I feel like I just watched a Dick Bennett Wisconsin game.
I don't care what anyone else says, but bud can't win this series hanging it around G and M. We have to win with ball movement and getting others guys shooting and offensive rebounding.
You guys are fun to read during games.
Khris Middleton
44 minutes, 35 points, 15 rebounds. 3 for 6 from the three-point line. 8 for 9 from the line. He didn't have many easy looks all night.
The rest of the team was 3 for 25 from the 3-point line and 4 for 10 from the line. Many of those 3s were wide open.
But this is just charity unless they go back to Brooklyn 2-2…
@Tschmack posted:How is not a goddamn foul
I agree with you, but did you really want Giannis at the line with under a minute left down 1?
@Blair Kiel posted:You guys are fun to read during games.
I've never wanted to fire a coach after a win before. The Nets have a bunch of guys that are average defenders at best and don't necessarily move laterally very well (Griffin, Durant with a repaired Achilles, Harris, etc.). So, knowing that you design an offense that lets them stand around stationary for as much as possible?
The Bucks only win close playoff games if Khris Middleton bails them out. Every one of his shots feels like it has to be exhausting for him.
Get the Nets moving on defense.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:I feel like I just watched a Dick Bennett Wisconsin game.
Perfect analogy.
Greg Gard is a genious compared to Budencrappenholzer.
They have not shot the ball well yet in any of these three games. It’s not like a lot of them have been contested either.
The bench, Lopez, Tucker and Holiday have also given them basically nothing offensively.
The half glass full person would say they are due. They had to get this one. It is possible this is Toronto 2019? The comparisons are eerie. Brooklyn should have won this game, much like Milwaukee should have won game 3 against the Raptors.
We’ll find out soon enough. My concern is Bud is no Nick Nurse.
The Bucks going iso-heavy and no movement creates no flow, no rhythm… that’s why Connaughton airballed an open 3. He has no rhythm because it’s been all iso. No one is going to consistently hit shots if they never move and don’t ever touch the ball.
That’s how you neutralize a bench disadvantage. The Bucks have had the better bench all season, but you’d never know it. P&r iso bullshit every possession and there’s no chance they’ll be able to contribute.
@Tschmack posted:We’ll find out soon enough. My concern is Bud is no Nick Nurse.
He’s a poor man’s Scott Brooks…
@Music City posted:He’s a poor man’s Scott Brooks…
As we've all said many times, the parallels between Bud and Mike McCarthy are eerie. If you want someone to provide stability to a chaotic organization, Bud's your guy. Jason Kidd's schemes made no sense against anyone. Bud's schemes are solid enough to win against 2/3rds of the teams in the league. It's basically just line up and expect your guys to win matchups and force the other team to make outside shots. That's fine against this years Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls in March. It's not a great idea (usually) against Kevin Durant, Duncan Robinson, Fred Van Vliet, Kyle Lowry, etc. in the playoffs.
It's exactly the mindest of Mike McCarthy. Line your WRs up and let them win matchups. There's no scheming guys open by McCarthy just like there's no scheming easy shots in the halfcourt by Bud. Imagine if Khris Middleton got to shoot catch and shoot 3s like Klay Thompson? Almost every playoff game against a good team in the Bud era that comes down the 4th quarter requires Khris Middleton to play like Michael Jordan in the halfcourt. Middleton is a great shooter, but he doesn't have the athleticism to create easy looks in the halfcourt. Kevin Durant is a top 10 offensive player in NBA history but even Nash has him coming off ball screen and he ends up shooting pullups over guys who are on their heels. Middleton gets the ball and bumps a guy 5 times to try to create some separation to get off a good shot. Give the guy some help. Run multiple screens for him. Let Holiday go in the pick and roll with Giannis and have Middleton spot up.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Khris Middleton
44 minutes, 35 points, 15 rebounds. 3 for 6 from the three-point line. 8 for 9 from the line. He didn't have many easy looks all night.
The rest of the team was 3 for 25 from the 3-point line and 4 for 10 from the line. Many of those 3s were wide open.
I’m still not forgiving him for the first two games that amounted to a shit sandwich.
Let’s see how he plays in the next two games.
BTW, I am really disappointed in Holiday. But I’m more disappointed in Giannis. We won, but does anybody think this team is a threat to do anything from here on out? This team, and most of all, our 2x MVP, have no mental toughness at all. The damned hoop doesn’t move when you shoot free throws. How the hell can any player in the NBA not but at least 70% from the line?
I have to wonder if it’s not the players feeling added pressure because of the fundamental failures of Bud. They can’t count on the HC to put them in a position to win. They have to do it themselves, and they’re not up to the task.
I like the comp to McCarthy. Only, McCarthy won a Super Bowl before he was booted out of Green Bay. Yes, Rodgers played at a really high level, but he wasn’t yet the league MVP. That first award came the next season. Bud has the 2x MVP and DPoY, and two middle tier All Stars in Middleton and Holiday. I think this team has woefully underperformed given the talent level on this team. We’re a much better defensive team than Brooklyn. That’s not showing on the floor.
My Lakers took a dump. The Bucks look about to. I guess I'll have to pull for the local Suns....
Such horrible shooting, all around. Holliday missing how many toilet seaters???? It was probably only a few, but it seemed like a lot. Same with Middleton when he went cold. Then he hit two in a row, late in the fourth quarter, and Holliday makes the game winner, on a lay up. Lopez had next to no offense but he did show up on defense. Our passing has to improve. Middleton threw a few away while the guys he passed to looked off balance. Then, there was the turnover where he tripped over Giannis at the top of the key that reminded me of some kind of klutzy high school ball player. Clean up the crap and let's tie it up at 2 apiece. I was hoping Tucker would have gotten into it with Durant. He would have been ejected, etc., but it would have been something to see Durant laid out at FiServ. Of course, it would have then been open season on the Bucks when we went back to NY.
Honestly, other than game 2 against the Nets, their defense has been pretty damn good throughout the playoffs.
It’s the offense that’s the problem and MC and MP2 nailed it- too much iso one on one ball which plays right into Brooklyn’s strategy. The Bucks can’t simply trade jump shots with the Nets. KD is the best offensive player on the planet and Harris and Irving are decent shooters and scorers as well.
The only reliable (shooting) guy on Milwaukee is Middleton. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Milwaukee has options.
The Bucks are so much better in the front court (both ends of the floor) but if all you are going to do is iso and Jack up outside shots they will not win this series.
They need Giannis and Lopez down on the block. Let Holiday and to a lesser extent Middleton set up the offense. The Nets cannot stop the Bucks in the paint. Make guys like KD and Griffin actually play defense. Portis is another guy that has a very good post game. You start forcing the Nets to defend the entire half court and it will open up more outside shots like we saw against Miami.
The fact that Giannis took almost 10 3pt attempts tells you all you need to know about how screwed up their schemes are right now. Get his ass on the block and make multiple defenders commit so he can pass out to the open guy. Giannis is a really good passer. Play to his strengths. Enough of the Giannis playing PG bullshit.
Brooklyn will go into Sunday thinking they have everything still going for them. And why not? They played horribly and lost in the final 30 seconds. And the Bucks equally played horribly and still won.
So who has it going for them on Sunday? The Bucks have not played anything that resembles a competent offense since the start of the series. Does anyone really think that’s going to change?
After playing Holiday 45 min, Middleton 43 min, and Giannis 42 min, the extra day of rest should help. Irving and Durant are also playing over 40 min/game.
Is this the double overtime game that the Bucks pissed away against Toronto in game three that catapulted Toronto to 4 straight wins?
Perhaps they need to start Portis at the 5 and have Lopez come off the bench. You have to honor Portis and his ability to score. Lopez has been solid on D but he’s out of sorts offensively right now.
I also understand why Tucker is in there but he’s not really a scoring threat and is so much more valuable coming off the bench.
Giannis should be defending Durant to start the game and then have Tucker come off the bench and D him up.
Why not have Teague start at the 2 guard spot? He’s a reliable, steady player but most importantly he’s smart with the basketball and makes good passes and decisions.
Middleton has shot 6 for 19 from 3 in the series. 31.6% from him is not a recipe to win games. The bigger problem is that almost everyone has been even worse from 3. Middleton's shots are almost always tightly contested. The Nets try not to let them beat them. Almost every other player (save Forbes) gets wide open looks.
Look at these stats.
Giannis 3-16
Forbes 3-13
Lopez 3-9
Tucker 1-8
Holiday 4-13
Connaughton 0-3
Portis 0-6
I think the "break glass in case of emergency" guy they may have to play more is Thanasis. If the rest of their bench is going to go 3 for 22 from 3 (and at least one of Forbes' makes was in deep garbage time in Game 2), at least play the guy that will get you the extra possessions with hustle and is at least an average defender. The Nets go after Forbes, Connaughton, and Portis like sharks sensing blood every time they are in the game.
The Bucks played a great defensive game last night, but it required playing Giannis, MIddleton, and Holiday almost 45 minutes each. Lopez has to stay on the court because they've determined they can't trust Portis. Tucker is a great defender, but his offensive repertoire makes Thanasis look good in comparison.
Losing DDV had a bigger effect than I thought it would. He's underachieved, but he's a competent two-way NBA rotation player. Forbes and Portis were cheap free agents because neither can play defense. Tucker was available in a trade for relative peanuts because he has no offensive skills other than shooting awkward three pointers. Connaughton shouldn't be getting minutes after you shorten your rotation for the playoffs. He's fine at 4 million a year to be your 10th guy, but he really doesn't do anything well enough to make a difference against good teams.
You know who would be really nice to have right now? An athletic wing with long arms to bother guys like Irving and Durant that could provide some energy plays and be at least adequate from 3. He doesn't have to be a star, just another guy like Tucker that can steal some minutes for you. That guy was Torrey Craig.
Clearly the Nets do not want to let Middleton beat them. He’s really getting pressured when he has the ball.
I don’t know the same can be said for the rest of the team.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Even the Bucks security staff sucks in the playoffs.
I'm reupping this with the new information that the first security guard that ran on the court to break up the Durant/Tucker jawing match by bumping Tucker was Kevin Durant's personal security guard. My apologies to the Fiserv security staff.
So personal security guards are allowed on the court? Durant should be issued a flagrant 1 for that. Better yet, the Bucks should hire Brock Lesner as Giannis "personal security guard", and he can rough up any Net that gets in Giannis' face.
Much ado about nothing...2 players jawing.
Wait… what? That big dude who ran into Tucker works for Kevin Durant??? That’s completely fucked… how can that guy be allowed to do that? He has no fucking business being allowed on the court during a game, are you kidding? That’s at minimum a fine, and I’ll be honest- a suspension should be considered. That dude came barreling in and ran right into the opponents player- could have hurt him, a lot of things could have gone sideways in that moment- and that was between two players on the court. He has no fucking business at all being on the floor during a game. No way…
Bucks start 1 for 6 from the floor in Game 4. Down 9-2. The Bud doomsday clock is starting to tick louder. Hard to fault Bud though during this opening sequence. Holiday missed 3 wide-open shots and goes 1 for 4 and Giannis missed what should be an easy layup for him.
Officials are making sure that the Nets advance. Two charge on Giannis. The second one was probably the right call, but the first that Griffin "drew" was a BS call. That completely changes the game.
Even though Kryie broke Thanasis' ankles on that move, Thanasis jumped back up and contested the 3. No one will probably mention that, but that was an amazing play by Thanasis to get back up and contest that. The guy never gives up on anything.
It's also interesting that Bryant got the end-of-quarter defensive minutes.
@Music City posted:Giannis 2 fouls… not a good development
Griffin got a 50/50 call.
The Nets have only been called for 2 fouls. Despite aggressively taking the ball to the hoop, the Bucks have no FT attempts.
THe fouls are 7 to 2 and the big thing is having to sit Giannis with 2.
Down 11 and in danger of losing contact.
Of course, if Jrue Holiday doesn't completely shit the bed to start (to continue his embarrassing series), the Bucks are still Ok. He's 1 for 6 to start and I think 4 of his shots haven't even hit the rim (2 blocks and 2 airballs). He's 18 for 49 from the floor and 4 for 14 from the 3 in the series.
For the life of me I’ll never understand how a superstar like Giannis gets so few calls. He gets hacked or shoved every time he makes it to the rack. Complete bullshit.
If they aren’t careful this one could get away from them quickly
