NBA Central Player of the Year: Brandon Jennings

With Derrick Rose and Danny Granger out, Brandon Jennings is the new superstar in the Central

By: Doug Knopf 

What a week and what a season it has been for Brandon Jennings and his Milwaukee Bucks. No player was better than Bucks’ point guard Jennings this week by any margin. Gathering three wins this week, Jennings has his team in first place in the division and is looking to keep it that way.

AP Photo/ Don Ryan

Jennings’ numbers were great this week averaging just under 24 point per game, collecting 33 against the Sixers, 16 against the Pacers – in less than 30 minutes playing time – and 22 against the Hornets. He took only 49 shots in these three games, allowing him to obtain a field goal percentage of 53%. Doing his job, Jennings has been staying on the perimeter and letting other players slash through the paint. Always open for the kick-out three, Jennings has taken 22 long-ones in the last three games, about 45% of his shots. Usually this is bad, but when he makes about half of them, it is hard to complain. Jennings’ scoring ability, combined with his versatility in his position make him a star player.  

Besides scoring, this man has been a complete monster. In this past week’s games, Jennings has averaged seven assists, just one shy of his season average. He also finagled his way into averaging three steals per game and continues to lead the entire league in that category. One of the more amazing and most important statistics for a point guard is that Jennings committed less than one turnover per game during last week.  Turnovers change the momentum of a game and when a team’s point guard can take care of the ball, they have a better chance of winning. Causing turnovers and premiere ball handling make him one of the best in the one spot.

The Milwaukee Bucks are creeping into the spotlight and much of their credit is due to Brandon Jennings. Many people have also said their success is due to injuries crippling other teams in the division. But when all is said and done, it is about the numbers that a team and players put up. Right now, the Bucks and Brandon Jennings are putting up good numbers.

Milwaukee Bucks: A Surprisingly Strong Backcourt

The Milwaukee Bucks Hold Two of the Best Rising Stars at Point Guard and Shooting Guard

By Doug Knopf

The Milwaukee Bucks are a small-market team, but they have one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA in Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Monta Ellis, with his dribbling skills and aggressiveness, combined with Jennings’ versatility make this mixture of talent the most underrated one-two punch in the league. Completely under the radar, the Bucks have established a solid foundation for a prolific offense.

Only 23 years old and already the team’s leading scorer, Brandon Jennings looks to build upon last year’s season, where he had highs in points per game, minutes per game and field-goal percentage. Now, with Monta Ellis in the mix, Jennings is more likely to see less double coverage and fewer eyes on him while moving around the court. This will open up opportunities for quicker scoring and space that he has not seen before. A new scheme offense and a few coaching tweaks can make him an even bigger threat. A tandem like this will be difficult for any defense to control.

Monta Ellis, on the other hand, may not benefit from teaming up as much as Jennings. Ellis, who played 21 games with Milwaukee last season after coming over from Golden State, saw his average points per game drop from 21.9 to 17.6. One of the problems critics have about Ellis’s game is that he has to learn to play with another formidable scorer. With a complete off-season and preseason with the team under his belt, there may be improved the chemistry between the two. The Bucks cannot complain when they have a backcourt as young and talented as these two.

“These two players are really explosive and I’m really excited to see what Skiles (head coach) will draw up for them,” said Bucks superfan Connor Murphy.

What also makes these two players so strong is that they haven’t hit their prime yet. We know what we are getting with the Brooklyn Nets’ backcourt with Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, but Jennings and Ellis are raw. These two have a great deal of potential and can be molded into anything at this point in their careers. Their respective games can be formulated into a perfect coaching style. The only fallback is that except for the two of them, the team is extremely weak. The pressure on Jennings and Ellis mounts each possession and it will be interesting seeing them develop.

Gathering big names has been the trend in the NBA as of late and the Bucks are no exception. With tip-off just days away, look for the Bucks to be one of those underdog teams that could make a run at any time. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis bring an excitement to this city that they have not seen in a while.