| Milwaukee Bucks News: |
| ST. FRANCIS--The Milwaukee Bucks know how they can improve upon their 28-54 record from last year, and it sounds quite simple: Stay healthy.
But that may be easier said than done. "That's a challenge every NBA team faces," center Andrew Bogut said. As Milwaukee tips off the 2007-08 season on the road against the Orlando Magic tonight, there will be a big emphasis on health. That's because the Bucks saw how injuries decimated their roster last season. The Bucks got off to a decent start, hovering around .500 for the first two months. But then all of five of the team's projected opening night starters missed several games due to injury, and the absences all seemed to occur in the month of December. "Once we started to get on a roll in December, everything was starting to look good for us," said guard Charlie Bell, the only Bucks player to appear in all 82 games last season. "But then everything started to go downhill because of the injuries." At that time, Bogut was the only starter remaining in the lineup. Mo Williams, Michael Redd and Charlie Villanueva all missed several weeks with injuries. To make matters worse, Bobby Simmons, the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2005, was already out for the entire season with a right ankle injury. The injuries seemed to hit at once, leaving the Bucks helpless. "You look at what happened last year, I don't know what you could do," said Milwaukee coach Larry Krystkowiak, who at the time was an assistant under Terry Stotts. "A lot of it is out of your control." |
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| Milwaukee suffered an ugly 110-71 loss to the red hot Miami Heat on Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Bucks' bid for a season-best fourth consecutive 100-point game was foiled.
Michael Redd recorded 14 points to lead the Bucks, who suffered their worst- ever loss to the Heat. Milwaukee has dropped three in a row and six of its last eight games overall. Marcus Fizer had 11 points in the setback and Maurice Williams scored 10 for Milwaukee. The Heat shot 55-percent from the field compared to Milwaukee's paltry 32- percent. Milwaukee managed to hit just 4-of-15 (.267) from three-point range and 17-of-21 (.810) from the free throw line. The Bucks were outrebounded, 47-38, in the contest. Desmond Mason was held to seven points for Milwaukee. Mason is struggling with a strained left abdominal muscle. Milwaukee has slipped 12 games below .500 (25-37), six games out of the final playoff spot in the East. The Bucks are now just 7-24 on the road this season. The Bucks will try to get back on the winning track on Wednesday against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee will also host Washington on Friday before traveling to Denver on Sunday to start a five-game road trip. Milwaukee's downfall has been its defense this season, as it is allowing foes to hit 45.9 percent (25th) of their shots. The Bucks are surrendering 99.2 points (19th) per contest. |