Bucks vs Suns: The NBA Finals

This is where Budenholzer can really redeem himself- to figure out how to use the Bucks clear size advantage against the Suns. Beyond Ayton, they really are a small team. If they send Saric out there, you attack him off the floor on the other end- though he can score and stretch the floor.

But the energy that Portis brought- you gotta tap into that. You don’t leave that on the bench.

The combination of Portis and Tucker is a lot for teams to handle.  I mean, both guys are relentless and compete like crazy.  I don’t care what sport or team you follow or play, but you absolutely hate facing guys like those two because they just don’t let up.  It’s full throttle all the time.

Phoenix hasn’t really faced that type of intensity except for maybe a couple of games v LAC minus their killer (Kahwi).  The Bucks D is on a different level and so far they have been able to rise to the occasion.

Outside of Paul and Crowder the Suns really don’t have many guys that know or understand what the playoffs are like when the pressure builds and things are on the line.  The Bucks just seem hungry right now and even Bud seems to have raised things up a notch.

The Suns have played the Lakers without a healthy AD, the Nuggets without Jamal Murray, and the Clippers without Kawhi. They've had the easiest path to the Finals of any team in recent memory. Sure, the Bucks get by the Nets only because Irving was injured, but it was still Kevin Durant.

If the Bucks are able to get Giannis back at even 75% and play like they did in Games 5 and 6 against the Hawks, this is Bucks in 5.

The challenge might be that they'll bring Giannis back early and he'll struggle and the Bucks movement on offense will get gummed up. I think if he does come back, maybe you play him like the Hawks did Capela. You let Giannis clean up things on the offensive glass and be the lob guy. If they bring him back and he's initiating offense at the top of the key, that has the chance to drag their offense down if he's not 100%.

I think the Bucks sit Giannis until they get back to Fiserv and see if they can steal one of the two games in Phoenix to start.

The key decisions for Bud are who to have Holiday and Tucker guard. I think you have to put Holiday on CP3 (with DDV out) and try Tucker on Booker to start. If you can take one of those two guys out, the Suns will struggle to get consistent offense.

I do not think Giannis sits until game 3. He’s going to be in the lineup on Tuesday, I don’t think there’s any chance he won’t.

But he’s a smart kid, and if he lets himself be the x-factor as a rim runner instead of iso/initiating the offense as was mentioned, the Suns will have their hands full.

A couple guys I’m a little worried about for the Suns:

Torrey Craig comes in as a possible defender against Middleton- and with some motivation after the Bucks traded him away. He played 30 min in the clincher against the Clippers. The starters played heavy and Payne and Craig played almost all the key minutes. 6 and 1/2 deep and mostly small ball.

The other factor for the Suns is that in the playoffs, Deandre Ayton has been very, very good. He’s averaging 16/12 on 70% shooting from the field. Now granted, no team they have faced had the Bucks size, but those contributions have been huge for that team. He was getting 4+ O-rebounds/game against the Clippers. That’s something the Bucks will need to own if they’re going to hang a banner.

Bucks in 7, just because I think the CP jinx continues, and the Bucks are very slightly the better team. They will have to steal one on the road, and it will be game 7.

I would keep Giannis out as long as possible.  Much like Trae Young, I’d rather go with his replacement (Williams) at 100% than Young at 75%.   Lou Williams had a solid game 5.  Young wasn’t good at all in game 6.

I would go with what got you there for games 1 and 2 in Phoenix.  That gives Giannis almost another full week to rest.  If the Bucks can steal games 1 or 2 they will be in great shape going back to Milwaukee.  

Excellent analysis.

Now get off my lawn.

@Tschmack posted:

I would keep Giannis out as long as possible.  Much like Trae Young, I’d rather go with his replacement (Williams) at 100% than Young at 75%.   Lou Williams had a solid game 5.  Young wasn’t good at all in game 6.

I would go with what got you there for games 1 and 2 in Phoenix.  That gives Giannis almost another full week to rest.  If the Bucks can steal games 1 or 2 they will be in great shape going back to Milwaukee.  

EXACTLY what you said. Bring him back for first home game, keep the momentum you hae from the current Buck lineup....

It’s up to the docs…..if (A BIG IF) he is good to go and doing more damage is negligible he plays.  That may be Tuesday or next October.

Its nonsense that the Bucks are better or on par without the 2 time MVP.  It’s up to Bud to get him in the box and keep him there.

They aren’t better defensively without him in there.    But on offense?  Not so sure of that.    The last two games are as good as they’ve looked since the Miami series when the Heat were overmatched and Milwaukee was hitting 3s like crazy.

I guess I'm thinking a couple days extra rest can't hurt him, if we steal a game in Arizona and bring him back before what should be a loud and proud home crowd, it might help us go up 3-1.

We also have the next 3 years to think about with the guy

It would be one thing if he shot the ball or had a midrange game or shot free throws like Middleton.  He doesn’t.  Knee injuries rob you of lateral quickness and that’s a big part of his offensive game.

Good point. He could end up being a scarecrow like Rollie Fingers was in that Brewers World Series against the Cardinals....

ok, so just checking back in - how's the bucks fans doing now? quite frankly, I am in the boat that they can win the whole thing.  with or without giannis.  anybody jump off the bridge...

I don’t think the comparison is valid- Young doesn’t have anything if he can’t jitterbug around the floor. Giannis can play the dunker’s spot, hit the boards, get some midrange stuff- and the good part is that it doesn’t do anything to the flow. Maybe you don’t do him 40 min… maybe 25. But I still think he gives them a size advantage that they can use.

@pkr_north posted:

ok, so just checking back in - how's the bucks fans doing now? quite frankly, I am in the boat that they can win the whole thing.  with or without giannis.  anybody jump off the bridge...

Certainly they can win it. The Suns play really good basketball, so it’s going to be a tough series. It could easily go Suns in 5 if the Bucks play like they did in game 1 of the Hawks series. If they let Paul go into the lane unencumbered like they did with Young they will not beat them. If they shoot in the teens from 3 again it’ll be really tough to win.

But if they play defense and get baskets like the last 2 games of the Hawks series, they should be hanging a banner.

Giannis wanted them to get players so he could win a championship. Time to get it done. Don't watch NBA much anymore because to me it really isn't basketball any more. Too much run down the floor and jack up a 3. Used to listen to the Bucks on transistor radio back in the Oscar Robertson days.

Eddie Doucette!

Giannis is mediocre at best in the midrange game.  He’s less than mediocre in the 3pt game.  His signature moves - quick jump step and beat guy off the dribble or spin move in the paint will not happen with a knee injury.  He can move straight ahead I think but back and forth or side to side?  No chance unless they rest him and he’s close to 90-100%.   Defensively they could play him like Capela but quite frankly so can Portis and Jr. isn’t limited offensively.

Best case scenario is win game 1 and sit him game 2 and he comes back Sunday.

Giannis isn’t going to be taking the ball from the perimeter and going downhill… but maybe that’s not a bad thing. Holiday and Middleton can initiate, and Giannis can still be a cutter, play near the rim, and work in the paint. Portis is not a good defender overall, and he’ll get eaten alive trying to check Ayton. But he has a size advantage over Crowder, and can be an effective inside/outside secondary scorer. Giannis can still be effective against Ayton…

They need him close to 100%.  Not 75% like Harden and Young were as it limited their games big time.

Playing a hurt Giannis takes minutes away from a 100% healthy Portis and I want Lopez inside so Ayton has to actually try to defend him.  Portis will make Crowder defend the perimeter instead of camping out under the hoop.

If they use Giannis that same way as Lopez great, but both guys on the floor at the same time doesn’t help their flow offensively.  

Perhaps the Bucks get creative and bring Giannis off the bench at some point.  That would be interesting.

Saw on Twitter that Giannis has been upgraded to "questionable" for tonight's game.

@Pikes Peak posted:

Eddie Doucette!

BANGO!

@Tschmack posted:

If they use Giannis that same way as Lopez great, but both guys on the floor at the same time doesn’t help their flow offensively.  

If they’re smart, they blitzkrieg them with both guys cutting to the basket for lobs and crashing the O-boards. What they shouldn’t do is iso either guy and expect them to be effective. I do not think Giannis on the floor is s problem… if they do it right.

Great article on Championship asterisks…

https://lastwordonsports.com/b...terisk-championship/

Giannis cleared to play?  What the what?

Apparently Giannis is going to start, according to the ABC stooges.

This is a mistake.  Prove us all wrong Giannis. You have a shit game I don’t want to hear about how you aren’t fully healed.

Well, I hope they limit his minutes, and get him out of there if its apparent that he cant move the way he needs to.

I mean I get it he wants to play but it’s just not a smart move.  They need him later in this series.  He fucks up that knee in game 1 or 2 and it’s over.  Had they sat him the first two game he’s got another week to rest.  

This has disaster written all over it.

What happened to Rachel Nichols as an analyst?

Oh…..don’t challenge woke. 😀

@Tschmack posted:

This is a mistake.  Prove us all wrong Giannis. You have a shit game I don’t want to hear about how you aren’t fully healed.

I don’t think it’s a mistake, but that’s assuming they’re smart about it. You can bet they’re going to test him… I would.

Enough with all the Chris Paul BS already

The guy is a flake.  Banana boat bullshit.

Is ESPN/ABC going to talk about the Bucks at all?  JFC.  Malika Andrews needs to go away as well.  If the Suns lose this will she have an article ready to go that Chris Paul is heading to the Knicks?

I’d much rather hear and see from Rachel Nichols than Malika Andrews or Maria Taylor.  Of course ESPN fucks that up.

Why TNT and Ernie and the crew aren’t covering the Finals is beyond me.  This ESPN group just sucks.  Woj does nothing if it’s not transaction related.  Rose and Williams try too hard.  Maria Taylor?  Um yeah.  Not so much.

@Tschmack posted:

  He fucks up that knee in game 1 or 2 and it’s over. 

I'm pretty sure the Bucks won 2 games with Atlanta  without him.  So why in this series is it over if the Freak doesn't play?    JFC.

They need him for games 3-7 that’s why.  Like a healthy Giannis.  You understand that right?

They won games 5-6 without him.  Keep it going in games 1-2.  Give him another week of rest.

Swear to Christ he tweaks or wrecks that knee in these first two games or plays like crap because he’s not healthy and the Bucks will never live that down.

Agree.

They need to get the ball out of Giannis' hands and let Holiday facilitate the offense

Haven’t seen anything from the Suns that scares the shit out of me.