NBA Thread 2020-21

[MUfan12]

They've tried different things, but personnel wise this is a terrible matchup.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

They've tried different things, but personnel wise this is a terrible matchup.

I agree with this. Thought they matched up better with the Clippers. This stretch with Giannis at the 5 is working well.

It’s a seven game series. Losing game one on the road is obviously not a disaster.

[wadesworld]

I really don’t think the matchup is that bad for the Bucks. If Bud would let them play to a scouting report that makes any sense at all. Let Giannis roam on Crowder. Have Middleton chase Bridges/Johnson like he did Harris and Robinson. Keep Brook on Ayton and keep him off the boards. Let Jrue be a hound on the ball and fight through screens and don’t let CP3 totally control the game. Not having DiVencenzo hurts in chasing Booker around, but let PJ beat him up.

Now if you’re going to just switch when players aren’t even screening? Then yes. Terrible matchup. But that’s not how the defense should be played.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

This Suns team was a tailor made for Chris Paul.

[MU82]

This Suns team was a tailor made for Chris Paul.

Paul is an all-time great. Holiday isn’t, but he’s been a very good NBA player. If Jrue is gonna get totally dominated by Paul, that’s very, very bad for the Bucks.

[GB Warrior]

Paul is an all-time great. Holiday isn’t, but he’s been a very good NBA player. If Jrue is gonna get totally dominated by Paul, that’s very, very bad for the Bucks.

Jrue vs Paul isn't a thing. Paul is switching onto whatever player he wants, walking them into a midrange and hitting.

Jrue ruining any sort of flow on offense on the other hand is a legitimate gripe.

[MuggsyB]

Paul is an all-time great. Holiday isn’t, but he’s been a very good NBA player. If Jrue is gonna get totally dominated by Paul, that’s very, very bad for the Bucks.

Yep.  The Bucks' defense is concerning.  And you're right about Holiday, he can't get dominated in the match-up with CP3. 

All this said I think the Bucks can win this series.  Giannis looks fine and it's just one game.   PHX was like + 16 from the FT line.  I thought the Bucks were a step slow tonight and didn't play with the proper focus or intensity. 

[MuggsyB]

Jrue vs Paul isn't a thing. Paul is switching onto whatever player he wants, walking them into a midrange and hitting.

Jrue ruining any sort of flow on offense on the other hand is a legitimate gripe.

What should Budenholzer do defensively? 

[MUfan12]

What should Budenholzer do defensively?

Get the guys not to panic and switch before the screen even comes?

I'm honestly not sure what they can do. Giannis can't log extended minutes at the 5. Brook was the only one keeping them in the game in the third.

This feels like Suns in 5 to me.

[MU82]

Jrue vs Paul isn't a thing. Paul is switching onto whatever player he wants, walking them into a midrange and hitting.

Jrue ruining any sort of flow on offense on the other hand is a legitimate gripe.

I didn't mean it was a 1-on-1 matchup, with one defending the other.

Each is the starting PG for his team. If one gets 32 points on 12-19 shooting, 9 assists and totally controls the flow of the game, and the other gets 10 points on 4-14 shooting and disappears offensively for long stretches, the latter's team has little to no chance.

I mean, no QB defends the opposing QB, either ... but if one has a dominant performance and the other is just OK, whose team is usually gonna win?

[MuggsyB]

Get the guys not to panic and switch before the screen even comes?

I'm honestly not sure what they can do. Giannis can't log extended minutes at the 5. Brook was the only one keeping them in the game in the third.

This feels like Suns in 5 to me.

I think it will be a 6 or 7 game series but the the Bucks can't allow the Suns to parade to the line and Holiday needs to play a lot better.  Remember it's just one game.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Get the guys not to panic and switch before the screen even comes?

I'm honestly not sure what they can do. Giannis can't log extended minutes at the 5. Brook was the only one keeping them in the game in the third.

This feels like Suns in 5 to me.

I think they can try to pick up Paul earlier, like they did with Trae.  That makes it easier for Jrue (or whomever) to fight through a pick versus switch.  The problem is that's doesn't really work in the NBA all that well because sometime the pick is going to work, and you get your wires crossed.  That's why you usually have the switch....or the drop defense...because a bad one-on-one match up is better than a one on zero match up elsewhere.

IDK, maybe set a hard edge on the screen and try to keep the ball out of the hands of the roller?

To me the problem is on the offensive end.  Too many turnovers.  It was fixed before, it can be fixed again.

[MU82]

I think they can try to pick up Paul earlier, like they did with Trae.  That makes it easier for Jrue (or whomever) to fight through a pick versus switch.  The problem is that's doesn't really work in the NBA all that well because sometime the pick is going to work, and you get your wires crossed.  That's why you usually have the switch....or the drop defense...because a bad one-on-one match up is better than a one on zero match up elsewhere.

IDK, maybe set a hard edge on the screen and try to keep the ball out of the hands of the roller?

To me the problem is on the offensive end.  Too many turnovers.  It was fixed before, it can be fixed again.

Paul is so patient. He can look like he's not going anywhere for several seconds and then, all of a sudden, he has just enough of an edge to either take his little 10-15 foot pull-up, or find an open teammate.

Another problem is that the NBA doesn't call 99 out of 100 moving screens (and I'm probably being generous saying they call 1 out of 100). Whenever any player is called for a moving screen he is totally flabbergasted because it's just not called. So when a team executes it as well as Phoenix does, it's so difficult to defend.

I think the main thing the Bucks have to do is limit the wide-open shots to the great shooters. There was a 2H stretch last night where Booker had wide-open 3s on consecutive possessions. Why would Booker's man ever leave him? As Van Gundy said, the Bucks need to pick their poison, which means leaving Crowder and/or Craig open if they have to leave anybody open.

So ultimately I agree with you ... the biggest thing the Bucks have to do is run their offense as efficiently as possible -- match firepower with firepower.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Paul is so patient. He can look like he's not going anywhere for several seconds and then, all of a sudden, he has just enough of an edge to either take his little 10-15 foot pull-up, or find an open teammate.

Another problem is that the NBA doesn't call 99 out of 100 moving screens (and I'm probably being generous saying they call 1 out of 100). Whenever any player is called for a moving screen he is totally flabbergasted because it's just not called. So when a team executes it as well as Phoenix does, it's so difficult to defend.

I think the main thing the Bucks have to do is limit the wide-open shots to the great shooters. There was a 2H stretch last night where Booker had wide-open 3s on consecutive possessions. Why would Booker's man ever leave him? As Van Gundy said, the Bucks need to pick their poison, which means leaving Crowder and/or Craig open if they have to leave anybody open.

So ultimately I agree with you ... the biggest thing the Bucks have to do is run their offense as efficiently as possible -- match firepower with firepower.

The best way you can limit leaving players open is to switch every screen.  But when you do that, you are going to have to either deal with a limited Brook Lopez OR running a smaller line up out there and taking your best big man off the floor.  And the problem is they don't have a decent back-up option at center - a quick, rim protector type.   

I don't think it was a great defensive game plan and my guess is that we will see other options used.  But the idea that Bud is a terrible coach and there were "no brainer" options available is fallacy.

[MUfan12]

IDK, maybe set a hard edge on the screen and try to keep the ball out of the hands of the roller?

To me the problem is on the offensive end.  Too many turnovers.  It was fixed before, it can be fixed again.

I've wondered why they haven't used Brook more like that.

The more I think about it, the worse I feel about this series. The Bucks defensive philosophy is to concede the midrange but they're facing a team that hunts the midrange.

Turnovers were an issue, but they also had one of their best 3 PT nights and were barely competitive in the second half. That's also worrisome.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Hard edging screens leaves a free path for the screener to roll to the basket.  In college, the PG isn't going to make that pass consistently.  In the NBA, its not going to work as well.  And yeah you have hit on the problem.  The Bucks WANT teams to shoot mid-range - versus getting a lay-up or leaving open wide open shooters.

[MU82]

Long article in The Athletic about what didn't work. Here's a brief summary of what they think has a chance ...

There are other strategic tweaks for Budenholzer and the Bucks to deploy in Game 2 and beyond, and the Suns must prep for those adjustments. You saw one of them in the fourth quarter. Budenholzer took Lopez and Portis off the floor, playing Giannis Antetokounmpo — who moved well on his ailing knee — at center, and the speedier switch-up worked. The Bucks cut the deficit to seven points and won the quarter by three.

There were still mishaps. Pat Connaughton became the Paul target when the centers were off the floor, and after switching on to Paul, he laid too far back at the free-throw line, allowing Paul to rock into a comfortable (and important) 16-footer with six minutes left. The moment it went in, Connaughton looked over at Budenholzer, who grimaced at the soft coverage and begged Connaughton to pressure him more, taking away the jumper.

“We can maybe take away some of the rhythm or make it where he’s not getting to his shots as easily,” Budenholzer said after the game.

That could mean more of a hedge-and-recover approach in Game 2, perhaps putting the agile and disruptive Jrue Holiday on Paul more often instead of Booker and demanding he get over screens. That could mean more of a stingy switching approach, fighting through simple screens and not just willingly handing over whatever matchup the offense wants without fuss.

Adjustments will be made. The tape and numbers will tell Milwaukee to go small more, and trailing 1-0 in the series, you’d expect increased urgency, which immediately makes any scheme better.

[Skatastrophy]

Wojo and Coach Bud are birds of a feather

https://streamable.com/3dccpg

[4everwarriors]

Wynn every dey, aina?

[MuggsyB]

If CP3 is making triples I think you have to tip your cap.  What's concerning for the Bucks is Phoenix wasn't exactly lights out from distance but won comfortably on Tues.  They have to keep the Suns off the line and Holiday needs to shake off a bad shooting game on Tues. 

[Herman Cain]

I like that Kareem is showing some Bucks pride

https://mobile.twitter.com/kaj33/status/1413292146958819334

[4everwarriors]

Bucks torchin' Suns' asses in da paint, aina?

[CreightonWarrior]

Bucks torchin' Suns' asses in da paint, aina?

Getting hammered inside but still finishing, big difference from Tuesday.

[MuggsyB]

Bucks torchin' Suns' asses in da paint, aina?

They need to attack, attack, attack.  I've said this repeatedly.  If I was Giannis I wouldn't take a single jump shot.

[MuggsyB]

Holiday is out of control at times.  Move the basketball once you get into the paint. and help comes.  Defensively the Bucks need to eliminate the corner triple.  Phoenix is +15 from distance.