Big Test tonight. Bucks-Heat March 2nd

Bucks up 21-12, but Giannis has already picked up 2 fouls in 5 minutes.

Giannis sits and immediately Holiday has another bad turnover and Adebayo gets an And-1 in transition.

Holiday abusing Duncan Robinson when he gets matched on him. Robinson is a bigger version of Bryn Forbes - great shooter who can't guard anyone.

We all know it, but Nwora is unplayable in the playoffs. Despite how inept Matthews has been on offense the last few weeks, he's still a very good defensive player. Nwora looks great against the scrubs but struggles to knock down shots when it counts and makes Kyle Korver look like a defensive stopper.

Holiday with another turnover.

Heat go on a 10-0 run, mostly with Giannis sitting.

Typically Heat bullshit officiating. A team that is extremely physical has only 3 fouls in 15 minutes to the Bucks 7.

No one else here tonight. A complete BS officiated game. Giannis has 3 fouls and has to sit. Bucks with 10 fouls, Miami with 3. No Heat player with no one more than 1.

Bucks down 3.

Bucks down 2 at the half despite Giannis only playing 12 minutes.

Bucks getting annihilated to start the 3rd. Now down 11. The Heat are 13 for 20 from three.

13 of 20.

Giannis has no FTs tonight. Tucker can basically foul him without any calls.

Tucker is completely in Giannis' head. What a colossal fuck up it was to not resign him.

And Bucks go up 1, and then Giannis picks up his 4th.

@MichiganPacker posted:

Giannis has no FTs tonight. Tucker can basically foul him without any calls.

At some point, the officials in these games have to start being held accountable. They’re manifestly shaping the outcome of the game.

The Bucks aren’t some scrub team. They’re the defending world champions. And yet the officials have effectively taken perhaps the best big man in basketball out of the game. Something is just so wrong with this. That doesn’t happen in other sports.

Starting to get away from them. Down 5.

I wish I could see this. Having to follow along on the ESPN app.

now down 9.

You ready for March Madness, MP? I think the Badgers could make a real deep run. I’m a big Badgers and Warriors (I mean Golden Eagles) fan. Dad’s a Marquette alum (class of ‘69).

The new Sports Illustrated came yesterday afternoon, and has a nice article about Mike Krzyzewski in his last season. Of course, seeing his last title with Duke coming over Wisconsin is still a sore subject. 😡

Holiday with turnover problems again.

@MichiganPacker posted:

now down 9.

The wheels aren’t off, but they’re wobbling like a mother____.

@lambeausouth posted:

I wish I could see this. Having to follow along on the ESPN app.

Typical Bucks game this past month.

Nothing from the bench.

Holiday with some bad turnovers.

Matthews missing wide open 3s.

…and now, ESPN game cast is down. Just my luck.

@MichiganPacker posted:

Typical Bucks game this past month.

Nothing from the bench.

Holiday with some bad turnovers.

Matthews missing wide open 3s.

They desperately need Lopez back. If they’re going to have any chance at repeating, their defense needs to solidify, and fast.

Where are the Bucks seeded in the East if they lose tonight?

@lambeausouth posted:

You ready for March Madness, MP? I think the Badgers could make a real deep run. I’m a big Badgers and Warriors (I mean Golden Eagles) fan. Dad’s a Marquette alum (class of ‘69).

The new Sports Illustrated came yesterday afternoon, and has a nice article about Mike Krzyzewski in his last season. Of course, seeing his last title with Duke coming over Wisconsin is still a sore subject. 😡

I read that article over lunch today on Coach K. A pretty transparent article about how he's not perfect, but he's tried to be better than his mentor, Bobby Knight who really is a total asshole.

I'm not sure about the Badgers making a deep run. It depends on whether Johnny Davis really is a lottery pick or more of just a good college player who'll sit at the end of the bench in the NBA. If it's the former, they are a threat to get the Final 4. If it's the latter, they will probably win 1 or 2 games at the most.

This is just about over. Having to play guys the Nets cut is having an effect.

Down 11.

The Heat are 20 for 38 from three. Javon Carter, Bembry, Nwora, and Matthews as your bench is just killing the Bucks.

Bembry is -15 in 11 minutes

Carter is -10 in 12 minutes

Nwora is -6 in 5 minutes

Giannis misses two layups. Stick a fork in the Bucks, they are done.

The Bucks are getting blown out in a game where Butler is 2 for 13.

Maybe a deep run is just wishful thinking. I have to have something to hang my hat on right now. The baseball lockout is starting to get beyond absurd, and I don’t know if and when we’ll have the Brewers to watch.

Add in the uncertainty about the Packers-will Rodgers be back, do we franchise Davante, do we somehow manage to knock off the $26 million we’re over the cap to make one more run at a title before a rebuild happens?

Being a Wisconsin sports fan is challenging, right now.

And yeah, Bobby Knight is a complete tool. That Perfect in ‘76 documentary really illuminated just how massive his ego was. He won, but man, he was a colossal prick towards so many of his players.

@MichiganPacker posted:

The Heat are 20 for 38 from three. Javon Carter, Bembry, Nwora, and Matthews as your bench is just killing the Bucks.

Meanwhile, PJ Tucker is leading the NBA shooting 45.1% from 3.

Really poor decision letting him leave Milwaukee.

Gah, Middleton missed a 3 that would have given us the lead. Furious comeback by the Bucks, now 117-114 Miami after Tyler Herro hits a jumper.

Giannis misses a layup to seal the loss until Middleton hits one to get them back in it.

Did not see this comeback coming. Jimmy Butler was beyond awful tonight.

LOL, you have to be shitting me.

How the hell did we win this? 🤣

Tyler Herro can't play point guard for them in the playoffs. Two bad turnovers in the last few possessions. That's why they got Lowry.

Bucks need Lopez and Connaughton badly.

It looks like Horst screwed up the offseason badly. Grayson Allen isn't even on the court in crunch time and you paid him 10 million and let Tucker go for 7 million? Idiotic decision.

That’s a huge win with our next two coming at Chicago, and hosting Phoenix.

I stopped following when Michigan Packer told me it was a blow-out.

What did I miss?

DDV hasn’t played well, but I think I’d still take him over anyone coming off our bench.

Lopez and PC coming back, or not, will have a dramatic impact on our playoff fortunes.

But for right now, I’m just going to enjoy this win. Beating the top seed in the East is enough to make me happy for the rest of the night.

@Blair Kiel posted:

I stopped following when Michigan Packer told me it was a blow-out.

What did I miss?

Butler had an awful game, and somehow the Bucks managed to come back from double digits down late, with Giannis carrying 4 fouls.

I couldn’t see the game, Blair, as it wasn’t on down here, and ESPN’s game cast went down. I relied on MP for much of my understanding.

Whatever happened, beating the #1 seed in the East has me smiling like the Cheshire Cat. I’m not even thinking about how poor our bench is playing at the moment. Just reveling in the win.

Beating the Heat, Badgers clinching the Big Ten. I’m a happy cheesehead right now.