NBA Thread 2020-21

[MuggsyB]

The lights do seem a little too bright for the Bucks, but even if they were "bringing it," I just don't think they would be very competitive with the Nets.  I'll bump my post below.  The talent is nice for a regular season team, and Bud still coaches them like it's regular season basketball.  Come Playoff time in modern basketball, you need two MVP level players.  The Bucks have one, and his game doesn't carry over well into the Playoffs.  Things were falling their way in 2019 and they collapsed on their own.  That was the season to get their title.

The good news is they can't play or shoot worse but you hit on a key point.  "His game doesn't carry over well into the playoffs."  This is a huge problem.  We know Middleton has been awful in Brooklyn but Giannis shouldn't get a free pass.  He has to either get his ass in the mid or low post or shoot the 12 footer with confidence.  In this particular series he should be dominating in the paint as should Lopez frankly.  Play more inside out which will lead to better shot attempts from distance.

The Bucks averaged 120 a game in the regular season but in the half court they have not adjusted to players dropping 6 feet from Giannis when he has the ball up top.  Budenholzer hasn't adjusted his strategy and GIannis has not tweaked his game. 

Now, the defense has been piss poor as well but Brooklyn is going to score.  No one can guard Durant one on one or Kyrie.  It's about stopping Harris and others from getting wide open triples. 

I disagree somewhat with your two MVP's premise.   This has been true in recent years but none of the teams left in the West and 3 teams in the East don't have two MVP'S.  For Milwaukee Giannis has to dominate and Middleton and Holiday have to play a lot better.  Attack the rim, period. 

I have no idea why Budenholzer doesn't relentlessly have them attack.  The Bucks shot one FT in the first half.  They won't get back on track if they hesitate and refuse to attack.  I wouldn't say a word if I was Budenholzer but write ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK, 1000 times on their white or chalkboard.  There needs to be far more tenacity from the Bucks.  The Bucks being successful helps Marquette.  They need to get their act together.

[Its DJOver]

The good news is they can't play or shoot worse but you hit on a key point.  "His game doesn't carry over well into the playoffs."  This is a huge problem.  We know Middleton has been awful in Brooklyn but Giannis shouldn't get a free pass.  He has to either get his ass in the mid or low post or shoot the 12 footer with confidence.  In this particular series he should be dominating in the paint as should Lopez frankly.  Play more inside out which will lead to better shot attempts from distance.

The Bucks averaged 120 a game in the regular season but in the half court they have not adjusted to players dropping 6 feet from Giannis when he has the ball up top.  Budenholzer hasn't adjusted his strategy and GIannis has not tweaked his game. 

Now, the defense has been piss poor as well but Brooklyn is going to score.  No one can guard Durant one on one or Kyrie.  It's about stopping Harris and others from getting wide open triples. 

I disagree somewhat with your two MVP's premise.   This has been true in recent years but none of the teams left in the West and 3 teams in the East don't have two MVP'S.  For Milwaukee Giannis has to dominate and Middleton and Holiday have to play a lot better.  Attack the rim, period. 

I have no idea why Budenholzer doesn't relentlessly have them attack.  The Bucks shot one FT in the first half.  They won't get back on track if they hesitate and refuse to attack.  I wouldn't say a word if I was Budenholzer but write ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK, 1000 times on their white or chalkboard.  There needs to be far more tenacity from the Bucks.  The Bucks being successful helps Marquette.  They need to get their act together.

As long as he doesn't say it in a televised huddle during a TO. If Scoop's taught me anything it's that repeating something obvious over and over again in a huddle is proof that you're a bad coach.

[MuggsyB]

As long as he doesn't say it in a televised huddle during a TO. If Scoop's taught me anything it's that repeating something obvious over and over again in a huddle is proof that you're a bad coach.

Ha!!  Touche. 

[4everwarriors]

Giannis got posterized by a dude who's 1/3 of his former self and is 100% in #34's head. Holiday looked like a rookie and the rest of the shmoes are just guys. Game, set, match...aina?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Never thought I'd see 82 post a Breitbart article

[MUfan12]

Giannis got posterized by a dude who's 1/3 of his former self and is 100% in #34's head. Holiday looked like a rookie and the rest of the shmoes are just guys. Game, set, match...aina?

Giannis just short-circuits when things get tough. The quick jumpers, the drives into traffic, just not making intelligent basketball plays.

Which kinda leads me to think that while it's wonderful he signed the supermax, I don't see him as a title-winner as the featured guy. It's far too easy to gameplan for him over the course of a series.

Unless the next coach can get through to him on where to best create, or he gets an actual shooting coach to fix those busted mechanics, I don't see things changing.

[jficke13]

Giannis just short-circuits when things get tough. The quick jumpers, the drives into traffic, just not making intelligent basketball plays.

Which kinda leads me to think that while it's wonderful he signed the supermax, I don't see him as a title-winner as the featured guy. It's far too easy to gameplan for him over the course of a series.

Unless the next coach can get through to him on where to best create, or he gets an actual shooting coach to fix those busted mechanics, I don't see things changing.

The owners are gonna flip the team to cash out on the real estate speculation that was the point of their purchase all along and Giannis is going end up traded. I bet the odds of him playing out his deal to the end in Mke are between slim and none.

[MUfan12]

The owners are gonna flip the team to cash out on the real estate speculation that was the point of their purchase all along

Wouldn't surprise me. Especially if Alex loses the senate race.

[cheebs09]

Giannis just short-circuits when things get tough. The quick jumpers, the drives into traffic, just not making intelligent basketball plays.

Which kinda leads me to think that while it's wonderful he signed the supermax, I don't see him as a title-winner as the featured guy. It's far too easy to gameplan for him over the course of a series.

Unless the next coach can get through to him on where to best create, or he gets an actual shooting coach to fix those busted mechanics, I don't see things changing.

Had the same conversation with my friends. I don’t think he’s versatile enough to be the best player on a title team. The fact you have to sweat out if he will even beat the 10 second count on a free throw is crazy.

I love Giannis, but until he’s able to consistently hit a jumper, him having the ball at the top of the key is a big issue. Which seems to be a focal point in this offense.

[4everwarriors]

Wouldn't surprise me. Especially if Alex loses the senate race.

As he should, aina?

[MU82]

Never thought I'd see 82 post a Breitbart article

It was interesting. And the facts weren't from Breitbart; they just ran the content.

[MuggsyB]

Do we know why there are soft shell crabs on Dwight Howard's head? 

[lawdog77]

Do we know why there are soft shell crabs on Dwight Howard's head?

Thanks, Bob Brenly.

[MU82]

Jazz-Clippers opener was very entertaining.

Donovan Mitchell ... wow. 11 effen teams passed on drafting him in 2017 - Sacramento passed on him twice!

Jordan's Hornets had the 11th pick and were choosing between Mitchell and Malik Monk. Oops. The Pistons had the next pick and chose Luke Kennard over Mitchell. More oops.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Do we know why there are soft shell crabs on Dwight Howard's head? 

[ATL MU Warrior]

The refs in this Suns/Nuggets game are something

[MuggsyB]

Malone needs to play Markus.  The Denver guards have been atrocious. 

[JWags85]

Jazz-Clippers opener was very entertaining.

Donovan Mitchell ... wow. 11 effen teams passed on drafting him in 2017 - Sacramento passed on him twice!

Jordan's Hornets had the 11th pick and were choosing between Mitchell and Malik Monk. Oops. The Pistons had the next pick and chose Luke Kennard over Mitchell. More oops.

To be fair, while hindsight is 20/20, Mitchell is a 6’1 2 guard who wasn’t a great 3P shooter (33% for his career at UL, 35 as a sophomore).  He’s always been super athletic  and can score, but that isn’t a recipe for success in the NBA traditionally.  Monk on the other hand was 2 inches taller, maybe 3, SEC POY as a freshman, and shot 40% from deep.  At the time it was pretty much a no brainer to take Monk there if you needed a bucket getting 2G.

Monk just had his best year as a pro finally playing on a decent team with a real PG. Mitchell has got to play on good to great teams with a very good HC and excellent PGs, which has certainly helped his development explode.

In other news, Crowder back to his Game 6 form tonight

[MuggsyB]

CP3 is looking healthier.  I love when a guy can completely dominate a game taking 7 shots.  He only has 24 dimes and 1 turnover so far in this series. 

[Herman Cain]

Happy Birthday Jon McGlocklin

https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1402997630997733383

[MU82]

To be fair, while hindsight is 20/20, Mitchell is a 6’1 2 guard who wasn’t a great 3P shooter (33% for his career at UL, 35 as a sophomore).  He’s always been super athletic  and can score, but that isn’t a recipe for success in the NBA traditionally.  Monk on the other hand was 2 inches taller, maybe 3, SEC POY as a freshman, and shot 40% from deep.  At the time it was pretty much a no brainer to take Monk there if you needed a bucket getting 2G.

Monk just had his best year as a pro finally playing on a decent team with a real PG. Mitchell has got to play on good to great teams with a very good HC and excellent PGs, which has certainly helped his development explode.

In other news, Crowder back to his Game 6 form tonight

We'll agree generally on 20/20 hindsight. There was little reason nor calling for several of the teams that passed on Mitchell to take him.

However, we'll disagree on it being a "no-brainer" for the Hornets to take Monk over Mitchell. There were articles and columns locally here for weeks and weeks leading to the draft. Go with Monk, an athletic sniper who didn't play defense and had a reputation for not working hard and hope he grows up; or Mitchell, a dogged defender, hard worker and a slasher whose long arms helped him "play taller" than his listed height and hope that his shot develops over time? The Hornets' braintrust was reportedly pretty evenly divided, and the "tiebreaker" went to Jordan (a notoriously poor judge of talent as an NBA executive) and the then-GM Rich Cho, who made a grand total of one good draft pick in 7 years (Kemba).

Like the coach at the time (Steve Clifford) and a couple others in the organization, preferred Mitchell because I thought at the worst he had a chance to be another Kyle Lowry. I happened to be right on this one, but I've been plenty wrong other times.

And Luke Effen Kennard? Example No. 6883 of why the Pistons have sucked for years.

See, this is why I think Sam will get a good, long look. The NBA is intoxicated when it comes to perimeter shooting. I'm not even criticizing the intoxication, because I realize it's today's game. But the desperation to find shooters has led to some pretty damn terrible decisions.

[JWags85]

We'll agree generally on 20/20 hindsight. There was little reason nor calling for several of the teams that passed on Mitchell to take him.

However, we'll disagree on it being a "no-brainer" for the Hornets to take Monk over Mitchell. There were articles and columns locally here for weeks and weeks leading to the draft. Go with Monk, an athletic sniper who didn't play defense and had a reputation for not working hard and hope he grows up; or Mitchell, a dogged defender, hard worker and a slasher whose long arms helped him "play taller" than his listed height and hope that his shot develops over time? The Hornets' braintrust was reportedly pretty evenly divided, and the "tiebreaker" went to Jordan (a notoriously poor judge of talent as an NBA executive) and the then-GM Rich Cho, who made a grand total of one good draft pick in 7 years (Kemba).

Like the coach at the time (Steve Clifford) and a couple others in the organization, preferred Mitchell because I thought at the worst he had a chance to be another Kyle Lowry. I happened to be right on this one, but I've been plenty wrong other times.

And Luke Effen Kennard? Example No. 6883 of why the Pistons have sucked for years.

See, this is why I think Sam will get a good, long look. The NBA is intoxicated when it comes to perimeter shooting. I'm not even criticizing the intoxication, because I realize it's today's game. But the desperation to find shooters has led to some pretty damn terrible decisions.

Fair enough, I guess I wasn't super swayed by the knocks on Monk.  They didn't seem too out of the ordinary for a 19 year old former McD AA who was very successful in his only collegiate year.  Plenty of guys fix that with quickness in the NBA.

As for Kennard, totally agree.  Whats funny, is that it was 5 years after they drafted Kyle Singler, who I feel like had a lot of similarities and was also an awful pro

[MU82]

Fair enough, I guess I wasn't super swayed by the knocks on Monk.  They didn't seem too out of the ordinary for a 19 year old former McD AA who was very successful in his only collegiate year.  Plenty of guys fix that with quickness in the NBA.

As for Kennard, totally agree.  Whats funny, is that it was 5 years after they drafted Kyle Singler, who I feel like had a lot of similarities and was also an awful pro

One of the fun debates sports gives us are the 20/20 hindsight draft rehashes. You obviously are right that much (most?) of the time they aren't really fair, but we're still kinda addicted to them.

Some are obvious, like passing on Carmelo, Bosh and Wade to take Darko -- I mean people were freakin' about that in real-time, especially passing on Carmelo. Others are more subtle.

With Mitchell, we now know that a bunch of teams passed on a guy who might be D-Wade 2.0. Fair? Hey, all's fair in love and fandom!

[JWags85]

This is insane. The Bucks D hasn’t even been that stifling, the Nets just are literally colder than any team I’ve ever seen since the Bucks in game 2

[MuggsyB]

This is insane. The Bucks D hasn’t even been that stifling, the Nets just are literally colder than any team I’ve ever seen since the Bucks in game 2

Only up 12.  I missed the 1Q but why on earth does Giannis continue to take 3's?  He's also 1-5 from the line.