I know it's the Pistons, but this game still counts as much as every other game except the upcoming Celtics game and the Bucks are not on a back-to-back for this game or the next game.
Should have sat Giannis against the Nuggets on the back-to-back last game.
Bucks should still win tonight, but now they'll probably have to sweat it out a little bit even with the Pistons in tank mode.
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Hubris!
The Bucks expect Goran Dragić to make his debut tonight.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters that Jrue Holiday (personal reasons) is not currently with the team in Detroit.
Budenholzer also said he is not sure if Holiday will re-join the team in Indiana for Wednesday’s game.
Bucks up 3 towards the end of the first.
They need to extend this in the next couple of quarters and not let Detroit think they have a chance.
Bucks up 4 after one.
Bucks treating this like a preseason game right now. Dragic playing in the first quarter.
Jevon Carter misses a dunk with the Bucks up 7 and then comes back the next trip and rushes a 5 footer.
Bucks up 15 and starting to put this away with 3 minutes left in the first half.
But then Connaughton misses two 3s in a row. Dragic misses a 3. Bucks don't box out and give up a put back dunk.
Then a turnover on Ingles. Then a turnover on Middleton.
Just a pathetic 11-2 run to a terrible team to keep this close.
Bucks and Pistons exchange 2s at the end.
Only a 6 point lead. Dangerous territory right now.
Another first half fade with a Pistons 11-2 run and Bucks just up by 6 at half-time
Pistons within 3. Grayson Allen getting abused. He's unplayable against the Celtics.
Grayson Allen is singlehandedly keeping the Pistons around. Pathetic defense. 1 for 4 from the field with 2 turnovers.
Without Giannis, if Lopez sits the Bucks have almost no rim protection.
This is a 4 point game well into the third quarter.
Way too close for comfort.
Bucks bench is 4 for 21 tonight (1 for 11 from three)
Jaden Ivey is getting whatever he wants against Grayson Allen. It's really, really bad. Ivey has 25 points and 7 assists (mostly lob dunk passes after he blows by Allen)
Bucks up only 4 going to the 4th. To the Pistons who are missing 5 guys - including their 3 best players. And the Pistons suck even with all their guys.
11 minutes left - one possession game
Bucks have separated to 15 during the 4th quarter, but the continued suckitude of Grayson Allen, Ingles, and Connaughton has this back to 9. They are 5 for 23 from the floor with 4 turnovers.
Bucks in 126-117. Harder than it should have been, but in the end it's a W.
Sixers sit Harden and Embiid vs. the Nuggets and lose. The Sixers are 5 back of the Bucks with 7 to play. They are more likely to end up the 4 seed than the 1 or 2.
5 of the playoff teams are locked in. I would guess 6 will be the Heat.
The Bucks first round matchup (whether they are the 1 or 2 seed) will be against the Nets, Hawks, Bulls, or Raptors. 3 teams that can't stop anybody and one that will play football against you but can't score (Toronto).
1/2
Milwaukee/Boston
3/4
Philly/Cleveland
5
New York
6/7
Brooklyn/Miami
8-10
Atlanta/Chicago/Toronto
Just keep winning baby! 👍🏼
Wizards do Milwaukee a solid and knock off the Celtics tonight. Bucks’ lead back up to 2.5 games. MIL with seven games left, BOS with six.
I guess that's why they play the games.
The Celtics, with their full roster and without playing the day before, get blown out by the Wizards playing without Beal, Gafford, and Kuzma.
Now the Bucks need to take care of the Pacers tomorrow night.
@ilcuqui posted:Wizards do Milwaukee a solid and knock off the Celtics tonight. Bucks’ lead back up to 2.5 games. MIL with seven games left, BOS with six.
If the Bucks win the next two nights, their magic number will drop to 1 with 5 games left.
That’s my point MP2. People are concerned about the Bucks losing to some shit teams this season, but Boston has had many more duds like the game against Washington. I think there’s some schedule fatigue that happens and resting players at times doesn’t help matters.
Boston should still be formidable in the playoffs, but they aren’t the 1996 Bulls.
Tatum was 2 of 7 from 3 against Washington and as a team they were 11 for 44 from 3. I posted this the other night but Boston is going to have issues in the playoffs if Tatum doesn’t rediscover his 3pt shot. Since the AS break he’s basically hovering in the low 30% range from outside. In his last 8 games he’s at an Eric Bledsoe like 25% from 3. It’s almost like he and the Celtics have become too fixated on the 3.
@Tschmack posted:That’s my point MP2. People are concerned about the Bucks losing to some shit teams this season, but Boston has had many more duds like the game against Washington. I think there’s some schedule fatigue that happens and resting players at times doesn’t help matters.
Boston should still be formidable in the playoffs, but they aren’t the 1996 Bulls.
Tatum was 2 of 7 from 3 against Washington and as a team they were 11 for 44 from 3. I posted this the other night but Boston is going to have issues in the playoffs if Tatum doesn’t rediscover his 3pt shot. Since the AS break he’s basically hovering in the low 30% range from outside. In his last 8 games he’s at an Eric Bledsoe like 25% from 3. It’s almost like he and the Celtics have become too fixated on the 3.
I think there is an underlying issue in Boston between Tatum and Brown.
Brown was interviewed a few weeks ago and indicated that he was bothered by the Durant to the Celtics trade talk and that he knew Tatum and Durant were workout buddies.
They are more than good enough to win a title, but it could go south for them in a hurry.
The thing that seemed to change about Tatum last year was he became more about winning than about putting up 40. Before that, some scouts thought he was happier scoring 40 and losing than scoring 18 and winning. He looked like he was going to win an MVP this year in January/February, scored 50+ in the all-star game 6 weeks ago, and now he's not even in the MVP conversation. You have to wonder if that's bothering him a bit.
I’m not sure I wouldn’t take Brown over Tatum. I mean, Tatum is an elite scorer. But Brown is a better two way player and I think he’s more invested in winning than just putting up stats. But I agree there’s something a little off with Boston. They just don’t seem as hungry and focused as they were earlier this year.
I also wonder what effect losing Udoka has on that team. Yes, he acted like a dirtbag but as a HC it just seemed like his team had better scheming and played harder than they do for the current guy.
Not that I’m shoveling dirt on Boston, but I wonder if the Cavs are as much of a threat now as Boston or Philly. They’ve won 17 of 24 and several of their losses were close over that stretch.
@Tschmack posted:I’m not sure I wouldn’t take Brown over Tatum. I mean, Tatum is an elite scorer. But Brown is a better two way player and I think he’s more invested in winning than just putting up stats. But I agree there’s something a little off with Boston. They just don’t seem as hungry and focused as they were earlier this year.
I also wonder what effect losing Udoka has on that team. Yes, he acted like a dirtbag but as a HC it just seemed like his team had better scheming and played harder than they do for the current guy.
Not that I’m shoveling dirt on Boston, but I wonder if the Cavs are as much of a threat now as Boston or Philly. They’ve won 17 of 24 and several of their losses were close over that stretch.
Holiday is the X factor against Mitchell. Mitchell is a very similar player to Booker (except even shorter), and Holiday might be the best guy in NBA history to guard players like that. Chris Paul is another one that Holiday causes big problems for.
Tatum and Brown are a little bit bigger, and while Holiday is still elite against them, they are big enough to give Holiday some challenges.
