Eric Bledsoe steals show as Bucks pull away from Rockets in key match up

MILWAUKEE — Eric Bledsoe stole the show in a marquee matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

With top-billing going to MVP front-runners Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden, the feisty Bucks’ guard turned in one his best all-around performances of the season as the Bucks pulled away for a 108-94 victory on Tuesday night.


Bledsoe poured in 23 points, including 16 in a decisive third quarter, and tightly guarded Harden for most of the game.

“I just try to play to my strengths,” Bledsoe said.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer praised Bledsoe’s all-around performance.

“To do what he did on both ends of the court, pretty special,” Budenholzer said. “I think he loves that challenge. I think he’s an incredible defender.”

Antetokounmpo had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Milwaukee, which improved to an NBA-best 56-19.

Harden scored 23 points and Chris Paul had 19 for Houston, which lost for just the third time in 17 games. Harden shot just 9 of 26, including 1 for 9 from 3-point range with Bledsoe closely guarding him throughout most of the game.

“We had our open shots. We couldn’t know them down,” Harden said. “We competed but they went on a run in that third quarter and that was it.”


After a tightly contested first half, the Bucks grabbed control in the third, sparked by Bledsoe’s clutch shooting. Leading by five at halftime, Milwaukee built a 19-point lead in the third. Bledsoe went 4 of 5 on 3-pointers in the period after missing his only two attempts in the first half. His third-quarter output, which included a single-handed 11-0 run, nearly matched the 18 points scored by Houston.

“Everybody got energy out of that and we played even harder,” Antetokounmpo said.

Milwaukee held the Rockets at bay for most of the final quarter, maintaining a double-digit lead throughout before clearing the bench with about a minute left.

The Rockets jumped out early, building a 10-point first-quarter lead without Harden doing the bulk of the scoring. Danuel House Jr. paced Houston with nine points in the period, making all three of his 3-point attempts. The Bucks struggled in the opening period, shooting just 8 of 25, including 3 for 13 from deep. Khris Middleton missed all six of his shots in the first quarter.

Milwaukee fought back in the second and eventually grabbed the lead. A key sequence came midway through the quarter when, after a basket by Ersan Ilyasova, Bledsoe stole the inbounds pass, scored and then stood face-to-face with Harden under the basket as the crowd roared.

The Bucks led 58-53 at the break, paced by Antetokounmpo’s 13 points and eight rebounds.

Houston coach Mike D’Antoni blamed an uncharacteristic rash of turnovers in the second quarter for allowing the Bucks to grab the lead.

“We got sloppy,” D’Antoni said. “We turned the ball over four times in transition, errant passes that they capitalized on.”

INJURY BUG

The Bucks have been beset with injuries that have altered their lineup. When starting guard Malcolm Brogdon went down with a partial plantar fascia tear earlier this month, Budenholzer replaced him with Nikola Mirotic, who then injured his left thumb and likely is sidelined for the rest of the regular season. Tony Snell, who stepped in for Mirotic, is out with a sprained ankle. Sterling Brown, who sat out 13 games with right wrist soreness before returning to the lineup last week, started against the Rockets. And now, rookie Donte DiVincenzo is expected to miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs due to heel bursitis that has forced him to miss 28 games. DiVincenzo, the 17th overall pick in the draft, is expected to get an injection to address the problem.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Gordon started despite dealing with an injured right ankle sustained Sunday. … F/C Kenneth Faried sat out with a sore left knee. … G/F Gerald Green is expected to be out for seven to 10 days with a strained adductor.

Bucks: G Donte DiVincenzo (bilateral heel bursitis), C Pau Gasol (left ankle soreness) remained out, along with Mirotic and Brogdon.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Center of attention: Bucks’ Brook Lopez lights out from 3

MILWAUKEE — A new nickname for Brook Lopez started floating around Twitter after the Milwaukee Bucks 7-footer had a career night from the 3-point line.

“Splash Mountain .” How appropriate for a self-described Disney aficionado who is quickly developing a reputation as one of the best-shooting big men in the NBA.


“I’m pretty partial to that honestly,” Lopez said with a laugh about the moniker this week. “I’m a pretty big Disney geek … I wear it with pride on my sleeve.”

Keep shooting the way he did on Sunday against the Nuggets and he might challenge the “Splash Brothers” in Golden State for 3-point supremacy.

Lopez hit a career-best eight 3s and scored 28 points to help the Bucks beat Denver to split a four-game Western Conference road trip.

This wasn’t just a one-night-only performance, either.

Entering the Bucks’ game on Wednesday night against Memphis, Lopez was tied for seventh in the league in made 3s (39) and was 14th in attempts (93), shooting 41.9 percent from behind the arc.

A career 34 3-point shooter, Lopez said he had hoped coming into his first season in Milwaukee was to eclipse 40 percent.

“Not necessarily that I’m going in worrying about makes or misses, but that’s a personal goal,” Lopez said. “You have to go in with a mindset, just if you’re open you’re going to shoot your shot.”

It’s a remarkable goal when considering just how far Lopez has come along as a 3-point shooter in such a short period of time.

The 11-year veteran spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Nets after being drafted 10th overall in the first round out of Stanford in the 2008 draft. But he didn’t hit his first 3 until Jan. 10, 2015 , when he was 1 for 2 in a 98-93 loss to the Detroit Pistons.


It was the only 3 he would hit that season. He made just two the following season.

The transformation happened before the 2016-17 season, when Kenny Atkinson became head coach after serving as assistant under then-Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer.

“At the time, it was kind of the system that we ran in Brooklyn,” Lopez recounted in explaining why he took up the 3. “It was something he wanted to implement, and he had great confidence that I could do it.”

Lopez said he was already comfortable hitting mid-range and long jumpers in game situations. Spotting up from behind the arc was something he did in pickup games with friends growing up, but he didn’t have the confidence to shoot 3s in games.

So he put in a lot of work on his shot before the 2016-17 season, working out in team drills where they would practice five-out looks. Personal workouts were devoted to shooting 3s.

“It was a step just from shooting them, and my practice and workouts, and shooting them in games,” Lopez said. “You just have to confidence to shoot them in games.”

Lopez was 3 of 31 combined from 3-point territory over his first eight seasons. He was 134 for 387 (34.6 percent) in 2016-17.

Lopez moved on to the Lakers last season, when he was 112 of 325 from 3 (34.5 percent). He’s well on pace to shatter that his career bests in just 13 games with the Bucks .

Milwaukee is undergoing its own transformation with Budenholzer now coaching of the team. He has instituted a similar system Taking Milwaukee that stresses proper spacing and taking good shots. If a 3 isn’t there, All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo can be unstoppable driving to the lane.

If defenses collapse on Antetokounmpo, he can find open shooters on the perimeter like Lopez.

“You talk to old coaches, old teammates, front-office people that have been around Brook, you almost have to ask him to get off the court” in practice, Budenholzer said.

Appropriately, Lopez took some extra time after practice, shooting 3s with guards Tony Snell and Pat Connaughton before finally wrapping up.

“So the way that he’s grown his game and become just a really effective 3-point shooter, a really effective player, that takes work,” Budenholzer said. “And I think we’re all reaping the benefit of that.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

McCollum’s 40 lifts Trail Blazers past Bucks

PORTLAND, Oregon — CJ McCollum scored 40 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat Milwaukee 118-103 on Tuesday night, handing the Bucks their second loss in 10 games this season.

McCollum, who entered shooting well below his career averages, went 17 for 26 from the field and added six assists. Evan Turner had 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Blazers (8-3).

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 23 points and nine rebounds. Brook Lopez shot 6 for 10 from 3-point range and finished with 22 points.

In the third quarter, McCollum put on a show. He scored 19 points and made Bucks rookie guard Donte DiVincenzo fall down on a crossover move before hitting a basket, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Portland led by 14 after three.

The game began with a fast pace that carried on throughout in a meeting between two of the top five offenses in the NBA.

Portland outscored the Bucks 33-31 in the first quarter as both teams shot better than 50 percent from the floor and the 3-point line.

TIP-INS

Bucks: With new coach Mike Budenholzer in charge, Milwaukee is playing a much different style this season. After being a bottom-five team in 3-point attempts last season, the Bucks came in second in the NBA in 3-point tries with 41 per game. That included their 117-113 loss at Boston in which they put up 55 3-pointers. “Yeah, it’s a lot,” Budenholzer said. “The game is always evolving with teams, coaches and players trying to figure out what gives them the best chance. The skill of players now today is special, so trying to push that envelope.”

Trail Blazers: One of the biggest changes for the Trail Blazers this season has been utilizing Turner as the primary ball-handler on their second unit. The results have led to one of the best bench units in the NBA so far, ranking ninth in scoring. “The second unit comes in, their ball movement, their execution — they’re playing with each other,” Budenholzer said. “They take advantage if the defense overcommits or over-rotates. They’re playing really well together. Evan Turner is kind of a great setup guy with that group. It’s interesting to see how they’ve changed a little bit and how it’s working for them.”

UP NEXT

Bucks: At the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Trail Blazers: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Expectations rise as Giannis, Bucks move into new arena

MILWAUKEE  — In his never-ending quest to improve, Giannis Antetokounmpo connected in the offseason with one of the NBA’s retired greats.

No way was the Milwaukee Bucks star going to be late for a summer workout with Kobe Bryant.


But showing up three hours early? That sends a message.

It’s all part of an effort by Antetokounmpo to help get the Bucks take another step in the postseason.

“I just wanted to show him I’m not here to mess around … I’m here to get better, simple as that. I think he understood that,” Antetokounmpo said. “It was an amazing day. It was a dream working out with Kobe.”

Expectations are on the rise in Milwaukee after three first-round exits over the last four seasons. The Bucks are moving into a new downtown arena, the Fiserv Forum, and new coach Mike Budenholzer has experience winning playoff series.

The Bucks hope they’ll be able to get a top-four seed. Whatever the case, they believe they have the talent to get out of the first round.

It’s just the type of growth that the ownership group envisioned after buying the team in 2014.

“When you look at what’s happened, every year has gotten better. Look, there are a lot of expectations on us … from the fans, from the team, from the coaching staff,” co-owner Marc Lasry said. “I think our goal is you want to keep on evolving and you want to keep on getting better.”

SPACING IT OUT

Boxes outlined in blue tape lined spots around the 3-point line of the Bucks’ practice court on the first day of training camp, a sign of one of Budenholzer’s philosophical priorities. He wants his team to shoot 3s.


The hope is that proper spacing also helps open more 1-on-1 opportunities for Antetokounmpo to do what he does best: get to the lane for a dunk or a foul call. The Greek star also has the ability to dish to a teammate for an open shot, too.

“I think it’s the best thing for Giannis to use his ability to just beat people 1-on-1,” forward Ersan Ilyasova said. “That’s why we try to give him more space and be in those blue boxes.”

GET BACK

The offensive philosophy goes hand-in-hand with the focus on transition defense at camp. A missed 3 means the Bucks need to get back quickly to prevent a quick bucket by the opponent.

“That’s where your defense starts. If you’re not good in transition, then you’re probably not going to be good, or you’re going to be taking it out of the net and playing a lot of offense,” Budenholzer said.

AT THE CORE

Antetokounmpo is still only 23, but he’s entering his sixth season in the NBA. In his seventh year in the league, Khris Middleton is coming off his first season in which he averaged more than 20 points while playing all 82 regular-season games. Point guard Eric Bledsoe is going into his first full season with the Bucks after being acquired in November in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Both Middleton and Bledsoe are going into the last years of their contracts, though Middleton does have an option in 2019.

ON GUARD

Third-year player Malcolm Brogdon is healthy again after missing much of last season with a quad injury, returning just in time for the first-round playoff loss to Boston. The absence of the 2017 NBA rookie of the year deprived the Bucks of one of their best two-way players. Expected to start in the backcourt next to Bledsoe, Brogdon can hit 3s and handle the ball. He also offers a fearless presence in driving to the rim.

BIG SIGNINGS

The Bucks’ biggest offseason addition was the hiring of Budenholzer. General manager Jon Horst made less splashy moves in free agency with the signings of Ilyasova and 7-foot center Brook Lopez, though their additions could be just as important. Drafted by the Bucks in 2005, the 6-foot-10 Ilyasova is in his third career stint with Milwaukee. Lopez, an 11-year veteran, figures to start at center. Both will be asked to contribute from the perimeter.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Clippers rally to beat Bucks, improve playoff hopes

LOS ANGELES — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, DeAndre Jordan had a double-double and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied after blowing a 16-point lead to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-98 on Tuesday night and boost their playoff hopes.

The Clippers hit six 3-pointers in the fourth, when they were down by five and launched a 13-0 run to go back in front 96-88.

They made 3-pointers on four straight possessions — by four different players — for a 105-96 lead.

Jordan had 12 points and 16 rebounds, and Lou Williams added 16 points off the bench.

Los Angeles trails Minnesota by 1 ½ games for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.

Milos Teodosic got their 3-point run going in the first quarter, when he made four of the Clippers’ seven 3-pointers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points and Khris Middleton added 22 for the Bucks, who opened a four-game Western Conference swing by having their two-game winning streak snapped.

The Clippers came out strongly to start the second quarter, extending their lead to 16 on a dunk by Williams.

But Middleton and the Bucks chipped away, outscoring the Clippers 26-15 in the third. Antetokounmpo had 10 points to help send Milwaukee into the fourth leading 82-78.

The Bucks ended the third on a 9-0 run, including back-to-back baskets by Tyler Zeller that gave them their first lead since the initial basket of the game.

TIP-IN

Bucks: Backup C Thon Maker sat out with a right groin strain. … Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers attended.

Clippers: They have won five of seven against the Bucks, including a 127-120 win last week. … F Danilo Gallinari (right hand contusion, non-displaced fracture) could return Friday at Portland or Sunday against Indiana. He’s missed 17 games with the latest in a string of injuries this season.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Visit Golden State on Thursday. They lost to the Warriors 108-94 at home on Jan. 12.

Clippers: Visit Phoenix on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back, their last one of the season. They are 3-7 on the road in the second game.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Antetokounmpo scores 41 points as Bucks torch Nets

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 41 points and 13 rebounds to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-91 on Friday night.

Antetokounmpo returned after sitting out two games to manage chronic pain in his right knee. He sealed it late, dribbling between his legs before hitting a jumper over Quincy Acy and drawing a foul. Antetokounmpo made the free throw, and hit a 3-pointer on the next possession.

Khris Middleton added 21 points for the Bucks in their second game since coach Jason Kidd was fired Monday. They also beat the Nets for the ninth consecutive time.

DeMarre Carroll and D’Angelo Russell had 14 points apiece for Brooklyn.

Milwaukee built a 26-point first-half lead. Brooklyn, which had just 35 points at the half, scored 37 in the third quarter and got within seven points late in the period.

The Nets, coming off a one-point loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, struggled offensively throughout the first half, connecting on just 26 percent of their shots, including 4 of 20 from 3-point range. Milwaukee led 58-35 at the half.

The Bucks opened on a 16-2 run and led 33-15 after the quarter, led by Antetokounmpo with 11 points.

TROUBLE FOR BROWN

Police officers used a stun gun on Bucks rookie guard Sterling Brown and arrested the 22-year-old Friday after a confrontation at a pharmacy parking lot. “It’s a personal issue I’m dealing with right now,” Brown said before the game. Brown had what appeared to be a bruise and scratches on the right side of his face. Officers contacted a man believed to be Brown after seeing a vehicle parked across two handicapped parking spots while doing a business check at about 2 a.m. Asked if there could be any discipline for Brown, coach Joe Prunty said: “We believe it will be resolved quickly.” Brown entered the game midway through the first quarter.

TIP-INS

Nets: Brooklyn shot just 22 percent in the first quarter, including 2 of 13 from 3-point range. … Rondae Hollis-Jefferson limped off the court midway the second quarter with a strained right groin and didn’t return. … Brooklyn made buzzer-beating 3-pointers at the end of the first and second quarters.

Bucks: G Malcolm Brogdon missed the game due to right calf soreness. … Former Milwaukee player Vin Baker has been hired as an assistant coach. Baker most recently served as a pre- and postgame analyst for Bucks telecasts and served as a volunteer coaching assistant. … Milwaukee Brewers players Josh Hader, Brett Phillips and Jacob Barnes sat courtside.

UP NEXT

Nets: At Minnesota on Saturday night.

Bucks: At Chicago on Sunday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Antetokounmpo says Kidd helped him grow into dominant player

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo grew from a reed-thin, inexperienced teenager into one of the NBA’s dominant players under the tutelage of coach Jason Kidd, whom the Milwaukee Bucks fired earlier in the week with the team mired in mediocrity despite high expectations.

Kidd’s abrupt and surprising dismissal Monday has taken an emotional toll on the All-Star forward, affectionately known as the “Greek Freak.”

“He’s a big part of my success in the league,” Antetokounmpo said after Wednesday’s practice in his first public comments since the coaching change. “I’m loyal to the people I work with. I love him as a person. I care about him as a person.”

Informed by Bucks’ management of the planned firing even before Kidd learned his fate, Antetokounmpo called his soon-to-be ex-coach to break the news.

“It was one of the toughest calls I had to make,” he said. “We are going to miss him.”

Joe Prunty, a member of Kidd’s staff, has been named interim coach for the remainder of the season. He directed the team to a 109-105 win over Phoenix on Monday, just hours after taking over the team.

Kidd became Milwaukee’s coach a few months after a group led by co-owners Wes Edens and Mark Lasry bought the team in April 2014. The Bucks traded two future second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets, where Kidd had been coach, as compensation. He inherited a team that won 15 games in 2013-14. Under Kidd, the Bucks had a regular-season record of 139-152.

Milwaukee is 9-12 since going a season-high five games over .500 on Dec. 9.

Asked whether he believed Kidd should have been fired, Antetokounmpo, who reportedly offered to go to the team’s owners to try to save Kidd’s job, said: “It’s in the front office’s hands. Whatever they can do to make this team a championship level team, it can happen. If it’s me being traded, or the coach being fired.”

Kidd is the second coach to be fired since the Bucks selected Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft. Antetokounpmo played one season under Larry Drew, who was dismissed in June 2014.

“I was only 18,” Antetokoummpo said. “I didn’t even know how the NBA worked. (Kidd’s firing) hurts a little bit more because he was here for 3 1/2 years. He trusted me. He put the ball in my hands. He pushed me to be great.”

Antetokounmpo is expected to return to action when the Bucks take on Brooklyn in Milwaukee on Friday. He sat out the past two games as he continues to manage chronic pain in his right knee.

“I feel great. I’m ready to go,” he said. “I feel energized.”

Prunty said his players “gave good energy” in the first full practice since he took the reins.

“These are a tough few days,” Prunty said. “We need to focus on whether we are getting better.”

The Bucks have said that Prunty will be considered for the permanent job after the season. The hire will be especially crucial as the Bucks prepare to move into a new arena.

“It’s hard to talk about that aspect of it right now,” Prunty said. “This isn’t about me, especially under these circumstances.”

Malcolm Brogdon, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, praised Prunty’s positive demeanor.

“In times of struggle, we tend to pout and take our foot off the gas. We can’t do that,” Brogdon said. “He’s a good coach to have when we are going through those struggles.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Antetokounmpo scores 27 as Bucks beat Grizzlies

MILWAUKEE — After being torched for 65 points in the first half, the Milwaukee Bucks turned up the defensive pressure against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Milwaukee held Memphis to 12 points in the third quarter to get back into the game and pulled away late in the fourth for a 110-103 victory.

“In the first half, it was a shoot-around,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought in the second half we focused on the defensive end.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bucks.

“We want to be a defensive team,” Antetokounmpo said. “Sometimes we make mistakes and forget who we are.”
Memphis coach David Fizdale said the Grizzlies lacked intensity in the third quarter.

“We try to pride ourselves on our toughness and I didn’t think we held up our end of the bargain tonight,” Fizdale said. “That third quarter, we just didn’t come out ready to compete. That was the big difference in the game.”

Khris Middleton and John Henson had 17 points apiece as Milwaukee won a season-high third straight. Henson made eight of 10 shots in his highest-scoring game this season.

Tyreke Evans scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for Memphis, and Dillon Brooks added 19 points.

After the Bucks threatened to pull away late in the third, Evans scored nine consecutive points to pull Memphis into an 84-all tie early in the fourth quarter. Memphis pulled ahead on Dillon Brooks’ 3-pointer with about nine minutes left. Milwaukee tied it on Tony Snell’s corner 3. A soft drop-in by Antetokounmpo put the Bucks ahead 100-96 with just under five minutes remaining, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Normally that game gets away from us,” Kidd said. “When we came back with the starters, we went on a run, but it started on the defensive end.”

The Bucks got off to a strong start, shooting 65 percent from the field in the first quarter, including 6 for 6 on 3-pointers, to take a 34-29 lead.

“It was confidence boost to see shots go down,” Middleton said.

Memphis hit 10 of its first 11 shots in the second quarter to take a 10-point lead with 4:24 left in the half. Milwaukee made just one of six shots from long-range in the quarter, but pulled to 65-60 at the break, led by Antetokounmpo’s 12 points in the period.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Fizdale said he is taking a positive approach with point guard Mike Conley, who has struggled with his shooting this season. He made 2 of 12 shots against the Bucks after entering the game shooting 40 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point range.

“Be positive. There’s no beating the players up over struggles,” Fizdale said. “It’s not the way to get them out of it, and it’s never been my approach. Mike has had a nagging injury and can’t control that.”

BANG FOR THE BUCK

Fizdale believes the Bucks improved considerably with the recent acquisition of Eric Bledsoe from the Phoenix Suns.

“You add Eric Bledsoe to anybody’s team and you are going to be way more concerned,” Fizdale said.

“Obviously, there’s the pace and the speed that he brings to the game. His tenacity, his toughness, his ability to get to the rim. They are going to be something to reckon with this year with him.”

TIP-INS

Grizzlies: Wrapped up a five-game trip with a 2-3 record. Chalmers fouled out with 2:19 remaining.

Bucks: Middleton, who entered the game shooting 26 percent from 3-point range, hit his first three attempts from beyond the arc. … Bledsoe started but was a game-time decision with a knee contusion. “He got hit. It was sore,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “He was good yesterday. This morning he woke up and it was a little sore.” … F Mirza Teletovic missed his third straight game with left knee soreness.

UP NEXT

Grizzlies: Host Indiana on Wednesday night in the first of four consecutive home games.
Bucks: Host Detroit on Wednesday night to wrap up a three-game homestand.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hayward vows to be ‘all right’ after broken left leg

 

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward vowed he "will be all right" in a video message Wednesday after a gruesome left leg injury from which he is expected to make a full recovery.

Hayward appeared in a video message from his hospital bed before the Celtics' home opener against Milwaukee just a night after suffering the injury in a 102-99 loss at Cleveland.

"I'm going to be all right," Hayward said in a video shown on the arena scoreboard. "It's hurting me that I can't be there for the home opener.

"I want nothing more than to be with my teammates and walk out on that floor tonight. But I'll be supporting you guys from here and wishing you the best of luck."

Hayward was flown back to Boston and taken to New England Baptist Hospital, where doctors diagnosed Hayward with a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Hayward is expected to fully recover but would not estimate a timetable for when he might return until after surgery, which ESPN reported would be conducted Wednesday night.

Stevens visited Hayward on Wednesday morning and spoke with him about the difficult recovery and rehabilitation period to come.

"He's feeling down," Stevens said. "Obviously there's a physical pain to it, but I think it's doubled by the emotional pain in that he put a lot of effort into trying to start his career out well in Boston."

Former Utah Jazz star Hayward, 27, signed a four-year deal worth $128 million with the Celtics in the off-season, expected to team with guard Kyrie Irving and big man Al Horford as an All-Star trio to make the Celtics title contenders.

But he lasted barely five minutes into the opener before making an awkward landing while attempting an alley-oop basket off a pass from Irving and his foot twisted at a horrific angle. Players from both teams were stunned as medical staff rushed onto the court to treat him.

"This is a setback," Stevens said. "But we're expecting a full recovery. We know there will be a lot of tough days ahead on that recovery, but at the same time, I think hopefully he'll improve day-to-day."

Stevens hopes playing well for Hayward can become a motivating factor for a young squad.

"They do want to play well for Gordon. I think the biggest thing is they really care about Gordon," Stevens said. "He has made a big impact on them.

"Certainly you miss that and that camaraderie, but one of the tasks that we have now is to pick up steam for him." — Agence France-Presse

Powell carries Raptors past Bucks for 3-2 series lead

TORONTO — Norm Powell scored a career playoff-high 25 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 10 assists and the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-93 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Monday (Tuesday Manila time).

Serge Ibaka scored 19 points and DeMar DeRozan had 18 for the Raptors, who can advance to face defending champion Cleveland in the second round with a victory in Game 6 at Milwaukee on Thursday night.

Many in the sellout crowd of 20,251 rose to their feet and chanted ‘Raps in six’ in the final minute of the game.

Toronto lost Game 6 on the road at Indiana in the first round and at Miami in the second round last year, rebounding to win Game 7 at home each time. They were eliminated in six games in the Eastern Conference Final against the Cavs, losing at home in the clincher.

DeMarre Carroll scored 12 points as all five Raptors starters reached double figures. Cory Joseph had 10 points off the bench for Toronto.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 30 points and nine rebounds while Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 points and Greg Monroe had 11. Milwaukee has lost back-to-back games after routing Toronto 104-77 in Game 3.

Making his second straight start, Powell connected on all four of his 3-point attempts and went 5 for 5 at the free-throw line. He brought the crowd to its feet with a baseline dunk over Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker in the fourth quarter.

Ibaka and Powell each scored nine points in the first and the Raptors used a 17-0 run to open a 31-20 lead after the opening quarter. Milwaukee committed five turnovers in the first, leading to 10 points for Toronto.

After shooting 1 for 6 in the first, Antetokounmpo was a perfect 6 for 6 in the second, scoring 13 points to help the Bucks close the gap. Lowry had 12 for Toronto, which led 57-48 at halftime.

Powell scored 12 points in the third as the Raptors widened their lead again, taking a 90-73 edge into the final quarter.

Monroe and Jonas Valanciunas were called for double technicals after a minor shoving match under the Milwaukee basket in the third. After Valanciunas took exception to a hard foul from Khris Middleton, Monroe pushed his own teammate out of the way so he could shove Valanciunas.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Guarding Bucks’ Giannis presents Raptors a playoff puzzle

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo presents a defensive conundrum for the Toronto Raptors.

Assign a shorter player on the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks star can take advantage on the block. Put a taller player on him and the athletic Antetokounmpo might blow past him to the hoop.

Antetokounmpo is a highlight-reel regular for dunks in transition. He can make opponents pay for double-teams, too.

The Raptors need to figure this problem out beginning Saturday, when the Bucks visit the Air Canada Centre to open a first-round series in the NBA playoffs.

“It’s not going to be a one-man job. It’s going to be a team effort to guard him,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “But him in transition, it’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare.”

Antetokounmpo blossomed into an All-Star in his first full season since coach Jason Kidd made him a primary ball-handler. He became the first player in NBA history to finish a season in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He’s just the fifth player in league history to lead a team in every statistical category for a season, according to the Bucks.

With 42 wins, the Bucks finished above .500 for the first time since 2009-10. Now, they’d like to advance past the first round for the first time since going to the conference finals in 2001 with Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson leading the way.

By comparison, Raptors are grizzled veterans with four straight postseason trips. They lost to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals last season in six games.

“People don’t expect us to beat the Raptors,” Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon said. “We’re going in with that underdog mentality to prove people wrong. We’ve been proving people wrong up to this point and we’re going to continue to do so.”

Antetokounmpo’s emergence is a big reason why the Bucks are back in the postseason for the second time in three seasons. Six-foot-8 forward DeMarre Carroll will likely draw the first turn defending him, with 6-foot-6 forward P.J. Tucker also taking the assignment. The Raptors might also use a zone, Casey said Tuesday.

Antetokounmpo averaged 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games this year against Toronto.

“We’ve got to bait him to shoot more jumpers,” Carroll said. “I think a thousand of his shot attempts have been layups … but he’s also deadly distributing the ball and getting others involved.”

Other notes and things to watch in the series:

GETTING DEFENSIVE

Raptors president Masai Ujiri thinks the team’s defense is better than last year, aided by the addition of 6-foot-10 forward Serge Ibaka. Carroll, Tucker and the 6-9 Patrick Patterson also give Toronto versatile defenders who might be able to match up with Antetokounmpo and 6-foot-11 center Greg Monroe, who can hit jumpers and maneuver deftly in the paint.

YOUNG BUT MORE EXPERIENCED

The Bucks have one of the youngest cores in the league, but they did add some playoff experience to their roster by adding Tony Snell (Bulls), Matthew Dellavedova (Cavaliers) and Mirza Teletovic (Nets) in the offseason. Jason Terry, a 17-year veteran, provides leadership and 3-point shooting off the bench.

GUARDING THE GUARDS

Toronto’s Kyle Lowry (22.4 points, 7.0 assists) and DeMar DeRozan (27.3 points) form one of the toughest backcourts in the NBA. The 6-foot-7 Snell will draw the 6-7 DeRozan on defense. Brogdon, a rookie, will be tested by Lowry at point guard.

TORONTO BUG

Tucker was sent home from practice on Friday after showing signs of a bug that also affected DeRozan, Lowry and Casey this week. DeRozan sat out the season finale at Cleveland. The illness doesn’t appear serious, with Tucker expected to play Saturday.

DOWN THE STRETCH
Mired at six games under .500 going into March, the Bucks went 16-8 over the last six weeks of the season to get into the playoffs. They hope the success under postseason-like intensity carries over into the Raptors series.

“For those (six) weeks were in must-win games,” forward Khris Middleton said Friday. “That’s what the playoffs are all about, taking one game at a time, one possession at a time.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bucks coach Kidd to have hip surgery

Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd is to undergo hip surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely, the team announced on Sunday.

Kidd, in his second year with the Bucks, will have the procedure on Monday and assistant coach Joe Prunty will take over the head coaching duties in his absence.

"I have every confidence in Joe to lead our team during my absence," Kidd told the team's website.

"I tried to put off surgery for as long as I could, but after consulting with my doctor, he advised that the best course of action was to have the procedure now."

Kidd's hip ailment is a chronic condition that dates back to his playing days.

A 10-time All Star, Kidd enjoyed a highly successful 19-year career before delving straight into head coaching following his retirement in 2013.

He guided Brooklyn to the playoffs in his rookie coaching season, then led Milwaukee to the post-season in his first year at the helm of the Bucks last season.

Milwaukee are off to a disappointing 11-18 start this campaign, though they are the only team to beat defending champions Golden State (26-1). — Reuters

NBA: Bucks coach banned one game for slapping ball from official

Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd has been suspended one game for an on-court outburst that saw him slap a ball out of a referee's hands in a game earlier this week, the National Basketball Association said on Friday.

The incident occurred while Kidd was arguing a call and resulted in a technical foul and ejection from Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings, which the Bucks went on to lose 129-118.

Kidd needed to be restrained by several members of his team before being escorted off the court.

Kidd, a former player who won an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, will serve his suspension without pay later on Friday when Milwaukee visit the Orlando Magic.  — Reuters