The Bucks got outrebounded last night 54-45, but they stepped up and made it a moot point.  Brandon Jennings led the way for the Bucks last night with 24 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists.  Stephen Jackson only shot 7 of 20 from the floor, but he still finished up with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.  Andrew Bogut also only shot 7 of 20 from the floor, but he finished up with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.  Rookie forward Jon Leuer pitched in with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots in only 20 minutes on the floor.  The Bucks are now 1-1 on the year.

The Bucks were outscored 55-43 in the 2nd half tonight and they were outrebounded 52-39, which were the two biggest reasons for the loss tonight.  Brandon Jennings (22 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists) and Andrew Bogut (17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot) led the way for the Bucks in this game.  Shaun Livingston had a solid game off the bench with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal in 35 minutes.  Beno Udrih (13 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists in 23 minutes) and Mike Dunleavy (13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on 3 of 12 shooting from the floor) also pitched in for the Bucks in this game.  The Bucks are now 0-1 on the year.

The Bucks have re-signed 24-year old forward Darington Hobson to a 2-year, partially guaranteed contract.  Hobson didn’t play in any games as a rookie for the Bucks  last year due to injury.  He had multiple hip surgeries last year, so the Bucks will probably take things slow with him going forward.  I don’t expect that he will get much P.T. for the Bucks in 2011-12.

The Bucks have matched the 4-year, $19 million dollar offer sheet that the Denver Nuggets gave to 25-year old forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.  Mbah a Moute played in 79 games (52 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 26.5 minutes, 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  He has now played in 234 games (166 starts) in his first three years with the Bucks and he is averaging 26.0 minutes, 6.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  The Bucks really like how Mbah a Moute does the dirty work by playing sold defense and rebounding.  This was a good move for the Bucks.

The Bucks have sent 31-year old guard Keyon Dooling and a protected 2012 2nd round pick to the Boston Celtics for a draft rights to 29-year old Albert Miralles.  Dooling played in 80 games (22 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 22.0 minutes, 7.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.  This was essentially a salary dump deal for the Bucks and little more.

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed 31-year old small forward Mike Dunleavy to a 2-year, $7.5 million dollar contract.  Dunleavy played in 61 games (44 starts) for the Pacers last year and he averaged 27.6 minutes, 11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  He shot 40.2% from three point range last year for the Pacers, which is outstanding for a big man.  Dunleavy has now played in 627 games (423 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 28.7 minutes, 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.  He will likely beat out Carlos Delfino and start at small forward for the Bucks.

The Bucks hope that this is the year that 27-year old center Andrew Bogut finally stays healthy.  He played in 65 games (all starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 35.3 minutes, 12.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.6 blocked shots per game.  He has now played in 396 games (388 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 32.8 minutes, 12.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 blocked shots per game.  Bogut is quite simply, the best player on the Bucks.  23-year old Larry Sanders will be Bogut’s primary backup in 2011-12.  Sanders played in 60 games (12 starts) as a rookie for the Bucks last year and he averaged 14.5 minutes, 4.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  He has a nice upside.  24-year old Jon Brockman will be #3 in line at likely both center and power forward for the Bucks this year.  He played in 63 games (6 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 10.7 points, 2.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  Brockman has now played in 115 games (10 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 11.6 minutes, 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.

30-year old Drew Gooden is healthy right now and the Bucks hope he stays that way.  He only played in 35 games (18 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 24.6 minutes, 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Gooden has now played in 615 games (447 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 27.5 minutes, 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  24-year old Ersan Ilyasova wants to stay in Turkey, where he is currently playing, but the Bucks want him back.  He played in 60 games (34 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 25.1 minutes, 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  Ilyasova has now played in 207 games (79 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 21.1 minutes, 8.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  22-year old rookie Jon Leuer out of Wisconsin will likely be brought along slowly.

29-year old Carlos Delfino will likely be the starting small forward for the Bucks once again in 2011-12.  Delfino played in 49 games (40 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 32.4 minutes, 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game.  He has now played in 386 games (112 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 21.6 minutes, 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.  19-year old Tobias Harris was picked in the first round of the NBA Draft last June.  He will likely be brought along slowly by the Bucks this year, but he has a huge upside.

33-year old Stephen Jackson is going to step in at shooting guard for the Bucks this year and add some serious firepower to the offense.  Jackson played in 67 games (all starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 35.9 minutes, 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  He has now played in 747 games (656 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 33.5 minutes, 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.  Adding a player of Jackson’s caliber on offense might convince Brandon Jennings to pass more this year, and that would be a good thing.