02-10-2008, 05:54 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 5,733
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CV to stay as starter
Quote:
Charlie Villanueva proved a point with his play against Memphis and Dallas last week, after being given a chance to start when rookie Yi Jianlian was out with a right shoulder injury.
Yi was back in uniform Saturday night as the Milwaukee Bucks met the New York Knicks at the Bradley Center, but Villanueva held on to his starting role and finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds in the Bucks' 99-98 loss.
Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said Villanueva and veteran Desmond Mason will be his starting forwards now that he has more options with a relatively healthy roster.
"Charlie V. is going to stay in the role he was in," Krystkowiak said before the game. "I'm really intrigued by a power forward that goes and gets you 16 rebounds (against Memphis). He had foul trouble at Dallas, but he's been playing pretty hard.
"Yi needs to get back a little more rhythm after dealing with the shoulder thing. I'm certainly not saying that Yi has lost his job, but going down the stretch, he (Villanueva) has been there and kind of knows what to expect."
Yi started 48 consecutive games, beginning with opening night in Orlando, and was averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while playing 27.4 minutes per game in his starts.
He hurt his right shoulder one week ago, in the first quarter of the matchup against Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets.
Yi played 14 minutes in his first reserve appearance with the Bucks and finished with four points and five rebounds.
"Coming off the bench, it's the same mission as when I'm the starter," Yi said after the game. "I've got to go out there and play hard. I hope I can play well."
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The rest of the story here: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=716491.
I'd still like to see CV, Bogut and Yi on the floor together more.
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