Bucks showing heart if not wins

Time it was when a huge game from Mo Williams meant certain victory for the Bucks. That was then. The Bucks are now so undermanned that last night's spectacular performance by Williams still resulted in a loss. In fact, as presently constituted, they are probably the worst team in the league. But things are not all bad.

I think this period without Villanueva and Simmons...while acutely painful in the short term...will have medium and possibly long term benefits.

In the medium term, Bogut is becoming more involved in the offense. Ilyasova is gaining valuable experience he would not otherwise have gotten. And the team is starting to develop a toughness and heart they seemed to have lacked in the past.

In the long term, think of San Antonio. When David Robinson was injured early in his career, the Spurs went from a middling team to a dreadful one. Yet that injury proved to be the pivotal event in their franchise's history. In the next draft they were able to add Tim Duncan and then the championships followed.

I'm not saying the Bucks will land a Duncan in next year's draft. But they don't need to. A well chosen top 5 pick could make all the difference. Imagine this young team with one more young blue chip player. Such an acquisition might instantly change the arc of the entire franchise.

There is an old Roman saying that in the bitter fruit of misfortune one often finds the seeds of glory. Well, I'm lookin' for 'em.