . . . It will soon be among the oldest non-renovated or replaced buildings in the NBA. But that’s not an immediate decision. That’s something people are working on and looking at there.”

The Bucks drew an average of 15,108 fans per game at the Bradley Center this season, 281 fans fewer per game than last season. The Bucks finished 24th in the league in attendance, the same ranking they had the previous season.

Andrew Bogut has right hand surgery

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that center Andrew Bogut (7-0, 260) had successful surgery this afternoon on his right hand to repair damage incurred on his fall in the second quarter of Saturday night’s game against Phoenix. The surgery was performed at the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin by Dr. Michael Gordon and Dr. Curt Crimmins.

Bogut is expected to need up to six weeks to fully recover from surgery before he can fully engage in rehab.

Bogut, 25, has appeared in 69 games for the Bucks this season and averaged career-highs in points (15.9) and blocks (2.5) while also recording 10.2 rebounds and shooting 52.0 percent from the field. He is second in the league in blocks, 10th in rebounding, 17th in field goal percentage and his 37 double-doubles rank eighth in the NBA and are one shy of his career-best set in 2007-08. Bogut’s 175 blocks on the season are the sixth-most single season total in franchise history and the most since Alton Lister had 177 in 1982-83.

Rumors Talk: Banged-up Bogut

It’s obviously terrible news that Andrew Bogut is injured. Without him, chances are the Milwaukee Bucks will be sent home in the first round of the playoffs. What a nasty injury that was. All the best for Andrew in his recovery.

Channing Frye is right to become a free agent. He’ll make more money after proving himself with the Suns this season. I’m not sure he’ll get the full mid-level exception — if the economy, both in and out of the NBA was better then maybe he would — but he’ll probably get something close.

I’d have loved to see video of Kenyon Martin going nuts after being pranked.

The monster game that David Lee put up was great, but it was also against the Warriors, who I believe are playing 70-or-so-year-old coach Don Nelson at center. And their current backup center is a random hot dog sales guy. So, Lee wasn’t really up against pro-level competition. Still, a terrific game for him.

If Stephen Jackson really does have about 28 different injuries, he should consider just sitting out. But the problem is, the Charlotte Bobcats are currently the no.7 seed in the East and could very easily fall out of the playoffs. They’re just ahead of the Raptors and no.9 seed Bulls. What to do? If S-Jax is totally banged up, he won’t be as effective as a healthy backup and might as well not be there. Keep an eye on that.

I was a big Dennis Johnson fan (rest in peace, DJ), but I understand the Hall of Fame not putting him in right away. Good news that he’s going to make it this time around. But he was sort of a borderline guy to make it and definitely benefitted from a star-studded set of teammates. Anyway, I’m glad he’ll be in there.

Talk to you Monday.

This feature is an editorialized take on the day’s hot NBA rumors stories.

Andrew Bogut breaks hand, injures arm

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced the following information on center Andrew Bogut:

“After falling hard to the floor after a dunk in the second period of the Bucks win over Phoenix, Andrew was examined at the Bradley Center by team orthopaedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon and then taken to Aurora Sinai Medical Center by ambulance for more tests.

“Further testing and imaging at Aurora Sinai showed that Andrew sustained a dislocated right elbow, a sprained right wrist and a broken right hand. He was released from the hospital and no timetable has been determined for his return.”

In 69 games this season, Bogut is averaging career-highs in points (15.9) and blocked shots (2.5), while adding 10.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He ranks 2nd in the NBA in blocked shots, 9th in rebounds and 17th in field goal percentage (.520). Bogut’s 175 blocked shots to date are the most for any Bucks player since Alton Lister had 177 in 1982-83, giving him the sixth highest single-season total in franchise history. Bogut and Dwight Howard are the only players in the NBA averaging at least 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.

The AP reports:

With Milwaukee leading late in the second quarter, Bogut took a long outlet pass in for a fast break slam dunk. He hung on the rim afterward, was touched in the back by the Suns’ Amare Stoudemire and crashed to the court. He wrenched his right elbow in ugly fashion trying to brace his fall.

Bogut appeared to be in serious pain, briefly writhing on the floor before being helped to his feet by the team’s medical staff. Hunched over and clutching his arm, he ran down the tunnel toward the locker room.

Video clip of injury and fan discussion is in this forum topic.

Carlos Delfino OK, released from hospital

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that forward Carlos Delfino was released from St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee last night after a complete assessment of his head and neck injuries. Results of the precautionary imaging were negative.

Delfino will be listed as day-to-day with neck and jaw soreness.

Delfino was injured late in the second period of Friday night’s game vs. Miami at the Bradley Center. Delfino fell to the floor after missing a shot and had his head and neck inadvertently stepped on, resulting in neck and jaw pain. He underwent examination by Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon and had full movement in all extremities. Delfino was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for precautionary x-rays.

Carlos Delfino taken on stretcher to hospital

Milwaukee Bucks forward Carlos Delfino was taken off the court on a stretcher late in the second period of tonight’s game with Miami after having his head and neck inadvertently stepped on, resulting in neck and jaw pain. He underwent examination by Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon and had full movement in all extremities.

Delfino was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for precautionary x-rays.

Bucks sign Darnell Jackson

The Milwaukee Bucks have been awarded the contract of forward Darnell Jackson (6-9, 253) on a waiver claim, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Since Jackson was waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 23, after the March 1 waiver deadline for playoff eligibility, he will not participate in the 2010 postseason.

Jackson, 24, was originally selected out of Kansas by the Miami Heat in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, before being traded to Cleveland for a 2009 second round draft pick.

Jackson appeared in 27 games for Cleveland this season, and a combined 78 games over the past two seasons with averages of 1.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.0 minutes. He started in two games for the Erie BayHawks (NBDL) this season and averaged 33.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

A member of four straight Big 12 regular season title teams at Kansas, Jackson helped the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA Championship. As a senior he averaged 11.2 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game while being awarded All-Big 12 Third Team honors.

The Bucks roster is now at 15 players.