@Pikes Peak posted:It’s fixed, why watch?
6
@Tschmack posted:Keep going BK it’s what you do best
I’m going to pour a 16 year old scotch
Own that you’re a whiny pussy and I’ll STFU.
Lotta hate for winning the game
@Tschmack posted:If the Bucks lose this game it may go down as the biggest choke jobs this side of the Seahawks 2014 game. I mean, this should not be close
Yeah. We will talk about it forever…until they won the series, then we won’t.
I’m just trying to teach you sad people that it ain’t over till it’s over.
Some never get it.
They are being called out.
Bucks bench won this game. Outscored Nets bench 9-0. 
Not possible. The series is lost.
Fucking pussies. I announce they don’t get to enjoy this year’s championship.
I was there in 71, bitches.
@ilcuqui posted:He’s human after all.
Just barely. He's the best shooter I've ever seen.
@ammo posted:Bucks bench won this game. Outscored Nets bench 9-0.
In all fairness, Connaughton hit a gigantic 3 when the Nets were starting to open up some space on the Bucks in the second half.
@Tschmack posted:Yup this is over
How do you look at yourself in the mirror and not be embarrassed?
@Tschmack posted:Home teams have won about 80% of game 7s in the NBA playoffs and the Bucks are 2-8 in game 7s so the odds are not good for Milwaukee.
Hoping for the best but expecting an L
Why didn’t you just join Goldie at the Hallmark Channel?
@Blair Kiel posted:How many of you declared this series lost?
Raise your hand or I will go back through the game threads and call you out.
Much like Packer games, premature declarations of losses are Eeyore-like.
I’m still waiting.
I fully admit that when we went down by 50, I didn’t think the Bucks could recover. I’ve seen this team not rise to the occasion too many times over the prior two years, and I questioned their mental toughness. Yet, I never stopped hoping. Even earlier tonight when we started playing like ass, I said we could do this.
The Bucks are at their best when they play to their strengths. For a really long stretch at the start of the series, they played the way Brooklyn wanted them to play. Giannis wasn’t attacking the rim. He was content to pull up deep, and that’s not his game.
Even with a horrible game by Holliday, and another poor shooting night by Middleton, who is very hot and cold right now, we won. It was an ugly win, but maybe this is the kind of step forward great teams so often make. I don’t think we’re anywhere near the Jordan Bulls, but how many times did they get punched in the mouth by Detroit before finally vanquishing them?
I feel pretty confident in saying that nobody we see in the ECF will perform at the level KD did. If the Bucks just iron out a few of these bumps, if Jrue Holliday plays even a little closer to the kind of player he normally is, the Bucks have a real shot at getting to the NBA Finals for the first time in my nearly 50 year old life.
@Blair Kiel posted:Two.
Yup! Finally got over the hump.
Ah well, there's always next year. Right?
Wait, what do you mean they won?
Another lousy fixing job between the front office and the refs. Can’t even fix a series, how can they be expected to run a league.
@Blair Kiel posted:I’m still waiting.
I thought they had zero chance of coming back in the series…. until Irving turned his ankle. His loss evened things up between the 2 teams. Give the Bucks credit, they took full advantage of Brooklyn’s misfortune.
The Bucks really made some huge mistakes in this series that could have been costly, but they were able to overcome them and advance.
I think they’ll have to find another level that includes fewer mistakes to win another 2 more series, but they showed a ton of guts and didn’t fold when they easily could have multiple times. They’ll be a tough out for whomever faces them from this point onwards.
Given the way they basically pissed away game 5 and their well documented history of never winning a game 7 on the road in the playoffs I thought the Nets would find a way to close them out, injuries and all, because it all seemed so certain and predictable.
Much to my chagrin, I’m glad I was wrong, but the way they won it is perhaps the biggest story of all. Holiday was 2-17 midway through the 4Q but his 9 points down the stretch were key to keeping them alive. Lopez had an absolute brain fart at end of regulation but his block on KD in OT was crucial. Then there’s Tucker just battling back and forth and moving KD oh so slightly off his spot to barely avoid what would have been the game winning 3 with no time left on the clock. Middleton can’t seem to make big shots on the road in the playoffs but somehow rises up late in the game when needed.
The Bucks have had so many disappointing and gut wrenching losses in the postseason, and it sure seemed like it was headed in that direction once again but to their credit they kept fighting and found a way to win and advance. It wasn’t necessarily pretty, and yes it helped the Nets weren’t 100%, but they still got over and survived to play more games which is all you can ask for at this point.
In the end, I’m happy for Giannis because he’s been murdered by the national media (and some of his peers) for not having the eye of the tiger but maybe he’s finally starting to arrive as that guy. We will find out soon enough.
I don’t watch much NBA anymore, a game here and there, but I’ve caught the 4th quarter of the games so far this playoff. At the in laws for Father’s Day, so I insisted on watching the game rather than talk politics and religion.
there is no way the Bucks beat the Nets (Kiel can save this one for later)
I’m fascinated by Giannis. He should end up the icon In Wisconsin just like Yount, Favre, etc. Durant is the best player on the planet, but Giannis still has 10 years to set his legacy. Fun player to watch.
didn’t feel great about the Bucks winning on the road, but they came out fired up on the second half, started to believe at that point (not getting a shot up with 8 seconds did give me that familiar “here we go again” vibe. Just get a shot you, didn’t even need to hit the shot to win in regulation. I’m sure this is discussed ad nauseam).
Seeing a lot of holiday struggled, which he obviously did shooting the ball, but I thought he played his ass off on defense.
does Portis not play anymore?
The air ball Durant threw up at the end of OT was an air ball because he was fatigued. Playing all those minutes and then missing a game tie-er, by a mile! Holliday was not even close to fouling him, either, so FTs did not come into play. That miss was all on Durant.
Giannis Antetokounmpo since the Nets took a 2-0 lead in the series:
— Hilltop Hoops (@HilltopNBA) June 20, 2021
33 PTS - 14 REB - 2 AST - 45% FG
34 PTS - 12 REB - 3 AST - 54% FG
34 PTS - 12 REB - 4 AST - 64% FG
30 PTS - 17 REB - 3 AST - 60% FG
40 PTS - 13 REB - 5 AST - 63% FG
Absolutely incredible. pic.twitter.com/JruVzQypKQ
Make no mistake about it, the closer for the Milwaukee Bucks is Khris Middleton…he scored 23 points and 10 rebounds!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 20, 2021
For a change it was the Bucks defense that propelled the to victory. It sounds crazy given Durant makes 40++ PPG look so easy, but when you are matched up against Tucker, Middleton, Holiday and even Giannis for the entire game that’s no small feat. All 4 of those guys are elite level defenders. Against any other team KD probably gets 50 per.
I expect the Bucks to use Forbes and Portis more in this next round and wouldn’t mind seeing Thanasis and Teague a little more also.
Durant says "give the Bucks some credit"
@mrtundra posted:The air ball Durant threw up at the end of OT was an air ball because he was fatigued. Playing all those minutes and then missing a game tie-er, by a mile! Holliday was not even close to fouling him, either, so FTs did not come into play. That miss was all on Durant.
I said that to me friend after the previous two shots were short. He’s gassed.
@H5 posted:Make no mistake about it, the closer for the Milwaukee Bucks is Khris Middleton…he scored 23 points and 10 rebounds!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 20, 2021
When the Bucks signed him to the max, it was like “prove it”. He still is not at the Top 15 player level, but he’s grinding his way to it. And I love how calm his demeanor has been these last 2 games. The moment wasn’t too big. A couple years ago, maybe not. Now he’s playing like a guy who knows he’s as good as they are. It is amazing what that mentality does as an ingredient for success.
@Music City posted:The real problem- Lopez. He’s useless when Durant is at the 5. But there was Budenholzer, leaving him out there to close a full second too late on 3s allowing Jeff Green his moment in the sun…
This statement, and it was Lopez who made the critical block with the score tied in OT. Sometimes the players just have to make a play.
@Blair Kiel posted:Two.
Don’t put words in my mouth, Nancy…
I was talking about Budenholzer, not the series. I actually said after game 5 that I thought the Bucks were going to win the series. I Think Budenholzer’s time in Milwaukee is over. Win or lose I didn’t think the Bucks will be coached by Budenholzer next year. Like when Don Casey won coach the year for Toronto and got fired. That kind of thing.
@Music City posted:When the Bucks signed him to the max, it was like “prove it”. He still is not at the Top 15 player level, but he’s grinding his way to it. And I love how calm his demeanor has been these last 2 games. The moment wasn’t too big. A couple years ago, maybe not. Now he’s playing like a guy who knows he’s as good as they are. It is amazing what that mentality does as an ingredient for success.
Absolutely agree that Middleton didn't looked panicked and seemed ready fo the moment. Holiday was a mess until some plays at the end but hopefully he turns it around in the next series. We should be able to give the bench a lot more minutes in the ECF.
Press hassling Durant for that last shot is ridiculous. He’s among the GOATs but not THE goat last night as Vince said fatigue makes cowards of us all. Without his amazing work in that series there would have been no game 7. His class in the press conference was another plus.
I couldn’t get over the blown call when Tucker fouled out. Nets defender grabs at the waist with both hands to start the action and somehow he gets the foul???
@YATittle posted:Press hassling Durant for that last shot is ridiculous. He’s among the GOATs but not THE goat last night as Vince said fatigue makes cowards of us all. Without his amazing work in that series there would have been no game 7. His class in the press conference was another plus.
I couldn’t get over the blown call when Tucker fouled out. Nets defender grabs at the waist with both hands to start the action and somehow he gets the foul???
I also like the fact that unlike Harden, Irving, and Griffin, Durant never half-assed his way off of another team. He's left teams as a free agent, but he's always left it all on the court for whoever he's played for. He blew his Achilles coming back early for a finals game when no one could have fairly criticized him for not risking injury and making sure he got his next contract (since he was a free agent after that series).
The fact that Harden hurt his hamstring was probably bad luck, but the fact that less than 7 months ago he was hitting strip clubs, breaking COVID protocols, and actively undermining his coach to get traded from a team that had built its whole offense around him might have contributed to a lack of conditioning that caused him problems all year.
Durant maybe didn’t half ass his way out of OKC, but it was a cowardly chicken shit move nonetheless. He could have won a title had he stayed put, but he took the path of least resistance and joined an already loaded Warriors team and we know what happened there.
I hope Harden never wins a title and I hope Irving doesn’t win another one. They might put up great numbers but they are horrible teammates and they are franchise killers. Griffin is just a POS considering he quit on Detroit.
I don’t necessarily view Durant the same way, but he’s the greatest hired gun in professional sports history.
As for Middleton and Holiday, we saw why they earned their money. In an era where offense gets you paid, it’s their defense that kept them it and they both made key plays on both ends of the court down the stretch under extreme pressure.
@Tschmack posted:Durant maybe didn’t half ass his way out of OKC, but it was a cowardly chicken shit move nonetheless. He could have won a title had he stayed but, he took the path of least resistance and joined an already loaded Warriors team.
I hope Harden never wins a title and I hope Irving doesn’t win another one. They might put up great numbers but they are horrible teammates and they are franchise killers. Griffin is just a POS considering he quit on Detroit.
I don’t necessarily view Durant the same way, but he’s the greatest hired gun in professional sports history.
The OKC situation was complicated by the fact that ownership traded Harden to avoid the luxury tax. If they would have paid the extra salary, OKC probably wins a title and Durant never leaves
Even without Harden that OKC team was plenty good enough to compete each and every year.
Durant, like LeBron, made a business decision. I get it. I just don’t like it because small market teams are already challenged as it is.
@Tschmack posted:Even without Harden that OKC team was plenty good enough to compete each and every year.
Durant, like LeBron, made a business decision. I get it. I just don’t like it because small market teams are already challenged as it is.
Like you, I was disappointed he left OKC. But it would have been the equivalent of trading Middleton to avoid the luxury tax. And Harden ended up being a HOF player.
@YATittle posted:Press hassling Durant for that last shot is ridiculous. He’s among the GOATs but not THE goat last night as Vince said fatigue makes cowards of us all. Without his amazing work in that series there would have been no game 7. His class in the press conference was another plus.
I couldn’t get over the blown call when Tucker fouled out. Nets defender grabs at the waist with both hands to start the action and somehow he gets the foul???
Yeah, I actually came out of this series with more respect for Durant and Irving than I had before, especially Irving.
I think Irving’s subpar performance as a Celtic vs the Bucks in 2019 sort of clouded my judgement of him. But I was surprised just how much better he was than Holiday in this series. His injury was a huge factor in the Bucks winning this series.
I’m happy the Bucks won but I tip my cap to both Durant and Irving those guys were elite in this series when they both were healthy.
@fightphoe93 posted:I think Irving’s subpar performance as a Celtic vs the Bucks in 2019 sort of clouded my judgement of him. But I was surprised just how much better he was than Holiday in this series. His injury was a huge factor in the Bucks winning this series.
He’s probably one of the 5 or 10 best one on one players ever. Would not want him on my team, but that’s one place he’s great.
Durant is legit and while I think he’s a thin skinned guy ala Aaron Rodgers there’s no question he competes and produces like crazy. He’s the best pure weapon I’ve seen since MJ.
On the other hand, Irving is a head case and a quitter. No love for him on that. The Celtics would agree as well.