Cavaliers-Bucks Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Nov 03 2012 1:39AM

It's been nearly three years since the Milwaukee Bucks lost at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it's been much longer since they opened a season with back-to-back victories.

Brandon Jennings will try to help the Bucks to their best start in seven seasons Saturday night when they attempt to re-establish their dominance of the Cavaliers in their home opener.

Milwaukee (1-0) is averaging 110.9 points while winning seven in a row against Cleveland (1-1) for its longest winning streak in the series since an eight-game run from 1985-1987.

The Bucks have also won five straight over the Cavaliers at home, dating to a loss Dec. 6, 2009.

They're looking to extend those winning streaks after opening their season Friday with an impressive 99-88 victory at Boston. Milwaukee hasn't started 2-0 since winning its first three games in 2005-06.

"We missed the playoffs two years in a row, so it started from (Friday)," said Jennings, who connected on 9 of 17 field goals to finish with 21 points along with 13 assists and six steals.

He could be primed for another strong performance against the Cavs considering he averaged 22.0 points on 50.7 percent shooting over four meetings last season.

Ersan Ilyasova, who had 11 rebounds Friday, scored 20.0 points per game on 66.7 percent shooting (24 of 36) in his last three matchups with Cleveland, averaging 8.0 rebounds in that stretch.

Milwaukee's Tobias Harris is looking to build on an impressive start to the season, totaling 18 points and six rebounds against the Celtics after averaging 5.0 and 2.4, respectively, in 42 games as a rookie in 2011-12.

The Cavaliers are opening a six-game, 11-day road trip after going 10-23 as the visitor last season.

They failed to enter that stretch with some momentum, falling 115-86 to Chicago on Friday while allowing the Bulls to shoot 63.8 percent from the field.

"That's what you call a good, old-fashioned butt-whipping," coach Byron Scott said. "As a young team, we still have a lot to learn. As I told the players, you've got to come ready to play, especially against good teams."

Cleveland did that in its season opener, winning 94-84 over Washington on Tuesday behind 29 points from Kyrie Irving. The second-year point guard, however, followed that up with 6-of-15 shooting for a team-high 15 points against the Bulls.

Irving may be in for a bounce-back performance since he has totaled 57 points in two meetings with the Bucks, scoring 28 in a 115-105 loss at Milwaukee on March 14. He missed the Cavs' 107-98 defeat there April 4.

Various injuries have forced Anderson Varejao to miss six of the last seven meetings with the Bucks. The center is healthy now, and he scored 12 points with five rebounds Friday. He was much better in the season opener, getting nine points while setting career highs of 23 boards and nine assists.

The Cavaliers' cross-country trip also includes games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn.

Jennings' 3 at the buzzer lifts Bucks over Cavs

Posted Nov 04 2012 12:22AM

MILWAUKEE (AP) Brandon Jennings just beat the clock lifting the Milwaukee Bucks to a thrilling victory.

Jennings hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bucks a 105-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.

"It was actually an ugly game for us," Jennings said a few minutes after he led a wild celebration on the court. "It wasn't our best performance but if we want to get over the hump these are the games we need to win."

The referees used video replay to confirm the shot left Jennings' hand with one-tenth of a second left on the clock.

Mike Dunleavy had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for Milwaukee, which trailed much of the game. He threw a perfect inbounds pass to Jennings at the top of the key and the Bucks guard swished the winning shot with Cleveland center Anderson Varejao running at him.

"I was thinking about calling a timeout," Dunleavy said about the play not developing quickly. "He got it with a nice rhythm coming off his left hand."

Cleveland coach Byron Scott hinted that maybe the clock started late on the decisive final play.

"I don't want to get fined, but I am not going to say nothing about the clock starting late on the last shot," he said. "They have to figure out a way to do something about that.

"Bottom line is either it doesn't count or you take it out again," he said. "You're looking at it again in your locker room a couple times, the shot shouldn't have counted."

Scott said he would send tape of the play to league offices.

Kyrie Irving scored 27 points for Cleveland, tying the game with seven-tenths of a second remaining on a driving layin over Ersan Ilyasova and Ekpe Udoh. Dunleavy then inbounded from the top of the 3-point line to Jennings, who hit the winning shot and celebrated by joyously running the length of the court to his teammates.

"We run that play every day in practice so I knew I'd get a good open look," Jennings said. "I knew I had a chance at hitting it."

The Bucks (2-0) used a late 12-2 run to take overtake Cleveland (1-2), which was opening a six-game road trip.

"To be 2-0 right now feels good," Dunleavy said. "You can't do any better than that. We feel like obviously we have a lot of room to improve, but it's a nice start."

Milwaukee took a 102-95 on the late run, but Irving converted a three-point play and hit a pair of free throws to bring Cleveland within 102-100 with 33.6 seconds to go.

Jennings then missed a running jumper with 10 seconds left, but the ball went off Varejao out of bounds with a tenth of a second left on the shot clock.

Dunleavy inbounded to Jennings who scored on a quick jumper but referee Kevin Fehr waived it off as a shot clock violation. The call was confirmed during video replay and Cleveland took possession with 9.2 seconds to go.

Irving then used a pick by Varejao to get around Jennings and lifted a high shot over Ilyasova to tie the score a 102 with seven-tenths of a second to go.

Jennings scored 13 points and had 13 assists. Larry Sanders had a career-high 17 points before fouling out late in the game.

Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said during the preseason he wanted Dunleavy coming off the bench to ensure some scoring when the second unit was playing. The veteran forward made 10 of 12 shots, including six of seven 3-pointers, in 35 minutes.

Milwaukee beefed up its roster during the off-season by drafting John Henson, and acquiring Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla to bolster its inside defense. But with Henson out due to injury and Dalembert and Przybilla playing limited minutes, Varejao was able to dominate in the post, scoring 20 points on 10 of 13 shooting while grabbing 17 rebounds.

Notes: Przybilla made his season debut in the second quarter and was whistled for a technical foul for arguing after playing only 2 minutes. . Alonzo Gee scored nine points in the first 4:34 of the game. . North Carolina coach Roy Williams was sitting courtside at the game. Cleveland's Zeller and the Bucks' Henson both attended UNC. ... Henson is out with a sprained left knee, but may return Wednesday when the Bucks host Memphis.

Notebook: Bucks 105, Cavaliers 102

Rick Braun, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Nov 04, 2012 1:14 AM - Updated Sun Nov 04, 2012 1:53 AM

THE FACTS: Brandon Jennings swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Mike Dunleavy had 29 points, 12 rebounds and had six assists as the Milwaukee Bucks eked out a 105-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday night in Milwaukee.

Monta Ellis added 23 for the Bucks, who started the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season when they started 3-0.

Kyrie Irving scored 27 points, including seven straight points in the final 1:20 that pulled the Cavs into a 102-102 tie. Anderson Varejao added 20 points and 17 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "I just got as high as I could, and I knew once it left my hand -- I saw it was straight -- I knew it was going in." -- Jennings on his game-winning 3-pointer, which came on an inbounds play with 0.7 seconds left.

THE STAT: The Bucks count on 2010 first-round pick Larry Sanders for shot-blocking and rebounding, and he did those with four blocks and seven boards in 30 minutes. But Sanders' career-high 17 points also were a major factor in the outcome.

TURNING POINT: The Bucks blew a 102-95 lead in the final 1:37, with Irving tying the game on a drive down the lane with 0.7 seconds left. After a timeout, Jennings caught Dunleavy's inbounds pass and rose up for the game-winner just over the outstretched hands of an on-rushing Varejao. Moments earlier, Jennings had a made shot ruled no good off an inbounds pass that began with 10.1 seconds on the game clock and 0.5 on the shot clock.

QUOTABLE II: "Brandon just came open. We ran a good play and we executed. He got a good look. From my vantage point it looked good, and it was all net." -- Dunleavy on his inbounds pass to Jennings for the game-winner QUOTABLE III: "I don't want to get fined so I'm not going to say anything about the clock starting late on the last shot. ... Looking at it again in the locker room a couple of times, the shot shouldn't have counted. The clock started too late." -- Cavs coach Byron Scott

HOT: Varejao made 10 of his first 11 shots before missing his last two. Dunleavy made 10 of 12, going 6-for-7 on 3-pointers, and Sanders was 8-for-9.

NOT: Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova was just 1-for-8, including 0-for-4 on 3-pointers. Cleveland's C.J. Miles missed all six of his shots.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Dunleavy's line of 29-12-6 had to make some fantasy league owners happy.

INSIDE THE ARENA: North Carolina coach Roy Williams was in courtside seats to watch Cleveland's Tyler Zeller and Milwaukee's John Henson, both Tarheels players who were picked in the first round this past June . ... The game was delayed about two minutes at the start to replace the net on the hoop in front of the Cavs bench.

GOOD MOVE: Scott put forward Alonzo Gee on Jennings on the defensive end in the second and third quarters, and that slowed down the Milwaukee offense after a 29-5 run had given the Bucks a 39-27 lead.

ROOKIE WATCH: Zeller only had two points but grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

NOTABLE: Ellis finished with four assists, but two of them came on huge back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter that helped the Bucks build a 102-95 lead. ... Jennings finished with 13 points and 13 assists. ... The Bucks had 32 assists and nine blocked shots. ... The Cavs fell to 1-2 but played well after a 29-point loss at home the night before. ... Veteran forward Drew Gooden was healthy but did not play for the second straight night, as Sanders and Ekpe Udoh are Bucks coach Scott Skiles' first options off the bench at center and power forward behind starters Samuel Dalembert and Ilyasova.

UP NEXT: For the Cavaliers, Monday at L.A. Clippers, Wednesday @ Golden State, Friday @ Phoenix. For the Bucks, Wednesday vs. Memphis, Friday @Washington, Saturday vs. Boston.

• Cavaliers: Harangody, Pargo
• Bucks: Henson, Mbah a Moute

• Cavaliers: --
• Bucks: Przybilla

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
• Officials: #7 Kevin Fehr, #9 Derrick Stafford, #30 John Goble
• Attendance: 17086
• Duration: 2:15