Rookie Brandon Jennings Scores 55, Bucks Drop Warriors 129-125

When your tesm stumbles into a superstar, it sometimes takes a little while for the reality to sink in. Jennings, of course, isn’t yet considered a “franchise player,” but he sure looked like one last night. It all reminds me of a few years ago when Gilbert Arenas took the NBA by storm—game-winning shots, 60-point performances, playoff heroics—it was all like an out-of-body experience for Wizards fans. Some franchises may be used to having star players, but the Washington Wizards aren’t one of ’em.

And neither are the Milwaukee Bucks. Over at SB Nation’s Bucks blog, Brew Hoop, there’s as much shock as awe:

My twenty years as a Bucks fan have been, at least superficially, a disappointment. Far too many 50-loss seasons ending in mid-April. Disappointing draft picks and bloated contracts. Stars that don’t shine as bright as every other team’s stars. Coaches that talk a good game but can’t seem to coach one. So if you’re a recent convert or a casual fan, understand where I’m coming from. I might love the game too much to give it up, but as a fan I’ve got some serious baggage. Cynicism, pessimism, paranoia…it’s all there lurking in the shadows.

So quite honestly I don’t know how to deal with Brandon Jennings. I just watched him score 55 points in his seventh professional game, and quite honestly I’m working through some things. Like, is this really happening? Is it possible the universe is playing an awful, awful trick on us poor Bucks fans? Or is this just what it feels like to have a superstar drop into our lap? And can we just get him to sign a max contract extension now, rather than waiting another two plus years?

[…]

Fifty-five for the game, all in the final three quarters. Forty-five in the second half (17/21 fg). Twenty-nine in the third quarter. Simply unbelievable.

The Warriors don’t defend much anyway, but everytime the Bucks gave Jennings a high screen good things happened. As we’ve seen from most opponents, the Warriors were content to go under screens on Jennings and dare him to make a play.

So he did. Gliding to the hoop for acrobatic layins. Dropping in that one-handed floater that’s quickly becoming his signature shot. Pulling up off the screen for a clean look at a mid-range jumper. And when all that was getting boring, how about a three-pointer? Or seven of them? Once Jennings got going, it didn’t matter if his feet were set. He made his first twelve shots of the third period, and when his last jumper of the period bounced off the rim the entire arena seemed confused. How did that happen?

Perhaps more amazingly, he kept going, which was fortunate considering the Warriors refusal to lay down. Every time the Bucks needed a big shot in the fourth he was there to make it happen. This was his coming out party, and he wasn’t going to let it end with anything but a win. By the way, did we mention that he missed his first three shots and was benched less than five minutes into the game?

Click here for their full thoughts on the game, and remember Bucks fans, enjoy this while it lasts. Have you seen Gilbert Arenas lately? Sometimes, this stuff can be fleeting. Make the most of it, Milwaukee.

Prior to last night’s game, our Warriors blog, Golden State of Mind, hearkened back to their first impressions of Brandon Jennings, from the Vegas Summer League:

The first thing you’ll notice about Jennings is that he’s small and skinny by NBA standards. However, he also happens to be lightning quick, plus he’s left-handed. It takes defenders awhile to adjust to left-handers, so it’s no surprise to me that he’s making as big a splash in the NBA the past few weeks as he is.

Let’s say you’re right-handed, as the majority of us are. If you are guarding a left-handed player, especially someone as explosive as Jennings, Jennings is probably going to attack you with a left-handed dribble drive. This means that you must plant off your weak leg, your left leg, to stay in front of him. Not as easy to do for us right-handers.

I don’t think any Warrior is going to be able to contain Jennings tonight, especially since none of the Warrior guards are left-handed. He’s just too super, super quick. In my live-tweet of his Summer League games, I noticed he had a scar running downward on one of calves. Probably because he’s bionic!

During Summer League, Jennings had the uncanny ability to get the ball to a teammate right under the hoop. I don’t know if it was because Summer League has poor interior defense, but the recipients of his passes got the ball right there, ready for a layup. No other point guard was quite doing that.

Click through for their full analysis, including some of their real-time reaction to his summer league performance. A lot of good stuff there.

Listen for how many times he says “you know.” A true rookie:

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) – Brandon Jennings was playing in just his seventh career game but went off for 55 points to break a record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 129-125 win over Golden State.

Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor and who became the highest-scorer in NBA history, held the franchise record for points in a game by a rookie with 51, which he scored on February 21, 1970.

But Jennings, who didn’t even score in the first quarter, lifted his name among the greats with a virtuoso performance, sinking 21-of-34 shots, including 7-of-8 from three-point range.

He scored 29 in the third and fell just two points shy of Michael Redd’s franchise record for points in a game. Jennings was also just three points off the NBA record for points in a game by a rookie, as Wilt Chamberlain scored 58 points twice in his first year.

Just 20 years old, Jennings skipped college and played in Italy last season before entering the NBA as the 10th overall draft pick in 2009. He has jumped at the opportunity to shine on the NBA stage, as he was averaging 20.7 points entering Saturday’s game, including a 32-point game Wednesday against Denver. None of his previous contests can match his landmark performance against the Warriors, which helped the Bucks to their fourth straight win and a 5-2 record.

Andrew Bogut added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks.

Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette had 26 and 25 points, respectively, for the Warriors, who have lost two of three. Stephen Jackson added 21 points in the setback.

Though Jennings scored 29 in the third quarter, he helped deliver a victory with 16 points in the fourth, with many of them coming down the stretch in a tight contest.

As the teams traded points and the lead, Jennings drilled a three-pointer with a little more than two minutes left. Luke Ridnour followed with a layup, and Jennings’ bank shot with under 1 1/2 minutes to go gave Milwaukee a 121-115 edge.

Maggette countered with a three-point play, however, making it a one- possession contest heading to the final minute. Each team then turned the ball over once, and the Bucks ended up with the ball.

It went to Jennings, who canned his seventh three with half a minute to go for a 124-118 edge. The Warriors narrowed their deficit again, as Ellis countered with a three of his own and Maggette added a layup. Golden State then fouled Ridnour with 18.5 seconds left, and the guard sank the first.

Ridnour missed the second, and Maggette came down with the rebound. But Anthony Morrow missed a potential go-ahead three, and Jennings grabbed the ball. He was fouled and drained two free throws as Milwaukee held on for the win.

Golden State ended the first on a six-point burst to take a 30-21 lead, and Jackson scored four points in a row early in the second to expand the advantage to 36-23.

The Warriors continued to play in front, though the Bucks got within 57-49 at the break.

Then in the third, Jennings put Milwaukee in front nearly single-handedly, as he outscored the entire Golden State team. With the Bucks trailing 67-58, he scored his team’s next 16 points.

He started the personal run with a three and a layup before Ellis interrupted it with a lay-in of his own. But Jennings then connected on a three, drove for a three-point play, canned a jumper and drilled another trey, which put the Bucks ahead 74-69.

Jennings continued to hit shots, and Jodie Meeks ended the third with a three- pointer to make it a 92-83 Milwaukee lead.

But Golden State got back in the contest with a six-point burst early in the fourth. Anthony Randolph capped it with a layup to bring the Warriors within 94-91, and they eventually took a 108-107 edge on an Ellis three with about 4 1/2 minutes left.

Milwaukee made 14-of-24 of its three-point attempts overall, though just 19- of-30 foul shots…The Warriors shot 56.1 percent from the field, while sinking 25-of-28 from the line…Milwaukee held a 46-31 rebounding edge…Redd scored 57 on November 11, 2006 to set the Bucks record…Stephen Curry scored 14 off the bench for the Warriors, while Ridnour ended with 13 points for Milwaukee.