30 Teams in 30 Days: Milwaukee Bucks

Biggest Strength

One-Two Punch: When you combine the '07-08 scoring averages of Richard Jefferson and Michael Redd, you come up with a combined total of 45.3 points per game. You also come up with 207 three-point buckets and a free throw percentage above the 80 percent mark.

Mixing Jefferson’s finishing ability and extraordinary athletic ability with Redd’s basketball IQ and sweet shooting stroke is going to produce one of the most talented wing duos in the NBA.

Biggest Weakness

Toughness: One of the things that I believe will hold the Bucks back from making a significant jump is their interior weakness. Andrew Bogut is highly skilled, but the rest of Milwaukee’s interior cast is rather soft.

Even then, you could say that Bogut lacks consistent aggression. Charlie Villanueva is more of a perimeter big and a combo forward than a power forward, and, at times, he is a significant defensive liability.

Off the bench, you’ve got a cast of mediocre (at best) reserves in Malik Allen, Francisco Elson, and the most erratic of them all, Dan Gadzuric.

Unless Bogut develops a legitimate mean streak out of nowhere, which probably isn’t realistic to expect, the team is going to continue depress inside. Scott Skiles can preach toughness, but coaching emphasis becomes moot without on-court production in that respective area. The Bucks are perhaps a banger away from being a playoff threat.

X-Factor

The Emergence of a Point Guard: As previously touched upon, the pass-first mentalities of Luke Ridnour and Ramon Sessions fit this team’s needs more than the likes of a scoring guard, such as Mo Williams. However, neither of these two guys are proven at the pro level.

Sure, Ridnour once put up 11.5 points and 7.0 assists per game on a lackluster Seattle Supersonics squad. Sure, Ramon Sessions lit it up this past April with beastly averages of 11.5 points, 11.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per outing. But can he do it consistently, and can Ridnour learn to be more efficient and/or be able to defend an elderly woman in a wheelchair? That remains to be seen.

Whatever the case may be, Scott Skiles will need one of these guys to set themselves apart from the other in order to establish a consistent and flowing offense. Both guards have the talent and ability to do so; now it’s about going out there and doing it.

What to Expect in 2008-09

Scott Skiles is going to demand constant energy, aggressiveness, and defensive intensity, but, quite honestly, I don’t think that this roster has the tools to complement his style just yet. Expect minimal improvement, but with at least eight new faces and a completely new system to adopt, it’s going to be difficult to make the jump into playoff status, even in the Eastern Conference.

The one thing that should be anticipated, however, is more heart. Last season, watching this team was a disaster because only a very small handful of players played like they cared. Skiles will not accept that.

2008-09 Predictions
Record: 31-51
Central Division: 4th Place
Eastern Conference: 12th Place

Tomorrow: Minnesota Timberwolves

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