NBA Thread 2020-21

[CreightonWarrior]

I will never forget what Giannis did the rest of my life

[DegenerateDish]

Congrats to all the Bucks fans on this board, well deserved title.

I was wrong on my take that they gave up too much for Jrue, they got the ring, and that’s all that matters. Well done, party hard and enjoy it. So hard to win a title in any sport, happy for you guys/gals.

[forgetful]

Giannis was unreal in this game. Likely a top 5 finals performance of all time.

[Herman Cain]

Great win for City of Milwaukee . There will be a halo effect for MU.

[lostpassword]

Giannis was unreal in this game. Likely a top 5 finals performance of all time.

Thoughts on better or comparable closing game performances? Petit in 58 from a quick search. Can't find any other 50 point game clinchers.

[cheebs09]

So winning in 5 is a gentleman’s sweep. Is winning in 6 after being down 2-0 the Midwest Nice Sweep?

I was so wrong. I didn’t think Bud could make necessary adjustments. I didn’t think Giannis had a diverse enough game to be the top guy on a championship team. I didn’t think Middleton was a good enough as a number 2.

This is incredible.

[forgetful]

Thoughts on better or comparable closing game performances? Petit in 58 from a quick search. Can't find any other 50 point game clinchers.

Giannis is likely the best. I did a little looking, can't find any that are as good across the board.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Giannis was unreal in this game. Likely a top 5 finals performance of all time.

Two iconic plays then a 50 point clincher. Incredible.

[JWags85]

Giannis is likely the best. I did a little looking, can't find any that are as good across the board.

Tim Duncan had like 21/20/10 in Game 6 in 2003, with like 8 blocks.  Thats probably the closest.  But he wasn't a supernova like Giannis was this game.  This was absolutely unreal.

Even more so cause this playoffs had the BS narrative that Giannis was Robin to Middleton's Batman.  AND, literally in the last 2 weeks, people were debating if the Bucks were better without him as they closed out Atlanta with him injured.  Just an absolutely astounding Finals performance, legacy making, and incredibly deserved for just a top class individual.

Only players to have an MVP and a DPOY in the same season?  MJ, Hakeem...and Giannis.

Only players to have multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and a Finals MVP?  MJ...and Giannis.  Absolutely incredible.

I don't know if its possible for a more uniquely perfect fit for player and non-major market team/city than Giannis and MKE/The Bucks.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Tim Duncan had like 21/20/10 in Game 6 in 2003, with like 8 blocks.  Thats probably the closest.  But he wasn't a supernova like Giannis was this game.  This was absolutely unreal.

Even more so cause this playoffs had the BS narrative that Giannis was Robin to Middleton's Batman.  AND, literally in the last 2 weeks, people were debating if the Bucks were better without him as they closed out Atlanta with him injured.  Just an absolutely astounding Finals performance, legacy making, and incredibly deserved for just a top class individual.

Only players to have an MVP and a DPOY in the same season?  MJ, Hakeem...and Giannis.

Only players to have multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and a Finals MVP?  MJ...and Giannis.  Absolutely incredible.

I don't know if its possible for a more uniquely perfect fit for player and non-major market team/city than Giannis and MKE/The Bucks.

DWade game 6 2006:

36 points
10 boards
5 assists
4 steals
3 blocks

[MuggsyB]

Best individual performance I have seen in the Finals since Wade in '06.  Don't forget about the 5 blocks and the fact that Giannis got very little help other than Portis.

[MuggsyB]

That performance may also open up the floodgates for Giannis  Meaning 75%+ from the line and a pretty consistent jumper.  And when that happens?  Uh-Oh.  We're talking about a unique talent and a great kid.  Very refreshing to have him as the face of the league.

[MuggsyB]

Mad respect for Monty Williams.  That guy is a class act.

[Its DJOver]

I feel like there's a bit of crow to be eaten here, are the responsible parties going to step up, or do they need to be called out first?

No shame in being wrong, but the ability to own it gain rep points.

[cheebs09]

Mad respect for Monty Williams.  That guy is a class act.

That was very classy.

[MuggsyB]

I feel like there's a bit of crow to be eaten here, are the responsible parties going to step up, or do they need to be called out first?

No shame in being wrong, but the ability to own it gain rep points.

I've been critical of Budenholzer but did believe the Bucks had enough to get the chip.

[MUfan12]

I thought they were done about three different times in this postseason. But 34 wouldn't let them lose. What an incredible night.

[4everwarriors]

Glad Rodgers got another ring. Somethin' Brady can't out do him at. Eat chit Tom, aina?

[Uncle Rico]

I feel like there's a bit of crow to be eaten here, are the responsible parties going to step up, or do they need to be called out first?

No shame in being wrong, but the ability to own it gain rep points.

Two years ago, I thought they’d win a title.  After last year, I didn’t think they’d win a title.  Didn’t think Bud had it in him, doubted Middleton.  Giannis covers a lot of sins but Bud will be here as long as he wants now and quite frankly, him and his staff deserve a lot of credit.  Fans think we have all the answers when we don’t.  As for Khris, no one will ever wear the number 22 in Milwaukee ever again.  Multiple times an all-star, playing for Team USA, nba champ.  I watched a lot of him at Texas A&M.  Good college player but never saw him being a vital cog to an NBA title winner.  Of all the dudes getting rings, he’s the one that ought to tell the most people to kiss rear end. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

DWade game 6 2006:

36 points
10 boards
5 assists
4 steals
3 blocks

That was great. Giannis was way better last night.

[wadesworld]

Was at the game last night.  Could tell from the first 3 minutes or so that the Bucks were winning this game, and even with the ugly second quarter I never doubted it.  The Suns did not want their ring.  Jae missing open looks, Booker more worried about the reffing than playing, CP looked a billion percent uninterested in being hounded by Jrue for another two games, Ayton looking like the lights were WAY too bright.  CP finally got going mid second quarter when Jrue moved over to Booker.  The only Sun that actually showed up to play was...Frank Kaminski?

Incredible experience.  I heard getting into Fiserv for games 3 and 4 through the main entrance wasn't an issue, but with the expanded Deer District it was an absolute joke last night.  Stood in line just trying to get around the area for 5-10 minutes, didn't move an inch because the Deer District crowd was locked into their spots and nobody was going to move.  So ditched that and went through the parking structure to the sky walk.  That worked out way better.  The Deer District is an awesome idea, but if you're going to have basically one entrance for 17K people to get into (I believe only one other very small general entrance on the northeast side, then a couple small entrances for certain types of tickets), putting 65K people right outside that entrance probably isn't the greatest idea.

[reinko]

Tim Duncan had like 21/20/10 in Game 6 in 2003, with like 8 blocks.  Thats probably the closest.  But he wasn't a supernova like Giannis was this game.  This was absolutely unreal.

Even more so cause this playoffs had the BS narrative that Giannis was Robin to Middleton's Batman.  AND, literally in the last 2 weeks, people were debating if the Bucks were better without him as they closed out Atlanta with him injured.  Just an absolutely astounding Finals performance, legacy making, and incredibly deserved for just a top class individual.

Only players to have an MVP and a DPOY in the same season?  MJ, Hakeem...and Giannis.

Only players to have multiple MVPs, a DPOY, and a Finals MVP?  MJ...and Giannis.  Absolutely incredible.

I don't know if its possible for a more uniquely perfect fit for player and non-major market team/city than Giannis and MKE/The Bucks.

It was a loss, but what LeBron did in game 1 in 2018: 51, 8, 8 playing 47/48 min against that Warriors team.  It’s in the conversation too.

[wadesworld]

Also, Bud made me eat a loooooot of crow this year.  He made adjustments this year that in past years he was unwilling to make, and the Bucks are champions because of it.  Classy guy, so very happy he now isn't just a "regular season coach."

[MU82]

Even more so cause this playoffs had the BS narrative that Giannis was Robin to Middleton's Batman.  AND, literally in the last 2 weeks, people were debating if the Bucks were better without him as they closed out Atlanta with him injured.

After the initial "Wow, great job by the Bucks winning" vibe, the thing that went through my head last night was exactly what Wags articulated earlier in this thread: Some people -- and not just 2 or 3 -- actually were saying the Bucks were better without Giannis. Talk about a hot take.

Also ...

++ Looks like Middleton isn't just some guy. Is he KD? No, but he's not supposed to be. He's more like the Bucks' version of a healthy Klay Thompson, and that's pretty damn good.

++ Looks like Budenholzer isn't a bad coach after all. He obviously isn't perfect, but who is? I mean, elsewhere in this thread, Popovich is getting killed by some Scoopers, and even Phil Jackson is getting called overrated. I'm still scratching my head about Portis not playing at all in a few games, and yes, sometimes the offense stagnated for long stretches. But anybody who watches NBA basketball for any length of time knows that happens to every team. The Suns were lauded for their ball movement, and rightly so, but I saw a lot of Paul or Booker dribbling and forcing tough shot-clock attempts this series. At this level, a coach's No. 1 job is to blend all of a team's egos and get them to play together and play hard the vast majority of every game. And that's what the champion Bucks did. His secondary job is to put each of his players into a role in which he can succeed; Budenholzer also did that. As for in-game adjustments, he did well with those as the playoffs progressed. There's a feeling-out process for coaches, too.

++ Whether they were down 0-2 in a series or by double-digits in a game, the Bucks never quit. Now, they are very well-paid athletes and coaches, so that's part of the job description and I'm loathe to give out gold stars for this. If they did quit, they don't belong in the league. But still, this team showed resiliency again and again and again. Credit goes to the team's leaders, both on the floor and the sideline, for setting the tone, and also to the role players for doing their jobs well.

++ Holiday ... wow. Sure, it would be nice if he shot like Steph, but he does things Steph can't do, like lock down whomever he defends. That's such a game-changer that anything he provides on offense is almost a bonus. And thankfully for the Bucks, even if he usually didn't shoot well, Holiday provided a lot on offense.

++ It was interesting to watch how the Finals were officiated. Much of the time, maybe even most of the time, it reminded me of the late-'80s and into the '90s. Very physical, a lot of arm-barring, wipe-out screens allowed, a lot of play-ons despite significant contact. In general, I thought it benefited the Bucks because it let Holiday get up into whomever he was defending and because the Suns, in general, are the more finesse team. I am NOT saying the refs gave it to the Bucks; I am saying the Bucks were better suited to the way the games were called and I credit them for realizing it and taking advantage of it. The Suns also lost their poise after bad calls or no-calls a lot more often than the Bucks did, and I think that hurt them as well.

++ Before the Finals, I picked the Suns because I thought they were the better, healthier team, but I said I hoped I was wrong because I like this Bucks team. I'm glad I was wrong!

Hell of a run by the Bucks. They played the equivalent of another quarter-season (more actually), all against quality opponents. They played almost the entire postseason without one of their starters, and had to play two games without their superstar. It's quite a gauntlet, and the Bucks not only survived but thrived. Well done, from the top of the organization to their All-Star leaders, to the last guy on the bench. Deserving champs, for sure. Congrats again to all the Bucks fans on Scoop!

[mileskishnish72]

My main feeling is disappointment re: Jae but congrats to MKE, it's great for the city.
I think anyone still clinging to the belief that Lebron is still the best player has been disabused of that notion. What a series he had.