I'm home today and can now keep track of the game online at least. I should get the radio pass.
Anys here's the previw for the lazy people!
The Milwaukee Bucks spent big money this offseason trying to revamp a roster that won just 30 games and finished last in the Central Division.
The player many are most interested to see is one of the few without a big contract.
Andrew Bogut makes his NBA debut with a Milwaukee team that could have some promise as it opens against Maurice Cheeks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The drafting of Bogut, the consensus college player of the year, with the first overall pick was the beginning of a major offseason makeover for the Bucks. By acquiring Jamaal Magloire and Bobby Simmons, along with re-signing Michael Redd and Dan Gadzuric, Milwaukee could turn back into a playoff contender.
``Like any team, you don't want to go into (the season) saying you're not going to make the playoffs. I'm very optimistic,'' Bogut said. ``I think we have a serious chance, with the players we signed in the offseason and Michael Redd coming back and T.J. Ford is 100 percent healthy. I think we're going to have a pretty good team.''
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Bogut developing quickly would help that cause.
The 7-foot center from the University of Utah has plenty of veterans from which to learn. Besides Magloire, role players Joe Smith, Toni Kukoc and Ervin Johnson were re-signed to accelerate Bogut's development in the low post.
``I've never played with guys of this caliber in my life,'' said Bogut, a native of Australia. ``It's just exciting for me to play with guys who are the best athletes in the world.''
While Bogut could be a budding star for new coach Terry Stotts, the coach taking over in Philadelphia already has a superstar in Allen Iverson.
Iverson, along with most Sixers fans, was thrilled with the hiring of Cheeks, a very popular player during his days in a Philadelphia uniform.
The fourth 76ers coach in the past two seasons, Cheeks will be charged with getting Iverson and Chris Webber in sync offensively on a team coming off a first-round exit from the playoffs.
After 3 1/2 years coaching Portland, Cheeks returns to the team he helped win a championship in 1983. That's the last time the city of Philadelphia won a title in any of the four major professional sports.
``I've always felt like Philadelphia was the place I would end up, the place I was going to be,'' Cheeks said. ``I've always felt it.''
While the 76ers underwent little roster turnover, the Bucks had plenty.
The biggest change came last week with the trade of Desmond Mason, an unconditional first-round 2006 pick and cash to the New Orleans Hornets for Magloire, an All-Star in 2004 who was limited to 21 games last season due to injury.
Harris' other key acquisition during the offseason was signing Simmons, the 2005 Comeback Player of the Year. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Los Angeles Clippers, parlaying a walk season into a five-year, $47 million contract.
In August, Harris kept the foundation of the team by re-signing Redd to a maximum six-year, $90.1 million contract and retaining Gadzuric with a six-year, $36 million deal.
``There will be less pressure on me to go into every game and try to do everything, thinking I have to do everything for us to win,'' said Redd, the first second-round pick in NBA history to sign a maximum deal. ``We've got more talent.''
A key for that talent to mesh is Ford staying healthy. The point guard missed the final 27 games of his rookie season and all of 2004-05 with a bruised spinal cord.
``Everybody knows we're going in the right direction to put a good team together and to get back into the playoffs,'' Ford said.
Iverson, meanwhile, is the key for Philadelphia to make a deeper run in the postseason.
He won his fourth career scoring title by averaging 30.7 points, but his penetration skills were a poor fit with Webber, whose best offensive asset is making medium-range jumpers at the high post. The two did not mesh well after Webber was acquired from the Sacramento Kings for the final 21 games of last season.
``I can't personally stand to go through what happened last year,'' Webber said. ``I pray it's a lot different and I feel very good.''
Iverson has noticed Webber working hard throughout training camp to improve their interaction.
``He's been doing everything to make us better and make himself better,'' Iverson said.
Injuries to Iverson, Webber and center Samuel Dalembert have prevented Cheeks from playing his starting five together at any point during the preseason. While Iverson and Webber are expected to be ready Tuesday, Dalembert is unlikely to be available for another week or two.
Iverson dominated the Bucks last season, averaging 45.3 points and 8.8 assists while shooting 55.5 percent (66-for-119) in four games. He has six 40-point games against the Bucks, his most against any opponent.
2004-05 STANDINGS: Bucks - 5th place, 24 GB, Central Division. 76ers - 2nd place, 2 GB, Atlantic Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Bucks - F Simmons, F Bogut, C Magloire, G Redd, G Ford. 76ers - F Webber, F Kyle Korver, C Dalembert, G Andre Iguodala, G Iverson.
2004-05 TEAM LEADERS: Bucks - Redd, 23.0 ppg; Gadzuric, 8.3 rpg; Mo Williams, 6.1 apg. 76ers - Iverson, 30.7 ppg and 7.9 apg; Webber, 9.1 rpg.
2004-05 SEASON SERIES: 76ers, 4-0.
LAST MEETING: April 18; 76ers, 122-106. At Philadelphia, Iverson scored 26 of his 39 points in the first half and added 12 assists for Philadelphia, which took a 70-50 halftime lead. Gadzuric had 21 points and 20 rebounds for the Bucks.
2004-05 ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Bucks - 7-34 on the road. 76ers - 25-16 at home.
Anys here's the previw for the lazy people!
The Milwaukee Bucks spent big money this offseason trying to revamp a roster that won just 30 games and finished last in the Central Division.
The player many are most interested to see is one of the few without a big contract.
Andrew Bogut makes his NBA debut with a Milwaukee team that could have some promise as it opens against Maurice Cheeks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The drafting of Bogut, the consensus college player of the year, with the first overall pick was the beginning of a major offseason makeover for the Bucks. By acquiring Jamaal Magloire and Bobby Simmons, along with re-signing Michael Redd and Dan Gadzuric, Milwaukee could turn back into a playoff contender.
``Like any team, you don't want to go into (the season) saying you're not going to make the playoffs. I'm very optimistic,'' Bogut said. ``I think we have a serious chance, with the players we signed in the offseason and Michael Redd coming back and T.J. Ford is 100 percent healthy. I think we're going to have a pretty good team.''
ADVERTISEMENT
Bogut developing quickly would help that cause.
The 7-foot center from the University of Utah has plenty of veterans from which to learn. Besides Magloire, role players Joe Smith, Toni Kukoc and Ervin Johnson were re-signed to accelerate Bogut's development in the low post.
``I've never played with guys of this caliber in my life,'' said Bogut, a native of Australia. ``It's just exciting for me to play with guys who are the best athletes in the world.''
While Bogut could be a budding star for new coach Terry Stotts, the coach taking over in Philadelphia already has a superstar in Allen Iverson.
Iverson, along with most Sixers fans, was thrilled with the hiring of Cheeks, a very popular player during his days in a Philadelphia uniform.
The fourth 76ers coach in the past two seasons, Cheeks will be charged with getting Iverson and Chris Webber in sync offensively on a team coming off a first-round exit from the playoffs.
After 3 1/2 years coaching Portland, Cheeks returns to the team he helped win a championship in 1983. That's the last time the city of Philadelphia won a title in any of the four major professional sports.
``I've always felt like Philadelphia was the place I would end up, the place I was going to be,'' Cheeks said. ``I've always felt it.''
While the 76ers underwent little roster turnover, the Bucks had plenty.
The biggest change came last week with the trade of Desmond Mason, an unconditional first-round 2006 pick and cash to the New Orleans Hornets for Magloire, an All-Star in 2004 who was limited to 21 games last season due to injury.
Harris' other key acquisition during the offseason was signing Simmons, the 2005 Comeback Player of the Year. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Los Angeles Clippers, parlaying a walk season into a five-year, $47 million contract.
In August, Harris kept the foundation of the team by re-signing Redd to a maximum six-year, $90.1 million contract and retaining Gadzuric with a six-year, $36 million deal.
``There will be less pressure on me to go into every game and try to do everything, thinking I have to do everything for us to win,'' said Redd, the first second-round pick in NBA history to sign a maximum deal. ``We've got more talent.''
A key for that talent to mesh is Ford staying healthy. The point guard missed the final 27 games of his rookie season and all of 2004-05 with a bruised spinal cord.
``Everybody knows we're going in the right direction to put a good team together and to get back into the playoffs,'' Ford said.
Iverson, meanwhile, is the key for Philadelphia to make a deeper run in the postseason.
He won his fourth career scoring title by averaging 30.7 points, but his penetration skills were a poor fit with Webber, whose best offensive asset is making medium-range jumpers at the high post. The two did not mesh well after Webber was acquired from the Sacramento Kings for the final 21 games of last season.
``I can't personally stand to go through what happened last year,'' Webber said. ``I pray it's a lot different and I feel very good.''
Iverson has noticed Webber working hard throughout training camp to improve their interaction.
``He's been doing everything to make us better and make himself better,'' Iverson said.
Injuries to Iverson, Webber and center Samuel Dalembert have prevented Cheeks from playing his starting five together at any point during the preseason. While Iverson and Webber are expected to be ready Tuesday, Dalembert is unlikely to be available for another week or two.
Iverson dominated the Bucks last season, averaging 45.3 points and 8.8 assists while shooting 55.5 percent (66-for-119) in four games. He has six 40-point games against the Bucks, his most against any opponent.
2004-05 STANDINGS: Bucks - 5th place, 24 GB, Central Division. 76ers - 2nd place, 2 GB, Atlantic Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Bucks - F Simmons, F Bogut, C Magloire, G Redd, G Ford. 76ers - F Webber, F Kyle Korver, C Dalembert, G Andre Iguodala, G Iverson.
2004-05 TEAM LEADERS: Bucks - Redd, 23.0 ppg; Gadzuric, 8.3 rpg; Mo Williams, 6.1 apg. 76ers - Iverson, 30.7 ppg and 7.9 apg; Webber, 9.1 rpg.
2004-05 SEASON SERIES: 76ers, 4-0.
LAST MEETING: April 18; 76ers, 122-106. At Philadelphia, Iverson scored 26 of his 39 points in the first half and added 12 assists for Philadelphia, which took a 70-50 halftime lead. Gadzuric had 21 points and 20 rebounds for the Bucks.
2004-05 ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Bucks - 7-34 on the road. 76ers - 25-16 at home.
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