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The fans were close, they were loud, and there was an atmosphere that reminded Bogut of his college days.
“It was a great game for us,” said Bogut, the Milwaukee Bucks’ fourth-year center/forward. “It was Yi’s (Jianlian) first game. It was a fun place to play. It felt much more like a collegiate game, or it had the same feel on the floor for me. It was a great place to come up and play and they (fans) know the game.”
Tonight, Bogut and the 0-2 Bucks go after their first preseason win of 2008 as they battle the Dallas Mavericks at the La Crosse Center.
Bogut is still learning the pro game, but each year he seems to get better and better. Last year, he was one of the Bucks’ best all-around performers as he averaged 14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. For his career, the 7-foot, 260-pound Bogut has averaged 11.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
Now, he said it’s time to take more control on the floor. This certainly isn’t college anymore. His pocketbook will tell him that — as Bogut signed a five-year deal worth up to $72.5 million during the offseason.
“I just need to be more confident out there and take more of a leadership role. I am just trying to anchor that defense,” Bogut said. “To be down at the bottom of the basket, you see a lot of things. I need to be talking a lot and barking a lot of instructions. I need to be a better teammate and leader.”
Milwaukee has struggled in its first two games, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-79 on Monday, then losing to Detroit 85-71 Wednesday.
“It is going to take us some time to get to know each other,” said Bogut, who missed the opener, but played and scored seven points against the Pistons. “It can take a couple of weeks or it can take a couple of months.”
A trip to China next week will certainly give the players time to bond.
“It is a business trip for us. We have to have productive practices and have positive results in the games,” Bogut said. “It is kind of a tough five-day stretch with the jet lag and all that kind of stuff.”
It might even give some of the Bucks players who are nursing injuries — first-round pick Joe Alexander (abdominal strain), Richard Jefferson (knee), Charlie Bell (Achilles tendinitis), who all missed the Detroit game — time to heal.
Bogut missed Monday’s game with a migraine headache.
“There are so many games, it takes a toll on your body,” said Bogut, a native of Melbourne, Australia. “You’ve got to be smart with what you do, and how you take care of yourself. It is not easy playing 82 games. It is part of being a professional athlete.”
Bogut continued to play international basketball even after the Bucks’ season ended, then managed to take about a month or so off.
What did he do back in Australia?
“Most of the time I was working out, preparing for a new season,” Bogut said. “You have to be in shape. He (new coach Scott Skiles) stressed that. If you want to win the basketball game, you have to be strong at the end.”
MILWAUKEE BUCKS IN LA CROSSE
WHAT: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks in an NBA preseason game.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today.
WHERE: La Crosse Center
TICKETS: Still available at the door.
LAST YEAR: The Bucks rallied to beat the Chicago Bulls 93-88 before an enthusiastic crowd of 6,118.
HISTORY: This is the third time the Bucks have played at the La Crosse Center. They also were here in 1999 and 2007.
NOTE: The last time the Bucks had a winning season was in 2002-2003, when they went 42-40. Milwaukee was 41-41 in 2003-2004.
