Now that the initial jolt is over, Blake says, "As the days go by, you get more excited. It seems like a great opportunity. There's a lot of great talent here. I'm coming to a playoff team and I'm looking forward to it."
The deal bringing Blake, Brian Skinner and Ha-Seung-Jin from Portland to the Bucks for Jamaal Magloire was announced on Monday. Blake met with reporters Friday afternoon at the Bucks training center.
Blake, 26, averaged 8.2 points and 4.5 assists per game for the lowly Blazers last season.He signed with Portland as a free agent in 2005 after spending the first two years of his NBA career with Washington.
Mo Williams has the inside track on the starting point guard position with the Bucks, but Blake downplayed any competition for the spot. "Let's not make a big deal out of that. We're all on the same team. We'll work together. You don't have to compare me to Mo. We'll just be our own players and do our best. I haven't really discussed roles (with the Bucks coaching staff). I just want to compete, play hard and try to help the team get better."
Blake described himself as "a point guard who likes to get everyone involved. I want my teammates to shoot before I do. I don't really feel pressure. Just come in and try to fit in and help the team." Blake, who is 6' 3", added that his experience guarding shooting guards should be helpful to the Bucks in certain matchups.
Blake won a NCAA Championship with Maryland in 2002 and said his winning background made last year's 21-61 season in Portland hard to swallow. "Losing is not fun. We did a lot of that last year," he said. "I know the Bucks are winning and going to continue to get better. This is an opportunity to win more games on a really good team."
Skinner was originally supposed to join Blake in meeting the media, but Bucks officials said that a "family medical situation" prevented Skinner from getting into town until Monday.
Dennis Krause joined OnMilwaukee.com as a contributor on June 16, 2006. He is a two-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year and a regional Emmy-award winner. Dennis has been the color analyst on home games for the Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network for the last 10 years. He has also been involved with the Green Bay Packers Radio Network for 16 years and is currently the host of the "Packers Game Day" pre-game show.
Dennis started his broadcasting career as a radio air personality in the Fox Valley and Milwaukee.
He spent three years as a sportscaster at WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois before joining WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee in 1987 as a weekend sports anchor. Dennis spent 16 years at Channel 4, serving as its Sports Director and 5 and 6 pm sports anchor from 1994-2003.
Dennis grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin and attended UW-Oshkosh. He lives in Thiensville with his wife and two children. He serves as the Community Resource Director for the Mequon-Thiensville School District.
