The lingering virus that has plagued Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut over the past month of came from a scratch Bogut received from a “certain player,” and will be a constant issue through the end of the NBA regular season.
By Jake McCormick Bogut also tweeted that the virus, which started its maniacal work after a December game in San Antonio, “kicks (his) arse” one day and disappears the next, and is something that has to be dealt with on a day-to-day basis.
The whole situation is as bizarre as getting an STD from a hot tub, and speculating who the carrier is probably doesn’t add much to the discussion.
Even with point guard Brandon Jennings set to make his return as early as tonight against the Atlanta Hawks, this is just the latest health issue keeping the Bucks from reaching their full potential as a team.
Getting Brandon Jennings back will provide an offensive spark for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially with John Salmons and Drew Gooden dealing with their own nagging body parts.
But Andrew Bogut is still the fall back option for easy buckets. There will be some nights where his hook shot and post moves aren’t working because of an illness. It makes a tough-to-watch season even harder to bear for the players, coaches, and fans alike.
Obviously, injuries can’t shoulder the full blame for terrible, career-low shooting percentages and inconsistent play quarter-to-quarter, but it’s becoming more and more likely that the Bucks will have to wait another year to see what they have as a team at full strength.
Here’s a quick rundown of the NBA-leading 98 games missed by Milwaukee Bucks contributors (Michael Redd is not included):
Brandon Jennings (17 games)
Andrew Bogut (7 games)
John Salmons (5 games)
Corey Maggette (5 games)
Drew Gooden (17 games)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (15 games)
Those seven players also happen to rank accordingly in average points per game, and a few (Salmons, Delfino, CDR) missed extensive practice time early on in the season.
At the Milwaukee Bucks Media Day in September, Bogut admitted he probably wouldn’t be 100% at any point throughout the 2010-11 NBA season, but recovering from arm surgery and battling a virus’ unpredictable day-to-day effects along with it were not part of the plan
. Now every game will be touch and go for the Bucks’ best interior offensive and defensive player. There will be games where Bogut simply won’t have the energy or ability to play at his highest level.
Bogut’s virus just one more thing that has anyone investing time in the Bucks asking, “What’s next?” for a team that was poised to take the next step towards a division and conference title in October.
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