 The Milwaukee Bucks have turned into one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and promise to also be one of the most exciting as well. While rookie Brandon Jennings excels in the open court when running the point, Jodie Meeks, another rookie, as been described as a younger version of Michael Redd. The Bucks are definitely going to be fun. Unfortunately, Andrew Bogut won't have much help down low, and with Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva gone, look to see more playing time from Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to fill the gaps. For most lower-echelon franchises, it is the beginning of the season which usually provides the impression that future success may currently be unattainable, thus leading to a downward spiral for the remainder of the season. The Milwaukee Bucks actually started off well, and did not experience the demise of their season until the final stretch. Playing at just three games below the .500 mark through 59 games, the Bucks found themselves in the playoff hunt behind the efforts of Villanueva, Jefferson, and Ramon Sessions. But just as the Bradley Center playoff tickets were about to be printed, the wheels fell off during a disastrous six-week period, ruining Milwaukee's run to the postseason. It was during that span that the Bucks lost 16 of 20 games, resulting in their plummeting out of playoff contention. There were many offseason changes in Milwaukee, some of which were not for the better, at least not in the short term; Villanueva is now a Piston, Jefferson a Spur, and Sessions has left Milwaukee as well. To fill the voids, the Bucks did get underrated power forward Amir Johnson from Detroit, while also acquiring Hakim Warrick from Memphis. The Bucks do however find themselves with a nice nucleus in place for the future; first-round draft pick Brandon Jennings – a high school player who played one year in Europe, and second-rounder Jodie Meeks from Kentucky. While most of the new pieces in the Bucks' puzzle are young or unproven, coach Scott Skiles can count on Michael Redd putting the ball in the hoop, while Andrew Bogut snatches his share of rebounds, but it may ultimately need to be the youngsters doing most of the work if Milwaukee expects to return to the playoffs. There is one other player who deserves special attention now that he is a Milwaukee Buck; former Spur Bruce Bowen, a 38-year-old defensive stopper who is known for making life very difficult for Kobe Bryant and the Western Conference's other leading scorers over the past decade. Although nearing the end of his career, Bowen might make his biggest contribution to the Bucks by being a lieutenant for the defense-minded Skiles, while leading by example, both on the court and off. Armed with the credibility that comes from winning titles as a player, if he can teach this young bunch how to defend, Bowen may be able to turn the Bucks into a bunch of defensive dynamos, and get them back to the playoffs that way. Combine all of the young offensive talent with the defensive knowledge and experience of coach Skiles and veteran Bowen, and it is difficult not to picture the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Get your tickets now, and make your way to the Bradley Center in Milwaukee to witness the evolution of your rising young Bucks.
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