After four long, painful and oftentimes ugly years, the Bucks are back in the National Basketball Association's postseason.
Milwaukee opens the 2010 playoffs Saturday night in Atlanta, capping off what has been something of an amazing ride.
The Bucks surprised many this season, having been picked by most pundits to finish at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. But thanks to a breakout season from Andrew Bogut, a gamble that paid off and then some in Brandon Jennings, a couple of unheralded signings and a trade-deadline acquisition of John Salmons, Milwaukee finished 10 games over .500 and landed the conference's sixth playoff spot.
Before losing Bogut to a season-ending elbow and hand injury, some thought these very same Bucks might be capable of a first-round upset. That doesn't seem as likely now, especially against the athletic and talented Hawks, but the Bucks are undaunted.
"The pressure is on them," says Salmons. "Everybody knows we're missing a big piece. We don't have anything to lose."
Without Bogut, the team still managed to win four of it's final six games, capping off the regular season with a 106-95 victory over a Boston team missing some of its biggest weapons.
They'll be tested, though, against Atlanta (53-29), an athletic team that creates havoc on defense with non-stop switching. It comes as no surprise that the Bucks, playing without their leading scorer and rebounder, are not the favorites.
That's OK, though, says Jennings.
"People didn't expect us to get to the playoffs, and now we have to try to prove everyone wrong again," he says.
All of the Bucks' first-round playoff games will be broadcast by FS Wisconsin, with Game 1 also carried nationally by ESPN.
On the road again: The Brewers continue a nine-game, three-city road swing with three games in Washington D.C. Yovani Gallardo kicks things off tonight and you can catch the broadcast on FS Wisconsin -- with OnMilwaukee.com's own Drew Olson mugging for the camera.
Quest for the cup: The Admirals head back to the All-State Arena for Game 2 of the West Division Semifinals against the Chicago Wolves. Watch the game live at Major Goolsby's for a viewing party or follow along on Twitter!
It's a quick turnaround for the Admirals, who return to Milwaukee for Game 3 of the West Division Semifinals at 7:30 p.m.
Geoffrion jons Admirals: Speaking of hockey, former Badgers star and this year's Hobey Baker Award winner will be in uniform with the Admirals tonight.
He was Nashville's first-round pick in 2006 and was second in the nation this season with 28 goals and led NCAA Division I with 15 power-play goals.
Geoffrion, the grandson of hockey hall of famer Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, was a tri-captain on a Wisconsin team that advanced to this year's Frozen Four Championship Game.
