NBA makes it so it's a tie game and Utah gets the ball to win on the last shot. THe call on Gobert was as weak as some on Giannis.
That foul on Giannis about 90 seconds into the game where he tried to block it from behind was the thing he needs to avoid.
I'm shocked Mitchell didn't get a call. If they hadn't fouled Giannis out he probably would have.
Why would you use the man Goebert is guarding as the screen man? He switches, then what? You didn’t have time to reverse... just a stupid play.
And then they give up a WIDE open 3 to lose. Middleton fucked up that last 3 seconds as much as you can.
UTAH JUST WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
Good lord -- at least their fans are acting like it.
That was a brutal loss and it’s basically on Middleton
Utah is a pretty good team but damn you cannot nor should not lose games like that
Music City posted:Fucking Middleton...
Think we’ll be saying this a lot this season. Ugh
Tschmack posted:That was a brutal loss and it’s basically on Middleton
Utah is a pretty good team but damn you cannot nor should not lose games like that
They were down by 20+
If the Bucks won that game, they would've stolen it from Utah.
The Bucks had better understand..... They will get every teams best shot -- their A game -- every night they step on the floor. Get used to it.... It won't change. I guarantee it.
Good game from a fan perspective. Instant classic -- just on the wrong side of it. Packers have a bunch of those too
Watching the replay of that game winner, what in the actual fuck was Middleton doing? the only threat on the play is Bogdanovic- and he lets him leak into the corner all alone. Complete stupidity from a professional basketball player.
His mental lapses and poor decisions continually cost this team. Giannis put the team on his back and scored 28 second half points, and while the team is riding that wave, dumbass Middleton goes three straight possessions trying to go “my turn” shooting contested floaters that he’s been missing the whole fucking game.
Boris mentioned “stolen”, and I agree. We had an epic all-time comeback lead by an all-time great player stolen by Middleton. There isn’t a top NBA player or coach that should fear this guy in the clutch. None. He’s not a smart basketball player, and I’m getting tired of people defending him.
Down 20 or not they had a good chance to win it. Until Middleton turned it over and then failed to guard the biggest threat on the floor at the biggest moment. My frustration isn’t about losing a game they should have stolen but more about how they lost it.
That’s starting to become a theme with this team. In big moments they do not make good plays or decisions. Middleton is typically the culprit but Bledsoe has had his share of bonehead moves as well.
Giannis should not have to carry this fucking team just about every night. If guys like Middleton and Bledsoe and Lopez don’t start performing better more consistently then Giannis leaving is absolutely on the table. He’s killing himself and guys like Middleton aren’t stepping up. They’ve paid all these guys so that can’t be a distraction anymore. Get it done!!
Middleton was terrible on the last two possessions, but he played well overall. 26 points, 11 rebounds, 5 of 8 from deep.
His problem is that he's not an isolation guy at the end of a game on an inbounds pass. He needs some space to get a shot off. That's where they'd normally go to Giannis since he can get a shot off against anyone. As Music City pointed out, last night Bud designed a play that brought Gobert right to the play. With 2 seconds left, unless Giannis is on the court being played by Gobert, whoever he's guarding needs to run opposite where the ball is going.
The defensive set was also terrible. Why would you align your defense to protect against Bogdanovich running towards half court to run away from the basket and catch the ball and have to turn and shoot? That was how the Bucks designed that set.
So, yes Middleton messed up on the two last possessions, but Bud's sets have to be really questioned that put him in that position.
Also, for one of the few times all year, other than Sterling Brown the bench provided almost nothing. Brown was great - he needs more minutes. Robin Lopez was adequate (4 points and decent defense). The other bench guys (DiVencenzo, Hill, Korver, Ilyasova, and Wilson) played 58 minutes cumulatively. They went 0 for 11 from the floor, 0 for 7 from 3, and the cumulative +/- was -21. That's where the game was really lost - when the second unit guys contributed to getting down big in the first half. Middleton was the guy who kept them within 20 in the first half.
Sterling Brown absolutely needs to play more. He played well toward the end of last season and the playoffs came and he basically sat.
Utah is a good team ....great team balance. Bucks are all Giannis. That was never more painfully obvious than last night. Once he fouled out the odds of winning dropped significantly.
Middleton obviously shit the bed on the last 2 sequences....but why would Bud have the screen man(Lopez) be the guy that Gobert is on ? It made it easy for Gobert to switch off and make Middleton piss his pants...terrible set at crunch time.
Edit: Sorry just went back and read some of the other posts that mention similar thing about Gobert switching. Having some doubts about Buds in game adjustments.
Packdog posted:Utah is a good team ....great team balance. Bucks are all Giannis. That was never more painfully obvious than last night. Once he fouled out the odds of winning dropped significantly.
Middleton obviously shit the bed on the last 2 sequences....but why would Bud have the screen man(Lopez) be the guy that Gobert is on ? It made it easy for Gobert to switch off and make Middleton piss his pants...terrible set at crunch time.
Edit: Sorry just went back and read some of the other posts that mention similar thing about Gobert switching. Having some doubts about Buds in game adjustments.
The Bucks were down 100-92 when Giannis fouled out and went on an 8-0 run to tie it up. They are a good defensive team even without Giannis, but they are elite with him.