MILWAUKEE — On a night the Milwaukee Bucks beat
Detroit — 103-82 with a well-balanced offensive effort — the most glaring item
on the postgame box score wasn't their points total (marking the fourth
consecutive game surpassing the 100-point mark) or their incredible
disadvantage on the offensive glass (17-7).
No, what stood out most was the "DNP - Coach's Decision" listed next
to Stephen Jackson's name.
After missing the team's previous game, a 100-89 home win over the Lakers on Saturday,
Jackson didn't play Monday night, a decision Scott Skiles said he made because
of the way the team had been performed against Los Angeles.
"It was my decision," Skiles said. "I liked the way we've played
the past couple games. He'll have an opportunity to work himself back in
there."
After the game, Jackson didn't disagree with the coach's assessment.
"For the most part, Scott is right," Jackson said. "We are
playing well without me in the lineup but it's all good. It's all about
winning."
Milwaukee has now won five of its last seven games and won consecutive games
for the fourth time this season. The team is 3-0 without Jackson in the lineup.
Jackson said that Monday was the first time in his career that he didn't
participate in a game when he's been healthy and that he wasn't exactly
surprised by the decision to keep him on the bench. Jackson's minutes have
fluctuated between 26 and 35 in the four games since he was held out of a Jan.
20 contest against New York for reportedly missing a team bus.
That game came after Jackson was held out of the second half of a 105-95 loss
to Denver, after he went 0 for 6 from the field in the first half. Jackson was
vocal about his displeasure following that game but not so on Monday.
"That's fine with me," Jackson said of sitting out the game against
the Pistons. "Everybody knows the situation. One thing I'm not going to do
is not be professional. I'm going to cheer the team on and do what I have to
do. My situation is going to get better soon. Until then, I'm going to support
these guys and continue to collect my check."
Acquired in a three-team, draft-day trade to provide some much-needed scoring
to an often-punchless offense a season ago, Jackson has struggled at times with
consistency. In 17 games (13 starts) this season, Jackson is averaging 12.8
points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in just under 32 minutes per game.
His best effort came on Jan. 10, when he hit 12 of 17 from the field and 3 of 4
three-pointers in Milwaukee's 106-103 victory over the Spurs. He scored 25 the
next time out against Detroit, but in the seven games since has cracked double
digits just three times and is averaging just 8.3 points.
Jackson said the team is well-aware of his feelings, but didn't get into
specifics on what those feelings were, who in the organization was aware of
them and what that might mean for his future in Milwaukee.
"That means they know how I feel, I don't have to elaborate on that,"
Jackson said. "That's self-explanatory. We did play a good game tonight.
Everybody scored that played. We're playing well. A good win against LA, a good
win tonight against a team we should have beat and we got a tough one
Wednesday. That's all we are focused on, keep winning."
He's not sure if he'll see action Wednesday when the Bucks host Miami but he
will be "prepared for anything" and he won't be a distraction if he's
not in the lineup.
"I came in (today) and did my work, I'm going to come in tomorrow, work at
practice and continue to work on my game," Jackson said. "But at the
end of the day, I have to be able to perform wherever I'm at."
