Bucks at Celtics in what the NBA writers often call a schedule loss. Bucks on the second of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 6 days. Celtics haven't played since Friday.
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In the first quarter, Giannis was scoreless and Middleton had 2 points. So, of course, they are up 30-21. Cousins with his best minutes as a Buck. 2 threes some nice ballhandling and solid defense.
Bucks get outscored by 10 in the second. Down 1 at half. Terrible ballhandling in the second - 7 turnovers for the Bucks.
Bucks definitely have tired legs. I hate these types of rest disparity games on the NBA schedule.
Of course, allowing the Celtics to play a zone defense the entire night (Marques keeps mentioning this) helps them.
Used Giannis sparingly in the first half. They need to at least try to win… would be great if Khris Middleton would you know, play like an All Star.
Getting close to getting away from them here…
Giannis has actually been as bad as Middleton tonight. He's playing passive and not working at all on defense. That last 3 Tatum had, Giannis half-assed it and has half-assed it on the boards all night as well (Middleton has 8). I love Giannis, but if he's going to only be able to put in this type of effort you should just rest him on these back-to-backs.
This is going to be one of those games where they collapse under the weight of their inability to score…
About to lose contact here. It's not just the offensive problems. It's allowing guys who are in rhythm to take wide open 3s.
Lack of energy is understandable given BTB and Boston had all weekend to rest.
64-44 between the second the third quarter.
Down 11 after three. Middleton just got injured. I'd say just sit Giannis and Holiday the rest of the way and fire up the plane for the flight home.
@Tschmack posted:Lack of energy is understandable given BTB and Boston had all weekend to rest.
You'd think a billion-dollar enterprise could do a better job of scheduling. You just saw Middleton get hurt - that's what happens with these 4 games in 6 nights things. Bucks were probably under some league pressure to play Giannis and Middleton after they sat them the last trip to Boston.
If you are going to throw away this game by playing Javonte Smart, why are you playing Giannis?
Javonte Smart is so far out of his element in real minutes, it isn't even funny. He's too small to guard anyone and he can't shoot. Is Jordan Nwora just waiting to be traded for a ham sandwich? At least he's big enough to force someone to have to work a little to shoot over him.
Giannis has probably been fouled 15 times tonight. It's the Miami defensive plan - jut hack and push and shove and assume they can't call all the fouls.
Middleton had more turnovers than made baskets…
@Music City posted:Middleton had more turnovers than made baskets…
You could tell Giannis and Middleton just had dead legs tonight. Should have just rested them both.
To be fair, Middleton only had 3 turnovers.
Kind of BS to leave Tatum in to hit 40 against the Bucks reserves.
Why is Nwora playing behind Mamu and Javonte Smart?
If Middleton is gone for an extended period of time, that's going to be tough. But if Middleton is back in a week they should go all out to blow out Boston on Xmas day.
In retrospect, the Bucks should have sat Giannis or Middleton or both. The league scheduling 4 games in 6 days is stupid and it’s no surprise they came out flat and Middleton gets injured.
Even so, it’s more annoying that Boston leaves their starters in for basically the whole game and Tatum is taking open 3s when the game is over. Congrats Boston. You won a meaningless game in December and you better hope you don’t face a healthy Bucks team in the postseason because that’s a 4 or 5 game series.