<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">After considering several options, Milwaukee Bucks coach Terry Stotts has decided that newcomer Ruben Patterson will be the team's starting small forward when the team opens the National Basketball Association regular season Wednesday in Detroit. When Patterson was obtained in a trade with Denver last summer, it was with the idea that he would fill a backup role at both forward positions. But now, with Bobby Simmons out for an undetermined amount of time with a heel injury, the Bucks needed someone to fill the void in their starting lineup and it sounds as if Patterson will be the man. "I would anticipate Ruben being the starter," Stotts said. "He's been a starter in this league and he's played well (during the exhibition season). With Bobby being out this long, I've had a chance to play him there a lot, so I would expect him to be a starter." Patterson has started in five of the Bucks' six exhibition games, all at small forward opposite power forward Charlie Villanueva. Patterson, though, has been bothered by an elbow injury and will not play in the team's final two exhibition games, tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats at the Resch Center in Green Bay and Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Grand Forks, N.D. Patterson started in 22 of the 71 games he played for Denver last season. Patterson said after practice Wednesday that he was ready to fill whatever role that the coaches had in store for him. "I'm just going to play," he said. "Whatever Coach needs me to do, whether I'm starting or coming off the bench, it doesn't matter. I'm just here to help my teammates. Whatever he wants me to do, I'm going to do. As long as I'm on the court helping my team win."</div> Source
Was there anyone else that would truly have gotten the spot after Simmons went down? I don't think so.
Simmon's isn't that bad on defense. Last season he was limited by injuries, but did a nice job when healthy. He's probably one of our better defenders, but then again that's not saying much considering how bad this team is collectively on defense.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Ruben Patterson has nasty D so it's a good replacement for Bobby "no D" Simmons.</div> Since when was Bobby Simmons a "no D" player? I saw him all year as a Clipper, and he was an above average - good defender. His defense was what kept him in the league before he became a good shooter and fairly good scorer.
<div class="quote_poster">og15 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Since when was Bobby Simmons a "no D" player? I saw him all year as a Clipper, and he was an above average - good defender. His defense was what kept him in the league before he became a good shooter and fairly good scorer.</div> He's lost his touch since going to Milwaukee. Besides, it's Ruben Patterson.
