In a central division that features the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers, the LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers and the resurgent Chicago Bulls, it is easy to forget about the Milwaukee Bucks. After all, the Bucks stumbled to a 30-52 record last year, and their biggest win was in the NBA Draft Lottery.
But this year, the reloaded Bucks have the look of a legitimate playoff contender. Prior to their Tuesday night loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee was 4-1 with wins over a few of the Eastern Conference's finest.
On Saturday night, the Bucks erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off the Pacers and improve to 4-1 on the season.
The Bucks started the game sluggishly, falling behind by 16 at the half. Even a 31-point third quarter could not get them back into the game as the Pacers extended their lead to 95-82 on a Fred Jones dunk with 3:39 left in the ballgame.
At that point, however, the Bucks scored eight unanswered points to clip the lead to 95-90 with 2:08 to play. Milwaukee did not score again until Michael Redd hit two free throws with 49 seconds to cut the Pacer lead to five at 97-92. Redd added another six points over the next 42 seconds to tie the score at 100 on three made free throws.
The Pacers had a chance to take a two-point lead when Jones drew a foul, but he split a pair of free throws, part of a 6-of-16 stretch for the Pacers from the foul line in the final minutes. The Bucks capitalized when Maurice Williams hit a long three at the buzzer that gave Milwaukee a 103-101 win.
It was not a pretty loss for the Pacers, but it illustrated what has allowed the Bucks to surge early in the season. With Redd leading the offense, the Bucks can score. After a slow start, they tallied 63 points in the second half of Saturday's game. Even after struggling to score against the red-hot Clippers, the Bucks are averaging 103.8 points per game, giving them the second-best offense in the league behind the Phoenix Suns.
The Bucks' early success is the fruit of a busy offseason. Their first priority was retaining Redd, who flirted with joining James and the Cavs, but signed a $91 million contract over the next six years in Milwaukee instead. So far this season, Redd has done what he was paid to do - score points - throwing in 26.3 points per game to lead the team.
After retaining their star, the Bucks shored up the small forward and center positions by adding free agent Bobby Simmons and drafting Andrew Bogut. The Simmons signing made fellow small forward Desmond Mason expendable and the Bucks moved him to New Orleans in exchange for burly center Jamaal Magloire.
Each move has paid dividends. Simmons has contributed 14 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Bogut has contributed eight points and 7.8 rebounds, while Magloire has added 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game.
The Bucks received another boost when they learned TJ Ford would return from a horrific neck injury that has kept him off the court the last two years. While Ford has struggled at times with his shot, he looks like a decent candidate for Comeback Player of the Year with 15.3 points, nine assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Ford's reemergence has allowed Williams to come off the bench, and he has been deadly averaging 16.3 points in just 25.5 minutes per game.
The Bucks' proficient offense has powered them to wins over the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Miami Heat. The only thing that has held Milwaukee back has been its swiss-cheese defense, which has allowed 104.2 points per game, fourth worst in the NBA.
The Pistons are undefeated and the Cavs have won five in a row, including a big win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. With Ron Artest back and playing well, the Pacers also promise to be one of the top teams in the league. While the Bucks' high-speed attack allows for some errors, they will have to tighten their defense if they want to compete in what is shaping up as one of the league's toughest divisions.
