Milwaukee Bucks: The Acquisition of John Salmons

The Bucks got a terrific player in a trade from Chicago for John Salmons. Needing a perimeter scorer with sharpshooter Michael Redd out with an injury, Salmons has filled the void. Since Milwaukee acquired Salmons within the trade deadline, the Bucks have won thirteen out of their last seventeen games. Right now, the Bucks are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race and could challenge for a higher seed. They can go as high as the fifth seed. This is a Bucks team that has defensive stability and relies on its defense to win ball games. Its offense will come and go, however championship teams are built on winning on defense. That is how elite teams are formed, by being able to play defense on a consistent night-in night-out basis. Brandon Jennings has filled in admirably for a rookie playing point guard in his first year in the NBA. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has done a splendid job playing at the 4-spot despite what I think that he is undersized and underweight to play guarding and playing the bigger and more athletic power forwards in the league. Ersan Llyasova has backed him up and he is doing a more tremendously terrific job filling the bench load playing the 4-spot. I know that Andrew Bogut is doing a good job handling his duties as center, however, I think that he is only limited to doing some things on the court such as playing defense and blocking shots. On offense, Bogut is definitely limited. Carlos Delfino is a big pickup for the Bucks, his streaky offense and his ability to play defense has won Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles over. Add a couple of veterans in backup point guard Luke Ridnour and backguard guard/forward Jerry Stackhouse and Bucks mainstay Charlie Bell who can play point guard, shooting guard, or small forward to the acquisition of John Salmons and I think that the trade for Salmons has helped Milwaukee stay hot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.