Milwaukee Bucks Blog – Page 61 – NBA Blog

Brandon Jennings scores 55 points

Brandon Jennings has made Milwaukee Bucks history.

Saturday night, led by their rookie point guard, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Golden State Warriors, 129-125. Jennings shot 21-of-34 (7-of-8 three-pointers, 6-of-8 free throws) to finish with 55 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (though, four turnovers).

All of Jennings’ points came in the final three quarters. He was scoreless in the first.

The 55 points sets the Bucks team record for most points in a game by a rookie. The previous record was held by Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

Both teams shot extremely well in this game. Milwaukee hit 52.7 percent of their shots, while Golden State connected on 56.1 percent. The Bucks hit 14-of-24 three-pointers; the Warriors 8-of-20.

Jennings’ counterparts on the Warriors, Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, had great shooting nights themselves. Ellis made 11-of-19 shots for 26 points, while Curry came off the bench of to hit 6-of-9 for 14.

Still, the night belonged to Jennings, who played like a star.

BRANDON JENNINGS 55-POINT GAME NOTES

Brandon Jennings scored a career-high 55 points, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s (Lew Alcindor) rookie record of 51 points, which was set on Feb. 21, 1970. Jennings is only the second Bucks’ rookie, and the third Bucks player (joining Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Redd) to score 50 points in a game. Jennings’ 55-point game marks the 13th 50-point game in Bucks history.

Brandon Jennings’ 55 points are the most by an NBA rookie since Earl Monroe had 56 on February 13, 1968. They’re also the second-most by a player under 21. The most was 56 scored by LeBron James on March 20, 2005.

Brandon Jennings scored 29 points in the third quarter on 12-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. The 29 points were the most points for an opposing player against Golden State in a quarter. On Dec. 3, 2003, Voshon Lenard of the Denver Nuggets scored 26 against the Warriors.

Jennings was just two points shy of tying the Bucks’ record for most points scored in a game by a single player. Michael Redd holds the record with 57 against Utah on Nov. 11, 2006. He scored zero points in the first quarter, 10 in the second, 29 in the third and 16 in the fourth quarter.

The last rookie who scored 30 points back-to-back for the Bucks was Glenn Robinson in 1995. On Feb. 8, he scored 37 against Minnesota and on Feb. 14, he scored 30 against Miami.

The Bucks have won four in a row to improve to 5-2. They’ve also won three of the last four home games against Golden State. Their home record against the Warriors has improved to 44-16 all-time.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Bucks decline Joe Alexander option

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that the team will not exercise the third year team option on the Rookie Scale Contract of forward Joe Alexander (6-8, 230).

“It was a difficult decision not to pick up Joe Alexander’s option,” said Hammond. “Joe has missed valuable on-court development opportunities due to injury during his first two training camps, and this year he will miss almost the first three months of the season with his hamstring injury.

“We believe Joe can be a good NBA player, but his latest injury had hampered our ability to further assess his progress.”

The Bucks announced on October 22 that Alexander aggravated his right hamstring injury during rehabilitation exercises and is expected to be sidelined for a period of 8-to-12 weeks.

Alexander, 22, originally suffered the injury during voluntary drills prior to the start of training camp on September 17.

In 59 games during his rookie season, Alexander averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Michael Redd out two weeks due to left knee

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that guard Michael Redd (6-6, 215) suffered a strained left patella tendon in Saturday’s home opening win against Detroit. Redd, 30, played 23 minutes in the win and left the game late in the third period with left knee soreness and did not return.

Redd underwent an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) exam on Sunday which revealed the injury. Redd will be re-evaluated in two weeks by Bucks orthopedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon, M.D., and his status will be updated at that time.

In two games this season, Redd has averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals (T-2nd in the NBA) in 31.0 minutes per game.Redd played just 33 games in the 2008-09 NBA season, averaging 21.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 36.5 minutes per game.

This season he got off to a slow start. In the two games Milwaukee has played, Redd averaged just 13.0 points on 32.0% shooting, and 4.5 rebounds.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Alan Ogg dies

The AP reports:

Alan Ogg, a 7-foot-2 shotblocker who played for UAB and spent parts of three seasons in the NBA, died Sunday from complications from a staph infection, a university spokesman said. He was 42.

UAB spokesman Norm Reilly said Ogg died at UAB Hospital.

Ogg averaged around 2.2 points per game in his short NBA career.

Condolences go out to his friends and family.

Joe Alexander injures hamstring, out 8-12 weeks

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that forward Joe Alexander re-aggravated his right hamstring injury during rehabilitation exercises this week.

After consulting with Bucks orthopedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon, M.D., Alexander is expected to be sidelined for a period of 8-to-12 weeks. Alexander will be re-evaluated on a regular basis and his status will be updated as necessary.

Alexander, 22, originally suffered the injury during voluntary drills prior to the start of training camp on September 17.

In 59 games during his rookie season, Alexander averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. In the 2009 NBA Summer League, Alexander tallied 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the five game schedule in Las Vegas.

Marvin Fishman, an original Bucks owner, passes away

Tom Enlund of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports: Fishman, an original owner of the Bucks and a man who helped bring professional basketball back to Milwaukee in the late 1960s, died Friday at the age of 84. With the backing of Wesley Pavalon, Fishman raised $2 million and their group, Milwaukee Professional Sports and Services, was awarded an expansion franchise by the National Basketball Association on Jan. 22, 1968. Fishman once recalled how he bought a copy of every New York and out-of-town newspaper he could find the day after the franchise was awarded to look for “Milwaukee” in the headlines. Pavalon became the team’s chairman of the board with Fishman the vice chairman of the board. The Bucks drafted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) in 1969, and with Abdul-Jabbar teaming with Oscar Robertson, the Bucks won the 1971 NBA championship. Fishman’s smile was never more evident than after the Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets in the championship series.

Austin Daye, Carlos Delfino suspended for fighting

Detroit Pistons forward Austin Daye and Milwaukee Bucks guard Carlos Delfino have each been suspended one game without pay for their roles in an altercation that took place during Wednesday night’s preseason game, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Daye has been suspended for striking Delfino in the face, and Delfino has been suspended for retaliating by swinging at Daye. The incident occurred with 34.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 113-104 win over Milwaukee at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Daye and Delfino will serve their suspensions commencing with the first game of the 2009-10 NBA regular season in which they eligible and physically able to play.

NBA tells bench players stay seated so fans can see

Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.

But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.

The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.

That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.

The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.

“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”

I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.

Oct 4: Wolves 117, Bucks 103

The AP reports: Kevin Love had 17 points and Minnesota made a whopping 50 of 56 free throws to beat Milwaukee 117-103 on Sunday night, making a winner out of coach Kurt Rambis in his preseason debut… The game was played with replacement officials, who called 73 fouls that resulted in 94 free throws total. The Bucks were 26 of 38… Love had six points and four rebounds in the first three minutes as the Timberwolves, who never trailed, jumped ahead 12-2. He finished with 13 rebounds in 21 minutes… Hakim Warrick led Milwaukee with 24 points, and rookie Brandon Jennings added 14 points.

Michael Redd returns to the hardwood

Remember Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Michael Redd? He’s fallen off the map recently but looks to remind everyone that he still exists.

The team has not accomplished much recently and in 2009-10 could take another step backward — unless Redd is his old shooting star self again.

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:

Michael Redd stepped back on the Bradley Center floor Saturday for the first time since Jan. 24, when he crumpled to the court after tearing ligaments in his left knee.

The occasion was only an intrasquad scrimmage for the Milwaukee Bucks, not a real game.

But it still was a huge step for Redd, who scored 18 points while showing little rust as the Bucks players performed for an enthusiastic crowd of 5,864.

“I was a little nervous, to be honest with you,” Redd said. “I felt comfortable and just played. I’m a little sore right now, which is natural, but I felt good playing again.”

Aside from watching rookie point guard Brandon Jennings, it’s worth keeping an eye on Redd to see if he looks up to carrying a team.