The Milwauke Bucks, one of the great Mysteries of the league

[Guy986]

I forgot about Kurt Thomas. Make it 3.

Okay, so we have two STANDOUT defenders in Mbah a Moute and Bogut. And above average defenders in Bell, Delfino, Thomas, and Jennings. How many teams can say that?

Mbah a Moute and Bogut, standout defenders. Agreed.

Thomas is above average.

Bell and Delfino are only average.

Jennings is maybe the worst pick and roll defender in the league.

[DanoMac]

I forgot about Kurt Thomas. Make it 3.

Okay, so we have two STANDOUT defenders in Mbah a Moute and Bogut. And above average defenders in Bell, Delfino, Thomas, and Jennings. How many teams can say that?

Mbah a Moute and Bogut, standout defenders. Agreed.

Thomas is above average.

Bell and Delfino are only average.

Jennings is maybe the worst pick and roll defender in the league.

If you're really going to come in here and say that Bell and Delfino are only average defenders, then I am going to ask to match bowls with you, because what you're smoking is what I want. Like previously stated, Delfino is by far our best perimeter defender on the team and a very reliable defender. And Charlie Bell is one of the most underrated defenders in basketball. Did you see how he guarded Kobe when the Lakers came to Milwaukee? Sure, Kobe killed a man, fled to Nicaragua, and hit the game winner and got away with it at the end, but Bell was all over him the entire game and got nothing but praise from both the Lakers and Bucks announcers. The only reason the Bucks don't shop Bell and his contract more is because of his great defensive abilities.

[glowsticks]

I give major props to the team, especially since it's one of the worst cities to have a sports franchise. Chicago is an hour to an hour and a half away by car, and they've got Minnesota not to far away either.

[DanoMac]

I give major props to the team, especially since it's one of the worst cities to have a sports franchise. Chicago is an hour to an hour and a half away by car, and they've got Minnesota not to far away either.

What does Minnesota being the next state over have to do with it being a bad city for a sports franchise? To be a good franchise you need to start winning games. The Brewers have done it and nearly every Brewers home game is a sell out now. It happened to the Bucks in 2000. The Bucks were maybe the 3rd most successful franchise in the 70s behind the Celtics and Lakers. We're temporarily down, we're not out...

[Guy986]

If Delfino is your team's best perimeter defender, you're in trouble. Mbah a Moute is obviously the Buck's best perimeter defender... come on now.

Charlie Bell is actually very good but at SG he is undersized.


When I think of above average defenders at the wing, I think Trevor Ariza, I think Thabo Sefolosha and i think Ime Udoka. If you call Delfino and Bell above average then who is average? Above average would lose its meaning because then half the league would be considered above average.

[Vindicater]

Bogut finally starting to show why he was drafted No 1.

Will he ever be better then Chris Paul? Probably not, but at least hes making a case now for 2nd best player in the draft.

[Guy986]

It's no mystery... they are winning games because they got Jennings in the draft. Jennings play making ability is underrated.

Jennings is not even the best point guard on his team.....

he's not? oh yeah because Ridnour is way better than him right, Lol realgm is full of funny people

Yes, Ridnour is way better than him(at the moment). And if you've read the Bucks forum as much as me, you'll realize that the overwhelming majority of Bucks fans believe that too.

[DanoMac]

If Delfino is your team's best perimeter defender, you're in trouble. Mbah a Moute is obviously the Buck's best perimeter defender... come on now.

Charlie Bell is actually very good but at SG he is undersized.


When I think of above average defenders at the wing, I think Trevor Ariza, I think Thabo Sefolosha and i think Ime Udoka. If you call Delfino and Bell above average then who is average? Above average would lose its meaning because then half the league would be considered above average.

Of course you're going to think Trevor Ariza. If you're calling Charlie Bell average defensively, then you have absolutely no right to call Ariza or Udoka above average. No right.

I said Mbah a Moute is our best man defender, and one of the best man defenders in the NBA. Mbah a Moute generally isn't defending on the perimeter, since you obviously stated that the Bucks are starting him at the 4.

[B-Ball Freak]

Bogut's a beast thats why...would glaldy trade Bargnani for him.

[BrooklynBulls]

Skiles teams overachieve. Until they zone him out. Then they underachieve. It is the circle of Skiles.

[Cro_Ruption]

i love the bucks especially since Bogut is croatian and some straight up ballers on that team, hopee they make the playoffs

[DanoMac]

Skiles teams overachieve. Until they zone him out. Then they underachieve. It is the circle of Skiles.

Skiles is a great coach, and the Bucks don't have hotheads like Tyrus Thomas to send Skiles to the looney bin like Chicago.

[aboveAverage]

The Bucks play defense. That's why they're overachieving.

[Guy986]

If Delfino is your team's best perimeter defender, you're in trouble. Mbah a Moute is obviously the Buck's best perimeter defender... come on now.

Charlie Bell is actually very good but at SG he is undersized.


When I think of above average defenders at the wing, I think Trevor Ariza, I think Thabo Sefolosha and i think Ime Udoka. If you call Delfino and Bell above average then who is average? Above average would lose its meaning because then half the league would be considered above average.

Of course you're going to think Trevor Ariza. If you're calling Charlie Bell average defensively, then you have absolutely no right to call Ariza or Udoka above average. No right.

I said Mbah a Moute is our best man defender, and one of the best man defenders in the NBA. Mbah a Moute generally isn't defending on the perimeter, since you obviously stated that the Bucks are starting him at the 4.

See you're contradiciting yourself already. You called Mbah a Moute your best man defender and then you go on to call Delfino your best perimeter defender. Which one is it? Mbah a Moute is starting at 4 more or less out of necessity. He is defending bigs more often lately now but he also defend the opposing teams best wing option when Skiles call for it.(especially when Ersan is shooting well)

Where do you draw the line if you call Delfino and Bell above average? Bell is good but at 6'3 he's undersized against most wing scorer in the league. I don't know too many 6'3 defenders who are considered above average. Joe Dumar, he is not.

[Lionel Messi]

Bucks have a nice team. I'm a huge fan of their resident Prince, Luc Richard Mbah A Moute. Kid's an amazing defender.

Anyhow, i love their board too...usually entertaining

[mbucks22]

I give major props to the team, especially since it's one of the worst cities to have a sports franchise. Chicago is an hour to an hour and a half away by car, and they've got Minnesota not to far away either.

Yeah, let's not all forget that Minnesota (or should I just say Minneapolis?) is some hidden gem of a state. You should probably actually GO to the city before you trash it.

[DanoMac]

If Delfino is your team's best perimeter defender, you're in trouble. Mbah a Moute is obviously the Buck's best perimeter defender... come on now.

Charlie Bell is actually very good but at SG he is undersized.


When I think of above average defenders at the wing, I think Trevor Ariza, I think Thabo Sefolosha and i think Ime Udoka. If you call Delfino and Bell above average then who is average? Above average would lose its meaning because then half the league would be considered above average.

Of course you're going to think Trevor Ariza. If you're calling Charlie Bell average defensively, then you have absolutely no right to call Ariza or Udoka above average. No right.

I said Mbah a Moute is our best man defender, and one of the best man defenders in the NBA. Mbah a Moute generally isn't defending on the perimeter, since you obviously stated that the Bucks are starting him at the 4.

See you're contradiciting yourself already. You called Mbah a Moute your best man defender and then you go on to call Delfino your best perimeter defender. Which one is it? Mbah a Moute is starting at 4 more or less out of necessity. He is defending bigs more often lately now but he also defend the opposing teams best wing option when Skiles call for it.(especially when Ersan is shooting well)

Where do you draw the line if you call Delfino and Bell above average? Bell is good but at 6'3 he's undersized against most wing scorer in the league. I don't know too many 6'3 defenders who are considered above average. Joe Dumar, he is not.

Who cares how tall he is? Yes, he's 6'3", thanks dude. That doesn't change the fact that he's a great defender at the 2 position. Watch the Bucks.

[chuckleslove]

Yes, Ridnour is way better than him(at the moment). And if you've read the Bucks forum as much as me, you'll realize that the overwhelming majority of Bucks fans believe that too.

Ridnour has had a significant drop off since January and any Bucks fan who watches the games would know that the team has performed much better with Jennings on the floor.

I know that +/- is a terrible stat but last night for instance Ridnour was just god awful.

8 minutes 5 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 4 fouls -15

Ridnour's game have dropped off significantly since his very solid start to the year. I'm extremely disappointed that we didn't move him while his value was very high.

As for defenders. I would say that Bogut is extremely underrated, he is 2nd in blocked shots, takes a lot of charges and does a lot of things that don't show up on the stat sheet with altered shots and clearing out for our other players to clean up on the glass.

Mbah a Moute is one of the best defender's in the NBA. When Kevin Durant was asked who he thought was the best defender he pointed to Mbah a Moute and that he gave him fits.

Charlie Bell is definitely undersized to guard most 2s in the league, he really doesn't fit into our team right now which is a shame because he is a good guy and gives so much effort. Had we traded Ridnour I could have seen him playing backup PG and there he would not be as much of a defensive liability. That said he is still an above average defender in my mind. He absolutely owns Wade. His problem is the size he gives up.

I would say Delfino is probably slightly above average.

Kurt Thomas is solid despite being 85 years old.

Defense is by far the reason our record is as good as it is this year. Our offense has been pretty bad at times this year.

As for Jennings I will agree that he is much farther along than I expected him to be at this point in his career and hopefully with an off season to work on his shot and get a little stronger he has a coming out party next year.

[Guy986]

Bucks have a nice team. I'm a huge fan of their resident Prince, Luc Richard Mbah A Moute. Kid's an amazing defender.

Anyhow, i love their board too...usually entertaining

They have a top 3 board for sure. Orlando use to be up there but they stopped being funny after they started winning.

[trwi7]

Anyhow, i love their board too...usually entertaining

When you've been as bad as the Bucks have for as long as they have, humor is the only thing that prevents you from jabbing your eyes with an ice pick.