Pacers come to town after snapping a 2 game losing streak by blowing out Memphis last night. Sabonis is having a career year, averaging over 21ppg on 56% shooting. Brogdon averages 23ppg and 7 assists as well.
Can the Bucks parlay Monday’s defensive effort against an undermanned Portland team into another solid performance against a top 10 offense?
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Bucks running them... Connaughton just banked a baseline three.
Forbes looks much more comfortable on the floor right now.
Bucks burying Indiana tonight... 10 threes already, Giannis getting what he wants, defense active and playing hard. Starting to look like Bucks basketball...
20-5 run...
Bucks get really sloppy and let a 23 point lead drop to 14.
Pacers on a 10-3 run based on transition off of sloppy turnovers
In a shot clock off situation at the end of the half, why do you run a set to take a shot with 8 seconds left?
Doesn't that defeat the purpose of holding for the last shot?
Lopez is always so late in getting back to his man after help.
Clear path foul?
2 and the ball...
Interesting defense- Brogdon on Giannis, they double the post...
Jrue Holiday is >>>> Brogdon and it isn't particularly close.
Brogdon will probably make the all-star team because of counting stats, but I doubt any GM would trade Holiday for him.
Bucjs attacking the basket and making great decisions in the paint. You man up on this team and they can get by you, and if the offense is running right there are cutters open and shooters standing by. Bucks playing well both ends, tonight...
This is a thing of beauty against a decent team.
Portis with an 8-0 run...
The Bucks don't even have Nwora or Merrill available to give away points in the 4th.
Over/under on Thansis dunks? I'll say 2.
38-21 3rd quarter... 17/35 from 3... Pacers shooting 40%... 7 guys in double figures.
Giannis 7 for 8 from the floor, 7 for 8 from the line, 21-14-10 triple-double in 3 quarters.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:This is a thing of beauty against a decent team.
Their commitment on the defensive end since the Charlotte game is the difference. You combine their offensive firepower with strong defense, you’re gonna blow out teams. Even good ones...
It’s the Bobby Portis show...
@Music City posted:It’s the Bobby Portis show...
He's going to be expensive to resign next year. He's at 47% from 3 this year, but even before this he was 37% for his career. You've outlined his deficiencies in other threads (defense and defensive rebounding), but he's a 7 footer that can move and is decent closing out at the 3 point line.
When Torrey Craig hits a 3, you know it’s your night...
@Music City posted:When Torrey Craig hits a 3, you know it’s your night...
Or two...
@Music City posted:Or two...
Both completely pure, too. Didn't touch anything but the bottom of the net.
Once again, you see what this team is capable of doing and should be doing more often.
The team (as assembled) is good enough to win a title if everyone plays well and they are focused and motivated. Coach Bud and their effort is the only thing standing in their way.
I’m less concerned about their record than how they are playing as a team. Right now, this is the team we thought they could be but honestly Portis is playing better than I could have imagined, but Lopez and DDV and to some extent Augustin have not. Forbes is doing his thing (hitting 3s) and Pat C brings the grit and energy as usual.
Long term, I think their structure is better with Portis than Lopez and for all of his issues offensively there is still value out there for DDV, so it will be interesting to see what Milwaukee does (trade market). Regardless, they have to find a way to get Holiday extended. If they do, this team is built to contend for several years.
When shots are falling, everything is hunky dory. It feeds the defense, it gives them confidence, they play a better brand of basketball.
But what’s noticeable here is that there’s a level of improved decision making with the basketball. They’re doing less iso and dribble down and shoot plays and more passing. Giannis is getting into the paint with more regularity- and part of this is due to the improved movement of the basketball around him. That improved patience is the opposite of what we saw to start the season. Improved defense has lead to increased opportunities in transition, which is always going to favor the Bucks because Giannis is the league’s deadliest transition player. And as we expected- improved 3 point shooters has lead them to be one of the league’s best, shooting 40% as a team. Giannis gets shooters good looks all game- you gotta have guys to knock them down.
The defense is also making strides but we need to see them on this road trip to see how far they’ve come, there. Indiana was on a BTB, and Portland was short handed. BTB against a vastly improved Cleveland team and the 4 tough western conference games will tell a much more accurate tale. They get through those games playing the kind of defense they have the last couple then they may have turned the corner.
What’s crazy is Augustin, Pat C, DJW and Holiday shot 3-16 from 3 and as a team they still hit 21 3s and won in a laugher.
When Middleton and Giannis basically play 3Q and only contribute 33 points between them yet still win by 20 you know things are going pretty well.
I wonder if Myles Turner still thinks he’s up to the challenge? He ran his mouth a bit and got absolutely schooled. 3 points, 2 boards, and 1 block in 23 minutes. For a guy that’s self proclaimed “one of the best defensive players in the league” I am not impressed. I know he’s dealing with a shoulder issue, but just like the Pacers in general I am not worried about that guy or that team.
@Tschmack posted:Long term, I think their structure is better with Portis than Lopez and for all of his issues offensively there is still value out there for DDV, so it will be interesting to see what Milwaukee does (trade market). Regardless, they have to find a way to get Holiday extended. If they do, this team is built to contend for several years.
I agree that getting Holiday extended is the next huge step. After watching him for 20 games now, it's clear he might be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. During the last two games, he basically neutralized Lillard and Brogdon. Brogdon is one of those guys that puts up bigger stats on a slightly above average team than he would have for the Bucks had he stayed, but he seems happier in his current role. Lillard is a future HOFer and Holiday held him in check. Holiday can effectively guard players as diverse as Durant, Tatum, Lillard, and Harden.
If Holiday went the Brogdon or Jerami Grant route (playing on a lesser team to put up bigger numbers), he could probably average 24/6/8 and be a all-defensive level player. I'd rather have him that a lot of guys who will probably be all-stars this year.
Listening to the Lowe Post podcast Tuesday, the Bucks are making one major change on offense that seems to be opening things up- Giannis as the high screener in the P&R. This is what is creating all those open looks for the shooters, and keeps Giannis in the paint where he belongs. Before this year, Giannis was used on ball screens 20 times in a game just twice. This year he’s been more than triple that. It’s giving Middleton and Holiday the switches they can destroy, and it makes the help defenders have to pay attention to Giannis as a roller- which if he gets the ball and help comes leaves them wide open. If they don’t, he’s 1on1 with Giannis coming downhill, which Giannis will win most of the time.
Defensively, they talked about the Bucks defensive rating when Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday are together- basically #1 in the NBA in defensive rating. So you can intertwine Divincenzo, Forbes, and Augustine- go with the hot hand and get production and mix and match the defensive lineup. Inside you can split Lopez and Portis and go with the hot hand there. Sprinkle in Craig to harass a hot wing or a face up 4 as a cooler and you have your playoff rotation.
Giannis played 3 quarters last night but still played 31 min. Budenholzer is making these adjustments to his credit, and it’s starting to show. This coming week will be telling...
Honestly I don’t know what it is but Holiday just locks guys down. He’s got decent size and strength, but it’s the quick hands that seem to freak out opposing players. And like Gary Payton, he gets right up in your grill.
In the game against Dallas this year, it was Holiday down the stretch that drew the assignment against Doncic and he absolutely stoned him despite the fact he’s giving up a lot more length to him. In no logical sense should a guy like Holiday be able to shut down a guy like Doncic but he did.
It’s almost like he’s playing some Jedi mind trick on guys.
@Tschmack posted:Honestly I don’t know what it is but Holiday just locks guys down. He’s got decent size and strength, but it’s the quick hands that seem to freak out opposing players. And like Gary Payton, he gets right up in your grill.
In the game against Dallas this year, it was Holiday down the stretch that drew the assignment against Doncic and he absolutely stoned him despite the fact he’s giving up a lot more length to him. In no logical sense should a guy like Holiday be able to shut down a guy like Doncic but he did.
It’s almost like he’s playing some Jedi mind trick on guys.
If you watched the video the Bucks put out of their first practices this year with Holiday guarding Giannis, I think a lot of what makes Holiday effective is that he knows how to use his leverage to make guys uncomfortable with their footwork. The other thing I think someone on her commented on (Maybe you) is that when guys move their body to open up space to operate, Holiday just has a knack for moving into the open space and keeping them uncomfortable. He actually reminds me of Rodman in that skill. He's always right up on you without fouling and the offensive player feels like he's suffocating.
That’s absolutely correct. He has great anticipation and doesn’t allow you space to operate and move with the ball. So players will either pass it off or make a mistake.
