Bucks head to New York for the second night of a back to back. Trent Jr. is questionable with back spasms. Giannis is probable.
Middleton is out. He must be "getting closer" though.
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@MichiganPacker2 posted:Middleton is out. He must be "getting closer" though.
Sarcasm?
Bucks down 17-6 to start. Towns is just abusing Lopez. He's got 11 in the first 5 minutes.
Bucks may lose tonight, but so far they look a lot better in terms of the eye test than earlier in the year. Down 32-25 after one, but almost all of that is Lopez' inability to guard Towns. That type of thing has been a problem (guarding the 3 point line) has always been a problem for Brook.
Lopez is completely unplayable against Towns. Towns has 17 points in 11 minutes. He's 6 for 9 from the floor, but I believe he was 0 for 3 with Giannis on him, and 6 for 6 with Brook on him.
@Pikes Peak posted:Closer to qualifying for AARP
He really needs Medicare.
Since he slipped on a wet spot on the floor against the Bulls in 2022 playoffs, he's played 88 out of 171 games. That injury was really the end of the Bucks' title window.
Spoke to soon on this game. They looked good, but the Bucks are now melting down. Down 15 in the second. They just have to get Lopez off the floor, but they don't have another big guy they can play.
The Bucks end the first half with a classic play. Dame drives, hits Connaughton who is wide open, and PC air balls a 6 footer.
Dame and Giannis combine to go 9 for 18 for 27 points.
KAT goes for 27 in the half. Brook should consider retiring at halftime.
Bucks back down 20. Tonight's game is the result of what looks like the Bucks are playing 2 on 5. Dame and Giannis have been pretty good. AJ Green has been OK. Jackson Jr. has played good defense. The rest of the team has sucked.
Down 19 going to the 4th. This game seems like one of those where after the Knicks went up in the 2nd quarter, the Bucks just sort of went through the motions.
Dame has two airball threes tonight. His legs are jelly right now.
Now down 26. Just let the deep bench guys play so can the starters can play bigger minutes in their scheduled loss to the Celtics on Sunday.
what a shit show...There is just no way this team is as bad as their record. WTF is going on??
As I said before, something is rotten in Denmark. Only the insiders know what it is.
A win against a bad Jazz team doesn’t really change anything.
In half of their games this year, they’ve mailed it in. Giannis especially frustrated after the game with the effort.
If a major trade isn’t made by the deadline I’d be shocked because this team is going nowhere. It’s entirely possible Giannis has had enough and will demand a trade. There’s just no easy path to improvement at this point.
Meanwhile, a once considered coaching candidate (Kenny Atkinson) is currently leading a Cavs team that is 10-0.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Bucks head to New York for the second night of a back to back. Trent Jr. is questionable with back spasms. Giannis is probable.
Middleton is out. He must be "getting closer" though.
I've heard Middleton should be back around Thanksgiving. Something about him practicing in 5 on 5 drills, without any pain, in his ankle. We surely could have used him, the past 3 years.
@Boris posted:
what a shit show...There is just no way this team is as bad as their record. WTF is going on??
They will start 2-8 but they aren’t really as bad as that record. 4 of the losses will be to 2 teams that are a combined 38-4 ((Celtics and Cavs). The problem is the losses to the Bulls and Nets. They should be 4-6. That’s probably closer to what they are which is a 40-44 win team
Some thoughts.
1. Rivers is not a great coach, and he's a downgrade from Bud. But he's not a complete moron. You don't win as many games as he has over his career without having some level of competence. Nobody is going to win a title, or come close, with this roster.
2. Taurean Prince is half-assing it out there, especially on defense. I realize he's only playing because Middleton is out, but all of his minutes need to go to someone else. He's basically a Beasley replacement in many respects. Trent Jr. has started out in a shooting slump, be at least when he's out there is trying.
3. Barry and Jackson Jr. give you much more energy and upside than Prince. Jackson Jr. is a very good defender and a poor floor spacer. Barry is a great floor spacer and is somewhat passable on defense. Barry needs to be on the floor 30+ minutes a game.
3. Lillard and Giannis are actually both playing very well. You can sense their frustrations with teammates, but they are both saying the right things.
4. Portis needs to be playing fewer minutes. He's just too much of a liability on defense.
5. As bad as Portis is on defense, he is less of a liability than Lopez. Lopez has stuck around as slow old guy because he's worked hard to make himself a floor spacer. His defense stats (apart from KAT last night) look good on paper because he is still challenging shots at the rim well in half court defense. However, he is the biggest reason they are getting shredded on defense. Teams hunt him in drop coverage for open threes and he's the biggest reason teams get transition layups (or against scramble coverage) against the Bucks. He just can't get back on defense, especially if he is anywhere other than the top of the key. If me misses (or even makes) a shot in the lane, the opponent is off the races in transition. Lopez has been a great Buck, he's a great teammate, but you have to move that contract for something. He's done at the end of the year and they lose that space on the salary cap unless they trade it for something else. Even if you don't get a salary cap replacement for his 23 million to carry over, move that contract for some picks or even to get under the second apron.
I think what’s becoming obvious is Brook Lopez is done. If he’s not hitting 3s I don’t know how he can get playing time.
Portis and Pat C are kind of in the same situation. Portis can’t play defense and ball movement is atrocious when he’s in there. As for Connaughton, he’s gotten old and slow.
If I’m Jon Horst I move all three of those guys for whatever you can get.
They also have to find a way to get AJax and AJ Green more minutes. Jackson Jr just needs to play defense and Green can certainly hit the 3 and isn’t a complete liability on defense.