Bucks' players can start using their practice facility

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MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Bucks' players can start using their practice facility at the Cousins Center today. But the coaches cannot have contact with the players yet, because the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement is still in the process of being ratified.

Training camps are scheduled to open a week from tomorrow, and the Bucks' first of 66 regular season games will be played sometime after Christmas. Coach Scott Skiles was allowed to talk about his team publicly yesterday for the first time since the owners' lockout in July. He said the staff has been quote, "quietly excited about our team, although we couldn't talk to anyone about it." And Skiles said he likes his mix of players -- even though he has no idea what kind of shape they're in.

Skiles does not expect a flood of players today, but he says they'll trickle in. Many have worked out on their own, but Skiles says there's no substitute for 5-on-5 contact with regular NBA players. Skiles also said he expects to improve their shooting around the rim, and creating more scoring opportunities on defense. He says a healthier Andrew Bogut will help. And Skiles said the acquisition of Beno Udrih will give the Bucks more of a scoring presence in the paint.

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