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Bucks-Nets Preview

Feb 10, 2010 - 6:45 AM Milwaukee (23-27) at New Jersey (4-47), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Milwaukee Bucks have been playing quality basketball lately despite Brandon Jennings' shooting struggles. A poor effort from the rookie certainly didn't hurt them last month against the New Jersey Nets.

Jennings looks to end his slump as he leads the Bucks in a rematch with the hapless Nets on Wednesday night.

With five wins in six games, Milwaukee (23-27) had put itself on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Bucks, though, lost their last contest, 93-91 at home against Detroit on Tuesday night.

Jennings had 18 points but went 5 for 16 in yet another poor shooting performance. The point guard has posted 17.1 points per game - second among all first-year players - but is averaging 12.2 while shooting 30.4 percent over his last six contests.

Jennings had nine points and shot 3 of 8 at New Jersey (4-47) on Jan. 5, but Milwaukee easily prevailed 98-76 to improve to 2-0 in the season series.

Andrew Bogut led the Bucks in that contest with 18 points. The center also had a big effort Tuesday versus the Pistons, finishing with 17 points and 18 rebounds.

Bogut is averaging 18.1 points and shooting 62.3 percent over his last 11 games. His effort against Detroit wasn't nearly enough, though, as Milwaukee trailed 20-9 after the first quarter and never fully recovered.

"Normally, it's tough to win games when you get nine points in a quarter," coach Scott Skiles said.

New Jersey is coming off its second-best shooting performance of the season, making 51.4 percent (38 for 74) of its attempts in a 104-97 loss at Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Despite missing Devin Harris (shoulder), the Nets were able to avoid being blown out by the league's top team. Harris hopes to return after getting hurt in a collision with teammate Jarvis Hayes during a 99-92 loss to Detroit on Sunday.

Harris is averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 assists, but went 0 for 5 from the field and was held to five points while turning the ball over five times against the Bucks last month.

Former Milwaukee first-round pick Yi Jianlian had a game-high 22 points for the Nets in that loss. The 7-foot forward, though, is averaging only 8.3 points in his last four home games after scoring 19.9 in his previous eight at the Izod Center.

He had been starting alongside second-year forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, but that wasn't the case against the Cavaliers.

Douglas-Roberts, who averages 12.2 points, was benched and didn't play Tuesday. Back spasms had limited him to nine minutes Sunday versus the Pistons, but coach Kiki Vandeweghe said the injury didn't play a part in his decision not to use Douglas-Roberts versus Cleveland.

In what has been a terrible season, Vandeweghe wants to give other players a chance.

"You get surprised a lot in the league. It is what it is," Douglas-Roberts said. "Things don't work out all the time. I guess I'm out of the rotation."

Douglas-Roberts doesn't plan on discussing the situation with Vandeweghe.

"Absolutely not. I don't think talks really do anything," he said. "I've probably had the most talks with him on the team. But they don't do nothing."