I don’t have a high degree of confidence that Milwaukee will win this series, but it’s still there in front of them. If Giannis plays well the next two games and they advance no one will remember game 5.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:If the Bucks build a big second-half lead as they did in Game 5, the Nets are more likely to be conservative and give Durant and Harden some rest. If they go with the same intensity they did in Game 5 to try to battle back from a big deficit and lose, it makes Game 7 a lot harder for Durant and Harden especially to come back for in terms of fatigue.
The Bucks could bait them… keep it just close enough to let them think they have a shot to close it out…
@Tschmack posted:I don’t have a high degree of confidence that Milwaukee will win this series, but it’s still there in front of them. If Giannis plays well the next two games and they advance no one will remember game 5.
If the Nets end up winning a title (which they will be overwhelming favorites to do so if they get by the Bucks and get Irving and Harden back anywhere near full strength), Game 5 will end up being one of the most talked about NBA games of the last decade. It will be Durant's legacy game. That 26 foot 3-pointer to go up 4 after Middleton had played almost perfect defense the whole possession will become the most iconic shot of his life.
If the Bucks win the series, the Durant legacy game reverts back to his pullup 3-pointer over LeBron to win one of the Finals games for the Warriors.
They emptied the clip Tuesday… Bucks looked bad, but they’re too good to allow that to be their defining moment this season.
I think the winner of this series will be favored to win it all. Bucks just have to win the next two. Not an easy task at all, but not impossible either.
As a point of reference, if it gets back to Brooklyn (game 7) the Bucks are 2-8 all time in game 7s.
So the Bucks offensive priority in the half court was to get Lopez going? I don't get it.
Nets call timeout and then go 7-0. Two Durant postups and an open 3 off a Lopez drop defense.
If this is the end for Bud, I never want to see another minute of drop defense against a good 3-point shooting team.
For the second time in 3 years, no LeBron.
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I think the Lakers will regret signing AD to that extension. Much like Embiid, the guy simply cannot stay healthy.
LeBron isn’t getting any younger either.
This offseason will be interesting because Chris Paul and Kahwi Leonhard could technically opt out and become free agents. Would either of them take a pay cut to join the Lakers? I don’t know, but it’s not a great year for free agents. Most of the top tier guys are on the other side of 30 like Mike Conley (33), Kyle Lowry (35), Demar DeRozen (32), Goran Dragic (35), Serge Ibaka (32).
2022 is a totally different story with a lot of top guys being able to opt out.
Next season is make or break for a team like the Nets because in theory the Big 3 could all opt out if they wanted. That’s why it’s critical the Bucks seal the deal this season.
The Suns win to go up 2-0 on a lob dunk with 0.7 seconds… this playoffs has been friggin insane…
And Paul George misses 2 FTs with less than 10 seconds left. Just brutal the way the Clippers lost that game.
@Tschmack posted:And Paul George misses 2 FTs with less than 10 seconds left. Just brutal the way the Clippers lost that game.
Yes. As disappointing as the Game 5 loss against the Nets was, it's a lot different losing when one of the greatest players of all-time has his best game ever and hits a 28 foot contested shot against great defense to seal it than it is to lose to a lob dunk at the rim when that's about the only shot that can beat you.
@Tschmack posted:I think the Lakers will regret signing AD to that extension. Much like Embiid, the guy simply cannot stay healthy.
LeBron isn’t getting any younger either.
This offseason will be interesting because Chris Paul and Kahwi Leonhard could technically opt out and become free agents. Would either of them take a pay cut to join the Lakers? I don’t know, but it’s not a great year for free agents. Most of the top tier guys are on the other side of 30 like Mike Conley (33), Kyle Lowry (35), Demar DeRozen (32), Goran Dragic (35), Serge Ibaka (32).
2022 is a totally different story with a lot of top guys being able to opt out.
Next season is make or break for a team like the Nets because in theory the Big 3 could all opt out if they wanted. That’s why it’s critical the Bucks seal the deal this season.
There is never going to be a better opportunity for the Bucks to win than this year. They get to play a 5 seed without at least one of their key guys, and then match up against likely the Suns in the Finals. There has never been a clearer path.
Stars are aligned. Now try to not fuck it up.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:There is never going to be a better opportunity for the Bucks to win than this year. They get to play a 5 seed without at least one of their key guys, and then match up against likely the Suns in the Finals. There has never been a clearer path.
Arizona is a tough matchup for the Bucks the way they shoot the 3.
The parallels between the 2019 Raptors and the 2021 Bucks are pretty interesting.
The Raptors were all but left for dead and close to being down 0-3 to the best team in their conference and then they flipped the script.
When they got to the Finals the Warriors were all banged up. If the Bucks get that far, a Kahwi less Clippers or inexperienced Suns team shouldn’t scare anyone. The Bucks match up extremely well with Phoenix. Holiday gets Paul, Tucker will D up on Booker, and Lopez and Giannis should wreak havoc inside. I also wonder (like the Hawks) who exactly will defend Middleton.
@Tschmack posted:This offseason will be interesting because Chris Paul and Kahwi Leonhard could technically opt out and become free agents. Would either of them take a pay cut to join the Lakers?
No, but they could be looking at the Knicks. They have a sign and trade piece in Randall and a fair amount of cap room. They have a good coach as well.
The Clippers force a Game 6. They are one inbounds play away from being up 3 games to 2 without Kawhi. It was the Paul George show tonight. He's just like Middleton. He's as good as anyone when he's on, but struggles for consistency.
@Tschmack posted:The parallels between the 2019 Raptors and the 2021 Bucks are pretty interesting.
The Raptors were all but left for dead and close to being down 0-3 to the best team in their conference and then they flipped the script.
When they got to the Finals the Warriors were all banged up. If the Bucks get that far, a Kahwi less Clippers or inexperienced Suns team shouldn’t scare anyone. The Bucks match up extremely well with Phoenix. Holiday gets Paul, Tucker will D up on Booker, and Lopez and Giannis should wreak havoc inside. I also wonder (like the Hawks) who exactly will defend Middleton.
Crowder's a pretty good 3 and D guy. Miami letting him go so they could chase Giannis cost them a better shot this year.
Would be nice to see this go 7 games and have the Bucks finish off the Hawks in 5.
