Operation: Rebuild the Milwaukee Bucks
The time is the 2010-2011 season. The mission: Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks aiming for the top of the basketball world.
Milwaukee had a surprisingly good season as they were bolstered by rookie sensation Brandon Jennings. Heading into the upcoming NBA season, the Bucks remains big on their prized point guard.
Jennings led the attack of the Bucks with 17.0 points per game and 5.8 assists per game in the previous season. The Bucks’ main target man has not been without help, as Jennings was usually aided by power forward Ersan Ilyasova and center Andrew Bogut, who are all averaging double digits in scoring.
After Jennings’ playing stint in Italy, the point guard jumped into the Milwaukee fold and made the former whipping boys into solid title contenders. The improvement of Andrew Bogut and Ersan Ilyasova, and the acquisition of John Salmons also allowed the Bucks to silence the critics, many of which predicted that the team would fail to partake in the playoffs.
And boy, were they wrong about the Bucks.
Milwaukee surprised many by taking a commanding lead in the Central division. The Bucks inched closer and closer to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the run-up and ultimately clinched a playoff berth in late April with an impressive road win over the Chicago Bulls.
Milwaukee stood by the slogan “Fear the Deer.” And none other than Jennings took it to heart, rifling off every time he got the ball.
Jennings powered the team to clinch a 6th seeding in the playoffs, finishing the season strong even without Bogut, who suffered a broken arm. But after a hard fought seven-game series against the Atlanta Hawks, the Bucks finally buckled.
Nevertheless, it was the farthest finish Milwaukee had gotten in the post-season since 2001. The new boy in the block was deemed responsible for the Bucks’ resurgence.
The Bucks still failed to get behind enemy lines, but they sure surprised everyone. After their ambush last season, the other teams in the league will surely prepare themselves even better against the Bucks.
You better, say the Bucks, because in the last two days, Milwaukee decided to add firepower in their roster, with the team reportedly in talks with Drew Gooden and John Salmons. Their title bid would not come without a price though, as the two players apparently asked for five years/$32 million and five years/$39-44 million deals respectively.
The target is clear for the Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee’s front office doesn’t have dreams of settling for second-round playoff exits. That much they've made clear.
But of course, the Bucks will find themselves in a serious fire fight against the other teams in the league. The free agency period has in fact gotten everyone gunning for the best free agents without necessarily putting a hole in their cap space.
Their frontline may be without a superstar, but the Bucks are building a roster that can defend, score or rebound efficiently, and can infiltrate the opposing team’s defences without fail.
Don’t be surprised if other teams come spying on the Bucks during the offseason. The team looks poised to go deep in the postseason with their recent offseason signings.
With Jennings leading in the backcourt, and Bogut bulldozing down the middle, the Bucks are looking to be a serious threat around the league –including the super trio in Miami and the defending champion. And so far, they are going in the right direction.
Apparently, Milwaukee is not just aiming for a postseason stint. The Bucks are planning for another ambush, this time, for the NBA title.
Tags: