New starting line-up pays off as Bucks defeat Oklahoma City

MILWAUKEE -- After losing four games in a row and nine of their last 10, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to end the season on a high note. On Saturday night they completed step one of that goal by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-98.

Looking to shake things up, Bucks coach Scott Skiles put together a new starting line-up. He had both of his point guards, Ramon Sessions and Luke Ridnour, starting together in the backcourt. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute also got the nod, starting in place of Charlie Villanueva at power forward.

“We had to change something,” Skiles said. “I probably waited too long. I was probably a little bit too patient with the other (starting line-up), based on the fact that we went 4-16 in our last 20 games coming into tonight. We’ll go the same way on Monday and see what happens.”

Villanueva, who has started 47 games this season, seems to be taking his new assignment in stride.

“I knew since yesterday’s practice (that I was not going to start),” Villanueva said. “I’m actually fine with it. (Coach wanted) to get the second unit going, and have a scorer out there, and that’s what I’m going to bring for the next game if I come off the bench.”

And at least for one game, it worked.

Richard Jefferson scored 12 of Milwaukee’s 22 first quarter points, connecting on five of his eight shots, including 2-3 from three-point range.

Villanueva came off the bench and provided a powerful scoring punch, scoring 10 points in the second quarter and playing all 12 minutes.

Milwaukee carried a five point lead into the locker room at halftime, but the Bucks were aware that the third quarter had been an issue for them recently.

Tonight, however, was another story. Milwaukee opened the second half on an 11-2 run, seven of those points coming from Jefferson.

Oklahoma City responded with a 6-0 run, with Jeff Green and Kevin Durant hitting back-to-back three’s.

But the Bucks picked up where they left off, outscoring the Thunder 37-21 in the third quarter, and assisting on 11 of their 13 made field goals.

“That (the third quarter) was the biggest key to the game,” Skiles said. “It was important we came out and imposed our will, and we did. We took control of the game there and never let them back in it.”

Sessions knew his team needed to start performing better coming out of the halftime break.

“It’s been a while since we got off to a great start like that (in the second half),” Sessions said. “I feel like that was the key to the game. We got out to a nice little run and was able to maintain it.”

Sessions finished one assist shy of another double-double, scoring 10 points and dishing nine assists.

Jefferson was one rebound away from a double-double of his own. He had a game-high 35 points, tying his season-high, to go along with nine rebounds and four assists.

Back in the starting line-up, Ridnour didn’t miss a shot, hitting all eight of his field goal attempts, finishing with 18 points and eight assists.

Villanueva also put up strong numbers in his new role, with 14 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.

The win also guarantees Milwaukee a winning record at home, improving the team to 21-19 this season at the Bradley Center.

The NBA’s fourth-leading scorer Kevin Durant only had three points in the first quarter for Oklahoma City, but scored six in the opening minutes of the second, and had 16 entering halftime.

But with the Thunder down 21 heading into the fourth, Durant sat out the final quarter, and finished with 19 points, six under his season average.

Shaun Livingston, the fourth overall pick in the 2004 Draft, played in his sixth game with Oklahoma City after being signed on March 31. Livingston tore three ligaments in his left knee in February 2007, and has been attempting to come back ever since. Wearing a large knee brace, the 23-year old point guard played 25 minutes, and was a perfect 7-7 from the floor, scoring 14 points.

“He says that he feels like he’s 90-percent fully healed,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said of Livingston before the game. “With him not playing in roughly two years it’s going to take some time to get the rust off of his game, and I see that happening.”

Saturday was also a homecoming for Oklahoma City’s rookie shooting guard Kyle Weaver. Starting in place of injured Thabo Sefolosha, the Beloit native had 12 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. He scored seven of the Thunder’s final nine points.

“It feels almost like a high school game,” Weaver said, who estimated that there were “a couple hundred” friends, family, and fans in attendance. He added, “Hopefully I don’t miss the bus.”

The Bucks have two games left on the schedule, including their home finale on Monday against the Orlando Magic. When the two teams squared off less than one month ago at the Bradley Center, Orlando dismantled Milwaukee 106-80. The Bucks then close out their season on Wednesday night in Indiana against the Pacers.

Grizzlies outscore Milwaukee by 20 in second quarter en route to win

MILWAUKEE -- With a 107-102 home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, the Milwaukee Bucks are one step closer to being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Milwaukee carried a four-point lead into the second quarter, but a 20-6 Memphis run to begin the next period jump-started the Grizzlies. They shot 10-15 from the field in the quarter, outscoring the Bucks 38-18 in the second, and led the rest of the way.

The Bucks made it interesting in the closing minutes, cutting a 10-point Memphis lead with less than two minutes down to three, but after a strong defensive stand and an opportunity to tie the game, Charlie Bell shot an air-ball from the corner, allowing O.J. Mayo to seal it for the Grizzlies from the free throw line.

“We didn’t come ready to play,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said after the game. “Our defense was poor. They had the most energy and they deserved to win.”

Bucks guard Charlie Bell agreed.

“We had no life,” Bell said. “No energy. They came out and pretty much did what they wanted to do.”

Milwaukee was out-rebounded 41-28, and also shot 13 fewer free throws than Memphis.

The Bucks were led offensively by Richard Jefferson with 24 points. Charlie Bell added 23 points, connecting on 5-8 from beyond the arc.

Ramon Sessions followed up his triple-double against the Lakers with a double-double, scoring 16 points and dishing 11 assists.

Milwaukee was in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings at the beginning of March, but have only won three of their last 16 games. They are now five games back of the eighth-place Detroit Pistons with only four games left, and are on the verge of officially spending another post-season watching from home.

“The beginning of March we were right there,” Bell said. “We had a nice feeling. We thought we could make a run. March just fell apart on the defensive end. Offensively we just hit a rut. We’ve got to do a better job finishing out these games and get some wins.”

Despite Memphis having the fifth worst record in the league, they have now won four straight games.

“The confidence level is really high right now,” Grizzlies rookie O.J. Mayo said. “It’s something we can carry into next year to show people what we are capable of doing.”

Mayo, who will receive strong consideration for Rookie of the Year, had 0 points at halftime on 0-4 shooting. He finished with 12 points and seven assists.

Another Memphis rookie, Marc Gasol, recorded his 17th double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was 11-14 from the free throw line, a career-high in both makes and attempts.

“It’s huge having a guy that draws so much attention down low like Marc (Gasol),” Grizzlies second-year guard Mike Conley said.

Conley had a team-high nine assists to go along with 17 points and six rebounds.

Rudy Gay poured in a game-high 26 points, 12 of which came in the Grizzlies’ commanding second quarter.

Earlier in the day, the Bucks officially announced that Andrew Bogut would not return this season as he continues to rest a lingering back injury. Bogut has missed over half of the team’s games this year, averaging 11.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in 36 games.

Milwaukee also signed three-point shooting specialist Salim Stoudamire to a multi-year contract last night. Stoudamire was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the first pick of the second round (31st overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft, but has not played this season. He was not in uniform for tonight’s game.

With only four regular season games remaining, the Bucks have three days off before hosting the Atlanta Hawks at the Bradley Center on Wednesday night. Atlanta is currently fourth in the East, and will more than likely host either the Philadelphia 76ers or Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.