GAMEDAY: Milwaukee at Utah - 1/3/12

Scott Skiles – Head Coach (2-2 this season)

On Shawn Livingston returning from knee injury
"He's playing for us and still trying to learn what we expect from him. It's incredible that he is able to come out and be productive in the pro game after what happened."

Drew Gooden – Center (24 points, 12 rebounds)

On the team's low scoring
"It's tough. We can't win scoring 70-80 points. We've got to be in the high 90s to beat these teams. That comes with executing the offense and we shot 30 percent from the field tonight. You can't win ballgames that way."

On the team's overall performance
"It's a little bit of everything. It's a little bit of shots not going in… guys getting familiar with one another. But then again, we have a talented team that's unselfish and likes to move the ball so we'll get everything right offensively."

Shaun Livingston – Guard (9 points, 3-7 FG)

On the game
"With our low field goal percentage, our defense has to be great and we had a couple lapses, a couple loose balls and that's just how the game goes. We've just got to try to bounce back."

On not taking advantage of turnovers
"That's the thing in the NBA…taking advantage of mishaps, turnovers and turning them into transition points or points off turnovers. You've got to be able to do that and capitalize. We didn't do that tonight."

OUT OF THE GATE – The Bucks have not been slow starters this season, racing out to a lead after the first quarter in all four games and topping 30 points in the opening frame in each of the last three. Milwaukee is averaging 31.3 points in the first quarter this season, a full seven points more than the 24.3 it allows in the opening period. The Bucks are also shooting 52.6 percent from the field in first quarters this season.

DEL3NO – Carlos Delfino has picked up right where he left off as a three-point marksman. Delfino led the Bucks with 105 three-pointers last season despite appearing in just 49 games due to injury, and his six treys this season already lead the Bucks despite missing the first two games with a sprained wrist. Delfino ranks 17th in the league in three-point accuracy (6-of-11, .545).

KID CAN SCORE – With 80 points through four games, Brandon Jennings already ranks among the top scorers in the league (T-11th), though that's a list that includes seasoned veterans like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki. Amongst scorers age 22 or younger, Jennings trails only Blake Griffin.

CLOSE CALLS – Three of the Bucks' first four games have been decided by five points or less, including two onepossession games. Roughly one in four Bucks games last season was decided by such a narrow margin (19 total, with Milwaukee going 9-10 in such games).

WHO NEEDS FREE THROWS? – The Bucks served up a statistical rarity on Dec. 27 vs. Minnesota, posting a 98-95 win despite yielding a lopsided 45-20 advantage to the Wolves in free throw attempts. Kevin Love (19-24) attempted more free throws than the entire Bucks roster. The game was one of just five nights in franchise history in which Milwaukee has won despite a free throw disparity of 25 or more attempts.

• Brandon Jennings scored 20+ points in three consecutive games to open the season, matching the longest streak of his career. He currently leads the Bucks in scoring at 20.0 ppg (T-11th in NBA).
  
  
• Carlos Delfino made his season debut on Friday after sitting out the first two games with a sprained right wrist. Delfino is 6-for-11 from three in his two appearances.
  
  
• The Bucks have scored 30+ points in the first quarter of each of their last three games.
  
  
• Andrew Bogut has blocked three shots in each of his last two games and is now averaging 1.75 rejections per game (T-14th in NBA). Bogut led the league last season with 2.58 blocks per game.
  
  
• Bucks guard Darington Hobson, assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on 12/29, has appeared in two DLeague games, averaging 12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 3.0 apg. The Mad Ants take on the Reno Bighorns tonight at 7:00 p.m. PST.

Al Jefferson: "[Andrew] Bogut's a special player. ... I love playing against him because he makes me step up."

— Brian T. Smith (@tribjazz) January 3, 2012