RealGM

Redd up in air for Wizards

Thigh bruise could sideline guard

By CHARLES F. GARDNER

St. Francis - Michael Redd admits that the Milwaukee Bucks are still searching, despite their road victory against the struggling Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

And the Bucks might have to go without Redd for the first time this season when they play host to the Washington Wizards tonight. Redd suffered a deep left thigh bruise in a collision with a Heat player, forcing the Bucks guard to watch practice from the sideline Thursday at the Cousins Center.

He was listed on the injury report as day-to-day and said he would not know until today if he would be able to play.

"I don't think we've found our identity yet," Redd said, with the season's halfway mark just 10 games away. "We don't know if we want to run or slow the game up. We've got to figure it out. We have to continue to keep plugging away in practice.

"The coaches have us practicing hard still and trying to figure out something, and I think we will eventually."

While the Bucks try to discover their best selves in time to salvage the season, they can control their attitude and effort each night. That was a primary topic at a players-only meeting called by Redd on Tuesday in Miami.

"Right now there's a bunch of shouldas and wouldas and couldas," Redd said. "Let's work on right now. It's a new year; we had a new start. Let's go from there."

Milwaukee (12-19) ended a disturbing four-game skid Wednesday, one that included a 20-point loss to Denver, an embarrassing 45-point defeat in Detroit and close losses to Chicago and New Jersey.

Coach Larry Krystkowiak has his own ideas about how the team can improve.

"The identity that needs to be part of our team all the time, that has been so lacking, is a willingness to compete and to work," Krystkowiak said. "If our shots go in and things look good at the offensive end, that's a bonus.

"Outside looking in, you'd say we're a finesse, jump-shooting team. An identity we need to establish is that we're going to play hard. When you see those Detroit games, that Denver game, there's a definite correlation between our energy level (and the lopsided results)."

The Bucks received a major boost from their bench Wednesday, as Charlie Villanueva (15 points, five rebounds) and Charlie Bell (12 points, five rebounds) made huge contributions.

With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Krystkowiak went with three reserves - Villanueva, Bell and Royal Ivey - in addition to point guard Mo Williams and center Andrew Bogut.

Another reserve player who made an impact against the Heat was 6-foot-8 power forward / center Michael Ruffin. He played 12 minutes and showed a toughness the team needs, and he yielded no ground in a baseline collision with Heat guard Dwyane Wade early in the fourth quarter.

Wade briefly had to leave the game after banging his shoulder.

"Mike is really solid," Krystkowiak said. "He understands all the schemes, offensively, defensively. He battles. He's physical."

Ruffin is simply glad to be back on the court after missing 18 games with a fractured left wrist suffered in an early season game at San Antonio.

"We're trying to build something, and I think we got off to a good start (Wednesday)," Ruffin said. "We played emotional; we played passionate about the game.

"The best teams are able to find consistency with their effort. That was something we lost."

Bad memories: It was nearly one year ago, on Jan. 5, that Redd suffered a left patellar tendon strain while dunking the ball late in a home-court loss to Cleveland.

Redd missed 20 games and the Bucks went 3-17 during that time.

So it was understandable that Redd flashed back to that memory when he injured his thigh in the third quarter against Miami on Wednesday. But at least this injury is not considered nearly as serious.

Redd said he had given up dunking after his injury last winter, but he drove the baseline for an impressive right-handed slam in the second quarter.

"It was just instinct," Redd said. "It's due to my training in the summer.

"That's my goal, to try to cause some chaos at the rim instead of just settling for jump shots."

bango_the_buck wrote:And here I thought Larry K grew a pair. Redd was injured....

MickeyDavis wrote:Have you been sleeping for the past 24 hours?

vlietinho wrote:Win..

Butler will score big on us (which I dont mind as long as we win:-) )

Bucks 103
Wiz 98

GrandAdmiralDan wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



My take as well

NBA Cares wrote:Bogut should learn to improve his freethrow like Haywoord.
If Haywood can now shoot 74% at the line, so can Bogut.