Spurzilla
12-20-2005, 04:44 AM
Not complete strangers
Bogut, Duncan met in 2004 Olympics
By TOM ENLUND
[email protected]
Milwaukee Journal Sentinal LINK (http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/dec05/378982.asp)
Posted: Dec. 19, 2005
When Milwaukee Bucks forward Andrew Bogut and his teammates take the Bradley Center court tonight to face Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, it will be the first time that the Bucks' rookie will match up against the Spurs' all-star forward on an NBA floor.
But it won't be the first time that Bogut and Duncan have ever rubbed elbows on a basketball court. The two went up against each other in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where Bogut's Australian team almost scored an upset victory over Duncan and Team USA.
Although that one game hardly qualifies Bogut as an expert in the art of containing the two-time National Basketball Association most valuable player, the Olympic experience certainly can't hurt the Bucks' rookie tonight.
"It might take out the 'Wow' factor for him," Bucks coach Terry Stotts said. "Whenever you have a chance to play against somebody so it's not as new, it helps you."
There will be much more to this game than the matchup between Bogut and Duncan - two No. 1 overall draft picks - but that definitely will be one of the evening's more interesting sidelights.
Most important, the game will match two teams coming off disappointing losses. The defending champion Spurs saw a three-game winning streak end with a loss to the Hornets on Sunday in Oklahoma City, and the Bucks were defeated by Utah on Saturday night at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee has lost three of its last four home games.
The matchup also involves a team from San Antonio that, under coach Gregg Popovich, has won two of the last three championships and resides in the NBA's upper echelon against a team from Milwaukee that is trying to re-establish itself as one to be reckoned with.
"I have a lot of respect for the team and the franchise . . . what Gregg Popovich has done as GM and as coach," Stotts said. "I think he's developed a culture - in fact, I talked to him when I got the job here about developing a culture - and I think what they have going there is what I would say is the ideal to shoot for.
"They've been certainly a team that I've always wanted to emulate because of how they play on the court and conduct themselves. They're very professional and I think they have a great culture there. And they win."
The Bogut-Duncan Olympic moment took place on Aug. 19, 2004, and the United States had to outscore Australia in the fourth quarter, 24-12, to emerge with an 89-79, preliminary-round victory.
"We lost right at the end," Bogut said. "We were up the whole game. Going into the fourth, we were up."
The U.S. went on to win the bronze medal and Australia finished with a 2-4 record.
Bogut played 31 minutes against the U.S. and finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. Duncan led the U.S. with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes. Duncan and Bogut weren't matched up all the time, since Australia played a zone defense, but Bogut did get a feel for how Duncan plays the game.
"He posted me up a lot and he was guarding me on the other end," Bogut said. "He's tough.
"I think he was probably the guy that kept that group together, the guy that even got them the bronze medal. I think without him, they would have really struggled. We were beating those guys and he kept those guys together. He was yelling at guys to get it together and I think guys responded to him. Without him, I don't think they would have even gotten the bronze."
Entering play Monday, Bogut was first among league rookies in rebounding at 7.1 per game, eighth in assists (2.2) and ninth in scoring (8.1). And, as Stotts frequently says, he has done the little things that don't show up in the box score.
Duncan, meanwhile, was 19th in the league in scoring (20.3), third in rebounding (12.2) and sixth in blocks (2.54).
"He takes his time," Bogut said, referring to Duncan. "He doesn't rush things. He doesn't force things. He's probably the only guy in the league who takes 10 shots a game and scores 20 or 30 points. He's very efficient. He's very tough."
Bogut, Duncan met in 2004 Olympics
By TOM ENLUND
[email protected]
Milwaukee Journal Sentinal LINK (http://www.jsonline.com/sports/buck/dec05/378982.asp)
Posted: Dec. 19, 2005
When Milwaukee Bucks forward Andrew Bogut and his teammates take the Bradley Center court tonight to face Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, it will be the first time that the Bucks' rookie will match up against the Spurs' all-star forward on an NBA floor.
But it won't be the first time that Bogut and Duncan have ever rubbed elbows on a basketball court. The two went up against each other in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where Bogut's Australian team almost scored an upset victory over Duncan and Team USA.
Although that one game hardly qualifies Bogut as an expert in the art of containing the two-time National Basketball Association most valuable player, the Olympic experience certainly can't hurt the Bucks' rookie tonight.
"It might take out the 'Wow' factor for him," Bucks coach Terry Stotts said. "Whenever you have a chance to play against somebody so it's not as new, it helps you."
There will be much more to this game than the matchup between Bogut and Duncan - two No. 1 overall draft picks - but that definitely will be one of the evening's more interesting sidelights.
Most important, the game will match two teams coming off disappointing losses. The defending champion Spurs saw a three-game winning streak end with a loss to the Hornets on Sunday in Oklahoma City, and the Bucks were defeated by Utah on Saturday night at the Bradley Center. Milwaukee has lost three of its last four home games.
The matchup also involves a team from San Antonio that, under coach Gregg Popovich, has won two of the last three championships and resides in the NBA's upper echelon against a team from Milwaukee that is trying to re-establish itself as one to be reckoned with.
"I have a lot of respect for the team and the franchise . . . what Gregg Popovich has done as GM and as coach," Stotts said. "I think he's developed a culture - in fact, I talked to him when I got the job here about developing a culture - and I think what they have going there is what I would say is the ideal to shoot for.
"They've been certainly a team that I've always wanted to emulate because of how they play on the court and conduct themselves. They're very professional and I think they have a great culture there. And they win."
The Bogut-Duncan Olympic moment took place on Aug. 19, 2004, and the United States had to outscore Australia in the fourth quarter, 24-12, to emerge with an 89-79, preliminary-round victory.
"We lost right at the end," Bogut said. "We were up the whole game. Going into the fourth, we were up."
The U.S. went on to win the bronze medal and Australia finished with a 2-4 record.
Bogut played 31 minutes against the U.S. and finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. Duncan led the U.S. with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes. Duncan and Bogut weren't matched up all the time, since Australia played a zone defense, but Bogut did get a feel for how Duncan plays the game.
"He posted me up a lot and he was guarding me on the other end," Bogut said. "He's tough.
"I think he was probably the guy that kept that group together, the guy that even got them the bronze medal. I think without him, they would have really struggled. We were beating those guys and he kept those guys together. He was yelling at guys to get it together and I think guys responded to him. Without him, I don't think they would have even gotten the bronze."
Entering play Monday, Bogut was first among league rookies in rebounding at 7.1 per game, eighth in assists (2.2) and ninth in scoring (8.1). And, as Stotts frequently says, he has done the little things that don't show up in the box score.
Duncan, meanwhile, was 19th in the league in scoring (20.3), third in rebounding (12.2) and sixth in blocks (2.54).
"He takes his time," Bogut said, referring to Duncan. "He doesn't rush things. He doesn't force things. He's probably the only guy in the league who takes 10 shots a game and scores 20 or 30 points. He's very efficient. He's very tough."