Wizards Vs. Bucks Preview: Meet Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis And Suddenly-Speedy Milwaukee

Are they good in general?: They have a few blowouts against horrible teams and some closer games against better teams on their resume since the deal. I guess they're average.

Are they good against the Wizards? They blew out the Wizards in the third game of the year, but that was a different Bucks roster. They also defeated the Wizards by one point in the first game after the All-Star Break, a game in which the Wizards made a furious comeback before falling short.

Are they fast or slow? These aren't your same grind-it-out Bucks. Since the trade, they are averaging 97 possessions per game. Only Sacramento averages more over a full season.

Are they especially good at anything? This is a small team that prospers on drive-and-kicks. They never stop moving, so as you're trying to contain Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, you have to watch for guys like Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Mike Dunleavy moving into open space. Drew Gooden, for all his faults, is also very active off the ball.

Are they especially bad at anything? Ironically, the Bucks have been really hurt defensively since the move, surrendering big point totals to teams like Indiana. They also don't really have much of an offense besides moving around a lot, so if you play solid defense, they don't really have any bread-and-butter plays to beat you.

Are there any people involved with the organization that Mike really likes? I'm not sure Ersan Ilyasova is worth overpaying this summer, but he's been unbelievable this year.

Are there any people involved with the organization that Mike really doesn't like? They aren't getting much out of former first-round pick Larry Sanders. Also, Gooden's game is really annoying. He chucks up bad shots all over the floor, picking up enough volume to score points, but bricking too many to be effective.

Are there any players poised for a breakout? Ekpe Udoh's start continues to be a bit slow, but I'm still of the mind that he'll be a good center option for them going forward. We'll see, though.

Are there any players the Wizards especially need to worry about? The Wizards must make Jennings and Ellis shoot jumpers instead of get into the lane. They'll happily oblige, but they also will take their chances to get into the lane. Encourage the former; cut off the latter.

Any other random quirks: The return of Shaun Livingston! Also, how many fans will be in attendance when the national title game begins soon after this one ends.

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