It's early, but the Hawks can't miss and are already up 15-7.
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@MichiganPacker posted:It's early, but the Hawks can't miss and are already up 15-7.
Over? 😀
@Blair Kiel posted:Over? 😀
Not in the NBA until you get under 6 minutes.
Okongwu really gives Giannis problems. Doesn't help that Giannis is 4 for 10 from the line either.
Giannis is 24 for 52 from the field vs. the Hawks and 22 for 37 from the line. I think they just try to beat the crap out of him and assume they can't call every foul and he'll miss a lot of FTs.
Bucks with a terrible end to the half. Down 13 and it seemed like the Hawks dominated more than that.
It's without Middleton, Holiday, Pat, and G. Allen (left in the second quarter) and Giannis is on limited minutes (14 first half minutes with only 1 foul), but Atlanta is good and has the guys to stop Giannis. They don't have guys to match up against Middleton or Holiday, though.
Giannis looks terrible against the Hawks. It might be a problem in a playoff series.
Bucks down 16 as they are 3 for 17 from three.
Blair - I'll let you call it tonight.
Also, any word on when Middleton may be back?
@MNPackman posted:Is Holiday injured?
Yes. Turned his ankle against the Hawks a week ago and hasn't played since. G. Allen turned his ankle in the second quarter and is out now as well. Middleton and Connaughton still out. Portis and Lopez have played tonight but have been uncharacteristically terrible tonight (1 for 7 combined).
@MNPackman posted:Also, any word on when Middleton may be back?
He practiced with the Wisconsin Herd last week, but no other updates. The way the Bucks handle injury updates is very tight lipped, so he might be back next week or in February.
Bucks get it back to 11, mainly because of Marjon Beauchamp. He's 3 for 3 from three, the rest of the team is 1 for 15.
Time to sit Giannis. It's November. They are down 17 and short-handed. He's coming off knee soreness the last week. He doesn't quite look right
If Giannis got the calls Trae Young does tonight, he'd be shooting 30 FTs. The flopping is ridiculous.
Down 14 going to the 4th as Giannis gets stuffed by Capela. Just close enough to see if you can make a run to start the 4th, but not very likely tonight.
Now Wes Matthews is hurt.
Middleton, Holiday, Allen, Matthews, Connaughton all out. They are almost out of wings.
The Bucks weren't going to win this game tonight with the way they shot, but this officiating crew has been horrible in terms of consistency and controlling the flow of the game.
Bucks have 8 available players (7 if you consider one of those is Thanasis)
I feel like Beauchamp is sort of a revelation. I really like this kid. 20 points tonight from the rookie!
Never closer than 9 in the second half.
Good thing the Bucks started 9-0. It's now 10-3 and may be without their top 5 wing players on Wednesday - Holiday, G. Allen, Middleton, Matthews, and Connaughton.
@Trailrunners posted:I feel like Beauchamp is sort of a revelation. I really like this kid. 20 points tonight from the rookie!
If the Bucks get healthy, he'll be hard pressed to crack the rotation in the playoffs, but he's someone who can hold up well enough on defense to play him in crunch time if you needed to.
Giannis, Middleton, Holiday, Lopez, G. Allen, Portis, Connaughton, Ingles, J. Carter, Matthews.
That's 10 right there.
Depending on what happens longer term with Middleton and his contract, it’s good to know we have a younger guy in Beauchamp that at least has potential to be a decent 3 and D guy. He’s a little shorter than Khris, but his wingspan more than makes up the difference. I also think he’s a better athlete than Middleton albeit 22 is a much better and more consistent shooter and scorer.
As for the Bucks, they just need to hang in there until guys get healthy. With their 9-0 start they have the ability to rest some guys and see what they have with some other players.
@Tschmack posted:Depending on what happens longer term with Middleton and his contract, it’s good to know we have a younger guy in Beauchamp that at least has potential to be a decent 3 and D guy. He’s a little shorter than Khris, but his wingspan more than makes up the difference. I also think he’s a better athlete than Middleton albeit 22 is a much better and more consistent shooter and scorer.
As for the Bucks, they just need to hang in there until guys get healthy. With their 9-0 start they have the ability to rest some guys and see what they have with some other players.
It's clear even after 11 games that Beauchamp is a much better player than DJ Wilson or Sterling Brown, who were among the guys they tried to find for this 3 and D energy guy role off the bench. DDV was the best they've had, but he never figured out how to finish in the paint and was a complete liability once you ran him off the 3 point line.
I don't know if Beauchamp will ever shoot well enough consistently to be a starter/6th man on a title team, but his size and wingspan (6'7 with a 7 foot wingspan) combined with his footwork allow him to at least have a chance to guard 2s-3s-and 4s. And he's not a turnover machine if he does have to put the ball on the floor. But to play for Bud in the Giannis system, you have to consistently knock down open 3s and play defense.
The problem the Bucks have is that, other than Middleton, they only have one guy that is an elite 3-point shooter %wise and that's G. Allen (both hover around 40% of their careers). Allen is a completely liability as soon as he has to dribble and he can't dribble off of ball screens and get shots off well. He's a catch and shoot guy and he's elite. But he's like Bryn Forbes - he doesn't really do anything else well.
Most of the other guys the Bucks have out there are adequate, but not great, 3 point threats. Holiday, Lopez, Matthews, Connaughton, Portis, Ibaka, Nwora, and J. Carter are all in the 34 to 38% range. None are total liabilities, but there is no one in that group that you really scheme to stop shooting threes. That's where Ingles may come in later. He's 41% in his career.
Barring injuries to Giannis, Middleton, or Holiday that keep them out of the playoffs, the Bucks have a chance to win a title. I think they are the #2 team in the East behind the Celtics, and it will come down to how well the guys other than Middleton hit open 3s in playoff games. I'm not sure they have enough shooting to get over the hump.
In the 4 losses to the Celtics in the playoffs last year, the Bucks went 23 for 107 from three. I'm not sure Beauchamp is good enough to make a difference there.