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Milwaukee Bucks
By Rob Peterson, NBA.com
SEASON OUTLOOK: For the second time in team history, the Milwaukee Bucks shipped a No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick in the offseason, when they sent Glenn Robinson to Atlanta for Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a 2003 first-round pick in August. The last time it happened, Milwaukee traded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Bucks' all-time leading scorer, to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975 after Kareen missed the first 18 games of the 1974-75 season and the Bucks missed the playoffs. Hmmm. Sound familiar? Without Kareem, the Bucks made the playoffs the next season. So, Bucks fans should hope a change to the team's chemistry can help the team's karma. Still, why should Bucks fans be optimistic about making the playoffs this season? Because coach George Karl thinks the Bucks have a good chance. "This is the best basketball team that I've had here going into training camp," Karl told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We've made some good teams in camp. But going into camp, this is the best." Some may raise a skeptical eyebrow at this comment, considering that Tim Thomas, who was Robinson's backup since coming to the Bucks in a 1999 trade with Philadelphia, has backed up Robinson with mixed results. Thomas, however, should flourish offensively with more time and more opportunities. He averaged 15.1 points per game when he started 22 games last season, but only 10.3 when coming off the bench. Thomas should have plenty of assistance as the two other productive parts of the Big Three remain. The key is Ray Allen. Despite a chronically sore knee last season, Allen still poured in 21.8 points per game. Sam Cassell, who also battled nagging injuries all season, had a career year with 19.7 points per game. The Bucks hope Anthony Mason, who at times clashed with the Bucks' freewheeling style last season, meshes better this year. The Bucks are hoping to get Michael Redd into training camp. If they do, Redd would be the main option off the bench. After spending most of his rookie year on the injured list, Redd averaged 11.4 points per game in 21.4 minutes last season.
WHO'S IN: Toni Kukoc, back up point guard Kevin Ollie and four rookies: Marcus Haislip, Dan Gadzuric, Ronald Murray, and Jamal Sampson. Kukoc, who won the NBA's Sixth Man Award in 1996, will come off the bench and expect to play 18-20 minutes, according to Karl. The Bucks want to limit the wear an tear on the 34-year-old. Ollie, who is with his eighth NBA team, will back up Sam Cassell at the point. As far as the rookies, Karl is notorious for not giving rookies much burn. Yet, with the Bucks allowing veteran free agents to slip away, Haislip, Milwaukee's first round pick, will see some time at the small and power forwards, while Gadzuric could see some time if Joel Przybilla is slow to return from ankle surgery. WHO'S OUT: Robinson finished his tenure in Milwaukee as the Bucks' second-leading scorer in franchise history with 12,010 points. Forward Darvin Ham, an "energy guy" landed in Atlanta as a free agent. Point guard Greg Anthony, forward Mark Pope and center Greg Foster won't be back. Point guard Rafer Alston will sign with the Warriors. BENCH: Thomas enters the starting lineup with Kukoc providing playmaking ability and veteran stability on the second team. Ollie replaces Anthony at the point. Ervin Johnson may start at the beginning of the season because Przybilla will still be recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankles. Caffey only played in 23 games last season. THE BUCKS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : Tim Thomas steps up and plays like everyone thinks he can, Redd returns and the chemistry is better. THE BUCKS MISS THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : The trade blows up in their face. |
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