Big kudos to Pat Connaughton... really played a nice game.
Connaughton is the Energizer bunny out there. He really brings it.
14 more please.
Giannis Definitely came out with a purpose to open the 3rd Q.
Giannis played 30 minutes. Looking good boys
You figured Detroit would play better and they did. However, the Bucks blitzed them in the 3Q and that was all she wrote.
Detroit will probably open with a lot of energy in Game 3. The Bucks just have withstand the initial 5 minutes and then put them away in the second and third quarters.
The thing that's going to make a huge difference in future series is how the charge/block calls are referreed on Giannis. If he picks up a couple of charges in the first half, it changes the whole complexion of a game. Horford or Kawhi might get calls that other guys won't.
Giannis just has to not do the same thing over & over where it's predictable. He needs to stay unpredictable just like a pitcher in baseball. Also continue to contort his body around a defender. It's not a charge when he rotates to the side of a defender, that's called a blocking foul.
Depending on the official...
based on the calls in Milwaukee, the pistons will get lots of them. Giannis will be in foul trouble. The NBA does not want a sweep...
I have to admit, maybe I'm not remembering correctly but I definitely thought the fouls on Giannis yesterday were legit. He sort of had his mind made up that he was going to the basket, sort of put his head down and charged in there, I thought those calls towards the end of the first half were good calls against him.
He's got a great ability to slither past guys but I give Detroit credit for a brief stretch there in the first half. They got him into foul trouble as they were pretty good about predicting where he was going to go and beating him to the spot.
He's had an incredible year where he's been able to sometimes win 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 matchups underneath where he just wills himself to the basket despite all the guys around him. I just hope he doesn't force it too much as the playoffs go on because some of these teams will not lose as many of those Giannis vs. 3 guys type matchups in terms of getting to the basket.
This is pretty cool...
Aaron Rodgers liked
Shoutout to the group that just paid for my food at San Giorgio’s... completely unnecessary but much appreciated. Feeling the love in MKE during playoff time 
#FearTheDeer
Music City posted:Depending on the official...
based on the calls in Milwaukee, the pistons will get lots of them. Giannis will be in foul trouble. The NBA does not want a sweep...
The NBA makes it hard to like because the fix may always be in. Of course, the most extreme case was Lakers-Kings Game 6. That was an abomination.
I'll never forget a Bucks Celtics Game 7. Bucks were up by something like 8 with maybe 8 minutes left. Something like that, it was long ago. That year, Pressey was the top defensive player in the league. Of course, he guarded Bird. Well, he picked up 2 fouls within something like 30s (numbers 5 and 6) and that was it - game over.
Sometimes the refs have to be beaten as well, unfortunately. Of course, in the case of Kings-Lakers, that was an impossibility. The refs were probably at least a 12 point swing,
Pikes Peak posted:If these games are fixed, why watch?
I didn't say all the games are fixed.
But, it's a good question. In spite of its flaws, I get enjoyment out of it.
I watch because no one is getting a finger up their ass. Usually.
The last 2 games Clippers v. Warriors. Refs we're doing everything they could to keep Clippers in it.
Last night Curry puts his hands up. They showed the play from multiple angles. Absolutely no part of Curry's body/hands anything touched the offensive player & he got called for a foul.
Clippers have gotten just about every call the last 2 games. 1 game was epic choke by Warriors. Last night's game they kept fighting through it. For 48 minutes until Clippers finally gave up with about 8 minutes left in 4th Q.
Credit Doc Rivers for getting the refs on his side after game 1 & getting his team to over-achieve.
I think they may have awoken the sleeping dragon.
Bucks need to watch that game last night. Because I expect much of the same for the Bucks being up 2-0. Everyone knows the Association wants 7 game series for extra revenue. Refs are most likely going to favor Detroit in game 3. It's on the Bucks to match & continue playoff intensity for 48 minutes. If the Bucks do that, they'll go up 3-0 regardless of refs calls.
Boris posted:Bucks need to watch that game last night. Because I expect much of the same for the Bucks being up 2-0. Everyone knows the Association wants 7 game series for extra revenue. Refs are most likely going to favor Detroit in game 3. It's on the Bucks to match & continue playoff intensity for 48 minutes. If the Bucks do that, they'll go up 3-0 regardless of refs calls.
The Bucks are going to get a lot of open 3s. If they hit at a decent percentage they win regardless of reffing.
A lot of Giannis hacking to start. He'll have to play through it.
Irsan 3-3 from deep to keep the Bucks tied 22-22 at a timeout.
Giannis with only 2 shots in the first quarter (one contested at the quarter buzzer) and 0 points. Bucks up 32-24.
Weird game so far.
The Bucks are -8 with Giannis on the floor for 13 minutes
They are +17 without him on the floor for 5 minutes.
Giannis playing well in the second but only 2 for 4 from the line. Really struggling this series. Now 10 for 21 for the series.
Up 13 at half. Need to bury them in the third quarter and effectively end the series.
MichiganPacker2 posted:Up 13 at half. Need to bury them in the third quarter and effectively end the series.
Absolutely. Forrest Gregg once said that when you have the animal by the neck, snap it! That would be my pep talk. Let's get out there, smash them relentlessly, and end this series NOW.
Ok so far. Giannis did just pick up his 4th foul in 20 minutes of playing time. The fouls were a really cheap over the back call where he batted the ball out of bounds (should have been Pistons ball and no foul), a legit foul on a Drummond drive, banding Griffin back and forth, and then a bit of a Pachulia flop after Griffin essentially pushed Giannis with a forearm on a drive.
Can't have this happen against Boston
Middleton is murdering the Pistons right now. He looks like an All-Star.
Well, hopefully the 19 point lead is more than enough to handle Giannis having 4 fouls.
Dee-Toilet Basketball
Bucks will win this one going away and basically little from Giannis
Tschmack posted:Dee-Toilet Basketball
Bucks will win this one going away and basically little from Giannis
He barely broke a sweat. 14-10-3 in 28 minutes. I don't think he had any dunks either.
MichiganPacker2 posted:Tschmack posted:Dee-Toilet Basketball
Bucks will win this one going away and basically little from Giannis
He barely broke a sweat. 14-10-3 in 28 minutes. I don't think he had any dunks either.
That's amazing. Game in Detroit, a must win for them, Griffin returns and plays a good game, Giannis barely plays a half of the game, and the Bucks are up by 20+ save two garbage time 3 pointers.
No mercy, sweep the leg....finish them! Because Boston will do the same to the Pacers.
Bledsoe has taken his game to another level. He’s been fantastic in the playoffs.
Middleton very solid as well.
You see what this team is capable of doing and if Bledsoe and Middleton and Bledsoe all play well you are not going to beat them
phaedrus posted:MichiganPacker2 posted:Tschmack posted:Dee-Toilet Basketball
Bucks will win this one going away and basically little from Giannis
He barely broke a sweat. 14-10-3 in 28 minutes. I don't think he had any dunks either.
That's amazing. Game in Detroit, a must win for them, Griffin returns and plays a good game, Giannis barely plays a half of the game, and the Bucks are up by 20+ save two garbage time 3 pointers.
Griffin played OK. His game looks better in the box score than it did watching it live. He was 10-24.
You see some of the national media saying that he "Won" the Giannis matchup. Giannis took 13 shots and didn't force the action. Good for him he didn't feel that he had to get "his" points at the expense of his teammates.
Tschmack posted:Bledsoe has taken his game to another level. He’s been fantastic in the playoffs.
Middleton very solid as well.
You see what this team is capable of doing and if Bledsoe and Middleton and Bledsoe all play well you are not going to beat them
I've said it before, but anyway, I think one of the most important ingredients for success is the play of Middleton and Bledsoe. Historically, it is like they have the greatest variation from their average game. There has been a lot of justified criticism of Middleton at times. Bledsoe has had his clunkers. If they play consistently good ball and not have one of their clunkers, that is huge.
1. Middleton and Bledsoe.
2. Brogdon returns and plays near 100%.
3. Three point shooting.
I think if all of the above occur, the Bucks will be in the finals.
phaedrus posted:Tschmack posted:Bledsoe has taken his game to another level. He’s been fantastic in the playoffs.
Middleton very solid as well.
You see what this team is capable of doing and if Bledsoe and Middleton and Bledsoe all play well you are not going to beat them
I've said it before, but anyway, I think one of the most important ingredients for success is the play of Middleton and Bledsoe. Historically, it is like they have the greatest variation from their average game. There has been a lot of justified criticism of Middleton at times. Bledsoe has had his clunkers. If they play consistently good ball and not have one of their clunkers, that is huge.
1. Middleton and Bledsoe.
2. Brogdon returns and plays near 100%.
3. Three point shooting.
I think if all of the above occur, the Bucks will be in the finals.
Giannis has to stay out of foul trouble.