{image1} There are some new kids on the block for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers are no longer the walk-the-ball-up-the-court, Dick Bennett-style team. And the Bucks have a new star in the making who could be the crunch-time player the organization's been searching for since Sidney Moncrief hung up his sneakers.
Get the Ball to Desmond
Everyone knows how explosive Desmond Mason can be. His dunks are legendary, and his athleticism is unmatched. Now his overall game is catching up with his talent, and it may be time to hand him the keys to the Bucks' future.
Publicity and hype usually go to Michael Redd, and up until now, deservedly so. Redd is a 20-ppg all-star shooting guard. But the problem is he has "Ray Allen's" disease, but not his skills. Redd struggles to get his shot and settles for his jumper rather than attacking the basket.
Crunch-time players get you impossible shots (if they can even get into a scoring position). The last two games have been a microcosm of this problem.
It's crunch time, and our all-star is nowhere to be found. Yes, Redd was being locked down by Kobe, but if he is the go-to guy then why is Mo Williams taking all of the shots? Especially when Mason already has 32 points.
Terry Porter is partially to blame. When the Bucks needed a hoop in the Lakers and Celtics games, Porter called for a high pick-and-roll with Williams and Keith Van Horn. Not exactly Stockton to Malone.
Mason should've had the ball. He's been able to play both inside and outside and most importantly get himself to the free-throw line by attacking the basket -- offering more scoring options than a do-or-die jump shot.
NBA teams are constantly searching for players who will either score the basket or get themselves to the line consistently inside of two minutes. How can you lose if you continue to score?
Mason is morphing into a Moncrief-type player. He is a mid-sized guard who posts up but also explodes to the basket. He's adequate from the outside and is a legitimate lockdown defender. And when the Bucks needed a hoop, the ball went to Moncrief, who either scored or went to the line.
Redd is a fine player, but he doesn't have the skill to take over. If the Bucks plan on succeeding without a true point guard, they will need to feed the ball to Mason and let him do it on his own. Mason is proving he can be the go-to guy in crunch time. The trick is to get everyone else on the same page.
Not the Old Badgers
One thing the Badgers proved Tuesday in the win over Maryland is they have made the transition from the Dick Bennett era to the Bo Ryan era. Pressing, running and overall aggressiveness is a Ryan staple that goes back to his days at UW-Platteville.
The team's confidence stood out, too. The swagger that Sharif Chambliss and Kammron Taylor provide the team is contagious. It sometimes leads to quick shots, but it also led to Chambliss' "ice-water" three to put the game away. This is a far cry from the days of Mike Kelley, who was a fabulous leader, but strictly a defensive stopper.
This Badger team has the right mix of veteran stability in Mike Wilkinson and Zack Morely, youthful exuberance in Taylor, Michael Flowers and Brian Butch and a bonafide up-and-coming superstar in Alando Tucker. Tucker was absolutely unstoppable. His game is much like what Desmond Mason's was at Oklahoma State, explosive and versatile.
One thing's for sure, this team will be fun to watch. The players' athleticism is unparalleled in the Big Ten except for Illinois. For the first time ever, words like press, fast break and track meet describe the Badgers. If Ryan can get enough disciplined play out of his team, the Badgers should be right at the top of the Big Ten.
