The Freak vs The Brow

7-0 Pelicans and a time-out a minute into the game...

Well, other than an ill advised no pass possession with Bledsoe pulling a 3 with 18 on the shot clock  Bucks get their shit together for a 10-3 run to tie. 

Pelicans have already connected on 5 threes...

7 threes...

Well, they continue to get good minutes from DJW. Blown call on a goaltend and the Bucks should be up 3 after one. 

Pelicans make 10 threes a game... they had 8 in the first Q. The Bucks need to figure this shit out... they allow more friggin 3s than anyone else. 

Davis rolls his ankle and the Bucks build a lead. Finally some good minutes from Hill. Only a matter of time before he got acclimated. Maker with some good minutes too. 

Bucks really starting to develop some depth. If Brown, Wilson, and Maker can continue to show like they have, they can go 9-10 deep and get production when guys are out. What a difference a year makes...

Giannis kinda struggling tonight. They’re really bodying him and keeping him out of the paint. 

Snell having a strong game from deep, but the Pelicans go 11-2 to cut it to 3. 

The defense goes to sleep and the lead is lost. Down 2. 

Pathetic display of defense in the second half of the second Q... a 12 point lead becomes a 4 point deficit. Middleton straight olays a drive and gives up a layup at the buzzer...

OKafor and Holliday torching them.  

8-0 to get the lead back... second unit with the defensive intensity to get things moving again. Have to finish with that energy...

Hill with the triple at the buzzer! Tied going into the 4th... AD back on the floor.

Bledsoe finally gets off the schneid... huge 3! Defense picking up down the stretch. 

DJW guarding AD and keeping him in check. Kid looks good out there! 

DJ  Wilson !! Kid can play. 

DJW again!!! Tip in and then cleans up Brogdon’s fumble for a layup! Have a game D.J.!!!

Pretty good win. Overcame some terrible defense to get right and win it down the stretch. I think D.J. found himself a spot in the rotation. 

Bench won this game- 49 points, and all the defensive energy in the second half. Bledsoe and Middleton 9-23, 9 assists, 4 TOs. 

Buds needs to know when to get away from Brook Lopez earlier. He was -19 tonight... all their big runs were with him on the floor. Once they put D.J. in there instead, +8. 

3 point defense was awful. Kept the Pels in it. 

DJ with 9 points, 10 rebs...and guarded AD. Welcome to the league. 

Thank you Alvin Gentry, Okafor was taking it to us, AD comes back and Okafor rides the bench for the bulk of the second half.

Agree on Lopez, guy has value but this was a bad night and a bad matchup for him. Shoulda sat more  -19 

Middleton is simply a lazy basketball player. Left guys open on defense, sloppy passes into traffic resulting in turnovers, settles for the long shot too frequently when he's struggling. 

Dante Di off to Oshkosh....recipe for success? SB and DJW

From Twitter:

As Giannis Antetokounmpo exited Fiserv Forum, he saw Anthony Davis in the hall and said “Come to the Bucks, man,” with a smile. 

Now that would be interesting...

The key to me is will Davis take the supermax money in New Orleans or does he want to win?   That’s a 70 million dollar decision. 

I am also not sure that LA is the best place because they don’t have enough appealing assets to deal to get it done. Boston is also supposed to be in the mix but what will they look like long term especially if Kyrie bails. 

On the other hand, a team like Milwaukee would.  Could you imagine a 1-2 combo of Giannis and Davis?   

Music City posted:

What a difference a year makes...

It's amazing what a real coaching staff can do for a team, eh?

They simply refuse to lose.

#FearTheDeer!!

Tschmack posted:

 Could you imagine a 1-2 combo of Giannis and Davis?   

Yes....Yes I could imagine that

If you are Davis why go to the Lakers unless you simply want to be in LA?  I think he’s from Chicago. 

If you want to win the Bucks and Celtics are much better options IMO 

Giannis at the 4, Davis the 5. You could actually play Brogdon at the 3 in that lineup. Middleton would not be on this team- couldn’t afford him. You keep Brogdon. 

Then you gotta decide what to do with Bledsoe. If no, you probably can’t afford Kemba, but you try. Or work a deal to get Conley. 

Giannis would lead the league in assists and dunks. 

With them trading Henson and Delladova (thanks Cleveland) and assuming they buy out George Hill after the season they will have the money to be able to resign Bledsoe, Brogdon, and Middleton.  Perhaps Lopez as well.  

If my math is correct they have about 70MM either coming off the books or expiring contracts.    At this point, I would think they try to retain Brogdon and Bledsoe and will make an effort for Middleton but if not they would be able to clear a max spot even if they bring back those other two. 

Brogdon is important because he can play multiple positions and he actually plays pretty solid D.  I think he’s just as important as Middleton if not more. 

I agree- Brogdon is now the versatile scorer and defender at the 2G that they need. Coming from a second round deal, he’ll be the better buy anyway. For both Bledsoe and Middleton, it’s far more about what they want. Bledsoe is 29, which is a little bit of a red flag. But he’s been durable, and when he’s locked in defensively the whole team steps up a kick. 

Middleton... pretty sure I have made my feelings known about him. Buds has called him out... that might be a sign about what he thinks about him. He’s a big time gamble because, as the old rule says, you never pay for past performance, only future. His lack of ball handling makes him a liability as a “clear out and get a basket in the final minute” guy. Unfortunately you need that guy in today’s nba and the Bucks currently do not have that guy. Giannis is a dominant player- but like Shaq he’s not the guy to give the ball down one with :05 to go. Middleton is a spot up shooter, good midrange and post game, good defender- but not clutch and not long term. 

So in my opinion, you deal Middleton. He wants a max. You cannot give him one. You give AD or KD a max. Not him...

Music City posted:

I agree- Brogdon is now the versatile scorer and defender at the 2G that they need. Coming from a second round deal, he’ll be the better buy anyway. For both Bledsoe and Middleton, it’s far more about what they want. Bledsoe is 29, which is a little bit of a red flag. But he’s been durable, and when he’s locked in defensively the whole team steps up a kick. 

Middleton... pretty sure I have made my feelings known about him. Buds has called him out... that might be a sign about what he thinks about him. He’s a big time gamble because, as the old rule says, you never pay for past performance, only future. His lack of ball handling makes him a liability as a “clear out and get a basket in the final minute” guy. Unfortunately you need that guy in today’s nba and the Bucks currently do not have that guy. Giannis is a dominant player- but like Shaq he’s not the guy to give the ball down one with :05 to go. Middleton is a spot up shooter, good midrange and post game, good defender- but not clutch and not long term. 

So in my opinion, you deal Middleton. He wants a max. You cannot give him one. You give AD or KD a max. Not him...

I agree that Middleton is not a max player - but he's an All-Star level player. He can catch and shoot with the best of them and he's a decent defensive player. He's basically the economy version of Klay Thompson.

The problem is whether they can get somebody as good as Middleton if he leaves.

Klay and Middleton are close comparisons.  Thompson is a slightly better outside shooter, but Middleton is probably a better defender.  

What will be interesting is what Middleton could command on the open market.   He certainly will be earning more than the 13MM that he was set to make with a players option in 2019.  

What’s concerning to me is while he is a very good player, his brilliant play from the postseason has not carried over into this year.  Then we hear rumblings of effort which was some of the same nonsense that happened with Jabari Parker - albeit Khris has not gone public with comments as Jabari did.   Still, I worry about this if he’s pouting or downshifting because Milwaukee hasn’t exactly been running for the door to lock him up long term.  It bears watching. 

Then there’s Bledsoe.  He’s basically the opposite of Middleton.  Had a poor showing against Boston but his numbers in the regular season have been very good. And he’s been healthy.  

Tschmack posted:

Klay and Middleton are close comparisons.  Thompson is a slightly better outside shooter, but Middleton is probably a better defender.  

Wow... no dude. Wrong on both accounts in an incredible way. China Klay might be the best on ball defender in the NBA. If not he’s damn close. And while Middleton is a solid scorer, he’s never gone for 60 in 3 quarters. Middleton is a poor man’s Harrison Barnes. The Ws didn’t pay him either...