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Milwaukee Bucks Game Review: Familiar Faces, Familiar Places (.500)

By Preston Schmitt

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Feb 11, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Washington Wizards center Nene (42) goes for a layup against Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7), forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) and center Samuel Dalembert (21) at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Flashback to Jan. 7, 2012. The Bucks were reeling after four consecutive losses, dropping to 16-16 on the season. Head coach Scott Skiles parted ways with the team, and Jim Boylan took over as the season-long interim.

The Bucks responded by ripping off eight wins in 11 games, but the honeymoon didn’t last long. After last night’s 102-90 home loss to the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee has lost six of seven games and find themselves in a familiar place: .500 (25-25).

It appears the inevitable post-firing coach hot streak — or, in this case, the “Boylan Bump” — is now officially over.  The Bucks are featuring the same philosophy, system, players and talent under Boylan than they were with Skiles. Aside from a few minor changes, such as inserting Ersan Ilyasova into the starting lineup, little has actually changed.

In short, the Bucks are still what we thought they were coming into this season: a middling, inconsistent team that had — and still has –the potential to slightly overachieve or underachieve. The current four-game losing streak doesn’t change that; it simply magnifies it. With the trade deadline (Feb. 21) looming, owner Herb Kohl and general manager John Hammond will have to decide if they want to continue down the path of mediocrity and to the eighth seed.

To make matters worse, Larry Sanders isn’t recovering as expected from his lower back contusion and will seek a second opinion on the injury, according to Andrew Gruman of FS Wisconsin. The Bucks are now 1-4 this season without Sanders.

As for the game, it was an ugly, ugly performance by the Bucks. To capture the loss in all of its glory, here’s a page out of Jake McCormick’s book and a chronology of the game in tweets:

FIRST QUARTER: Up, Down and Hot Shooting

SECOND QUARTER: Lost Grip 

Udoh made a smooth running hook shot! But he nearly air balled his next post-up attempt:

Jennings’ decision to wear a headband is almost as consistent as his February shooting:

These things didn’t lasted long:

Neither did this:

THIRD QUARTER: Increasing Deficit, Negativity 

#LetErsanDunk:

Or not:

Dalembert literally slapped the opposing center in the face, albeit inadvertently. This apparently wasn’t his first offense.

FOURTH QUARTER: Free Falling 

Mbah a Moute eventually returned after spraining his left ankle:

Brandon Jennings after the loss to Detroit: “If I gotta take 20, 30 shots to win a game, that’s just what I’m gonna do.” (h/t Bucksketball)

Shades of Andrew Bogut’s tenure in Milwaukee:

One-word game summary:

Dalembert’s post defense was, shall we say, underwhelming. He also fouled out in 17 minutes.

The trade deadline clock is ticking:

Game, mercifully, over:

Yup:

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