High five. From Compton, California to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Sante Fe, Argentina to Yaonde, Cameroon to Melbourne, Australia, this starting lineup couldn’t have come from much further apart. And yet, in just their second start as a fivesome ever, Jennings/Salmons/Delfino/Mbah a Moute/Bogut looked like a crew that grew up ballin’ on the same block, late into the night, sky is as dark as the pavement, hoop dimly lit by that light across the street, an hour and a half past when mom said i’s time to get in house.
The Bucks have tried plenty of starting lineups this season, but they needn’t try any more.
via Recap: Bucks 115, Hornets 95 – Brew Hoop.
The Bucks and Bobcats are headed in opposite directions, and the trade deadline has a lot to do with it. It’s a gamble, every time. We act like just adding pieces or replacing them will automatically improve the team, but you’ve got to look at it from a chemistry standpoint. That’s obvious, right? But it’s not as simple as “this guy’s a complainer” or “this guy’s got an ego.” It’s just about guys clicking. The Bucks? They’re clicking, folks. It’s rare that I’ve seen a traded player fit in so seamlessly on the floor as Salmons.
Most of that is a function of the fact that essentially, Salmons is just sliding into Redd’s spot. Salmons on the court isn’t trying to force himself into a leadership role, he’s just slashing and shooting. And it’s one of those trades where you look at it, and you can’t really believe you didn’t see its impact before.
Bogut is dominant right now. I’m not exaggerating. DOMINANT. There was nothing the Hornets could do last night, and they were bringing Okafor and a double team for large stretches of the game. Bogut’s combination of size, savvy, and touch is just not something teams are able to handle right now. They have a point guard tandem that can score in bursts or manage the game (Ridnour, who’s also shooting the lights out, even though he’s the Mike Bibby to my J.E. Skeets). They have a defensive stalwart in Mbah a Moute, and all of a sudden Carlos Delfino matters again. They’re playing smart, and well. For all the crap Scott Skiles has gotten over the years, he has this team playing really well and in line for a playoff push.
The Bobcats, on the other hand, are in trouble. Bonnell points out how essentially the Bobcats pushed past the really useful point of expecting to win and into the dreaded ‘entitlement’ phase. They’ve come to a standstill as long as you lock down on CapJack. Losing Flip Murray was a significant loss for them, one which Larry Brown should have anticipated. Adding Thomas helps you inside, but losing Murray brings that offense back a step when it had just become decent. Thomas scored 20 points last night, and maybe he really is becoming the guy most of us want him to be. But even with the injuries to their frontcourt, the Bobcats have to figure out how to get cohesive in a hurry.
