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Salmons fitting in with Bucks just swimmingly

John Salmons made sure not to say anything negative about the Bulls when he returned to the United Center on Tuesday with Milwaukee, but he did have some interesting thoughts on why he has played well for the Bucks.

Since being traded on Feb. 18, Salmons has averaged 20 points and shot 46.3 percent for Milwaukee, compared to 12.7 points and 42 percent in 51 games with the Bulls. He scored a game-high 26 points Tuesday.

"The ball's in my hands a lot more," Salmons said before the game. "I'm not going to say the offense runs though me, but I'm in a lot of situations. I'm not just standing around. It's more movement and just fits me better."

Asked if that assessment helps explain why he didn't play as well with the Bulls, Salmons took a pass.

"Whatever the reason was, it was just my time to go, period," he said. "That's the best way I can take it. Anybody can give you a lot of excuses why things didn't work out. I just look at it like my whatever my purpose was, I did it."

Looking back at the night before the trade, when the Bulls played in New York, Salmons said it was his decision not to go with the team to Madison Square Garden. It took awhile between the time he found out he was going to be traded to figuring out which team he would join.

His agent's first two guesses were incorrect, then he told Salmons it would either be the Bucks or the Lakers.

"That was a weird night," Salmons said. "I was at ESPN Zone (in New York) watching the Bulls play the Knicks. It was crazy."

Skiles scouting report: John Salmons mentioned that when he was traded, Bulls vice president John Paxson gave him a positive report on Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles, who headed the Bulls from 2003-07.

"(Paxson) just said (Skiles) was one of the best coaches he'd been around," Salmons said. "It's been great. I agree with Paxson 100 percent."

Bucks without Bogut: Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles talked about how his team will get past the disappointment of losing center Andrew Bogut, probably for the season, with several right-arm injuries after a hard fall Saturday.

'This is the reason we start every practice with our defensive work and that's to try to weather something like this if it ever did happen," Skiles said. "Unfortunately, it's happened and we'll see if we can weather it."

Deng downplays Duke: Before Tuesday's game, Bulls center Chris Richard marveled at Luol Deng's self-control. Richard said he hadn't heard one word from Deng about Duke winning the national title Monday.

Pressed on the subject, Deng deadpanned, "Act like you've been there before. You go to Duke to win," as several players cracked up.

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