Bucks-Wizards Preview

By MIKE LIPKA
Posted Apr 18 2012 11:45AM

It's been a rare luxury to have three consecutive days off during this condensed NBA season. The Milwaukee Bucks' layoff may have come at the perfect time to gear up for one final, frantic postseason push.

The Bucks begin a stretch of six games in nine days to close the regular season Wednesday night against the host Washington Wizards.

Trying close a 1 1/2-game gap behind eighth-place Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee (29-31) likely can't afford to slip up against a lesser opponent.

After facing a Wizards team which is second from the bottom in the East, the Bucks have a challenge at third-place Indiana, but then they return home to play New Jersey and Toronto before what could be a crucial showdown with the 76ers.

"Just take it one game at a time, and see where we're at at the end," center Drew Gooden said. "That's all that's in our control right now."

The three days off may have been especially valuable for Gooden, who has recently dealt with a sore back. He had 26 points in a 113-97 win Friday at Detroit but struggled the next night against Roy Hibbert and the Pacers, scoring seven on 2-of-10 shooting in a 105-99 defeat.

The Bucks cut an 11-point deficit to one in the second half versus Indiana but couldn't get over the hump, going 1 for 7 from the field in the final four minutes.

"If you want to be a really good team, you have to be able to take a timeout, move the ball up, draw up a play that you've worked on countless times and everybody go out there and do it," coach Scott Skiles said. "If you have two or three guys that don't go out there and do it, you're not going to be a good team and we have struggled with that all year long."

Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis combined for 36 points against Indiana, although they needed 37 shots to do it.

Having played 17 games together since Milwaukee acquired Ellis from Golden State last month, the two guards have shown signs of clicking following an inconsistent start. In the last seven contests, Ellis is averaging 22.0 points and Jennings 18.4 while combining for 12.9 assists per game.

Ellis said he's not interested in keeping track of the 76ers' results.

"I don't look at nothing, I just worry about what we gotta do," he said. "Only thing we gotta do is do our work, play out the rest of these six games and see what happens."

It would be reasonable to expect that stretch to start with a victory.

Not only have the Bucks won eight of nine on the road, but they've averaged 111.0 points on 49.8 percent shooting while winning the first three meetings with the Wizards this season, including a 112-98 victory at the Verizon Center on April 2.

Washington (15-46), though, is coming off a surprising 87-84 win at East-leading Chicago on Monday, albeit against a Bulls team missing Derrick Rose and Luol Deng.

Kevin Seraphin led Washington with 21 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. The second-year center has averaged 16.2 points on 52.5 percent shooting while starting the last 10 games.

"He's continuing to blossom a little bit," coach Randy Wittman said. "I gotta stay on his rear end, though. Not let him get satisfied."

Crawford's 32 leads Wizards over Bucks 121-112

Posted Apr 18 2012 10:57PM

WASHINGTON (AP) The Milwaukee Bucks knew how painful this loss was. Staring ahead and speaking softly, they realized their playoff chances were sliding away.

Entering the game against the woeful Washington Wizards, the Bucks were just 1 1/2 games behind the slumping Philadelphia 76ers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

After a humiliating 121-112 defeat to the Wizards on Wednesday night combined with the Sixers' easy win in Cleveland, Milwaukee fell 2 1/2 games behind.

The Bucks have five games left - including one with Philadelphia in a week - and the Sixers have four to go - all on the road.

"Wrong time to have a bad game," Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said.

Jordan Crawford equaled a season-high with 32 points, and John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists for the Wizards.

The Bucks had the previous three days off while the Sixers were completing their third game in three nights.

On Thursday, Milwaukee plays at Indiana. The Pacers are on a six-game winning streak, and have beaten the Bucks twice.

"It's an absolute must-win for us. We have to find a way to get that game," Skiles said.

Monta Ellis had 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost four of five, while Brandon Jennings had 25 points and Drew Gooden added 21 points and 12 rebounds.

"It's tough, tough to be in this position," Gooden said.

"It's tough to lose games against teams that are not in the fight or in the race for the playoffs. Then again, we can't say this is the most disappointing loss of the season," he said. "It shouldn't have come down to this game or the next game."

Nene and Kevin Seraphin both had 14 points for Washington, which has won four of six. On Monday, the Wizards beat Eastern Conference-leading Chicago on the road.

Washington, which started the season by losing 12 of its first 13, has embraced the role of spoiler.

"I think they might like it - the way they're playing," coach Randy Wittman said. "We want to be Milwaukee. We want to be in the hunt, but if we're not, let's cause some grief coming down the stretch."

Nene missed the previous 10 games with a left foot injury. His return was announced by the team on Twitter 10 minutes before the game. He converted a three-point play with 7:50 to play to give Washington a 99-87 lead.

The Bucks closed within 112-109 on Jennings' 3-pointer with 1:14 to play, but the Wizards held on.

"They just had way more energy than us on both ends," Jennings said. "I guess just going out with pride, I guess that's what they're playing with."

Before they play the Sixers, the Bucks have to play New Jersey and Toronto, and finish on April 26 at Boston. They have little time to recover before the game at Indiana.

"We're going to have to come out with a lot of energy and just play that game like it's our last," Jennings said.

Ersan Ilyasova had 13 points and Ellis scored 10 in the first quarter to help Milwaukee take a 31-28 lead. Ilyasova was held to one free throw over the final three quarters. In the second quarter, Jennings had 12 points to help the Bucks to a 62-60 halftime lead.

Gooden made a unique three-point play with 8:06 to play in the second quarter. He threw a ball against the backboard, caught his own rebound, laid the ball in, was fouled by Washington's Cartier Martin and made the free throw.

The Wizards took the lead with a 10-0 run that bridged the end of the second and beginning of the third quarters to take a 67-62 lead. They increased it to 81-72 and led 88-81 after three.

Before the game, Skiles was fully aware of the implications of the game.

"We have one fortunate thing going for us in that we do play Philadelphia," Skiles said. "There is a night coming up here where we have full control. We need to make sure that we're in position for that night."

NOTES: Wittman said chances were "probably slim" that F Andray Blatche, who hasn't played since March 18 because of "conditioning problems" would return this season. At Wednesday's shootaround, Blatche told reporters: "I cut my hair. That's five pounds right there." ... Bucks F/C Larry Sanders didn't play because of stomach flu. ... Milwaukee had won 14 straight games over teams with records below .500. ... Crawford played despite an injury to his right ankle.

Notebook: Wizards 121, Bucks 112

Posted Wednesday April 18, 2012 11:29PM

By Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Jordan Crawford equaled his season high with 32 points to lead the Washington Wizards over the Milwaukee Bucks 121-112 on Wednesday night.

The defeat was crushing for the Bucks. Combined with Philadelphia's win over Cleveland, it put Milwaukee 2 1/2 games behind the Sixers in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has lost four of its last five.

The Bucks were led by Monta Ellis' 31 points. Brandon Jennings had 25 and Drew Gooden added 21.

Washington took the lead early in the third quarter and held on in the final minutes to follow up on its win in Chicago on Monday. The Wizards have won four of six. John Wall, Kevin Seraphin and Nene each had 14 for Washington.

QUOTABLE: "Wrong time to have a bad night,"
-- Milwaukee head coach Scott Skiles on his team's embarrassing performances.

THE STAT: The Bucks had won 14 straight games against teams with below .500 records.

TURNING POINT: The Wizards outscored the Bucks 28-19 in the third quarter to take an 88-81 lead after three.

QUOTABLE II: "We want to be Milwaukee. We want to be in the hunt, but if we're not, let's cause some grief coming down the stretch."
-- Washington head coach Randy Wittman on his team's role as spoiler.

HOT: Crawford was 11-for-17 from the field despite playing on a bad right ankle he hurt in the fourth quarter of the win in Chicago.

NOT: The Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova was 3-for-4 in the first quarter and had 13 points. He missed all five field goal attempts in the remainder of the game, and had just one free throw in the final minute.

GOOD MOVE: Wittman playing Nene, who had missed 10 games with a left foot injury. His return was surprisingly announced on the Wizards' Twitter feed just a few minutes before gametime.

BAD MOVE: Ellis and Jennings trying to guard Crawford and Wall. It didn't work.

NOTABLE: The Bucks gave up the second-most points of the season to a team that's still 30 games below .500.

IN THE ARENA: Andray Blatche made an appearance. Today was a month since Blatche last played. He's been banished for "conditioning purposes." Wittman said the chances were slim that Blatche would play again this season. The mercurial Blatche says he's trying to get back in shape. "I cut my hair. That's five pounds right there," Blatche said.

UP NEXT: For the Bucks: Thursday @ Pacers, Saturday vs. Nets, Monday vs. Raptors. For the Wizards: Saturday @ Heat, Monday vs. Bobcats, Wednesday @ Cavaliers.

• Bucks: Brown, Leuer
• Wizards: Blatche, Lewis

• Bucks: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #29 Mark Lindsay, #66 Haywoode Workman
• Attendance: 14141
• Duration: 2:08