Bucks defense struggling early. Nuggets up 16-13 on 7 for 11 from the floor.
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Other than Middleton and Giannis, the other Bucks are 1 for 8 right now on wide open looks.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Other than Middleton and Giannis, the other Bucks are 1 for 8 right now on wide open looks.
Now those other guys are 2 for 13 and the Bucks are down 9.
They’re carving the Bucks up... they’re moving, cutting... Bucks aren’t working hard on either end right now.
Bucks get their asses kicked in the first quarter and are down 14.
Other than Middleton and Giannis, everyone else has stunk up the joint.
Nuggets start 17 for 26 from the floor on open look after open look.
@Music City posted:They’re carving the Bucks up... they’re moving, cutting... Bucks aren’t working hard on either end right now.
Lopez was terrible on defense and Forbes was worse.
Good grief... Middleton gives up a putback while spectating. Get your fucking head in the game, asshole!
Down 15. Just a thoroughly embarrassing showing so far.
Other than Giannis and Middleton, the Bucks are shooting 2 for 15 from the floor and the Nuggets are at 60%. Bucks have given up 4 offensive rebounds.
Good fucking grief... at least show up, guys...
Can we sit Lopez at some point for good? It's like giving up an open 3 on a switch any time an opposing team wants it.
Bucks down 50-29 midway through the second.
@Music City posted:Good fucking grief... at least show up, guys...
It's like they finally beat a good team and their looking ahead to the all-star break
Get it to 10, Giannis gives up a bad rebound and picks up his 3rd and then end down 14.
What the fuck is wrong with Middleton? How many times is the guy going to lose his balance dribbling and fall down?
The Bucks totally fucked up that last 2 min. Down ten, got a chance to cut to single digits with a stop, get them to miss 3 shots, but give up 2 offensive rebounds, and after the second Giannis gets his 3rd foul.
So instead of single digits, they’re down 14 and Giannis has 3 fouls. 🤬🤬🤬
It was 21-18 Bucks with 3:36 left in the 1st Q.
With 5:49 left in the second, it was 50-29.
Denver is coming off a game in Chicago, and they’ve out hustled the Bucks in about every way. Let’s see how much spunk the Nuggets have in the second half...
Given the circumstances with the Nuggets on a back to back and the Bucks rested, this is perhaps the worst showing of the year for the Bucks. Down 21 and never closer than 10 after hte first quarter.
Down 20. Just a pathetic effort.
Why did Bud decide to give Thanasis a night off? They needed a jolt of energy.
Shit game... getting housed by Denver for a second time, this time on your home floor.
Getting out-rebounded 32-27. Given up 9 offensive boards.
11 turnovers. Giving up 55% shooting.
Giannis has played 30 minutes. The Bucks are +3 in that time.
They are -16 in the other 7 minutes with him off the court.
Got the feeling Giannis committed that foul for a reason. They’re not going to get this one.
Sit the starters down. When Giannis starts jacking up 3s early in the shot clock it's over.
Giannis is 10 for 12 from inside the arc and they can't stop him. Why doesn't he have 25 shot attempts?
Bud takes out Giannis and Middleton. Appears to wave the white flag with 8 minutes left.
DJ Wilson has the body language of a guy that just doesn't give a shit anymore.
Wouldn’t you? Dude’s buried... I’m sure he wishes he got traded...
I think it’s easy to forget how good Denver is given their slow start to the season.
Still, there’s no excuse for getting absolutely destroyed at home like that.
They have to do something with Lopez. If not Lopez they need another 3 and D guy that can guard the perimeter and hit shots.
@Tschmack posted:I think it’s easy to forget how good Denver is given their slow start to the season.
Still, there’s no excuse for getting absolutely destroyed at home like that.
They have to do something with Lopez. If not Lopez they need another 3 and D guy that can guard the perimeter and hit shots.
It was 22-18 when Bud subbed Giannis out with 3:43 left in the 1st quarter. Connaughton hit a 3 on the next possession to make it 22-21 and then the Nuggets went on a 15-2 run to end the quarter and the Bucks never got it down to single digits again.
That's also the earliest I've ever seen Bud give up this year. Middleton and Giannis went to the bench with 7:46 left and didn't return. It was right after the Bucks walked the ball up court and Giannis jacked up a 3 early in the shot clock and then got beat back on defense to Jokic (who most of us could outrun) for a dunk.
The Bucks clearly mailed this one in. I’m OK with Bud pulling the plug as there was no chance in hell of them winning that one once Denver took a commanding lead.
What’s more worrisome is Lopez looks completely useless at this point. Against a guy like Joker you would think he could put up more resistance but he got worked over big time. I realize they are already thin in the front court but they need an upgrade defensively - someone younger and more athletic
Forbes has one job- when he doesn’t do it, he has no place on any roster.
Lopez has two jobs- when he cannot do either, he has no place on any roster.
Unless these guys shake off the adjustments that have been made to make them uncomfortable, the Bucks are left with 4 Quality starters and only half a bench come playoff time. Augustine is coming around, Portis isn’t playable against top bigs, and Craig/Antetokounmpo/Connaughton are matchup contingent specialty players. Unless these two guys (Lopez and Forbes) can deliver some firepower and at least competence on the other end, they’re fuckin’ toast...
I have no problem with Forbes being on this team. He’s shooting close to 46% from 3 and honestly that’s his role. Knock down 3 pt shots. His career average is 41% so he’s doing his job. The issue is other substitutions. He’s a defensive liability so you can’t have him out there in certain situations. I still think they would be better starting Forbes and bringing DDV off the bench but whatever.
Portis has also done his job. He’s instant offense, inside or outside, and he plays with energy and swagger. But he’s not a defensive stopper by any stretch. He will get bullied by stronger or taller bigs and tends to be out of position at times for rebounds.
Craig and Lopez have been major disappointments. Augustin has underperformed, but I think his value will increase in the postseason because he’s solid in the half court game. But he’s not a defender either.
I see they called up Mamadi Diakite and it’s possible he can help them in terms of being an athletic defender because unlike Lopez he can cover ground quickly and defend the pick and roll and still drop back to defend the rim or challenge shots in the paint. He’s not the answer for strong, physical bigs but honestly right now neither is Lopez.
For the Bucks, they have to decide what to do with Lopez. Like Pat C, he should not be getting 20+ minutes a game and you would prefer either another athletic big or a 3 and D player. Dealing Lopez depletes some of their size, but as we saw last night it made no difference against a guy like Jokic.
I think I mentioned earlier in the thread that they beat the Bucks twice. Way off... the Bucks kicked their ass to start the WC trip last month. Right before they lost 5 straight. That’s why Denver was so amped up last night. The Bucks never matched their intensity defensively and they were looking for blood...
Diakite is getting rave reviews from his G League time. Would love for him to bring some more length, athleticism, and bounce to the defensive end.
Maybe Diakite could be a hidden gem. At Virginia he played in a down-tempo system and shared the floor with 3 other NBA players which limited his impact. Maybe the more wide open NBA and system he's in will allow him to take his game up a couple notches from his Virginia days where he was solid but not spectacular.