Opening Thoughts
Before coming to the arena tonight, I was struck with a significant dilemma. It’s a dilemma similar to one that has been shared by my fellow Wisconsinites in recent years. The dilemma:

Do I wear my Dwyane Wade throwback Marquette jersey?
Wade is a legend in Milwaukee. He led Marquette to the Final Four in 2003, the program’s first trip since 1977, messing around and posting a triple-double in the Elite 8. A full-page ad was taken out in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel congratulating him on leading the Miami Heat to the NBA Championship in 2006. He is the greatest player ever to don a Marquette uni, and is one of the most exciting players in the NBA today.

Could I really go through with it, though? Could I really attend a Bucks game sporting a jersey of an opposing player, despite all of the excitement that said player brought to the city? Stop me if this sounds familiar.

The decision came down to my personal priorities. Do I place the success of an individual over the success of my beloved Bucks? In a word … no. In three more words … not even close. Just like I could not in good conscious support a purple-clad Brett Favre, I could not throw my support toward the visiting Wade. Being a devout fan of the Bucks wouldn’t allow me to do so. It just comes across as hypocritical to me. Hypocrisy can be contagious, and I will not be infected.

In-game Musings

  • The corner three, invented by Bruce Bowen in the early 2000s, has become a huge part of the Bucks offense under Scott Skiles, as it has across the rest of the league. And why not? It’s an efficient shot option, and the Bucks have the personnel to get the job done. In the first half alone, Carlos Delfino, Charlie Bell (twice) and Jerry Stackhouse each connected from the corner. One of their favorite late-game plays is a Jennings dribble drive that ends with a kickout to an open Buck in the corner. Additionally, the Bucks have become adept at swinging the ball around the perimeter and finding the open man in the half-court offense.
  • Ersan Ilyasova, part-time endorser extraordinaire and affectionately dubbed the Turkish Tornado by yours truly, is the definition of wiry. Despite bulking up since Milwaukee last saw him, that guy is all arms and legs, and those limbs are constantly flailing about. He had to be an octopus in a former life. It’s a joy to watch from a fan’s perspective, but it has to be a hellacious experience for the opposition.
  • Milwaukee 56, Miami 38 at halftime. Forty-four points away from a quarter pounder. Also, Streetlife played a “Pants on the Ground” remix at halftime. That song can not go away fast enough. That song died the second Brett Favre butchered it.
  • This isn’t a huge secret, but Andrew Bogut’s defense is just as important to Milwaukee’s success as his offense. He has truly become a force on that end of the floor. I don’t have official stats in front of me, but his blocks/charges taken total has to be at, or near, the top of league. The only guy I can think of that could approach even his numbers is Marcus Camby. And sadly, I don’t think the rest of the league knows it. Just like the league didn’t know about Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s defense until Kevin Durant gave him a shout-out. These guys need more love.
  • As a self-diagnosed sneaker-a-holic, I’m constantly checking out what’s on a player’s feet. And I could be wrong, but I believe Dorell Wright is sporting an old pair of Jason Kidd specials, circa 1996. I know this because I once owned those very shoes myself in eighth grade. They took me places I never thought I’d go on a basketball court. I was dropping a single nickel on fools on a nightly basis wearing those puppies.

    A quick rundown of my top 3:
  • The flying body bump has become a staple of sporting events throughout the country. It’s practiced at any and all appropriate opportunities. I don’t have detailed stats, but I feel like the completion percentage is staggeringly low. I’m talking 25 percent. The flying body bump is a very intricate celebration that requires impeccable timing and comparable verticals. Unfortunately these two important steps are rarely synchronized, leaving fans and participants unfulfilled.
  • Bogut slipped into a groan-inducing position late in the third quarter and came up limping. I almost tossed the beans and hamburger leftovers I had for lunch. That was close.

Heard and Seen from Behind the Scenes
As a fan often relegated to the nose bleed section, I frequently wondered what could be seen and heard if I were a few hundred feet closer. Is the experience any different? Who talks the most trash? Who has what tattoo? Now that I actually have some insight into the subject, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share my experiences with my fellow nose-bleeders.
Prior to the game, our group of bloggers was given a tour of the facilities and early entry into the arena. The first thing I saw: Wade entering the arena dressed to the nines and sporting some customized headphones, Heat-red and emblazed with the No. 3. Shortly thereafter, Jermaine O’Neal sauntered in shortly thereafter carrying only a designer toiletry bag. Ah, the perks of being a professional basketball player. I carry my toiletries in a plastic zip-lock. Jermaine O’Neal carries his in a $500 (likely a low estimate) bag no bigger than a fanny pack.
Once out on the court, players rotated in and out of warm-ups. Jodie Meeks had his own personal 3-point contest, taking approximately eight shots from the corners, wings and top. Jerry Stackhouse worked on his 18-footers. Mbah a Moute sharpened his pick-and-pop. Who put in the most work? Probably Wade, who spent 20-25 minutes perfecting step-backs, fade-aways and spin moves. There’s a reason the greats are who they are.

Final Thoughts
The Bucks had a really solid performance tonight. They controlled the game throughout and took advantage of an undermanned and tired Miami team, just like any good team would do. Bogut played well on both ends, Hakim “Don’t call him Hack’em” Warrick was great off the bench, Charlie Bell and crew hassled D-Wade into a 6-for-20 night, and Brandon Jennings came up big in the clutch for the second consecutive game, putting a dagger in the Heat with a last-minute step-back trifecta. If only we could’ve gotten those quarter pounders.

The Bradley Center had a great turnout tonight with excellent energy throughout and some finely-timed booing. The crowd was a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, these kind of turnouts only seem to happen when LeBron, Kobe or D-Wade are in town. I just don’t understand why the Chris Kamans and Troy Murphys of the world don’t garner this kind of attention. It boggles the mind.

No Big Cat self-blindfold dunk tonight. I’m OK with that.

For those wondering, ideally, I would’ve rocked a throwback Sidney Moncrief jersey tonight. But since my wife wouldn’t be too keen on dropping $260 on a jersey from Mitchell & Ness, I went with my well-worn Bucks t-shirt, complete with the timeless Bucks logo worn through the 70s, 80s and early 90s. If only Mitchell & Ness had an outlet store in Milwaukee, one offering massive discounts.

Finally, it would be thoughtless of me not to congratulate Energee! on its 20th anniversary. Twenty years strong and still looking good.

Work hard. Play hard. Type hard. And say hello to carpal tunnel.