I am a hometown fan and forever the optimist. I have never written a team. I must have too much time on my hands. There are things I could/should be doing. But, what can I say, I love basketball. I have always rooted for the home town team. And, as a youth league coach, I can’t help but have opinions about the team and what it should be doing to maximize its potential. I view each season as a new beginning, a new opportunity-a chance to build on the positives from the previous season and learn from and let go of the negatives. So, whatever it’s worth coming from a guy like me, I would like to pose a few questions, comments, and observations for the Bucks to consider while the season is young and the team is still in control of its destiny.
Question: What has Dan Gadzuric done or not done that has caused him to fall out of the rotation? Six minutes against Detroit, Did Not Play against Toronto, six minutes against Sacramento, five against Chicago….is this what the guy was rewarded with such a handsome contract for? There are those who say he hasn’t lived up to it. I say, he hasn’t gotten much of a chance. All I know is when the guy has gotten minutes he has been productive. And, no, I’m not the guy’s agent, dad, or cousin. I am a fan who from the first time seeing him in action has enjoyed and appreciated Gadzuric’s high energy, high effort, aggressive, no-quit style of play. While his game is not as smooth and polished as some other’s, he more than makes up for that with his energy and hustle. He’s fun to watch-a 7 footer who runs like a deer and can jump out of the gym. He plays at 100 miles an hour and challenges everyone, everything. I have tuned in or gone to the Bradley Center on many occasions with the hope of witnessing one of his (or his recently traded former teammate-I’ll bet you know who I’m talking about) high-wire, acrobatic, jaw-dropping offensive OR defensive plays. Can’t this team use some of that right about now?
Question: Why should Gadzuric have to compete for playing time with Brian Skinner? Don’t get me wrong-Skinner’s a tough, blue collar kind of guy who I can appreciate and any team can use. But, he is nowhere near as quick, athletic, and explosive as Gadzuric. Just ask Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors who made a baseline move and jam the other day that left Skinner looking like he was stuck in mud. No doubt Dan would have been there to meet Bosh on the way up and challenge that dunk. Instead, he sat and watched from the bench.
Comment: Sooner or later someone has to be accountable for either the money invested in this guy or why he appears to have been given up on. If I’m Gadzuric, I’m upset and insulted. Sure, Skinner’s a respectable guy-but, he’s also a guy this team was willing to part with a few years back. Now he’s been brought back to compete with Dan for time one would think Dan has earned and deserves at this point. Against Toronto, he had to watch the team trot out a rookie while he a was a DNP Coaches Decision. What is that? What kind of message does that send to the guy? It tells me that the staff now thinks little Dan’s game and ability. If I’m him, I’m thinking that I’m not getting any younger and I’d like a real chance to play. I’d grin and bear things until right around the trade deadline and then I’d ask to be moved. Van Gundy would love to have him in Houston. He see’s Dan as having an impact similar to that of a healthy Marcus Camby. The Bucks obviously do not.
Observation: As I look at this team, I see a really intriguing group. I think they can play with anybody. Obviously, they’re still trying to figure things out, find the right combinations, push the right buttons, and so on. But, I’ll tell you this-the Bucks should have handled Toronto. And, I knew, going into the game against the high energy, high effort Bulls, that the more talented Bucks would either match Chicago’s intensity and beat them or be get exposed and embarrassed. And I hope they were embarrassed. Over the past few years I’ve noticed some general characteristics about Bucks teams that have made fans like me less enthusiastic about spending my money to come out and watch them. While they have had and still have some very talented players who can be a lot fun to watch, that fact is that you just can’t be sure what kind of effort to expect from the Bucks on a given night. Frankly, there should never be any question about that. Fans can live with a loss as long as they see effort and determination from the team. Too often the Bucks don’t appear to have much fire, urgency, or intensity. Too often they look flat and uninspired. Milwaukee is a talented team, but, not one that has an attacking mentality. Toronto clearly wanted to win that game more than Milwaukee. You could see it plain as day. Chicago is just a more intense group than Milwaukee. That shouldn’t be. Read some of the player’s recent quotes after the Toronto and Chicago losses. They’ve said it themselves that the other team had more intensity! How could that be! And they know it! Yet they don’t match it… or surpass it?!
Comment: Guess who I’m convinced is just what the doctor would order for a team that needs more of an attack mentality? That’s right-Dan Gadzuric. I know he would get after it, that’s the only way he knows to play. If I’m a coach, those are the kind of players I want on the floor. Dan should be out there getting his chance and finding his place. I believe he could contribute to this team’s success. Someone else must have thought the same thing at some point. What has changed with the guy since then?