Great Oden's Raven!: Blazers Take Care of Bucks

Well, since we've gotten our annual "woe is me" Bucks post out of the way for the 2008-2009 season, it's once again time to talk about Bucks basketball. Specifically, their 102-85 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, and how far this team still has to come before we can celebrate an Eastern Conference 8th seed.

I'm convinced now that no matter what happens for the rest of the season, Andrew Bogut is the team's MVP. He doesn't always put up the most impressive stat line when he is on the floor, but when he's not this team looks lost. The defense shuts down almost completely, and anyone who has any size to them can easily take care of the Bucks' sorry excuse for backup centers.

The Blazers dominating performance was mostly thanks in part to one Greg Oden and his utter annihilation of the Bucks big men, especially Charlie Villaneuva. Monday night was a vintage Charlie V performance. If you look at the box score, you'll be impressed with his double double of 23 points and 10 boards. But if you watched the game, you will have realized that his soft defense is why Greg Oden was able to score a career high 24 points. If you're going to trade anyone, Mr. Hammond, start with CV31.

So the Bucks streak of win one game, lose the next is over at 13 games. They finished a West Coast road trip with a 1-2 clip, which isn't the worst thing considering they were without Bogut. When they return home on Wednesday to take on the Mavs, I'd like to see the Bucks a little more rested and a little more motivated.

This is a team with great potential, but if they keep struggling to climb over the .500 mark, they will end up on the outside of the NBA's second season.

Player of the Game: Richard Jefferson