Bucks versus Nets - Eastern Conference Semifinals

If you didn't know the details, you'd have expected a Nets sweep with these shooting splits after 4 games for the Bucks. The Bucks have an 8 man rotation. Of those 8 none is shooting better than 33% from 3 in the series.

Obviously Harden going down tilted things towards the Bucks, but Brown is a much better defender than Harden (or at least a much more willing defender) and I think that might have contributed to the Bucks struggling more on offense.

Giannis 54% FG, 19% 3FG, 32% FT

Middleton 39/33/79

Holiday 39/30/33

Lopez 44/33/100

Tucker 42/29/100

Forbes 33/26/80

Connaughton 40/25/100

Portis 33/0/0

I’m concerned about that as well and think that’s why Nash complained about it to set up for tomorrow.  I fully expect Durant to go to the line like 20 times and for Tucker and Giannis to get into foul trouble early to keep the Nets in the game.  

This is a golden opportunity for Milwaukee to take game 5 and then close things out at home for game 6.  They cannot take Brooklyn lightly even without Irving.  Harris is capable of having a big game as is KD.  Obviously they are significantly better with Kyrie but they need to play with urgency and toughness like they did in game 4.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

I'I timed his FT attempts yesterday and they all were more than 12 seconds (after he received the ball).

That's funny because I did the same thing on 3 separate trips to the line.  12.3 to 12.4 seconds is what I had for all of them.   I guarantee you there will be a violation or 2 called tomorrow night.

@Tschmack posted:

Nash complaining after the game that Tucker’s defense on Durant was “borderline non-basketball”

STFU Nash.  KD gets more calls in his favor than just about anyone.  

One of the Nets bench players on Giannis smacks him across his chest with his arm to go after the ball under the basket, zero call.

As long as they call it consistently, I see no issue with the reffing & letting them play. Physical game. That was 80's-90's basketball - Bulls vs. Pistons style. I loved it

The problem is Durant is a jump shooter.  He thrives on drawing ticky tack calls and rarely goes to the hoop.   Simply put, he doesn’t like contact.  Tucker is the perfect guy to get in face and make him work for his shots.  He’s basically a more athletic Anthony Mason - a bowling ball that will use his size and strength and is hard to move.  Durant can certainly shoot over him, but PJT will fight through screens and get KD off balance and rhythm.  

@Tschmack posted:

The problem is Durant is a jump shooter.  He thrives on drawing ticky tack calls and rarely goes to the hoop.   Simply put, he doesn’t like contact.  Tucker is the perfect guy to get in face and make him work for his shots.  He’s basically a more athletic Anthony Mason - a bowling ball that will use his size and strength and is hard to move.  Durant can certainly shoot over him, but PJT will fight through screens and get KD off balance and rhythm.  

This makes him a really tough guy to officiate. He might be the most unstoppable jump shooter I've ever seen if you are not allowed to touch him at all. Most guys at his shooting level (Curry, Klay, Lillard, to name a few) are shorter so that a taller player can bother the shot even without getting physical. Durant is 7 foot so can shoot over almost anybody. If he's comfortable and not knocked off balance he's as close to automatic as it gets. The problem is that he's a stick and the same amount of contact that Giannis, LeBron, Kawhi, etc. would just absorb  in their torso and legs without even noticing it is enough to move Durant a lot. If guys like Giannis and LeBron got calls for the same amount of physical contact, they'd shoot 30 FTs a game.

Not surprising, but official now:

Not shocking news. #Bucks https://t.co/T5kMdZCKkw

— Steve Fifer (@SparkyRadio) June 14, 2021

If I’m Giannis, I’m offended that they’re saying that officiating and injuries are impacting the series, and I go out with a kill order for those fuckers Tuesday. Aggressive, unapologetic, confident, “us against the world,” all of it.

I don’t think you will see Kyrie the rest of the series.  If you do, he won’t be nearly as explosive and that’s 75% his game.  Yes he could likely still shoot and score, but it really tilts the scales in Jrue Holiday’s direction.  If Holiday has a weakness, it’s defending smaller and quicker guys.  

Irving is probably the hardest guy in the league to defend off the dribble.  If his ankle isn’t right, that quickness and burst will be limited big time.  

The Bucks and Giannis need to come out and punch them in the mouth and don’t give them any thought that they can win.  Basically do what Brooklyn did to you in game 2.  You don’t need to win by 40, but you don’t want the Nets to hang around either because that’s when the refs can influence things.

@Tschmack posted:

I don’t think you will see Kyrie the rest of the series.  If you do, he won’t be nearly as explosive and that’s 75% his game.  Yes he could likely still shoot and score, but it really tilts the scales in Jrue Holiday’s direction.  If Holiday has a weakness, it’s defending smaller and quicker guys.  

Irving is probably the hardest guy in the league to defend off the dribble.  If his ankle isn’t right, that quickness and burst will be limited big time.  

The Bucks and Giannis need to come out and punch them in the mouth and don’t give them any thought that they can win.  Basically do what Brooklyn did to you in game 2.  You don’t need to win by 40, but you don’t want the Nets to hang around either because that’s when the refs can influence things.

I agree on Holiday's troubles defending Kyrie (or a guy like Kemba Walker or Trae Young). Holiday's strength is that he can guard 1s through 4s effectively because of his core strength and savvy. The DDV loss was bigger for this series than any other opponent (other than a healthy Kemba Walker) because he was a natural matchup against Kyrie with Holiday more suited for Harden.

Eric Bledsoe probably did a better job on Kyrie than anyone, but that was Bledsoe's strength - matchups against smaller, quick guys like Irving, Trae Young, and Walker. DDV was a similar kind of defender.

If (and it's still a big if) the Bucks get by the Nets, the Sixers almost certainly await and the only matchup problem that scares you there is Embiid. Lopez is an ideal defender against him, but only he and Giannis can come close to holding up against Embiid. Holiday and Tucker should have a huge advantage over Tobias Harris and George Hill.

@Music City posted:

If I’m Giannis, I’m offended that they’re saying that officiating and injuries are impacting the series, and I go out with a kill order for those fuckers Tuesday. Aggressive, unapologetic, confident, “us against the world,” all of it.

He also needs to speed up his FT routine because I'm worried the Bucks are going to lose a game at some point over his issues there. The narrative that the refs are favoring him gets a big assist by the fact he is clearly committing a violation at the line on every FT attempt.

He also has to be aggressively smart tomorrow. When I say that, I mean the driving into the lane aspect when it's a 50/50 block/charge call. He's probably not getting any of those calls tomorrow.

Harden officially ruled out now. The Bucks with a golden opportunity to kick the Nets in the nads while they are down. Not cheering injuries by any means, but if they can get #5 on the road, this is likely over in 6.

Who was it that said you can't win in 6 if you don't lose 2?

Huh? ESPN headline.

Brooklyn Nets remain favorite to win NBA championship, but now underdogs in series vs. Milwaukee Bucks

If the Bucks get past Brooklyn I think there is a decent chance they win it all.  Philly won’t do it. The Bucks have a sizable advantage in the backcourt and Giannis can take Embiid 1 on 1.

So Bud just has to get a team with three max players, two 2021 All-defensive first team selections, and another player who might be the most effective guy in the league to guard Durant (Tucker) past a Nets team composed of Durant, a semi-washed up Blake Griffin, and Joe Harris (along with guys that wouldn't start for any NBA team).

The script flipped pretty quickly on this. If Bud can't win two of three in this situation (which likely means the next two), he's probably gone. If Harden and Irving were playing and the Bucks had been competitive but lost in 5 or 6 games, he'd have likely been retained.

No Mercy!

What network is this game on?

Eh, just wait for Goldie to start a thread a week from now asking why nobody's watching Game 5.

Harden is going to play… the plot thickens.

The Bucks MUST win this game tonight. The Nets are down 2 stars, so the Bucks have to capatilize on this opportunity. If they do not win tonights game, they will not win the series.

I'm almost glad Harden plays...every drive is going to be measured in his mind by "Is this thing gonna blow on me?"

@Fedya posted:

Eh, just wait for Goldie to start a thread a week from now asking why nobody's watching Game 5.

That hurts Fedya……

@Blair Kiel posted:

I'm almost glad Harden plays...every drive is going to be measured in his mind by "Is this thing gonna blow on me?"

Is it bad of me to want it to blow???   🤣

Nice running one-hander by Giannis. I don't think I've ever seen that from him before.

This might get out of hand early if the Bucks are hitting shots…

I love this narrative of Harden coming out and gutting it out and getting supported by the fans in Brooklyn. The guy has played in 36 games for the Nets. It's not like Willis Reed playing in front of his supportive Knicks fans.

@Music City posted:

This might get out of hand early if the Bucks are hitting shots…

The Bucks could go up by 30 and I wouldn't be comfortable, especially against  team with Durant.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

The Bucks could go up by 30 and I wouldn't be comfortable, especially against  team with Durant.

All depends on the offense… the Bucks need to keep playing good offense- sharing the ball, moving, hustling for rebounds… they do that this thing’s a blowout.

Here come the touch calls in Harden and Durant's favor.

Holiday cookin’…

Holiday gets hot on offense, so they call another questionable foul on him.

Good grief…

That was a legit call against Tucker, but that's now 2 against both Tucker and Holiday. Bucks up 12 at the time of that call. Let's see what happens.

The ball movement by the Bucks is good

And now a second on Giannis. Some of the calls were correct, but the way this game has been officiated is now going to have an effect.

Here comes the parade of fouls…

As many have said, good movement on offense.

Good defensive quarter, but now they have to weather the foul trouble. All three elite Bucks on-ball defenders have two fouls.

It's interesting they haven't gone to Portis yet. They are going to have to get some minutes out of him or maybe Jeff Teague.

Middleton made a real bad decision there… you go right at Durant and shoot that? Go at him… don’t let him off the hook by leaving him an easy block. Or be smarter and go to Holiday who has the better matchup.