The Bucks will be without Bogut again when they take on the New Jersey Nets tonight at the Izod Center. Bogut did not practice Monday because of his bothersome back and did not travel east with the team. He was to receive a medical examination Monday afternoon.

Coach Scott Skiles said Francisco Elson would start for the third straight game at center, which means Gadzuric will come off the bench again after starting 16 games this season.

"We'll go with Francisco and Danny and then, of course, we can also play small if we want to," said Skiles, who used Charlie Villanueva at center in an earlier game against the Nets.

In the last two games, even with Bogut getting only limited playing time, Skiles did not go at all to Gadzuric. Bogut did not play in the eight games before that because of his bad back and Gadzuric started all eight. But his playing time dropped off dramatically during that span, from 23 minutes in a loss Jan. 17 to the Los Angeles Clippers to less than 3 minutes Wednesday in a loss to Indiana.

In those eight starts, Gadzuric averaged 2.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game.

"I think at a certain time of the year players just hit a wall," he said. "Maybe I've just hit a wall. Hopefully, I can bounce back and move on and keep rolling and give the energy that the team needs.

"The legs are a little bit mushy and you try and fight through it. Sometimes it's hard to fight through it but I try my best and hopefully now I had a real good practice (Monday) and felt good. Maybe it's just that time of year. I hope I can just keep doing what I've done before."

Gadzuric, though, has always made his mark as an energy player and not necessarily one who shows up big in the box score. But even his energy level has dropped off.

"I haven't done as much as I did before as far as energy," he said. "Obviously, it doesn't make me feel good and I've been trying to do a little more weights and get a different strategy to get ready. I felt good (Monday) so once I come off the bench or whenever they need me, I'll bring that spark."

After Bogut sat out the recent eight games - he has missed 12 in all this season because of his back - he returned to play in victories over Toronto on Friday and Atlanta on Saturday. He played 16 minutes in each game. After practice on Monday, Skiles said he wasn't sure whether playing on consecutive nights had been too much for Bogut or how long the team would be without him. Bogut is listed as day-to-day on the team's medical report.

"We're trying to make everyone realize that we can still win a game without him," Skiles said.

Skiles likes what he has been getting from Elson in recent games. Elson had six points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes against Atlanta, and six rebounds in 24 minutes against Toronto.

"He's doing the things that we hoped he would do when we signed him," Skiles said. "He's run the floor. He's played with a lot of energy. He's knocking down his open shot when he gets it. He's blocking some shots on occasion. Just in general, he's played with a lot of pop out there. He's earned playing time."

Gadzuric hopes the same will be said about him soon.

"I've got to be ready to come in and contribute some minutes and a lot of energy," he said. "I haven't been playing with a lot of energy so I've got to make that up and be ready."

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