JS: Jennings not focused on contract
We'll probably spend a fair bit of time this summer debating the merits, length and value of a hypothetical Brandon Jennings contract extension, and with good reason. Jennings remains the Bucks' most marketable asset, and his future will go a long ways to determining which direction the Bucks take over the next couple years. But as much as we might talk about it, Charles Gardner reports that Jennings is less concerned:

"I will let (agent) Bill Duffy handle that," Jennings said from Los Angeles on Friday. "That's what he does. I will leave it up to Bill Duffy and (Bucks general manager) John Hammond. It's really not my department."

It's the safe, PC thing to say of course, but that's not a bad thing. Jennings could have played up the importance of the Bucks "committing" to him, teeing up for an awkward training camp if/when the two sides don't emerge with a new deal over the summer. But he didn't (yet?), and that makes things easier for everyone.

As it stands, I'm skeptical the two sides will find enough common ground to come away with a new deal ahead of camp, and honestly that might be for the best. As John Hammond noted during his post-season press conference, the Bucks can't back themselves into a corner with Jennings or anyone else, and with Jennings' restricted free agency still a year away they don't have to either.

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Bucks.com: The Skiles Style
Our man Alex Boeder wrote about the Bucks' pace a number of times for us over the years (Dec 2011, Apr 2011, Feb 2011), so it figures that he would be the one to deliver a pitch-perfect summary of the Bucks' transformation into one of the league's fastest teams.

The Business Journal: A nickname for the BMO Harris Bradley Center?
"The BMOHBC" just doesn't roll off the tongue, does it?

ESPN Playbook: Player tracking transforming NBA analytics
A new system called SportVU is being used to track player and ball movement during NBA games. The possibilities that could open up with this data are astounding: tracking shot trajectories and percentages based on precise locations, calculating pick-and-roll efficiency based on the spacing of the ball handler and the roll man, etc. The smartest teams are the ones that find ways to use every bit of data available to them, so you can bet it won't be long before every franchise is taking advantage of this new information.

The Bradley Center was one of 10 arenas fitted with SportVU's tracking system this season, which has the convenient side-effect of giving us a preponderance of data on the Bucks. For example: Carlos Delfino was 2nd in the NBA (among tracked players) in rebounding percentage, grabbing 70% of rebounds he was within 3.5 feet of. And while Delfino rebounded, Brandon Jennings ran: he was 4th among tracked players in distance traveled per game, at over 2.5 miles! [- Dan Sinclair]

SportVU data was also one of the more interesting topics at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference back in March--check out Dan Devine's summary for more--and in general it's encouraging to know that the Bucks have been ahead of the curve on the technology. Credit the Bucks for making the investment--at least there's one thing about the BC that's not completely outdated--and providing stats guru Jon Nichols another analytical tool to work with. [Frank]

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Bucks.com: Milwaukee's Bradley Center Becomes the BMO Harris Bradley Center
It may not represent a long-term solution to Milwaukee's looming arena question, but Monday's announcement of fresh sponsorship dollars for the Bucks and the Bradley Center still represents an encouraging step in the right direction for the future of NBA basketball in Milwaukee.

Canadian (and Chicago-headquartered) bank BMO Harris' deal to rename the Bradley Center will understandably grab the headlines, but this deal is about much more than just one company tacking its name (rather awkwardly) onto the front of the aging BC. In brokering a six-year, $18 million sponsorship package, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce showed that Milwaukee's biggest corporations--Harley-Davidson, Kohl's, Rockwell Automation and Northwestern Mutual to name a few--are willing to pony up to keep the Bucks and the BC viable while a real solution to Milwaukee's arena needs can be sorted out.

"The investments by these committed local Champions will help extend the life of our building and enhance the fan experience to help assure the Center's continued success over the next few years," said Marc Marotta, Bradley Center Board chairman.

"While there is more to be done, the initial phase of this effort has certainly created a strong foundation for the bridge between the Bradley Center and the future. The investments by the local business community in the Bradley Center have set the stage for what we think can be a productive, private-public partnership. We hope others join in this effort to assure we can continue to maintain this first-class building."

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The 2012 NBA mock draft season won't start in earnest until the draft order is set by the lottery on May 30, but it's never too early to start speculating, is it? Of course not. Below we've assembled the key dates, lottery odds and latest draft buzz about the Bucks and the draft in general.

Key Dates
Draft Lottery, May 30 (ESPN, 7 pm CT): While the lottery will determine the final order for the top 14 picks, we can already be fairly sure that the Bucks will end up with the 12th overall selection. Milwaukee has just a 2.5% chance of landing one of the top three selections--0.7% for the first overall pick, 0.8% for the second and 1.0% for the third--while there's only a 3.9% chance that either Houston or Phoenix leafrogs into the top three and pushes the Bucks down a spot to 13th (not that the odds of both jumping into the lottery and condemning the Bucks to 14th is virtually nil). That leaves close to a 94% probability that the Bucks end up at number 12.

Chicago Pre-Draft Combine, June 6-10. The top 60 or so North American prospects will be measured, tested, weighed and put through the interview paces by teams.

2012 NBA Draft, June 28 (ESPN, 6 pm CT): The 2012 draft will be held at the Prudential Center in lovely Newark, NJ starting at 6 pm CT. Don't worry, New Jersey, you may have lost your team but at least you get the draft. Aside from their lottery pick, the Bucks will also hold the 42nd overall pick. As a result of the Keyon Dooling trade in December, the Bucks would have sent the pick to Boston had it been outside the top 44.

Hit the jump for latest mocks and links...

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SI.com: Bucks reportedly denied Blazers permission to interview John Hammond (via Behind the Buck Pass)
Putting an end to speculation about Portland's interest in Bucks GM John Hammond (for now), Sam Amick reports that the Bucks recently turned down the Blazers request to interview Hammond for their vacant GM position.

While nominally it would have been a lateral move, you can only assume Hammond would have been very interested in exploring a potential multi-year deal with a deep-pocketed organization that could pay him up to double his current salary. Instead, he'll finish up the final year of his contract in Milwaukee, with Herb Kohl having made clear last Friday that he's not currently interested in extending either Hammond or head coach Scott Skiles.

It's really not an ideal situation for anyone, which is precisely why there's been so much grumbling among fans. Still, Kohl appears intent on making due with what he has for now, even if he's primed the pump for wholesale changes a year from now (or sooner). Essentially the Bucks' braintrust has a year to prove itself to Kohl, with Skiles drawing the toughest task--having to manage a roster without the organization's long-term endorsement. Beyond that, the most obvious question is how the Bucks will balance Kohl's usual mandate of making the playoffs without being overly short-sighted (that's still a thing, right?). Making good decisions on that front is tough enough as is, but it's even more difficult when your GM and coach have to impress now in order to earn new contracts. Stay tuned...

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JS: Bucks look to add size
After telling reporters late last week that he "expects" to be back for the coming season, John Hammond began this week talking about the Bucks' roster concerns, a list that begins with getting bigger. It's an obvious issue for a team that traded away its franchise big man two months ago, though the reality is that the Bucks also chose not to sign a legitimate backup center each of the past two offseasons, instead pinning their hopes on the wobbly ankle, elbow and back of Andrew Bogut.

We all know how that worked out.

But with Bogut now out of the picture, the need for additional size and athleticism is all the more pressing, especially after watching the Bucks consistently punished down low by teams such as the Pacers, Bulls and Thunder. After rebounding well on the defensive end the prior two seasons with Bogut, the Bucks crashed to 29th in defensive rebound rate this season and their overall defensive efficiency (16th overall this year) plummeted along with it.

So how exactly do the Bucks get a legitimate inside presence?

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Charles Gardner writes that Luc Mbah a Moute will undergo surgery on his troublesome right knee next week, though thankfully he's expected to be healthy well in advance of camp in October. Mbah a Moute has had nagging knee issues dating back to his UCLA days, and he wrote in January that his latest problems began with the quick ramp-up from free agent inactivity to compressed NBA schedule.

Mbah a Moute knew as early as February that he had a partial tear of his patella tendon and was shelved by the injury off and on throughout the season, missing a combined 23 games. It also impacted his play when he was able to suit up--some nights he seemed to be lacking the same burst and energy we've come to expect, a major disadvantage for any professional basketball player, let alone one who doesn't have a high skill level to help compensate. Which makes it all the more impressive that he still managed his most productive NBA season to date.

While his minutes dipped slightly to 23.5 mpg, Luc posted career-bests in fg% (51.0% overall, 56.3% after the all-star break), true shooting (54.0%), pts/40 (13.2), ppg (7.7) and PER (13.94), while continuing to post solid rebounding numbers (9.0 rpg/40, 12.4% rebound rate). Not mind-boggling numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but still encouraging for a guy who a) had previously shown zero improvement statistically since his rookie year and b) contributes in ways that go well beyond the box score anyway. I'd love to tell you it was because Mbah a Moute finally added a jump shot or improved his ball-handling, but there's really no evidence visually, statistically or otherwise that any of those things happened. So how does a guy with a bum knee and no demonstrable improvement in skill become a more productive player? It's all about playing to your strengths.

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Box Score

It's not exactly the end of the world, but the Bucks' season has ended in a familiar fashion: not with a bang, but a whimper.

For the second time in 24 hours, Scott Skiles rested all of his starters save for Brandon Jennings, and for the second time in as many nights the Bucks came up short against a playoff team. Stop me if you've heard this before.

But cynicism (and a basic desire for winning) aside, this is all too often what NBA life looks like once a chance at the playoffs is gone. Departing for good with over seven minutes remaining in the third, Jennings struggled somewhat to 12 points (5/14 fg) before giving way to Beno Udih and the rest of the bench and/or youngsters.Tobias Harris once again started and performed well (7/13 fg, 16 pts, 9 rebs), while Jon Leuer also started for the second straight game and acquitted himself rather nicely (7/11 fg, 15 pts, 8 reb).

Other than that? Not much to write home about, and even Harris and Leuer's nice contributions were tempered by the general lack of rhythm / intensity / flow to a Bucks' offense missing Monta Ellis (hand), Ersan Ilyasova, Drew Gooden (back), Carlos Defino (groin), and Luc Mbah a Moute (knee). Facing one of the league's best defenses, the Bucks' leftovers didn't look particularly prepared to deal with the more disciplined Celtics, who forced 23 Milwaukee turnovers against a mere 17 assists.

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
31-34 (14-18 road)		38-27 (23-9 home)
April 26, 2012
TD Garden
7:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Rajon Rondo
Shaun Livingston	SG	Sasha Pavlovic
Tobias Harris	SF	Paul Pierce
Jon Leuer	PF	Brandon Bass
Ekpe Udoh	C	Kevin Garnett
(11th) 105.9 - OFFENSE - 101.2 (25th)
(16th) 105.4 - DEFENSE - 98.6 (2nd)
(3rd) 93.7 - PACE - 90.2 (21st)

On the Celtics: Celtics Blog / WEEI: Paul Flannery / Red's Army / Celtics Hub

A night after resting a number of key starters but still beating a star-less Miami team, the Celtics look to clinch homecourt in the first round of the playoffs when they host the Bucks in the teams' season finale.

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
34-30 (15-16 road)		31-33 (17-15 home)
April 25, 2012
Bradley Center
7:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Jrue Holiday	PG	Brandon Jennings
Jodie Meeks	SG	Shaun Livingston
Evan Turner	SF	Tobias Harris
Lavoy Allen	PF	Ersan Ilyasova
Nikola Vucevic	C	Drew Gooden
104.2 (18th) - OFFENSE - 106.3 (9th)
99.0 (3rd) - DEFENSE - 105.7 (18th)
89.6 (24th) - PACE - 93.6 (3rd)

On the Sixers:

Liberty Ballers / Philadunkia / Sixers4Guidos

A week ago the Bucks had hoped tonight's matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers would be a last-gasp opportunity to sneak into the playoffs. Instead, the Sixers' wins over the Pacers and Nets have made the Bucks' last two wins and indeed the outcome of tonight's game academic, and as a result it appears both teams will be resting key starters.

Update: Ersan Ilyasova is out tonight and Drew Gooden is not expected to play. Jon Leuer and Ekpe Udoh started in their place.

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Box Score

On a night when Milwaukee knew it needed help to keep their longshot playoff bid alive, the Bucks perhaps fittingly almost couldn't help themselves.

And while in the end they summoned up enough defensive stops and key buckets--mostly from Ersan Ilyasova--to overcome Toronto's double-digit second half lead, their efforts were rendered academic by Philly's easy 105-87 win in New Jersey.

In other words, we can officially stop entertaining the idea of a playoff miracle and begin focusing on the key decision points the Bucks will face over the summer, not least of which will be the futures of Ilyasova (19 points, 6/10 fg, 15 rebounds) and Brandon Jennings (25 pts, 9/23 fg, 3/6 thees, 4/6 ft, 5 ast, 3 stl, 2 to), who combined to drag the Bucks to victory following an uninspired first three quarters.

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On the Raptors: Raptors HQ / Raptors Republic / RaptorBlog

The playoff formula for the Bucks is simple: win their final three games (vs. Tor, vs. Phi, @Bos) and hope Philly loses all three of theirs (@NJ tonight and @Det, with a visit to the BC sandwiched between). So while it already feels like the Bucks' playoff hopes are toast, any combination of Bucks loss or Philly win from here on out will make it official.

And when that happens I'll shut up about it and we can focus on the stuff everyone really wants to talk about--the draft, free agency, and all the trade shenanigans and front-office upheaval that may come with it. But for now the Bucks' aim is simple: win at home tonight against the depleted Raptors and hope to fight another day.

Update: Ted Davis tweets that Carlos Delfino (groin) will miss another game while Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) and Monta Ellis (hand) are game-time decisions. Mbah a Moute has been starting in Delfino's place, so if he is out it would presumably mean actual minutes for Tobias Harris tonight.

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Whether we're discussing the roster, front office, or coaching staff, there's only one thing that seems certain with the Milwaukee Bucks at the moment: it's going to be an interesting summer.

The rumormill is getting an early start in the case of the front office, with Bucks' GM John Hammond rumored to be both on the hot seat in Milwaukee while also in demand in Portland. Though Chad Buchanan has been Portland's interim GM since billionaire owner Paul Allen abruptly fired Rich Cho last May, the team has recently begun the hiring process anew while sending mixed messages about Buchanan possibly vying the job full time. Team president Larry Miller has thus far publicly focused on more experienced, higher profile names such as Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and former Suns GM Steve Kerr, with Hammond first being mentioned late last week by the Oregonian's Jason Quick. Hammond and Skiles both declined to comment following Sunday's practice.

Adding fuel to the fire, Gery Woelfel discussed the possibility of Hammond leaving on WSSP 1250 this weekend (mp3), noting that Portland would likely be able to double his current $2 million salary should he get the job. The Blazers have yet to ask the Bucks' permission to talk to Hammond and it's not clear where he stands on their wish list to begin with, so for the moment we're only talking hypotheticals. But Hammond and coach Scott Skiles ($5 million) both have one year remaining on their current contracts, raising obvious questions about what Herb Kohl will do following a likely second straight 9th place finish in the Eastern Conference. Both Hammond and Skiles received one-year extensions following the Bucks' 46 win season in 09/10, which saw Hammond claim NBA Executive of the Year honors.

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Box Score

Even two states away, the Indiana Pacers keep finding ways to dim the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff hopes.

Fresh off a deflating 0-3 week that featured two rather contentious defeats to the Pacers, the Bucks finally got back in the win column with a necessary but largely unconvincing 106-95 win over the Nets on Saturday night, riding the hot hand of Brandon Jennings (30 points, 9/18 fg, 6 ast, 6 rebs, 4 steals) past a poor Nets team that was once again missing Deron Williams.

But while a win over New Jersey had to happen for us to even entertain the possibility of the Bucks sneaking past Philly for the eighth and final playoff spot, that premise was also banking heavily on Indiana winning at home over the Sixers.

Alas, it didn't happen.

That means the Bucks not only need to win each of their remaining three games (including Wednesday's home tilt against Philly), but the Sixers also now need to lose their two other road games in Detroit and (gulp) New Jersey. That probably won't happen, but let's be realistic--it's not as if the path to the eighth spot was anything but a long shot coming into the night either.

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
29-33 (15-15 home)		22-41 (13-18 home)
April 21, 2012
Bradley Center
7:30 PM CT
Radio: 1250 WSSP TV: FSN Wisconsin ALTERNATE
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Sundiata Gaines
Monta Ellis	SG	MarShon Brooks
Carlos Delfino	SF	Gerald Wallace
Ersan Ilyasova*	PF	Kris Humphries
Drew Gooden	C	Jordan Williams
(10th) 106.4 - OFFENSE - 103.6 (22nd)
(18th) 106.0 - DEFENSE - 109.4 (28th)
(3rd) 93.5 - PACE - 90.1 (22nd)

On the Nets: NetsDaily / Nets Are Scorching / NJ.com

Three straight losses have put the playoffs all but out of reach for the Bucks, but they'll still be alive tomorrowunless they manage to lose to the tanking Nets and Philadelphia wins in Indiana. Feeling optimistic? Maybe not, but basically it breaks down like this: the Bucks essentially have to win out and hope that the Sixers lose at least one of their remaining easier games (@Det, @NJ) in addition to tonight's game with the Pacers and next Wednesday's all-important.

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OK, so it might not be a great time to be a Bucks fan, but we are not deterred: Alex, Steve, and I will be at the BC cheering / commiserating / plotting a fool-proof path to championship glory on Saturday night at the BC, kicking off with a meet-up at Major Goolsby's starting around 5:30 or so. If you haven't bought tickets to join us yet, details are below--note that extra tickets in our section will be released for general sale on Friday, so get on it! And if you already have tickets then we still hope to see you before the game.

Game: April 21 vs. Nets, 7:30 pm

Tickets: $39, section 226.

How to get them: Call Nick Monroe with the Bucks at 414-227-0843. Nick will take your order and can then email you your tickets or leave them at will-call.

What else is going on: We'll plan to meet up around 5:30 across from the BC at Major Goolsby's for drinks, apps and discussion of the Bucks and other things that are not the Bucks. We're still working on post-game plans. Shoot us an email (brewhoop@gmail.com) or comment below if you want to meet up and we'll be sure to keep you in the loop.

2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
29-32 (14-17 road)		40-22 (21-8 home)
April 19, 2012
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
6:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FS Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	George Hil
Monta Ellis	SG	Paul George
Carlos Delfino	SF	Danny Granger
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	David West
Drew Gooden	C	Roy Hibbert
(11th) 106.1 - OFFENSE - 106.5 (9th)
(18th) 105.5 - DEFENSE - 102.7 (9th)
(3rd) 93.4 - PACE - 90.7 (19th)

On the Pacers: Indy Cornrows / Eight Points Nine Seconds / Indy Star

So...where do we go from here?

Taken literally, the Bucks' next destination following their crushing, defenseless loss to the lowly Wizards is Indiana. Taken figuratively, the Bucks' next destination is likely the draft lottery, though there is still some room for a Philadelphia collapse to allow Milwaukee a backdoor entrance into the postseason (let's leave the merits of that scenario as a separate debate). But the more immediate problem is the Bucks' desperate need for a road win over the Pacers, a team that's won six straight, nine of ten and all three of its matchups with Milwaukee so far this season.

It might not be Mission: Impossible, but at a minimum it's Mission: Improbable.

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011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
29-31 (14-16 road)		15-46 (8-22 home)
April 18, 2012
Verizon Center
6:00 PM CT
Radio: 1250 WSSP TV: FSN Wisconsin ALTERNATE
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	John Wall
Monta Ellis	SG	Jordan Crawford
Carlos Delfino	SF	Chris Singleton
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Jan Vesely
Drew Gooden	C	Kevin Seraphin
(12th) 106.1 - OFFENSE - 100.4 (29th)
(18th) 105.5 - DEFENSE - 107.5 (25th)
(4th) 93.4 - PACE - 92.5 (8th)

On the Wizards: Bullets Forever / Truth About It / Washington Post / DC Sports Bog

With the fading Sixers losing their fourth straight on Tuesday, the Bucks once again control their own destiny: win their last six games--including an all-important matchup with Philly at the BC--and they'll be in the playoffs regardless of what the Knicks and Sixers do from here on out. Piece of cake, eh? Something like that, but presumably the Sixers and Knicks will lose some games from here on out anyway, so absolute perfection likely won't be needed from the Bucks. What likely will be needed is a home win over Philly on April 25.

Coming off three days' rest, the Bucks finish the season with six games in nine nights, the first coming Wednesday night against the Wizards in Washington. The Bucks have already beaten the Wizards thrice this season, most recently a 112-98 win in Washington on April 2, but there's no time for them to slip up now.

Brew Hoop Night: Yes it's on and we're pumped. Details on getting tickets for this Saturday's game against the Nets can be found here and we'll post more on pre- and post-game plans for the night in the next day or two. We'll likely be meeting up at Major Goulsby's across from the BC before the game (starting around 5:30), so whether you have your own seats or are sitting in our group, be sure to stop by and say hello.

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It was a game the Bucks had to win, and after six minutes they responded by grabbing no rebounds and allowing the Pistons to score 16 points. Another 30-point opponent first quarter? A final death knell to their playoff aspirations?

Don't worry, it got better.

Putting their Wednesday disappointment behind them, the Bucks put their defense-shredding, ball-moving, up-tempo style to good use against yet another sub-.500 opponent, running the Pistons ragged over the game's final 42 minutes and cruising to another double-digit road win. The Bucks' defense wasn't exactly suffocating (or...good), but the normally slow-paced Pistons couldn't quite keep up and were caught ball-watching, and Drew Gooden jump-shot-watching, too often to keep up.

Gooden sank 9/13 jumpers from mid-range en route to 26 points (12/18 fg) and eight assists--basically, every time Gooden touched the ball he either sunk a jumper shot (often in P&R with Brandon Jennings) or found a cutting Bucks teammate, with six of his eight assists leading to layups. Just fun stuff to watch. Gooden of course had plenty of support, with Jennings co-headlining behind another efficient shooting night (8/14 fg, 20 points) and excellent distribution (10 assists, one turnover). And for once it was the Bucks' starters who got the job done, combining for 94 of the Bucks' 113 points while helping put the game away early in the third quarter with a 22-7 run (10/14 fg, all of them assisted) that featured all five starters both scoring and assisting.

Combined with New Jersey's road win in Philadelphia, the Bucks moved to within two games of the Sixers, now even record-wise with the Knicks (31-28), who clobbered the Wizards on the road. Philly visits the BC in the week's final season and have five of their last seven on the road, so the Bucks' primary target would clearly seem to be Doug Collins' fading bunch. But first the Bucks have to keep taking care of their own business, which continues tonight with a critical home game against the Pacers.

2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
28-30 (13-16 road)		22-36 (15-12 home)
April 13, 2012
The Palace of Auburn Hills
7:00 PM CT
Radio: 125 WSSP TV: FSN Wisconsin ALTERNATE
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Brandon Knight
Monta Ellis	SG	Rodney Stuckey
Carlos Delfino	SF	Tayshaun Prince
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Jason Maxiell
Drew Gooden	C	Greg Monroe
(12th) 105.9 - OFFENSE - 100.7 (29th)
(17th) 105.4 - DEFENSE - 107.2 (24th)
(4th) 93.4 - PACE - 88.9 (29th)

On the Pistons: Detroit Bad Boys / Piston Powered / Need4Sheed

While the Bucks' playoff hopes remain alive, there's no escaping the gravity of Milwaukee's' down-to-the-wire home loss against the Knicks on Wednesday: a win would have brought the Bucks even with New York record-wise and given them the critical head-head tie-breaker going into the season's last fortnight. Instead, Scott Skiles' team now finds itself trailing the Knicks by two games plus the tiebreaker, with precious little margin for error ahead of a trip to Detroit in what is essentially a must-win.

Programming note: This game is being shown on FS-Wisconsin's alternate channel due to the Brewers game, which means Time Warner Cable subscribers may not be able to watch the game. Similarly, Ted Davis and the radio broadcast will be heard on 1250 WSSP in the Milwaukee area. (h/t Steve and ks13and1)

Continue reading this post »

OK gang, it's on.

Last week we asked if you'd be interested in a night out at the Bradley Center and we got a good and pretty clear response to our questions about which tickets people preferred, whether people wanted to hang out before/after, etc.

So first thing's first: we have a block of tickets together in section 226. Call up our guy Nick Monroe (414-227-0843) with the Bucks, tell him you're with Brew Hoop and for $39 you get a ticket, a beer, a pilsner glass (get it, Brew Hoop?) and early entry to the game. Whether you're a regular commenter or new reader, we'd love to have you join us.

More details after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
29-28 (10-18 road)		28-29 (15-13 home)
April 11, 2012
Bradley Center
7:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin/ESPN
Probable starters:
Baron Davis	PG	Brandon Jennings
Iman Shumpert	SG	Monta Ellis
Landry Fields	SF	Carlos Delfino
Carmelo Anthony	PF	Ersan Ilyasova
Tyson Chandler	C	Drew Gooden
103.1 (22nd) - OFFENSE - 105.8 (12th)
100.2 (4th) - DEFENSE - 105.2 (16th)
93.6 (3rd) - PACE - 93.3 (4th)

On the Knicks: Posting and Toasting / Knickerblogger / New York Times / New York Daily News

Having spent much of the season battling for the eighth spot, the Bucks and Knicks face off for the last time this season with the winner taking the inside track for the East's kinda-coveted final playoff seed.

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We know it's short notice and we know the concept of actually meeting people from the interwebs is scary. But isn't it about time that we all gathered together and watched some Milwaukee Bucks basketball together?

So here's the deal: follow the jump and fill out a quick survey about joining us for the Bucks' matchup with the New Jersey Nets (Deron Williams...DeShawn Stevenson...JOHAN PETRO!!!) on Saturday, April 21st at 7:30. If it's too short notice or the idea of spending time with us is that unappealing (you've heard me on podcasts, so you should know what you're getting into) then we'll take the hint. We'll communicate details of what the specific plan is--which tickets, how to buy, etc.--as soon as we have a couple days to sort through the survey results. In the meantime, feel free to also let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.

Either it should be a good time, the game should have some meaning AND it's a unique opportunity to meet*Internet Celebrity Alex Boeder*. What more could you want from a Saturday night? Actually don't answer that....but do answer the survey questions below. Whether you're a regular commenter or just started reading, we hope to see you there!

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
25-28 (12-12 home)		17-34 (8-16 road)
April 4, 2012
Bradley Center
7:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Donald Sloan
Monta Ellis	SG	Anthony Parker
Luc Mbah a Moute	SF	Alonzo Gee
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Antawn Jamison
Ekpe Udoh	C	Tristan Thompson
(10th) 105.7 - OFFENSE - 101.2 (25th)
(18th) 105.4 - DEFENSE - 107.6 (25th)
(5th) 93.2 - PACE - 91.6 (12th)

On the Cavaliers: Fear the Sword / Cavs the Blog / Waiting For Next Year

These guys again? Five days after winning in Cleveland by an eye-popping 121-84 margin the Bucks go for a season sweep of the Cavs at the Bradley Center in the first game of a five-game homestand. Cleveland enters the game having lost eight in a row, including the last seven by at least a dozen each. In other words, don't call them unlucky. Their latest loss was a 125-90 drubbing at home to the Spurs on Tuesday night, meaning they've been outscored in their last two home games by a combined 72 points.

UPDATE: To make the Cavs even less competitive, Kyrie Irving is out at least a week for the Cavs. For the Bucks, Drew Gooden (back) and Carlos Delfino (groin) are out while Beno Udrih (finger) is back and Ekpe Udoh will start in Gooden's spot.

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011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
24-28 (12-16 road)		12-40 (7-19 home)
April 2, 2012
Verizon Center
6:00 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	John Wall
Monta Ellis	SG	Jordan Crawford
Luc Mbah a Moute	SF	Chris Singleton
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Jan Vesely
Drew Gooden	C	Kevin Seraphin
(8th) 105.5 - OFFENSE - 100.4 (29th)
(19th) 105.5 - DEFENSE - 107.6 (25th)
(6th) 93.1 - PACE - 93.6 (4th)

On the Wizards: Bullets Forever / Truth About It / Washington Post / DC Sports Bog

The Bucks look to get their playoff drive back on track in Washington against the Wizards, who could once again be without recent acquisition Nene (plantar fasciitis). With Nick Young and JaVale McGee no longer in Washington, Rashard Lewis (knee) out indefinitely and Nene possibly on the shelf as well, the Wizards could go with a lineup of all rookies and sophomores for the second straight game; 23-year-old second year man Jordan Crawford was the elder statesman of the lineup that lost 99-92 in Toronto on Sunday.

2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
24-27 (12-11 home)	vs.	27-22 (10-15 road)
March 31, 2012
Bradley Center
7:30 PM
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Mike Conley
Monta Ellis	SG	Tony Allen
Luc Mbah a Moute	SF	Rudy Gay
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Marreese Speights
Drew Gooden	C	Marc Gasol
(8th) 105.7 - OFFENSE - 103.1 (20th)
(19th) 105.6 - DEFENSE - 101.8 (8th)
(6th) 93.0 - PACE - 91.5 (16th)

On the Grizzlies: Straight Outta Vancouver / Three Shades of Blue

A night after routing the Cavs in Cleveland, the Bucks return home to face off against their old friend Lionel Hollins and his Memphis Grizzlies. As we'll be noting in every preview from here on out, it's a big game for the Bucks--a win would draw them to within one game of the Knicks for the final playoff spot--but the same can be said of Memphis, which despite its current 6th seeding out West is just 1.5 games away from the 9th seeded Rockets.

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Box Score

Losses to the Celtics, Pacers and Knicks may continue to raise questions about the Bucks' playoff pedigree, but there's still no questioning the Bucks' mojo against the NBA's lesser lights.

Facing off against a Cavs team that had lost five straight including the last four by double-digits, the Bucks put another tanking team to the sword with their now familiar passing and shooting clinic, piling on a season-high 121 points in a game that was competitive for about...well, let's say five minutes (charitably). The win along with the Knicks' loss in Atlanta moves the Bucks back to within 1.5 games of the final playoff spot in the East, with tomorrow night's home tilt against the Grizzlies offering a chance to shave it down an additional half game.

As you might expect, there was little to dislike about the game from a Milwaukee perspective. Kyrie Irving (29 points on 20 shots including 6/6 threes) gamely dueled a red-hot Brandon Jennings (28 pts, 11/17 fg, 6 ast, 4 stl, 30 min) for three quarters, but the Bucks took control early and doubled-up the Cavs in the second quarter 36-18 en route to a 71-44 halftime lead that was as lopsided as the incredible crooked box score looked.

Ersan Ilyasova did his best Kevin Love impression early (14 pts, 6/7 fg, 5 rebs in the first quarter) before Jennings and Mike Dunleavy (16 pts, 5/7 fg, 19 min) combined for 26 points in the second quarter, hitting every jumper in site as the Bucks pushed the tempo and rarely finished a possession without an open look. Blame the Cavs' indifferent defense for much of it, but the Bucks also had their A-game going with crisp ball movement and passing from everyone on the court. Beno Udrih also continued his excellent play of late, racking up 10 assists in only 25 minutes as well as a game-high +33 differential. The big nights from the aforementioned group more than offsetting relatively quiet nights from Monta Ellis (6/16 fg, 13 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast) and Drew Gooden (4/11 fg, 9 pts, 5 reb), and the Bucks' youngsters led by Tobias Harris (8 pts, 3/4 fg, 5 reb in 8 min) helped the final margin with a strong finish in garbage time.

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
23-27 (11-16 away)		17-31 (9-16 home)
March 30, 2012
Quicken Loans Arena
6:30 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	Kyrie Irving
Monta Ellis	SG	Anthony Parker
Luc Mbah a Moute	SF	Alonzo Gee
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Antawn Jamison
Drew Gooden	C	Tristan Thompson
(12th) 105.2 - OFFENSE - 101.7 (24th)
(20th) 105.8 - DEFENSE - 107.8 (25th)
(6th) 93.1 - PACE - 91.7 (13th)

On the Cavaliers: Fear the Sword / Cavs the Blog / Waiting For Next Year

The Bucks look to keep pace with the surging Knicks when they visit Cleveland on Friday night. Milwaukee starts the night 2.5 games behind New York for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, though they also have a game in hand and--as we've been saying for a while now--a more favorable schedule the rest of the way. After tonight, the Bucks have six of their next seven games at home with the lone road game in Washington. In other words, the time is now for the Bucks to make a move.

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2011/2012 NBA Season
	vs.
24-25 (15-10 home)		22-26 (11-15 road)
March 26, 2012
Madison Square Garden
6:30 PM CT
Radio: 620 WTMJ TV: FSN Wisconsin
Probable starters:
Baron Davis	PG	Brandon Jennings
Iman Shumpert	SG	Monta Ellis
Landry Fields	SF	Carlos Delfino
Carmelo Anthony	PF	Ersan Ilyasova
Tyson Chandler	C	Drew Gooden
102.7 (23rd) - OFFENSE - 105.5 (9th)
100.4 (5th) - DEFENSE - 106.2 (20th)
94.1 (3rd) - PACE - 92.9 (7th)

On the Knicks: Posting and Toasting / Knickerblogger / New York Times / New York Daily News

Fresh off a blowout loss at home to the Pacers, the Bucks travel to New York hoping to take a bite out of the Knicks' 1.5 game lead for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot. Milwaukee is 7-2 since their 119-115 win over the Knicks on March 9 kick-started a 7-2 Milwaukee run, but they've been unable to reel in New York, which is 6-1 since Mike Woodson took over for Mike D'Antoni two weeks ago.

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