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Bucks have to shake off a tough loss and take on the hottest team in the NBA who is 10-2 on their home floor. Bucks took an L from Utah earlier this year, losing 131-118 at Fiserv. At the time the Jazz were scuffling out of the gate, but have won 16/17.

Without Holiday, this will be a very tough game to win. Need to get hot and stay hot from 3.

Last edited by Music City
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@Music City posted:

Gonna lose contact here real soon...

It's the story very often this year against good teams. If DDV, Forbes, and Augustin hit from 3, they are the best offensive team in the league. If they don't, they are merely above average. That won't cut it against a team like the Jazz.

Tonight those 3 are 2 for 10 and most of the shots have been wide open looks after the defense collapses on Giannis.

It’s fucking unthinkable. You allow that slow motherfucker to do the one thing he’s going to do- 6 of 7 from 3, and that’s the only shots he’s taken in the game. Leads all scorers with 20 points. He’s a one trick pony... and they let him do what he’s on the fucking floor to do. Time after time they left him there anyway.

@Tschmack posted:

Tough to beat a decent team like Utah when you don’t have Holiday.

Need to get the OKC win and then .500 on the road trip.  

By the way, fuck COVID19

If they beat OKC, they'll be 4-2 on the road trip. Had Holiday played, they still probably would have lost to Jazz, but definitely win in Phoenix.

They have 10 games left before the break. They need to go at least 7-3 in these games. If Holiday is out for an extended period of time covering several of these games, then I think something like 5-5 or 4-6 is in play.

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@Tschmack posted:

One other thing - at some point the Bucks will have to consider trading Brook Lopez.  Much like Eric Bledsoe, teams have figured out how to attack him.   Make him defend the perimeter and he’s not athletic enough to recover if they pass up the shot and drive to the hoop.  

If you knew you weren't going to face Philly in a playoff series, I think you do this. But if you think you have to get by Philly, Embiid would average 40 against the Bucks or Giannis would be playing 25 minutes a game because of foul trouble. If you still have Robin Lopez you'd consider it because at least you have someone that could at least provide some resistance for 15 minutes a game and give Giannis a break. However, I agree on Brook. Unless he's hitting 40%+ from 3 he's a net liability against good teams.

If they can get anything for DJ Wilson and Augustin in a package that's maybe what you do. They make about 11 million between the two of them. Wilson is either out of the league or a minimum salary guy next year and I don't think you can use Augustin in a playoff series as anything other than the Korver role last year. He's been decent as a spot up 3 point shooter (the 2019-20 Korver role), but Forbes is better in that role and at least offers some mild resistance on defense. The problem is why would anyone want them? And you have no picks left to sweeten any deal.

You need an 8 or 9 man rotation for the playoffs.

Last year, the rotation was 10 guys and Bud needs to shorten that and play his top 3 more. I've listed Hill and M. Williams as 6A and 6B because they were the first backcourt guy and first frontcourt guy off the bench and most NBA teams play 7 guys heavy minutes in the playoffs.

1. Giannis, 2. Middleton, 3. Bledsoe, 4. B. Lopez, 5. Matthews, 6A. Hill, 6B. M. Williams, 8. DDV, 9. Connaughton, 10. Korver

This year they are much better #1-#3 for a playoff series. Lopez is the same and DDV is at least no worse than Matthews at #5 (Matthews was by advanced stats one of the worst players in the NBA last year). Portis is an upgrade over Marvin Williams. If you slot Connaughton #9 and Forbes as a combination of the minutes going to #8/#10 last year, the Bucks are at least as good or better than last year across their entire rotation except for the slot George Hill had (first guard off the bench). The problem right now is that Augustin is getting George Hill's minutes and he's probably the worst defensive player the Bucks have had while Bud has been coach. Augustin has been a good catch and shoot 3-point shooter, but he's a liability on offense once he's chased off the 3 point line (just like Matthews last year). He's 14 for 49 from inside the arc. He's Matthews on offense and when he's on the court it's like you are playing 4 on 5 on defense. They need to get better at that position, but I'm not sure you can flip Wilson for anybody useful without a draft pick to sweeten the deal.

Their options are either to get something for DJ Wilson in a trade or just play Torrey Craig instead of Augustin and live with the lack of floor spacing on the offensive end.

Last edited by MichiganPacker2

I don’t see any moves. They rely too heavily on Lopez against opponents bigs to just trade him away. They would play Giannis at the 5 a lot more than they do if they were interested in that.

I think the coaching staff is still trying to coalesce this group. Augustine was supposed to be a very strong backup PG but he’s yet to find his groove. My guess is they’re going to keep plugging away and they have 46 more games to get it figured out. If they had draft assets to offer, maybe they’d have something. No assets? No interests...

Last edited by Music City

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