Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut led his team with 27 points in just 31 minutes last night, but the woeful Bucks still lost 115-96 in Atlanta, falling to 24-46 and maintaining their stranglehold on last place in the Central Division.
But hey, at least the team's camaraderie is high, right? Imaginary high-fives for everyone!
How many Polish guys does it take to misname a regular season NBA game? Surprisingly, just one: Bucks' head coach Larry Krystkowiak. Yes, the so-called "Chinese Super Bowl" was less than spectacular as the Rockets' Yao Ming scored only 12 points and his countryman, Yi Jianlian, manged only 6 for Milwaukee. (Incidentally, #36 on the menu at the Dragon Palace, also called the Chinese Super Bowl, is also less than spectacular. It seems like a lot of food, but you're hungry again one hour later.) Yao and Yi's poor play didn't affect Tracy McGrady, who led all scorers:
"Two hundred million people watching — that's when you've got to bring your 'A game,"' said Tracy McGrady, who led the Rockets with 33 points. "That's amazing that there's double the people watching a regular season NBA game as the Super Bowl."
From that statement, it may seem like McGrady only performs when there's a lot of people watching. Not my T-Mac, perish the thought. Anyway, Milwaukee ran with Krystkowiak's characterization of the match-up:
The Bucks decided to make Saturday's game into an early Chinese New Year party, featuring Chinese musical performers in the stadium's atrium area before the game and adding Chinese fare to the concession stands. Signs were posted saying "Happy New Year" in Chinese and English.
It's about time. Milwaukee hasn't celebrated a new year, Chinese or otherwise, since 1979. -KD
Photo: Getty Images
Yao Ming's Houston Rockets defeated Yi Jianlian's Milwaukee Bucks 104-88 in a game that was viewed in breathless anticipation by millions of Chinese and with mild interest by hundreds of Americans.
"His talent is unbelievable," Yao said. "You ask me how good he can be? I can't say that. But I think he'll be better than me." When asked why he thought Yi would surpass him in the future, Yao thought for a moment. "I'm older," Yao said with a smile . . . About 90 minutes before the game, Yao and Yi shook hands at midcourt and posed for about two dozen photographers, most of them Chinese. It was a staged photo opportunity, and Yao had to wait a few minutes before Yi came out of the Bucks locker room. "You know what?" Yao said afterward, with a kidding smile. "Rookies should not do that."
Ah, those inscrutable Chinese. You never know when they're mocking you. Like when you're at a fine Chinese restaurant and your companion orders General Tso's chicken, and the waiter shouts back to the kitchen, "Number 32!". He then looks at you and asks, "What you want? I haven't got all day." You tell him that you're in the mood for something different, but not too spicy, something with maybe vegetables and chicken. "I make something very special for you," the waiter says, and then you hear him shout to the kitchen, "32 with peanut!" Oh wait, is it the Japanese that are inscrutable? -KD
Photo credit: Getty Images
Even though Yi Jianlian refused to work out for Milwaukee and publicly expressed his desire not to drafted by the Bucks, the Bucks went ahead and selected him with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft. And now comes the shocking news that — GASP! — Yi won't play for the Bucks.
Guangdong Tigers owner Chen Haitao was quoted in Tuesday's Beijing News as saying Yi would "definitely not" play for the Bucks next season. Yi plays with the Guangdong team in the Chinese Basketball Association… "This is not – as media reports have said – because Milwaukee, as a city with very few Chinese people, is not good for Yi's commercial development," Chen said. "Rather we want to find a team suitable for Yi's growth. That's the root of the problem."
Chen expressed concern that Yi would have trouble getting much playing time with the Bucks. Yi plays power forward, a position where the Bucks struggled with injuries last season and at times had undersized Ruben Patterson playing the position…. The Bucks have invited Yi, his family and Chen to Milwaukee to tour the city and visit the team's facilities.
My God. Usually you have to visit a battered women's shelter to see people this bad at reading people's emotions. No, it's cool, Milwaukee — Yi really loves you. You just have to try harder is all.
You don't even have to play for the Bengals to run afoul of the law in Cincinnati these days:
A judge ordered Milwaukee Bucks forward Ruben Patterson to pay a $1,000 fine for failing to register as a convicted sex offender after he moved into a new neighborhood. Authorities sought the charge after a neighbor complained last month. Patterson moved into a $3.4 million home in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill last November, according to county records.
If you're wondering why Mr. Patterson decided to take up residence in the shadow of the Queen City, he played his college ball for Bob Huggins. I'm as shocked as you that one of Coach Huggins' former players finds himself in a legal entanglement, he usually recruits such classy guys. Patterson's agent, former Cincinnati Bengal wide receiver Tim McGee, doesn't believe that this is a big deal. Indeed, it is difficult to tell whether this is a case of rich white folks tattling on their new neighbor (they have great race relations in Cincy) or if Patterson is a sinister fellow.
In 2001, when Patterson played for the Portland Trail Blazers, he entered a modified guilty plea in Washington state to third-degree attempted rape for allegedly forcing his children's nanny to perform a sex act on him.
Hmm, somebody should really remake Mary Poppins with a 21st Century twist. How about it Hollywood? In other news, Chad Johnson raced a horse yesterday – read about it here and here. -KD
I guess Canadia doesn't have the whole speedy trial thing we strive for here in the U S of A, because former Bucks teammates Gary Payton, Sam Cassell, and Jason Caffey have been "
…
Phew. Justice prevails once again, as some of the NBA's most mild-mannered players are cleared of wrongdoing. Ordinarily I'd have Vida's back here, but once a girl associates with a male stripper, she may as well insert a bear trap in her uterus. Pigeons and sewer rats are cleaner than male strippers.
Big ups: 10,000 Takes
