Nets-Bucks Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Dec 25 2012 5:04PM

The Nets may have moved to Brooklyn and added Joe Johnson, but their problems against the Milwaukee Bucks did not end when these teams met earlier this month.

The Bucks proved to be superior in the backcourt in that contest and have now won 12 straight over the Nets heading into Wednesday night's meeting at the Bradley Center.

Milwaukee won 97-88 at Brooklyn on Dec. 9 in the teams' only matchup this season as Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings combined for 50 points with 15 free-throw attempts, making 14. Johnson and Deron Williams went 2 for 4 at the foul line and totaled 24 points, going 10 of 27 from the field. The Bucks' starting guards had eight rebounds and eight steals while the taller combination of Johnson and Deron Williams had three boards and no steals.

While neither Ellis nor Jennings has made an All-Star appearance, Johnson and Williams have combined for nine.

"It wasn't a competition or anything like that," said Jennings after the game. "We knew they had (the) height advantage ... so we wanted to run tonight and use more of our speed."

The Bucks (14-12) haven't lost to the Nets since a 99-95 home defeat March 3, 2009. All six home victories during their 12-game win streak in the series have been by double digits.

Brooklyn 7-footer Brook Lopez missed the first matchup with a sprained right foot. Lopez is back now, but his 13.8 scoring average against Milwaukee is his worst against any Eastern Conference team.

Johnson and Williams turned in another lackluster effort Tuesday as they made 7 of 21 shots and totaled 22 points in a 93-76 home loss to Boston. The Nets (14-13) shot 40.6 percent, committed 20 turnovers, made 17 of 29 foul shots and finished with their second-lowest point total.

"We didn't do a good job of taking and making our wide-open shots," said coach Avery Johnson, whose team has lost four of five. "And when you don't take and make your wide-open shots, when you miss as many free throws as we did today and you turn the ball over, it puts a lot of pressure on your defense."

The coach used a smaller lineup for the second straight game with Keith Bogans starting for Kris Humphries at forward. Humphries has missed the last two games, was diagnosed with a mild abdominal strain and did not make the trip to Milwaukee.

The Bucks own the worst home record among winning teams with a 7-6 mark. They showed why Saturday as they never led in a 94-82 defeat to lowly Cleveland after shooting 39.2 percent and trailing by as many as 20 points.

The loss capped a stretch of four games in five nights. Coach Scott Skiles said his team looked "totally out of gas."

"We just didn't have a lot of energy, we were kind of walking to our spots, we shot a couple of layups three feet over the rim, shot airballs, we were right and left, short and long," Skiles said.

Ellis scored a season-high 37 points while Jennings misfired on 10 of 13 attempts and scored seven.

While the Bucks are 1-3 when Ellis scores more than 30, the Nets have lost seven straight when Johnson fails to surpass his season average of 17.0.

Bucks beat Nets for 13th straight time, 108-93

Posted Dec 26 2012 11:48PM

MILWAUKEE (AP) The Milwaukee Bucks used the 3-pointer to extend their dominance over the Brooklyn Nets.

Brandon Jennings scored 25 points, Monta Ellis added 20 points and a season-high six steals, and the Bucks beat the short-handed Nets for the 13th straight time, 108-93 on Wednesday night.

Ellis made all three of his 3-point attempts, including one that pushed the lead to 102-89 with less than 2 minutes to play. His sixth steal set up a 3 by Jennings that increased the lead to 105-89. Jennings was 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

"Look, we thought in the beginning of the season that we were going to be a good 3-point shooting team and we haven't been," coach Scott Skiles said. "That's such a huge factor. They have been many games where the 3-ball could have bailed us out. We've gotten the same looks, we just haven't made them. Tonight, we knocked them down."

Milwaukee made 10 of 17 3-point attempts while the Nets were 4 of 21.

"It was just one of those days," said Ellis who had seven assists. "If they're going or they're not, you just have to take them when they're open."

Larry Sanders had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks.

Brook Lopez had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Nets missed a chance to get back to .500 on the road and lost their third straight.

The Nets were without starting guard Deron Williams. He used his wrist to brace himself as he fell to the court in Tuesday's 93-76 loss to the Boston Celtics. C.J. Watson made his first start of the season and 60th of his career and scored eight points.

Andray Blatche scored 14 points, Gerald Wallace and Keith Bogans added 11 each for the Nets.

Trailing 78-67 after three quarters, the Nets made it a close game in the fourth, getting to 84-80, but Milwaukee answered with 3-pointers from Ersan Ilyasova, Ellis and Mike Dunleavy to push the lead to 11. Brooklyn could get no closer.

The Nets fell to 3-10 in December.

Ellis and Jennings outscored Joe Johnson, who had 13 points, and Watson 45-21. When the teams played on Dec. 9 in Brooklyn, Jennings and Ellis outscored Williams and Johnson 50-24.

One bright spot for the Nets was that they turned 18 turnovers by Milwaukee into 27 points.

After leading by seven to end the first quarter, Milwaukee surged ahead in the second, played close in the third and hung on in the fourth.

Bogans led the Nets back in the fourth with a three-point play that started a 13-4 run that pulled them to 84-80.

"We gave ourselves a chance, we couldn't make big plays," Johnson said. "In that fourth quarter, man, it seemed like we couldn't get over the hump. We fought hard."

Nets coach Avery Johnson was proud of the team despite the outcome and shooting 38.6 percent.

"What a battle for our guys," Johnson said. "Back-to-back games. They played their hearts out. We really had a chance to cut the lead down from four to two or get it tied up, but just couldn't make a shot."

Johnson's turnover after Tyshawn Taylor's 3 that made it a four-point game, Johnson made a bad pass that was stolen by Jennings. After a timeout, Ilyasova hit a 3 and the Bucks were on their way to a win. They would make five more 3-pointers including one by Marquis Daniels who hesitantly fired up a shot from 27 feet that swished for the final points.

The Nets trailed 55-42 at halftime and pulled to 71-64 on Blatche's layup that capped a 6-0 run he started with a basket. But, the Bucks answered on Ilyasova's four free throws and two more by Ellis for a 78-76 lead going into the fourth.

Jennings and Dunleavy sparked the offense as Milwaukee outscored Brooklyn 33-18 in the second quarter and led 55-42 at the half.

Jennings scored eight of his 16 points in the second and Dunleavy added 10.

After a steal by Ellis, Dunleavy hit a fastbreak 3 that tied it at 37 and started an 18-7 run.

The Nets finished the half 17 of 43 (39 percent) and 0 for 8 from beyond the arc.

Notes: After the Boston game, Nets CEO Brett Yormark tweeted his displeasure with the players' performance. He also let loose on the Barclays Center's technical issues that also marred the afternoon game. "Nets fans deserved better," Yormark tweeted after the game. "The entire organization needs to work harder to find a solution. We will get there." Yormark called Avery Johnson to talk about his tweet. "It's the same thing I've been saying all along, `We all have to get better,"' Johnson said of their conversation. "I agree (with him). We all have to get better."... Nets F Kris Humphries, who did not make the trip, missed his second consecutive game with a strained abdominal muscle."... The Nets last beat the Bucks 99-95 on March 3, 2009. ... Bucks G Beno Udrih returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a sprained right ankle.

Notebook: Bucks 108, Nets 93

Rick Braun, for NBA.com
Posted Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:15 AM - Updated Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:15 AM

THE FACTS: Brandon Jennings scored 25 points and had six assists, and Monta Ellis played a complete game with 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and six steals to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 108-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Ersan Ilyasova had a double-double off the bench with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Mike Dunleavy added 17 points off the bench and Larry Sanders had 12 points and 12 rebounds as the Bucks improved to 15-12.

Brook Lopez led the Nets (14-14) who played without star guard Deron Williams, who sat out with a sore right wrist.

QUOTABLE: "I'm a machine. I don't even feel it. It just looks bad. It don't hurt."
-- Ellis, joking after being asked about his red right eye, which was poked by Brooklyn's Reggie Evans late in the third quarter

THE STAT: The Bucks hit 10 of their 17 3-pointers for 58.8 percent, while the Nets made just 4 of 21 for 19 percent.

TURNING POINT: Despite being without Williams, the Nets managed to hang around and were within 84-80 after rookie Tyshawn Taylor's 3-pointer with 8:51 left. Then Ilyasova, Ellis and Dunleavy hit 3-pointers to start a 21-9 run, and it was over.

QUOTABLE II: "Some nights you have to do a little more. The opportunity presented itself and I just took advantage of it."
-- Ellis on his stat line with seven assists, six rebounds and six steals

HOT: Ellis made all three of his 3-pointers after entering the game shooting just 20.9 percent from behind the arc.

NOT: C.J. Watson started in place of Williams and made just 2 of 12 shots. Star forward Joe Johnson didn't pick up the slack, either, going 5 for 15.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Ellis had his best all-around game of the season with his line of 20 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 6 steals.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Former Bucks coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy Sr. was in attendance to watch his son Mike Dunleavy Jr. and chatted afterward with Bucks owner Herb Kohl, the retiring U.S. Senator.

GOOD MOVE: Starting forwards Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Marquis Daniels didn't have productive nights, so reserves Ilyasova and Dunleavy played the lion's share of minutes for the Bucks.

ROOKIE WATCH: Rookie Tyshawn Taylor saw 20 minutes of playing time backing up Watson and made 3 of 6 shots for seven points.

NOTABLE: The Bucks have now won 13 straight games against the Nets dating back to 2009. The last time the Nets beat Milwaukee was March 3, 2009, a 99-95 decision in Milwaukee. ... Williams missed his first game of the season with a sore right wrist. He entered the game shooting just 39.8 percent on the season. Nets coach Avery Johnson said the Nets hoped to have Johnson back for their home game Friday against Charlotte. ... Bucks backup point guard Beno Udrih returned after missing 12 games with a sprained right ankle.

UP NEXT: For the Nets, Friday vs. Charlotte, Saturday vs. Cleveland, Monday @ San Antonio. For the Bucks, Saturday vs. Miami, Sunday @ Detroit, Wednesday vs. San Antonio.

• Nets: Humphries, Williams
• Bucks: Harris, Przybilla

• Nets: Blatche
• Bucks: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #16 David Guthrie, #77 Karl Lane
• Attendance: 13102
• Duration: 2:05