After the All-Star weekend, the Bucks, who originally had a complete roster, suffered from injuries.
Anthony Mason twisted his thigh in the first game back from the holiday and needed to be out for 2-4 weeks.
No one cared about the gap at the power forward position initially because the reformed Mason had been doing some inconspicuous tasks.
The interior line was the Bucks' greatest weakness, and with Mason around, as long as they did not face star centers, the overall performance was passable. Suddenly without Mason, center Dan Gadzuric was only good for his athleticism and there was no one who could replace Mason's role at power forward.
When the Bucks were swept by the Mavericks and then suffered their first back-to-back defeat of the season to the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal, who ran rampant with 40 points and 12 rebounds, George Karl nudged rookie Rony Seikaly forward.