Yi Has Coming Out Party As Bucks Run From Bobcats 103-99

Rookie Yi Jianlian, Saturday night had his best game in the NBA as he had a double-double scoring a career high 29 points, along with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, as the Milwaukee Bucks got past the Charlotte Bobcats 103-99. Michael Redd scored 27 points for Milwaukee in the win.

Yi Jianlian had the kind of game that Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Larry Harris must have been thinking about when he rolled the dice and chose the player from the People’s Republic of China even after he was warned not to. Harris chose to disregard the player’s advisers, and chose him anyway with their lottery pick in the NBA Draft. And after some posturing, and some tense moments, the two sides got together as the power forward signed a deal with the Bucks. Since signing withe team, undergoing training camp, preseason games and 25 regular season games prior to this one Yi had shown moments of greatness, but this was certainly his most prolonged success in a game, It truly looked like Yi had been playing for years in the NBA instead of just weeks.

Milwaukee broke out early on Charlotte leading 35-26 after the first quarter, and 58-47 at the half. The Bucks were up 85-71 at the end of the third as it appeared that Charlotte was out of this contest. However the Bobcats made an inspired comeback only to fall short at the end.

Yi shot 14-17, from the floor, and 1-1 from the line for his new NBA career high. Redd also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, to go along withe his 27 points, Mo Williams was one assist short of a double-double scoring 22 points 9 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds. Center Andrew Bogut did have a double-double 14 points, 10 boards, 2 blocks, 1 assist.

Bobcats had all five starters in double figures, led by guard Jason Richardson, with 30 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, and ejected from the game with 6 fouls. Raymond Felton had a good game 17 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, 1 assist, 1 block, Emeka Okafor also scored 17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block. Gerald Wallace scored 15 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block. Charlotte center Nazr Muhammed scored 14 points and had 11 rebound s for Milwaukee’s only double-double 14 points, 11 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal. Milwaukee now has a record of 11-15, Charlotte is 10-15.