Bucks at Knicks, January 9th

Bucks behind 40-36. This is not a good team right now. They are really struggling to generate any offense.

This is game 40. Almost to the halfway point of the season.

Are we going to ever see Khris Middleton again?

Giannis with 4 shots in the first half????

The league has got the Bucks figured out. Run on them before they can set up in their half court defense. If they do get to halfcourt, go after Grayson Allen or get Lopez in drop defense on a shooter.

With Middleton out, let anyone else shoot besides Giannis. Look at tonight, Giannis is 3 for 7 from the floor and he's being triple teamed at times. The rest of the team is 6 for 22 from the three point line.

Now down 11.

Bucks go on a huge run and now lead by 1.

Bucks up 2 with 7 seconds left and still can't inbound the ball. That's been a problem for about 2 weeks. Took their last timeout and will try again.

Down 17 at one point and the Bucks come back and win.

One of those Jrue Holiday games on offense. He started 2 for 11 and then hit three step back shots down the stretch and the clinching FTs.

Joe Ingles made a huge difference. They have to play him to generate offense.

Wish the game were broadcast in my area.

The Knicks are probably a playoff team and they are pesky so looking at the stat sheet it appears this was a collective effort from the entire team.

Most encouraging was how well Pat C and Ingles played.  We all know how important Middleton is, but if those two guys can play up to their standard level of performance offensively it will take a lot of pressure off guys like Lopez and Holiday.  Planet Pat also does a lot of the little things (similar to Portis) especially with hustle plays so when he’s playing well it makes a difference.  

@Tschmack posted:

The Knicks are probably a playoff team and they are pesky so looking at the stat sheet it appears this was a collective effort from the entire team.

Most encouraging was how well Pat C and Ingles played.  We all know how important Middleton is, but if those two guys can play up to their standard level of performance offensively it will take a lot of pressure off guys like Lopez and Holiday.  Planet Pat also does a lot of the little things (similar to Portis) especially with hustle plays so when he’s playing well it makes a difference.  

I agree on Pat, but Ingles is more necessary than Pat with Middleton out. Pat can't initiate offense like Ingles can. Ingles is Middleton-like on offense. He's an outstanding 3 point shooter and he's great in pick-and-roll action with Giannis. The entire game changed when he came in the third quarter last night because they finally got some good shots by making the defense rotate and respond to two-man actions. Giannis generates a lot of good shots when he initiates offense, but it's almost all 3 point looks on catch and shoots. The shots are open but there it's not the same as getting the defense scrambling to guard a Giannis roll to the basket with Ingles as the ball handler. Middleton is elite in this roll and it's really how they won the title.

The problem with Ingles is that he's a defensive liability. Middleton isn't an All-NBA defender, but he's very good and certainly not a liability.

I always come to Timesfour to get the post game analysis when I can't watch a Bucks game and usually even when I watch it.  You guys are so good analyzing the Bucks games, seriously.  MichiganPacker I love your analysis, it's the best!  Are you a basketball coach?  Former player?  Great stuff, thank you!

@Trailrunners posted:

I always come to Timesfour to get the post game analysis when I can't watch a Bucks game and usually even when I watch it.  You guys are so good analyzing the Bucks games, seriously.  MichiganPacker I love your analysis, it's the best!  Are you a basketball coach?  Former player?  Great stuff, thank you!

Thanks. I'm actually a biomedical researcher focused on skeletal biology and cancer, but I went to college initially thinking I was going to coach. I was a decent high school player (90% FT shooter), but not athletic enough to play in college beyond just riding the bench even at D3.

My uncle was a prominent high school coach, two of my brothers coached high school basketball, and my father played in college and coached. I have nephews and nieces that play D3 in college. I grew up going to Dick Bennett's camps in Stevens Point.

FLPacker is the one who really knows this stuff better than most of us. He was a very good college basketball coach - he's more of a Packer fan than a Bucks fan though.