Bleacher Report - Milwaukee Bucks

Talk of Brandon Jenning's Rookie of the Year Award is Premature

Jose Salviati — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:51:52 -0500

There is no denying that what the rookie pulled off against the Golden State Warriors on November 14 was amazing. In a single game he was able to:

Surpass Kareem Abdul Jabbar's rookie scoring record for the Bucks.

Become the youngest player ever to cross the 50 point barrier.

The kid was incredible, but do we hand over the Rookie of the Year award now? No, of course not. Now that we have all had a few days to soak it in I think its time we all appreciated it for what it was, an amazing individual performance.

Yes, it was a performance the likes of which we haven't seen in the NBA in years, but it was just an single performance. Jennings didn't win the award based on that performance anymore than Kobe won MVP when he went for 26 more points than Jennings scored.

January 23, 2006 Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles other basketball team scored 81 points in a game. He came as close to Wilts amazing 100 as anyone ever had. His performance was amazing, awe-inspiring and incredible all mixed into one. Did it earn him the MVP that year? No, it went to Steve Nash.

End of season awards are not won on the strength of a single game in November. Not when you have Ty Lawson looking like a veteran in Denver and Tyreke Evans showing great consistency in Sacramento. Of course, there is still a rookie waiting in the wings, hungry to get his chance to impress in Los Angeles. The Clippers number one pick Blake Griffin will no doubt be in the ROY conversation at seasons end.

Sure, If BJ can make a habit of dropping 45 points in the second half of a few more games everything changes. For now however cooler heads need to prevail. Let's appreciate the performance for what it was but pull back on the talk of handing him any end of year hardware just yet.

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Brandon Jennings' Euro Experience Puts Him on Top of 2009 Rookie Class

Mark Milner — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:24:24 -0500

It’s not even December, but there’s already a clear cut favourite for the NBA’s rookie of the year.

Brandon Jennings, as you’ve no doubt heard by now, dropped 55 points on Saturday in a win over the hapless and rudderless Golden State Warriors. His double-nickel was the highest score for a rookie in over 30 years. It broke the team record of 51, set by Kareem in 1970 and was just shy of Wilt’s NBA record of 58.

But it was more then just a record-setting performance. It was a sign that Jennings has arrived and that maybe the hype is to be believed.

Remember, Jennings was surrounded by hype as he graduated high school—Rivals.com had him ranked as high as fourth in the country in 2008. He was a flashy player with a memorable flattop haircut and instead of going to college, he made an unprecedented leap to Europe, signing with Lottomatica Virtus Roma, an Italian team.

But he’s changed from then. Is that trip to Europe what helped his game so much?

Consider this. In the NCAA there are strict rules about time spent practicing : no more then four hours a day, 20 hours a week in the season and just eight a week during the offseason. They aren’t allowed to miss a class to practice. These make sense for a student-athlete…but Jennings didn’t have to follow any of these rules overseas.

And this. Jennings’ profile on Draft Express lists his three-point shooting, shooting percentage and shot-selection among his weaknesses. Yet it also contains a short article from his time overseas that explains how he’s changed his style of play from less then a year before:

“Gone is the brash, arrogant teenager…In his place is a much more mature, respectful young man, always cheering on his teammates, showing great body language and painstakingly trying to do what his coaches ask of him, almost to a fault at times.”

It’s not unreasonable to expect that Jennings has spent many hours working with teammates that are bigger, faster and more experienced then him. With coaches who play a more NBA-style offense—and no time spent on how to beat a zone or a full-court press.

He’s also matured a bit too, perhaps from an experience that wasn’t totally pleasant. In a New York Times feature from last January, Jennings spoke of how tough it was in Italy:

“I’ve gotten paid on time once this year…(t)hey treat me like I’m a little kid. They don’t see me as a man…Some nights you’ll play a lot; some nights you won’t play at all.”

Over there he wasn’t a highly touted recruit the coaches had to play; he had to earn a place in the team’s rotation.

It’s little things like that which made his time overseas the next best thing to actual NBA experience, giving him a boost the other rookies don’t have.

I think that’s why he’s caught on so fast this season. His 55 points represent only one of his breakout games this season. Another was the game before, against Denver on the 11th: in 38 minutes, Jennings had nine assists and 38 points on 11-of-19 shooting.

It also shows in how far ahead he is of the rest of the rookie class: he’s averaging more points, assists or minutes played then fellow rookie PG’s Jonny Flynn, Tyreke Evans, and Stephen Curry, all of whom were taken ahead of him. He even has the highest PER among rookies.

Granted, it’s early in the season and more then a little foolish to think he’ll have another 55-point night again this season. But given the pace he’s set so far, it seems like the Rookie of the Year award is his to lose.

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Brandon Jennings: The Other Side of the Double-Nickel

E. Spencer Kyte — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:31:46 -0500

Before we begin, a tip of the cap to Hadarii Jones for his outstanding piece "Pivot Points: Brandon Jennings' Success Confirms a New Path to the NBA."

Reading his article inspired me to write this supplemental aside to the Jennings story. This isn't intended to take away from Hadarii's piece, just present an alternate take on the early success of the young Buck.

The early success of Brandon Jennings is astounding, no matter how you look at it.

Two nights ago, the Bucks point guard of the future served notice that the future is now, dropping 55 points on the Golden State Warriors and surpassing the team record for point scored by a rookie.

The former record holder? Some guy you might have heard of named Lew Alcindor...

But before we start handing out the Rookie of the Year Award, inviting Jennings to Dallas for the 2010 All-Star Game and stumping for the NBA to abolish the age limit rule, a little patience and further examination is certainly warranted in this writer's eyes.

Coming out of high school, Brandon Jennings was the 2008 High School Basketball Player of the Year and destined for greatness in the eyes of many scouts. Though they questioned his jump shot a little, the kid who rocked a high top fade at the McDonald's All-American Game was the consensus top freshman prospect in the game.

Though his year in Europe and lack of consistent playing time certainly hurt his stock somewhat, this wasn't a kid who came out of nowhere to drop 55. Is it still super-impressive? Absolutely, but it doesn't prove the Age Limit Rule futile.

Next up, it's November 16.

While Jennings early season totals are certainly outstanding, he's played exactly seven games in his NBA career. Though he is shooting the lights out now and averaging more than a quarter century, seven games does not a season make. If he's still delivering 25-plus on 50 percent shooting in January, gimme a call.

Chances are you won't need the number, because this is the National Basketball Association and teams pay attention to what their competitors are doing. After a torrid start like this, coaches won't be offering up the open looks Jennings is currently receiving.

Now that he's shown a knack for knocking down open jumpers, teams will be spending more time worrying about his shot than focusing on his passing skills and keeping him out of the paint. Double teams will increase, defensive specialist will be employed and Jennings stats will suffer as a result.

Besides, it's not like teams have another offensive weapon to worry about on the Bucks roster as long as Michael Redd remains injured.

Still, Jennings start is tremendous and deserving of the attention and accolades he's currently receiving.

However, the success of Brandon Jennings isn't evidence enough to rescind the NBA Age Restriction.

For every Brandon Jennings who certainly could have come to the NBA and been successful directly from high school, there is a Korleone Young. A Gerald Green. An Ousmane Cisse, Ricky Sanchez, Leon Smith, James Lang, or Ndudi Ebi.

Even many of the most successful prep-to-pros players took a year or two to become acclimated to the game at the professional level. While LeBron James excelled right away, Kobe Bryant struggled, as did Tracy McGrady, and Rashard Lewis.

Others spent multiple years learning the game from the friendly confines of the bench, collecting small amounts of playing time. Though he blossomed into an All-Star in Indiana, Jermaine O'Neal was nothing more than a role player in Portland, while Al Jefferson barely saw the court as a Celtic.

Players like Sebastian Telfair, Robert Swift, and Andrew Bynum could have easily used the year they spent getting splinters in the NBA learning at top collegiate programs under proven and skilled educators like Rick Pitino, Roy Williams, or Tubby Smith.

Additionally, a college education certainly never hurt anyone.

Yes, there are exceptions to every rule and Brandon Jennings may very well be one; a truly gifted player blessed with the ability to excel on the highest level immediately.

But that makes Jennings all the more special, not proof that the NBA Age Restriction needs to be abolished.

While many in favor of removing the rule argue that these kids—and make no mistake about it, they are still kids when they come out of high school—deserve the right to earn a living, be it as a plumber or a point guard, if these players are truly as talented as everyone believes, the NBA will still be there 365 days later.

Yes, they could suffer a catastrophic injury and miss out on potential millions in that one year spent on a college campus, but the chances are probably on par with getting into a serious traffic accident and suffering the same fate.

Quick: name the last college star to fail to make it to the NBA because of an injury?

Don't worry, I couldn't think of an answer either.

And while the point made about players like John Wall who will surely spend a single season as a member of John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats is certainly valid, is that not better than the course being pursued by Jeremy Tyler?

The desire to chase fame and fortunate and have your name on the back of an authentic jersey at your local Foot Locker has suddenly replaced earning a basic education.

Those same catastrophic injuries that could occur during the unfairly-imposed one year in college could certainly occur in Israel, Italy, or Indiana during the first practice of a player's career. Then what?

Again, the NBA isn't going anywhere and college isn't that bad, especially if we're being honest with each other about the amount of effort put forth by some student-athletes who are simply putting in time.

Brandon Jennings is having an incredible start to his NBA career, and one that he potentially could have had a year ago.

But just because Jennings is succeeding today doesn't mean that every kid with a dream and a jumpshot should be given the opportunity to follow in his shoes straight out of high school.

If you don't believe me, ask Gerald Green.

Or Leon Smith, Ousmane Cisse, James Lang, or Korleone Young.

They were high school stars too.

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Has Andrew Bogut Finally Turned the Corner?

Jesse Motiff — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:06:35 -0500

To the surprise of most fans and observers, the Milwaukee Bucks are off to a fast start. In fact, Milwaukee sits atop the Central Division with a record of 5-2.

The league is buzzing over the hot start by rookie Brandon Jennings. Jennings has taken the league by storm, highlighted by his 55 point performance against the Golden State Warriors over the weekend.

While Jennings is earning all the headlines, another Bucks' player is performing as well right now as he has at any time in his career.

Andrew Bogut was the first overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft and has been trying to live up to all the pressures that go along with that.

Bogut was playing well last season before a back injury limited him to only 36 games. There was even doubt prior to this season if he'd be healthy in time for the season opener.

Bogut is averaging 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds over the first seven games this year. The offense has opened up since Michael Redd's injury, and Bogut has benefitted from a more open and flowing system.

With Redd out of the picture, Bogut and Jennings are teaming up as quite a one-two punch. Jennings is shooting much better than anyone thought he would, giving Bogut more room to operate in the post.

The Bucks haven't had a successful low-post presence since Vin Baker. Bogut provides the same height and athleticism that Baker gave the team in the mid-90's.

Bogut should continue with his success even when Redd returns to the lineup. Jennings' offense will take shots away from Redd, but Bogut should still get his touches. Bogut needs to be the focal point of the offense, even if he doesn't lead the team in shots taken or points scored.

As long as Bogut's back remains healthy, he should continue to expand on the early success he's had this season. If the Bucks hope to return to the playoffs, they'll need a lot more help than the new hotshot rookie. They need a total team effort, led by Andrew Bogut asserting his dominance as one of the best centers in the Eastern Conference.

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here .

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Pivot Points: Brandon Jennings' Success Confirms A New Path To the NBA

Hadarii Jones — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:22:16 -0500

As I digest the magnitude of Brandon Jennings and his 55-point outburst—and the historical implications it has on the NBA—a few things pop into my mind.

First of all, Jennings and his early success may have rendered the NBA's ridiculous age-limit rule totally irrelevant, and maybe we can get past the notion that players are better prepared after playing one year in college.

There was much discussion about Jennings and his decision to forgo college, and instead hop across the Atlantic to play professionally in Europe. Although there were a few people who saw the value in this move, most of the response was negative.

Most observers felt that his development would be stunted and his confidence shattered by the way Europeans treated American players, especially rookies.

Their fears seemed to be confirmed, as Jennings struggled to find playing time and eventually became an after-thought in the minds of many basketball pundits and experts.

No one thought much about the Bucks making him their point guard of the future, and the general attitude was that Jennings would be decent player, but the jury was still out on how much his time over-seas had affected his game.

Jennings quickly brought his name back to the forefront of conversation when he missed a triple-double by one assist and one rebound in his very first regular season game.

Some people might consider that game a fluke, but how do you explain his 55-point explosion or the fact that he is currently averaging 25.6 points per game, while shooting an astonishing 50 percent from the field and an even more impressive 56 percent from behind the three point line?

Maybe he learned a little more than we thought he had, and just maybe the professional experience he received in Europe was better than anything he could have gotten by attending a year of college in the states.

The myth that a high school player needed to attend a year of college is something that has been perpetuated by both the NBA and the NCAA in a feeble attempt to preserve what some see as a failing product in college basketball.

To be honest, there are numerous players that are woefully unprepared for the rigors of NBA life, both physically and mentally, but the numbers of players that have made the jump successfully makes that issue a moot point.

The weakest part of Jennings' game was thought to be his jumper, but as his shooting percentage will attest, it seems that may have been vastly overstated, or it was a part of his game he was able to concentrate on overseas.

Regardless of where or how the improvement occurred it brings us back to this point, why waste a year in college when a player could benefit more from playing right away or making the jump overseas?

It's not like that one year in school is going to make a huge difference in a high school player's game anyway, and the scholarship would be much better spent on a player willing to make at least a three year commitment to the school.

In rushing to preserve the sanctity of the college game, the powers that be have created a culture of one-and-done players who have no real interest in higher education anyway.

That is the real problem that exists when dismissing the valuable experience that Jennings had overseas. For proof positive, look no further than John Calipari and his hastily assembled team of Kentucky future pros.

Calipari is a great coach with questionable recruiting motives that has left a dark stain on every program he has been associated with. It could be argued that the only beneficiary in his recruitment of a player like John Wall is Calipari himself.

Wall is a player that is said to have more potential than Jennings and an even greater dislike for higher education. So what will his one year at Kentucky really prove?

There have already been questions raised about Wall's eligibility, and his time as a Wildcat only serves Calipari's own selfishness in his quest for the national championship that has so far eluded him.

Why should Wall be forced to attend classes where he probably won't learn much and it's obvious his time there is not going to improve his game.

It's better to scrap the age-limit rule and let him play right away or take the alternative route of Jennings and go to Europe where his game can see real growth and development.

To be fair there is a dark side to the story and his name is Jeremy Tyler. Tyler is a player who decided to skip his senior year of high school and take his potential to Israel to play professionally.

The need for a basic education is a necessity in our society, and in no way do I condone a player not receiving a high school diploma, but Tyler's decision is sure to be followed by other players with dollar signs in their eyes.

What will the NBA and NCAA solution be then? What happens when players decide to forgo high school altogether and jump for the large amounts of money that beckons them from overseas?

That is an extreme vision and one that I do not expect to see, but the success that Brandon Jennings is having right now has to be driving David Stern mad.

The intelligence of Jennings was questioned when he made his fateful decision to play overseas, but considering his Rookie of the Year start and his All-Star caliber numbers, who looks the most intelligent now?

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Deemed Not Ready for NBA, Brandon Jennings Drops 55 on Golden State Warriors

Nick Poust — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:13:52 -0500

Brandon Jennings didn’t want to go to college. He believed that if he was going to play, it would be for a paycheck, so, unable to enter the draft due to the age restrictions, the highly touted point guard became the first player to forgo college and make the leap from high school to professional European basketball.

Choosing to sign a one-year contract with Italian club Lottomatica Roma, the Oak Hill Academy star who won every major player of the year award as a senior believed he would see a substantial amount of action, thereby increasing his notoriety for the following year’s NBA Draft.

But things didn’t go as planned. Jennings spent a majority of the season riding the bench. When he did play, he only averaged five points, two rebounds and one assist in 27 games while shooting just 35 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point land.

His struggles on the European stage would presumably hurt his draft status, but his lowly statistics did no such thing. The Milwaukeee Bucks selected the skinny 6′1″ 20-year-old with the 10th overall selection. Milwaukee thought enough of his talent not only to make him a top-10 pick, but also to let 23-year-old starting point guard Ramon Sessions leave via free agency. The job was Jennings’ whether he was ready to take the reins or not.

It appeared he wasn’t. He averaged a satisfactory 10 points and 5 assists during the preseason, but was woefully inconsistent, scoring three points and dishing one assist one game and then scoring 10 and racking up 12 assists the next. He had plenty of skeptics, and many deemed after the former performance that he simply wasn’t able to play in the NBA just yet. But, boy, has he proved them wrong.

Jennings narrowly missed out on a triple-double in his regular season debut against the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and handed out nine assists, one rebound and one assist short of becoming the first player since Oscar Robertston to post a triple-double in his first game.

To prove this performance wasn’t a fluke, he scored 24 points the following night against the Detroit Pistons and 25 points three days later against the Chicago Bulls.

He struggled in his fourth game, posting a line similar to that in the preseason, scoring nine points on 4-16 shooting while compiling just three assists in 27 minutes. He has since bounced back from this mediocre performance in a big way.

He scored 17 points against the New York Knicks, one of nine teams that passed up his services, and then exploded for 32 points against a horrible defensive Denver Nuggets team to go along with nine assists.

He played an even worse defensive team last night, the Golden State Warriors coached by Don Nelson that is currently in disarray. Nelson grooms his players to be offensively oriented; they don’t have a single player that takes pride in defensive intensity or playing defense at all. Playing Golden State, which came in allowing 110 points per game, Jennings went nuts on Milwaukee’s home-court.

He didn’t score in the first quarter, which makes his feat that much more remarkable. He was 0-3 shooting with a turnover. Then, with a layup to begin Milwaukee’s second quarter, he started to heat up. Fellow rookie Stephen Curry had the assignment of guarding him, and though he blocked his shot on the next possession and forced a missed jumper a minute later, his defense would soon wane.

Jennings hit a three-pointer three minutes after making a free-throw, giving him six points in 14 minutes. He reached double figures by halftime, skying for a tip-in and a dunk to give him 10 points at intermission. He had a quiet first half, and his Bucks were down by eight. There was no sign that he would be in for a big night, until shots starting falling in the third quarter.

He drained a 16-footer over Curry with two minutes elapsed, cutting a deficit that reached 10 down to eight. He hit another jumper, dwindling the margin to seven, and a three-pointer that whittled it to six. A possession later, he made it a four-point game by crossing over Monta Ellis and driving in for a layup.

He cut the Warriors lead to three with a three-pointer, to one with a layup, tied it with a free-throw, grabbed the lead with a mid-range jumper, and extended the Bucks advantage to five with his fourth three-pointer.

In the quarter’s first eight minutes, he amassed 20 points, picking Golden State apart for uncovered jumper after jumper and layup after layup. He was just getting warm, too.

He became a point guard for a few possessions, finding guard Charlie Bell and center Andrew Bogut for layups, before harkening back to the player who averaged 32 points per game in his high school career. With blazing quickness and the ability to stop on a dime, he continued his magnificent period, exploding in for a layup, pulling up for a floater in the lane, canning a long three-pointer from the top of the key, then a jumper from the angle.

In the third quarter, Jennings scored an incredible 29 points. He made 12-13 shots, including 4-5 three-pointers. With this, his first half was a distant memory. He now had 39 points for the game, with another breathtaking quarter ahead of him.

His first points of the final period were free-throws, coming with nine and a half minutes remaining, putting him over the 40-point plateau. In spite of his scoring outburst, a jumper by Ellis gave the Warriors a 110-109 lead with just under four minutes left. Jennings said enough is enough and started his late surge.

A nine-foot, high arcing jumper regained the lead for Milwaukee, and a three-pointer without a defender within five feet increased the margin to a slim two. He made Golden State’s deficit six with a mid-range jumper, and then six again, thrusting the dagger deep in the Warriors heart by hitting his seventh and final three-pointer with 34 seconds left to ice a magical win for the Bucks.

He hit two free-throws with 10 seconds left, creating the final margin of 129-125 in Milwaukee’s favor. Those two free-throws gave him 55 points , and an amazing 45 in the second half.

In all, he made 21-34 field goals, 7-8 three-pointers, 6-8 free-throws, and still found time to dish five assists. His performance, in front of a raucous crowd of 15,000, was beyond belief, and overwhelmingly silenced every critic who thought he was nowhere near ready for the NBA, a league that he has already dominated during his young career.

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Brandon Jennings' Record-Breaking Night Put Into Historical Perspective

Tom Torkelson — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:46:29 -0500

In what would prove to be a shootout, and one during which NBA rookie sensation Brandon Jennings would break multiple records and join a select group of players along the way, the Milwaukee Bucks edged the Golden State Warriors 129-125.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bucks' broadcasters had begun drawing comparisons of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Allen Iverson and, of course, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose record Brandon Jennings broke against the Golden State Warriors.

What was it that drew this sort of high praise? Let's break down tonight's dominant performance by Jennings.

It seemed as though Jennings could get nothing going early, as he shot a poor 3-for-11 from the field, with two free throws in the first half, as Milwaukee found itself down eight points at home to the struggling Warriors.

The saying "let the game come to you" must have struck Jennings at halftime because in the second half, the rookie point guard would go on to drop 45 points and lead a comeback win and kept answering every shot the Warriors could manage late.

Jennings, the front-runner for the 2009 Rookie of the Year award in the early going of the 2009 NBA season, came out with a vengeance in the second half which was a thing of beauty.

Hitting 12-of-13 shots in the third (the lone miss coming with 5.9 seconds left in the period) and leading Milwaukee's charge with 29 points by himself, Jennings again took the Bucks on his back and led them to victory.

Hitting 7-of-8 3PT FGs tonight, Jennings set the tone for what would be a high scoring affair. Jennings gave Milwaukee their first lead of the second half with 5:07 left in the third quarter.

This was the first lead the Bucks had all game up to that point, and from there Jennings took the Bucks under his wing and eventually built a nine-point lead to end the third quarter.

As the game progressed, the crowd could see and feel that something special was happening. With every three pointer or pull-up jumper, Jennings had Milwaukee going wild.

As quickly as the Bucks and Jennings had built a nine-point lead, they watched it disappear, with Monta Ellis hitting a three to give Golden State the late lead at 110-109 with 3:39 to go in the fourth.

That lead was short-lived, thanks to Jennings hitting a 9-foot jumper to give Milwaukee the lead again, at 110-111 with 3:28 to go.

With an exchange of baskets between the Warriors' Ellis and Corey Maggette, Jennings answered back with shots of his own, scoring 12 points from the 3:38 mark to the end of the game.

Jennings' performance put him in special company. Only five players have averaged 20 points and 5 assists/game their rookie year.

Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, Allen Iverson and now Brandon Jennings, should he keep his scoring and assists at this level for the remainder of the season.

This season has been a very impressive one so far, but the person happiest with Jennings' performance? It has to be Bucks General Manager John Hammond, the man who was criticized heavily for his selection of West Virginia collegiate standout Joe Alexander.

The pick of Jennings in the 2009 NBA draft carried its own risks, but the Bucks front office was too sure of his talent to let rumors of selfishness or poor performance in Italy deter them from selecting him with the 10th overall pick.

That very pick may have altered the course of two franchise's histories, because Jennings originally wanted to go to the New York Knicks with hopes of LeBron James signing there in the summer of 2010.

Instead, the Golden State Warriors chose Davidson standout Stephen Curry, the Knicks drafted Jordan Hill, and Jennings fell into the lap of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Where the Bucks can go with the talent that Jennings has is yet to be determined, but if nothing else, he's setting his own personal bar quite high with a record-breaking performance like tonight.

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Brandon Jennings Takes His Place in Milwaukee Bucks History

Adam Lindemer — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:36:56 -0500

In just his seventh game in the NBA, rookie Brandon Jennings has already rewritten the Milwaukee Bucks' history books.

If you live outside of the state of Wisconsin, you may have missed Jennings do something that even the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar couldn't do.

Jennings scored 55 points in a single game, surpassing then-named Lew Alcindor's 51-point mark back on Feb. 21, 1970.

The 6-foot-1 point guard from Compton, Calif., did that without recording a single point in the first quarter too.

The Bucks were down 57-49 at the half on Saturday, but Milwaukee's television play-by-play announcer Jim Pachske "had a feeling about the game."

Boy, did he swing and hit one way out of the park.

As a team, the Bucks shot 83 percent coming out of the half, and Jennings had 29 points in the third quarter. He went 10-for-12 from the field, including 4-for-5 behind the arc.

So much for this kid not being able to shoot the rock, huh.

Jennings would lead the Bucks to scoring 43 third quarter points, and build an eight-point lead with 12 minutes to play.

He had a chance to break Michael Redd's team-high of 57 points (that came in a loss to the Utah Jazz), but he would settle for 55 and, more importantly, the win.

Jennings finished 21-for-34 (62 percent), including 7-for-8 from three-point territory. He added five assists and five rebounds.

He is shooting 46 percent from behind the arc and the field this season, and averaging 27.6 ppg and 4.8 apg.

Milwaukee has now won four straight games (5-2), and is halfway through a six-game homestand.

Jennings has been 20 years old for almost two months now, and he is taking the NBA by storm.

He is proving that he's belonged in the league ever since he passed on college and chose to play in Italy.

Jennings will continue to lead Milwaukee, the rest just need to follow the young Buck.

It may be deer season in Wisconsin, but the Bucks are proving to be the hunters early this year, rather than the hunted.

In the 2009 NBA Draft, nine GM's passed on the 19-year old, and I wonder how many are now regretting it? (My guess is nine).

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Brandon Jennings Explodes: Is He the New Allen Iverson?

Dwyane Montell — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:14:44 -0500

If you know basketball, you know who Brandon Jennings is. This kid is amazing. In high school he was one of the best players in the nation and decided to skip college and play pro overseas. Many questioned the decision but it looks now as if it has payed off. Jennings is going to win the rookie of the year easier than Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson did (if he doesn't get hurt and keeps playing as he is). He is averaging 21 points, five assists and four boards.

Tonight he scored 55 points! He set an NBA record for the youngest player to ever score 50 points in a game. If you watched thegame you saw the Allen Iverson in Jennings. Don't get me wrong, we will never see another AI, but this guy reminds me of AI in his rookie year.

I remember when Iverson dropped 50 in his rookie season and scored 40 points four straight times—including a 40 point night against the Bulls. Tonight, Jennings went 21-34 and seven for eight from the three point line. Not scoring any points in the first quarter, Jennings showed the mark of true scorer when he took the game over and put up 29 in the third.

Jennings also had 15 straights points in the third quarter and scored 10 straight in the final 2:15 of the fourth to beat the Warriors. He came through in the clutch hitting a go ahead three to put his team up one. It was amazing and Jennings proved that he is for real.

If this guy continues to work hard and stays healthy, I think the Bucks will be a deadly team for years to come and this guy will be a top four or five player in the league. Like his favorite player Allen Iverson, he is extremely quick and fearless, though he has a better shot than AI did in his rookie season. The Bucks have themselves a franchise player and he is already proving to be one of the best point guards in the league.

Right now Jennings is an all-star in my mind, and if he can lead the Bucks to the playoffs while keeping up these stats I think Jennings will have more than just a Rookie of The Year award. Jennings is already doing things Kobe and LeBron had not done in their rookie years.

As Allen Iverson leaves, the league has a player in Jennings who is on the path to have similar success—possibly better. Maybe even a better career than Kobe Bryant. I know it is too early to say these things, but if you saw the 55 point game tonight you know that this kid is amazing and the sky is the limit.

Jennings proved that playing overseas was not a bad decision, and it has paid off big time. Let's just hope the league and the media don't one day tarnish his legacy as they have his idle, Allen Iverson.

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The Milwaukee Bucks' Brandon Jennings Has Career Night Against Golden State

kevin roberts — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:50:26 -0500

After scoring a career-high 32 points in his last game, Jennings shocked the Golden State Warriors and the rest of the NBA with an impressive night , scoring a new career-high 55 points, while also handing out five assists and grabbing five rebounds.

Jennings, widely regarded as an average shooter, was hot all night, going 7-8 behind the arc, and an astonishing 21-34 from the floor.

Quite possibly the most impressive part of his night was the fact that he accomplished this scoring feat by going just 6-8 from the charity stripe.

Fantasy Perspective : If you weren’t convinced yet that Jennings had the ability to help out your fantasy roster, let this be all the convincing you need. Jennings’ star is rising, and it’s here to stay.

Hit up NFL Soup for any more breaking news from the NFL and NBA, and keep a look out for the new site, NBASoup.com

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Milwaukee Bucks' Brandon Jennings Looks Like the Real Deal

Mark Strotman — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:24:00 -0500

Before rookie Brandon Jennings was making headlines for the Milwaukee Bucks, he was making negative ones for himself leading up to the beginning of the 2009-10 NBA season.

Known by just about everyone because of his decision to skip college ball and play in Europe, Jennings had question marks all around him.

His upside was immense and GM’s knew that Jennings had the potential to be a franchise-changing player, unlike the majority of the players in last year’s draft class.

However, they also knew his downside was investing money into a cancerous teammate who would repeat his lackluster performance in Rome.

Before Jennings could even step on the court he was back at it, firing his mouth away about then-teammate Ramon Sessions and Luke Ridnour.

On a radio show with rapper Joe Budden, he mentioned being upset with the Knicks passing on him and deeming himself the starter over Ridnour.

He also made headlines by calling out Ricky Rubio, saying he was “overrated” and not as good as Jennings after a workout with the Kings.

Bucks’ general manager John Hammond decided that the upside of Jennings was well worth the potential of failure and he selected him with the 10th overall pick in the draft.

His cockiness and swagger is something that, to an extent, all great basketball players need to have, and Hammond believed Jennings had that.

What Hammond most likely did not think Jennings had was the ability to average over 20 points per game in his first six games, racking up four wins for the Bucks.

In many ways, Jennings is looking like the savior that is going to save the Bucks. Rumors have floated around that have the Bucks leaving Milwaukee, but Jennings could change all that.

His situation in Milwaukee this season is eerily similar to Derrick Rose’s last season in Chicago. The Bulls had reached the playoffs in 2006 before winning just 33 games the next year.

When the Bulls defied lottery odds and were awarded the No. 1 overall pick, they selected Rose and went on to win 41 games and make the playoffs.

In Chicago, Rose has seemingly rejuvenated the Bulls and made everyone around him better. Joakim Noah is finally playing up to his potential that we all saw at Florida, Luol Deng is flourishing under Rose’s lead, and he has worked to mold rookies James Johnson and Taj Gibson into role players this season.

The talent was there for the Bulls as seen by the three straight playoff appearances before 2007, but the team was growing old and John Paxson’s inability to trade for grade-A superstars had the Bulls wondering where the future would take them.

In the same sense, Jennings has done the exact same thing in Milwaukee. The Bucks made the playoffs during the 2005-2006 campaign with rookie Andrew Bogut, but three years of injuries and inconsistency had left the Bucks with nothing to show for the talent they had.

Now, Jennings has utilized Bogut as the big man that every good point guard needs, and vice versa.

Six games into his young career might be a little early to start crowning him the savior for the Bucks, but in basketball more than any other sport, early starts become trends.

The great ones usually start that way and do not fade as compared to baseball and football.

His skill set is very raw and at times he plays like the rookie that he is. He doesn’t seem to have picked up on the logistics of the offense yet and many times he will create for himself.

But with a big man who can shoot the outside shot, the way he moves off screens has to be considered close to the top of the league, and his closing speed while going to the basket warrants a replay on most possessions.

One of his big question marks coming into his rookie campaign was defense. However, six games in he is averaging over a steal per game and limited Chauncey Billups to 6-of-16 shooting, gave up just one point to Chris Duhon, and forced Derrick Rose to commit five turnovers.

No one will be forgetting about Chris Paul any time soon, but positive returns this early in the season are always good.

Just about every aspect of his game is raw right now, but that can be a good thing, too. Sometimes just letting players go out and be athletes can bring success and it seems like head coach Scott Skiles is letting Jennings do that for the most part.

It’s been an unbelievable start for a guy who, a year ago, was living out of a suitcase and traveling on a bus to foreign places in Italy to average under six points per game.

He’s got a long way to go, but Brandon Jennings is looking like the real deal.

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NBA: Why the Milwaukee Bucks' Next 10 Games Will Tell You Everything

Tom Torkelson — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:13:39 -0500

As he has demonstrated so far in this young 2009 NBA season, Rookie sensation Brandon Jennings is able to take his team on his back and lead, even as young as he is.

Jennings skipped college to play in Italy, entered the NBA draft, and finally ended up in Milwaukee. The journey humbled the prep All-American along the way.

Many questioned Jennings' unconventional pursuit of a pro career in Italy, but his choice definitely made him a more polished player, not to mention more mature, by transitioning him from a high school big shot to riding the bench with little to no role on the team.

The lack of playing time kept him hungry and levelheaded. This humbling experience is paying dividends for him in the NBA.

While Jennings is playing a large role in the success of the Bucks thus far, new acquisitions Hakim Warrick and Ersan Ilyasova will also be important for the Bucks down the stretch. If Milwaukee will make a playoff run, they will have to stop big men (i.e. Dwight Howard, Shaq, Chris Bosh, even LeBron James) and control the paint. Bogut, Ilyasova, and Warrick will be the centerpiece of the defensive game plan when playing teams with "bigs".

Bogut, Warrick, Ilyasova, Redd, and Jennings: a young, talented lineup that any fan, coach, or GM could fall in love with, as long as they stay healthy. Lets not neglect to mention the depth the team has with Jodie Meeks, Charlie Bell, Luke Ridnour, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

While it's only six games into the NBA 2009-10 season, the Bucks are showing poise under pressure and the ability to close out games.

The real question, as it is with any Bucks season: Can the team put together a run?

Their next 10 opponents combined record is 35-52. As the best defensive team in the NBA (No joke, the Bucks are top-five in nearly every defensive category, and rank No. 1 overall...let that soak in folks.) the Bucks should be able to go 7-3 over this stretch:

Golden State (W)
A team that isn't playing up to its ability at 3-5 is a team that Milwaukee should be in a position to beat.

Dallas (W)
Milwaukee has found a comfort level with handing Brandon Jennings the ball early and often in games, which opens up the offense for the rest of the team. Dallas, a more finesse team, will struggle to match up with the potent combination of Andrew Bogut and Hakim Warrick.

While The Mavericks do have Dirk Nowitzki, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone willing to vouch for him as a strong post player, which is the opposite of Bogut. Nowitzki's best asset as a player is his jump shot, albeit as a seven-foot tall player.

New Jersey (W)
The Nets are winless thus far in the new season, and things continue to look worse. With young talent like Brook Lopez being abused nightly by larger, more dominant post players (watching Dwight Howard against Lopez was like watching the eighth-grader with the mustache and a 40'' vertical dunk on the nerd in gym class.)

Charlotte (W)
Charlotte's Web scares me more than the current lineup of the Charlotte Bobcats. Young, inexperienced, and undersized, the Bobcats won't become a serious threat to much of anybody until they play better defense and learn to cut down on mistakes (they are turning the ball over 18.4 times per game, the worst in the NBA)

Memphis (W)
Memphis, Memphis, Memphis. When will you see what you are doing to your franchise?

Two seasons ago they handed Pau Gasol to the eventual NBA Champion L.A. Lakers, and received bench players and a draft pick in return. It was possibly the worst trade in NBA history.

To add insult to injury, they added the selfish Zach Randolph for the same amount that it would have taken to keep their franchise player Gasol.

It has to be rough to be a Grizzlies fan with the lone bright spot being Rudy Gay, an unrestricted free agent in the star-studded offseason of 2010.

@ San Antonio (L)
A veteran, yet capable Spurs team whom when healthy, have been a Western Conference contender for the last decade. The core of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker will prove too much for Milwaukee.

Both teams play tough defense, but the key to this one will be turnovers. San Antonio is averaging 11.6 turnovers per game, whereas Milwaukee is turning the ball over at a clip of 18.0 per game.

Look for a veteran team like the spurs who have scoring options like Parker, Richard Jefferson, and Ginobili to capitalize on Milwaukee's turnover problem.

@ New Orleans (W)
Milwaukee will storm into New Orleans like a hurricane (too soon?) and face Chris Paul, one of the best point guards in the NBA in the last 15 years.

Paul's New Orleans Hornets will look to stop Jennings, Bogut, and Warrick from dominating the post and scoring in the paint, which is where Milwaukee has made its living so far this season.

The biggest reason Milwaukee has the edge in this match up is their ability to lock down on defense. The Bucks' head coach, Scott Skiles has turned the team around defensively in his two years. Going from 30th in the NBA in overall defense, to being No. 1 in 2009. Skiles has led the team with the motto oh-so over played, but oh-so true: "defense wins championships." The players have certainly embraced this new philosophy, holding their opponents to a meager 88 points per game, compared to their own scoring pace of 93.4 points a game.

This 5.4 point differential is tied for seventh best in the NBA, so to say scoring defense is a priority would be an understatement. Killing rallies and shutting down opponents early (the bucks led the New York Knicks by 24 points midway through the third quarter, 71-37) has been a main component of the success the Bucks have had defensively this season.

New Orleans is also the only team in the NBA to surrender 100 points on defense in a game.

@ Oklahoma City (W)

One should anticipate a close game in this match up of young teams with talent to build on for the future. Kevin Durant, the rookie of the year in 2007, joins 2009 rookie Russell Westbrook in a young and potent offensive duo for Oklahoma City, but the lack of consistency (dominating the Orlando Magic one night, 102-74, then flopping to the Sacramento Kings the next, 101-98) and rebounding (the Thunder rank 17th in total rebounds per game) will hinder their ability to flourish.

Keys to a young team's success (see, Portland Trail Blazers) are coaching, defense, and rebounding.

Without quality coaching to bring out the best in a young team's potential, they may find themselves in neutral for weeks, months, or even seasons with little or no progression as a team.

A strong team defense will create more scoring opportunities for the young offensive attack that the Thunder have, especially with Durant (27 points per game).

This game is almost too close to call, but I'll give the Bucks the edge, if for no other reason than their lock-down defense thus far.

Orlando (L)

The reigning Eastern Conference Champions will test the resolve and leadership of the Bucks, and push them to their limits.

Solid defense, scoring, and possession offense with few turnovers lead the Magic to their current record of 7-3.

Dwight Howard, one of the premier big men in the NBA, is averaging a double-double (19 PTS, 10 REB) a game. For Milwaukee, Andrew Bogut will need to continue to be a presence in the post, and be physical with Howard.

To get Howard out of his zone, and force other Orlando Magic players to beat you is to win the game, as demonstrated by the L.A. Lakers in last season's NBA Finals.

However, I don't believe that the Bucks will have an advantageous match up in this one, with their only speed coming in Jennings, and too many mistakes (18+ turnovers a game) to succeed against a stingy offense that only gives up 13.6 turnovers per game.

Execution of offense so frequently determines an outcome of a game that it's nearly impossible to overlook the differential.

Chicago (L)

A divisional opponent will almost always bring their "A-game," and lately the Bucks-Bulls rivalry has been a pretty intense one, with the Bucks on the losing end of the most recent game on Nov. 3, 2009, which saw Jennings take on 2008 ROY Derrick Rose.

In a game that the Bulls came out flat, the Bucks took advantage early and often, building a 14-point halftime lead, reaching as much as 16 points in the third, but this lead would be one to slip away, as the Bulls made a run in the third and fourth quarters, taking what felt like an early victory from Milwaukee.

The Bucks blew a 16-point lead, a result of a charge led by Rose in the fourth quarter, (4-of-5 shooting, 2 FT, 10 PTS) and a tired defense in Milwaukee that watched as it's chances dwindled with each jumper.

Milwaukee looks for redemption in Game Two of the season series in the Bradley Center, but I'm not all that sure they'll find it.

Rose, Chicago's answer for Jennings, will be the key to this game, with Joakim Noah vs. Andrew Bogut being a close No. 2.

As much as I could hope for a Jennings-Rose showdown, I'm hard pressed to say that would be advantageous for Milwaukee. Not because Jennings couldn't handle being the No. 1 (he's shown that multiple times over this season already), but rather I'm more sure of the Bulls ability to facilitate their offense through other players than Rose, as opposed to the Bucks.

Overall, the Milwaukee Bucks have had some great early season successes, with Jennings garnering early praise as a ROY front-runner, and are playing some excellent defense leading the NBA. I find it difficult to believe this is all real. The Bucks, a team smothered with mediocrity the last 5-10 years, are finally a legitimate playoff threat?

Somebody pinch me.

Why am I still so confident in the Bucks this season? They are the No. 1 defense in the NBA right now, and it all comes down to keeping turnovers down, possession offense rather than fast-break, rebounding, and post defense. The Bucks are excelling in all four of these points so far in their 4-2 start.

If the Bucks are to make a serious run, be it to the playoffs, or a run while in the playoffs, it will go through their defense, and these next 10 games will go far in telling just how improved Scott Skiles has his team.

Here's something the Bucks must consider in their evaluation of the team in pre-trade deadline mode: trade Michael Redd and toss in Gadzuric if you can.

The Bucks need to keep some young talent, lock them up long-term (I'm talking about Bogut, Bucks Management!), and acquire a few athletic talents in the 2010 free agent class.

I'm not asking for Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, or even Chris Bosh, but there will be guys like Joe Johnson (ATL), Josh Howard (DAL), and Rudy Gay (MEM), which should draw some interest from Milwaukee.

As an aside—I would look seriously at this as a Bucks-Grizzlies deadline trade...Michael Redd straight up for Zach Randolph, then dump his salary after using him for a season (he helps the team immediately with rebounding, post scoring, and doesn't injure as frequently as Redd does). Then go into free agency in the summer of '10, about $20 million under the cap ($2 million under right now, without the $17 million or more for Randolph or Redd's deals) and sign Gay, no matter what it takes.

Rudy Gay would be the best long term option as far as youth, talent, and signability for the money for Milwaukee, and would leave Milwaukee with a very scary '10-'11 lineup:

C—Bogut
PF—Warrick
SF—Gay
SG—Mid-level F, like Ronnie Brewer (Utah)
PG—Jennings

To say the Bucks have a potentially bright future, is to be almost too cautious. If they could land a Rudy Gay and Ronnie Brewer combination in free agency, or even maintain the team they currently have and develop further in the draft, the Bucks are set for a long run of success in the years to come.

It's only a matter of time until this young team hits its stride, and when that does in fact happen, enjoy the ride Bucks fans.

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