Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis is starting to get some long overdue recognition. The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week has teamed with Brandon Jennings in leading the Bucks to a 16-13 start while averaging 19.7 points per game.
You can count Detroit coach Lawrence Frank amongst Ellis’ fans, as he compared the Bucks’ guard to ex-Sixers star Allen Iverson in his prime before last Sunday’s Pistons-Bucks contest. “Ellis is a challenge for everyone. Ellis is a nightmare matchup,” Frank said courtesy of RealGM.com (via Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). “To me, Ellis is the closest thing to Iverson. He has speed, quickness; he’s a great finisher for his size.”
I’ve been a fan of Ellis since his days with the Warriors, and I think he deserves a spot on this year’s All-Star team. Casual NBA fans may not be that familiar with Ellis because he played on the west coast before being traded to a small market in Milwaukee, but Frank isn’t far off with his assessment of Ellis’ talents. If Milwaukee earns a playoff spot, a national audience will get to see just how exciting Ellis and Brandon Jennings are together.