Jennings’ 24 rally Bucks past Pistons
October 31, 2009
MILWAUKEE (AP)—Rookie Brandon Jennings(notes) turned up the energy when the MilwaukeeBucks needed it most.
Jennings scored 21 of his 24 points in the second half, Hakim Warrick(notes) added21 off the bench to help the Bucks win their home opener Saturday night, 96-85over the Detroit Pistons.
Bucks coach Scott Skiles, known to be cautious with his praise, clearlyliked what Jennings did in just his second NBA game.
“He came out in the third quarter and gave us a huge lift,” Skiles said.“(He) got in the zone there for a little while and once again showed youanother element of his game.”
Milwaukee Bucks' Brandon J… AP – Oct 31, 11:09 pm EDT Milwaukee Bucks' Carlos De… AP – Oct 31, 11:02 pm EDT
Detroit Pistons' Ben Gordo… AP – Oct 31, 9:56 pm EDT
Milwaukee Bucks' Kurt Thom… AP – Oct 31, 9:54 pm EDT
Detroit Pistons' Will Bynu… AP – Oct 31, 9:53 pm EDT
Milwaukee Bucks' Brandon J… AP – Oct 31, 9:43 pm EDT YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 5; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.7ffdd8fc2f9041aebe3a88f83b873cdd.pistons_bucks_basketball_widh112.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=38&yc=1&wc=336&hc=373&q=70&sig=lLdx5FqyYSHe_QItmOwJzA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.f467acf3911642fa812c802161097911.pistons_bucks_basketball_widh105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=249&hc=277&q=70&sig=.PtZWGchTJM42OVpjzi_Ag--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.b4cfeff8ae0445eda3e4613517214139.pistons_bucks_basketball_widh104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=78&yc=1&wc=256&hc=284&q=70&sig=ycvC2Kl9877iv8DnWPzTYQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.8fab732d52b54c36b6b4e62b61ae910c.pistons_bucks_basketball_widh106.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=320&hc=356&q=70&sig=Ln.7w4FPllMmOkjQOiEfbw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.41c0d6dd8b39410d94c5a8ef9dc4d10f.pistons_bucks_basketball_widh103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=78&yc=1&wc=256&hc=284&q=70&sig=guLM_duB9_.sP2KxJBg.IQ--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 6 Det-Mil Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Jennings shot 9 of 16, had three assists and three steals, including a keysteal down the stretch that enabled the Bucks to push their lead to 95-83 with1:07 left.
“(He) got his team going, too, which is, as or more important,” Skilessaid. “We see a lot in the Cousins Center. We’ve seen him do a lot of things.”
Doing it at the Bucks’ practice facility is one thing, but on the home courtagainst a team that has dominated Milwaukee is another.
The Pistons had won nine of 11 against the Bucks, including five of six atthe Bradley Center before Jennings, Warrick and the reserves went to work.
Detroit led 49-38 at the half and looked headed to their second victory ofthe season. That was before Skiles changed up the game plan to free up Jenningsand everybody else.
“We went into our pick-and-roll game where we just spread the floor and lethim go to work,” Skiles said. “And, he went to work.”
So did the Bucks’ reserves who outscored the Pistons’ bench 52-14.
“We were working on cutting the lead down as much as possible, but itwasn’t just me,” Jennings said. “I thought everyone contributed well in thethird quarter to go on a nice little run.”
Trailing 49-38, the Bucks opened the third with a 28-8 run sparked byJennings’ 16 points and two steals and Warrick’s six. They led 66-57 with 2:14to go in the quarter.
“We gave them life in the third period,” Pistons coach John Kuester said.“We’ve got to come out with a certain amount of energy that had when we leftthe court, and we haven’t done that the last two games.”
Jennings picked up his fourth foul with two minutes left and went to thebench, but Milwaukee stayed on the attack and pushed the lead to 74-63 headinginto the final period.
“We just kept chipping away at the lead and next thing you know, we had thelead and we never looked back,” Jennings said.
Tayshun Prince’s 11-foot jumper from the baseline pulled the Pistons to81-77 with 5:51 to play, but Warrick made two free throws and Jennings hit arunner in the lane as the Bucks went up by eight.
Playing with five fouls over the final three minutes, Jennings dartedthrough the Pistons’ defense and kept the Bucks from failing down the stretch.
He left to a standing ovation when Skiles took him out of the game.
Ben Gordon(notes) scored 26, Rodney Stuckey(notes) 13 and added eight assists and Princehad 12 points for Detroit.
Richard Hamilton(notes) missed his second game with a sprained right ankle. He didnot play in the Pistons’ 91-83 loss at home to Oklahoma City on Friday. ThePistons won their opener at Memphis.
Charlie Villanueva(notes) had four points in the opening quarter in his firstregular-season appearance as a Piston after spending the previous three seasonswith the Bucks. He got going in the fourth quarter when he hit two 3s and ajumper and finished with 12 points. He signed as an unrestricted free agent withDetroit in July.
“We were moving the ball great in the first half,” Villanueva said. “Thatwasn’t the case in the second half.”
Michael Redd(notes) and Andrew Bogut(notes), who were brought along slowly during thepreseason, returned to the Bradley Center for the first time since eachsustained season-ending injuries in January that crushed the Bucks’ hopes fortheir first playoff appearance since the 2005-06 season.
Redd, who scored 17 points Friday night, tore ligaments in his left kneeagainst Sacramento Jan. 24. He missed the last 35 games of the season.
Redd had nine points against the Pistons, but left during the third quarterwith left knee soreness. The Bucks said that taking him from the game was moreof a precaution and that he was day to day.
Bogut, who missed the final 31 games with a sore lower back, had six pointsand eight rebounds.
NOTES: Pistons coach John Kuester said that Hamilton, who did not make thetrip, was day to day. … Bucks G/F Carlos Delfino(notes) was back after serving aone-game suspension for his role in a preseason fight with Pistons F AustinDaye(notes). … Last season’s “American Idol” finalist Danny Gokey sang the NationalAnthem in front of his hometown crowd and then entertained them at halftime.
