MILWAUKEE -- Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings had tried to
dismiss Wednesday nights matchup against his former team as simply
another game on the teams schedule.
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The closer it got to tipoff against the Milwaukee Bucks, the harder that
became.
"I was nervous in the beginning because Im not used to being on the
other side," Jennings said. "There were a lot of emotions going on. The
whole time I felt like it was just another game. But once it got closer
to game time, my nerves were just going."
Jennings struggled considerably in the first half, but finished with 17
points and 11 assists in helping the Pistons to a 105-98 win over the
Bucks in his return to Milwaukee.
"Once the second half started, I settled down and just played
basketball," Jennings said.
Andre Drummond had 24 points and 19 rebounds and the Pistons rode a
strong second half to victory. Greg Monroe contributed 18 points and 17
rebounds for the Pistons, who had five players score 15 or more points.
"Going into the game, we were really concerned about matchups," Bucks
coach Larry Drew said. "We felt they were just too big and wed have to
mix our defences up and hopefully outrebound those guys. We just could
not physically overcome that size."
Detroit hadnt had two players pull down at least 15 rebounds apiece
since Feb. 10, 2005, when Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace accomplished
the feat.
"Were starting to jell, starting to find ourselves and an identity,"
Drummond said. "The first half was tough for us. We let the fatigue get
to us a little bit."
That led to a change of strategy in the second half.
"We got it down low because we knew our jump shots werent really going
to fall because our legs were tired. So we drove to the hoop and got the
foul calls," Drummond said.
Detroit shot 42 foul shots and Milwaukee had 22.
Jennings spent four seasons with the Bucks after the team drafted him
10th overall in 2009 out of Oak Hill Academy. He joined the Pistons in
July after a sign-and-trade deal that sent Brandon Knight and Khris
Middleton to the Bucks. A restricted free-agent at the time, Jennings
inked a three-year, $24 million deal with the Pistons.
The sparse crowd at the BMO Harris Bradley Center booed loudly when
Jennings was introduced before the game and each time he touched the
ball early in the contest. Jennings missed all four of his shots from
the field in the first quarter but had two early assists that led to
dunks.
"The boos didnt hurt," Jennings said. "I still have a lot of fans here.
At the end of the day, the fans supported us through the good and bad.
It didnt bother me."
Jennings didnt score until sinking a 3-pointer from the top of the key
with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter. He finished 4 of 16 from the
field.
"We tried to get him a basket early to kind of settle him down a little
bit," Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said. "But he missed a couple shots
that he normally makes."
In the first meeting between the teams on Nov. 25 in Detroit, Jennings
had 15 points and 13 assists, including four of six from 3-point range,
in sparking Detroit to a 113-94 win.
"Brandon handled himself like a professional," Drummond said. "He got
booed, but its all part of the game."
Ersan Ilyasova, who has been plagued by injuries that include a sore
ankle, scored a season high 22 points, including 16 in the first half,
and had 10 rebounds off the bench to lead the Bucks, who have lost 13 of
14. Middleton added 14 points for Milwaukee.
"Its the first time I feel healthy. My ankle is getting better,"
Ilyasova said. We have to find a way to play much better. We have to
come together and find a way to win games."
The Pistons trailed by five at the half, but used a 16-0 run midway
through the third quarter to take a 10-point lead.
The Bucks got within five points on Knights 3 with 1:36 remaining in the
game, but thats as close as they would get.
Ekpe Udoh had five blocked shots in the second quarter for Milwaukee,
tying his career high. He finished with six.
The Bucks used a 15-1 run to open a 38-31 second-quarter lead and held
at 50-45 advantage at halftime. Detroit made just 33 per cent of its
shots over the first two quarters.
NOTES: Police issued municipal citations to Bucks centre Larry Sanders
for disorderly conduct and assault and battery stemming from a fight
last month at a downtown Milwaukee nightclub. Drew had no comment when
asked about the citations. Sanders had surgery on his right thumb on
Nov. 11 after getting hurt during the scrum. He initially was expected
to be out four to six weeks. Drew on Wednesday had no update on a
timetable for Sanders return. ... Pistons guard Chauncey Billups
remained sidelined with left knee tendinitis and guard Will Bynum was
inactive with an adductor strain.
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remain the No.A recent impromptu brawl between rival coaches Chael
Sonnen and Wanderlei (The Axe Murderer) Silva on the TV set of "The
Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" had MMA fans rushing to find the video.
Not (Rowdy) Ronda Rousey.
The UFC womens bantamweight champion, who was a coach on Season 18, has
no time for the reality TV show these days.
"I dont watch The Ultimate Fighter now that I know how much bull is in
it," said Rousey, adding an extra syllable to bull. "I dont support it."
"I used to watch it all the time. Now I wont watch it," she added.
Rousey said she was turned off "by the blatant disrespect the production
had for the athletes."
The series which debuted in 2005, is produced by Pilgrim Studios which
specializes in reality TV.
"They dont know the first thing about fighting," said Rousey. "They only
know about reality TV and they treated us like we were Real Housewives
of Atlanta and not elite athletes that should be respected.
"And I dont support people like that so I dont watch the show anymore."
The UFC acknowledged its womens champion had not enjoyed her experience
on the program.
"Its no secret that Ronda didnt have a good time on The Ultimate
Fighter," UFC president Dana White said in a statement provided when The
Canadian Press asked for a response from the show producers to Rouseys
comments.
"When youre on a reality show and youre caught up in the moment, and you
do things and you say things without thinking, ssometimes when it airs,
youre not 100 per cent thrilled with the way you acted or the way you
looked. Rob Havenstein Rams Jersey. Its happened to me too. Its part of reality television.
"Not everyone is crazy with reality TV and its no secret that Ronda
butted heads with people in production and on the show. You cant change
her mind, thats the way she feels."
White also defended the reality TV show, which has spawned spinoffs in
Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Filming for the latest season takes place this month.
"This is the 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter and for many fighters
it was an amazing experience, it changed their lives," White said." Not
just for the fighters competing on The Ultimate Fighter, but for the
coaches too.
"The show took Chuck Liddell to the next level, Matt Hughes to the next
level, B.J. Penn to the next level. A large number of the superstars of
the UFC blew up after being on The Ultimate Fighter. Its not going to be
an amazing experience for everybody. Every season fighters have
different experiences on the show, and theyre not always good. Thats
part of reality television."
The UFC conceived the show as a way to get its product on TV. Aspiring
UFC fighters spend six weeks in a house together, denied access to the
outside world other than to train and fight.
With established UFC fighters serving as coaches, the cast members
compete against each other with the last man or woman standing earning a
UFC contract.
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