Subtract this big dummy:
Enemy combatant Brett Favre
And lo and behold, this guy shows up out of thin air:
Brandon Jennings, Local Hero
Is this coincidence? Psychic phenomena? Or immutable scientific law?
Have you met the power of Brandon Jennings? Allow me to introduce you by way of explanation…right now I am sitting in my cove, typing this on one computer as I watch the hated Vikings play the defenseless Lions on my laptop. I really hate the Vikings, and I also really hate that Brett Favre is playing for them. However, you know what I’m rooting for right now? Brett Favre. That’s the power of Brandon Jennings. He is the equalizer of sports hurt. Brett Favre is playing in purple for those ingrates and their stupid horn? Doesn’t matter. Favre might win a second Super Bowl in a purple uniform? I don’t really care. The Yankees bought another World Series, thus canceling out the baseball season? Didn’t notice. I wish them all the best, really. They should enjoy their success, as I am enjoying mine. Finally.
(For those of you who don’t believe in the Law of Conservation of Wisconsin Sports Megastars, you who say, “Well, if the Law is true, why did it take a year for Brandon Jennings to show up?” I point you to Mr. C.C. Fat Bathia, who admirably bridged the gap from about the time of the Favre-Pack breakup to about the time of last year’s NBA draft. He was A) a superstar, and B) a Brewer. Coincidence?)
I watched that whole game on TV last night, the game where Brandon Jennings scored 55 points in a 129-125 win over the Golden State Warriors. It was the most points in a game by a rookie since Earl Monroe in 1968, and the most points ever by a Bucks rookie. It was two points shy of the franchise record of 57, set by Michael Redd in 2006. And most importantly, the Bucks actually won the game. Consider what the Bucks had going against them vs. Golden State:
1) The Warriors were having one of those games where their knuckleheads were making every shot. You typically don’t beat them on these nights. Ask the 67-win Mavericks in 2007.
2) The referees were refusing to call charges, thereby negating one of their big defensive tactics and stockpiling fouls on their best defensive players.
3) It was a Bad Gadz night, as opposed to a Good Gadz night (a night where backup center Dan Gadzuric is productive and looks like he did during his last contract year). This meant Kurt Thomas got some time, and Kurt Thomas can’t technically move.
4) The Bucks were having one of those nights were nobody could make a shot.
Thanks to all these factors, the Bucks were down by eight at the half. Only eight — which was good, considering the circumstances. Then the third quarter happened, the heavens opened, and Brandon Jennings became the Story. At some point, Skiles or Jennings realized that Golden State’s strategy on high picks was to go under the pick and dare Jennings to make a play, and Jennings decided to make them pay. He basically made 12 straight plays off of high picks, and Golden State (being the bad defensive team they are) didn’t adjust. At all. Bogut didn’t even have to roll to the basket most times to get Brandon open for a shot or drive to the basket. And he made every shot. At one point he beat his man on the wing and waltzed to the basket holding the ball in one hand, because all the other defenders had their back to him. We kept wondering how the heck this guy ended up on the Bucks with the 10th pick of the draft. The Bucks went from down 8 to up 9, scoring 43 points in the quarter. Jennings had 29 of them. I was feeling something I couldn’t put my finger on…was that pride inside me? I haven’t felt that in so long when watching the Bucks.
After the third quarter, Don Nelson woke up and they decided to actually cover Jennings on high picks. Thanks to this, he only scored 16 in the fourth. The Bucks actually lost the lead due to a tragic Bogut-less small-ball strategy with an even more tragic zone defense, but eventually won it partially because Golden State is dumb: Down two with 18 seconds left (thanks to Scott Skiles’ kid Luke Ridenour missing one of two free throws), Golden State called a time-out. They inbounded, and almost immediately had their worst shooter try an off-balance three. This was out of a time-out. Amazing.
Also, allow me a paragraph to discuss Corey Maggette. If there was an all-NBA first-team for looking like a great player, he would be on it. He’s buff, athletic, long-armed, and extremely quick. He’s also dumb as a pile of grass-clippings and will make your team worse. He had 25 points last night, leading Golden State with an array of shots, drives, and foul shots. He also missed a clutch three at the end of the game, got no important boards, and displayed an astounding lack of defensive skill or sense. When the Warriors lost Baron Davis, he was supposed to be their consolation prize. They haven’t been good since. Coincidence?
But we’re not here to talk about anybody who went to Duke — Brandon Jennings is the Man, and I can’t wait to see him develop. It was fun seeing a Milwaukee Buck become a trending topic on Twitter last night, with all the Knicks fans expressing angst over them picking Jordan Hill instead. Never mind my suspicion that had the Bucks gotten the eighth pick, they would have made the same mistake. It was nice to win one for a change. I feel like Kevin from The Office when they got their old parking spaces back.
Merry Christmas, Milwaukee.
