NBA Thread 2020-21

[Jockey]

This is the D I expected. See if they can maintain.

[The Sultan]

That's an experienced team putting the hammer down and a young team not responding.

[Jockey]

A great 1st half. Now they are just throwing up terrible 3s.

[Dish]

Title aspiring teams come back at home and give a thump back after a game 1 like that. Great to see from the Bucks tonight.

[wadesworld]

The Bucks are clearly the better team. Unfortunately the Bucks have shown time and again since they've become contenders that their stars will show up one game and be invisible the next. And their coach has struggled to adjust at times. Atlanta will come up with some adjustments. Let's see if the Bucks respond and prove they're ready to get over the hump.

[MuggsyB]

Nice to see the Bucks get their act together.  Hopefully they maintain their focus the rest of the series. 

[GB Warrior]

The Bucks are clearly the better team. Unfortunately the Bucks have shown time and again since they've become contenders that their stars will show up one game and be invisible the next. And their coach has struggled to adjust at times. Atlanta will come up with some adjustments. Let's see if the Bucks respond and prove they're ready to get over the hump.

There were some pretty solid adjustments tonight, and paired with some outside shots falling, it was a landslide. Brook came out a bit further, they guarded brilliantly against the backside lob, and Jrue got runouts off Trae misses in the lane.

The Bucks are the superior team, and they don't need everything to go right in this series to win. They just can't have a confluence of things going wrong.

[The Sultan]

There were some pretty solid adjustments tonight, and paired with some outside shots falling, it was a landslide. Brook came out a bit further, they guarded brilliantly against the backside lob, and Jrue got runouts off Trae misses in the lane.

The Bucks are the superior team, and they don't need everything to go right in this series to win. They just can't have a confluence of things going wrong.

Atlanta can't do much without Young. And the Bucks really shut him down yesterday. Switched everything.

[MU82]

The Bucks are the superior team, and they don't need everything to go right in this series to win. They just can't have a confluence of things going wrong.

This.

I have seen a couple talking heads, especially after G1, say dopey crud like "actually, the Hawks are the better team."

Well, actually, they aren't. If both teams play well, the Bucks are much better. The only way the Hawks can win is if they play extremely well and the Bucks play quite poorly, as in G1. And even that was a 1-possession game the Bucks absolutely gave away.

I'm still thinkin' Milwaukee in 5, but I wouldn't be stunned if Atlanta wins one of the next two at home.

[MuggsyB]

This.

I have seen a couple talking heads, especially after G1, say dopey crud like "actually, the Hawks are the better team."

Well, actually, they aren't. If both teams play well, the Bucks are much better. The only way the Hawks can win is if they play extremely well and the Bucks play quite poorly, as in G1. And even that was a 1-possession game the Bucks absolutely gave away.

I'm still thinkin' Milwaukee in 5, but I wouldn't be stunned if Atlanta wins one of the next two at home.

The Bucks are clearly the better team but I think each game in a playoff series is a separate entity.  I wouldn't glean that much from one blowout.

The Bucks from my observation are almost unbeatable when they're hitting threes.  Last night they started something like 10-16 and finally had a pretty decent shooting game. They also got a ton of easy transition hoops.  Both of these stats are fluid and can easily change from game to game.

In the paint I expect ATL to make an adjustment on Giannis.  It's way too easy for him right now.  I suspect they will sag deeper into the lane when he gets the ball up top, hard double if he posts, and try to take some charges on his spin move.

There's no question the Bucks are better but we've seen all playoffs they are capable of bricking from distance and kicking the ball away.  They did make a good adjustment defensively but the Hawks do have guys that are capable of drilling threes.  The Bucks have a much greater margin for error but can they play consistent hoops on both ends?

[MU82]

The Bucks are clearly the better team but I think each game in a playoff series is a separate entity.  I wouldn't glean that much from one blowout.

The Bucks from my observation are almost unbeatable when they're hitting threes.  Last night they started something like 10-16 and finally had a pretty decent shooting game. They also got a ton of easy transition hoops.  Both of these stats are fluid and can easily change from game to game.

In the paint I expect ATL to make an adjustment on Giannis.  It's way too easy for him right now.  I suspect they will sag deeper into the lane when he gets the ball up top, hard double if he posts, and try to take some charges on his spin move.

There's no question the Bucks are better but we've seen all playoffs they are capable of bricking from distance and kicking the ball away.  They did make a good adjustment defensively but the Hawks do have guys that are capable of drilling threes.  The Bucks have a much greater margin for error but can they play consistent hoops on both ends?

Agreed. G1 was only one game, and so was G2. You don't get extra credit for winning by 100.

The Bucks played like poo-poo in G1 and still lost only because they gave away the game and Atlanta had a guy who scored 48. I'm reasonably confident that combo won't happen again, and I'm extremely confident it won't happen again 3 more times this series.

[MuggsyB]

Does anybody have an answer as to why Budenholzer would challenge a foul call, up 40, with 7 secs to go in the 3rd Q?  I thought that was bizarre.

[wadesworld]

Does anybody have an answer as to why Budenholzer would challenge a foul call, up 40, with 7 secs to go in the 3rd Q?  I thought that was bizarre.

Because it was Pat's 5th foul and Pat was going to be on the court with the backups for some of the 4th quarter. He wasn't going to need the challenge down the stretch in a tight game, so he used it to try to save a foul on a guy who would see the court in garbage time.

[MuggsyB]

Because it was Pat's 5th foul and Pat was going to be on the court with the backups for some of the 4th quarter. He wasn't going to need the challenge down the stretch in a tight game, so he used it to try to save a foul on a guy who would see the court in garbage time.

Oh...I hadn't thought about that.  Ty.

[The Sultan]

Because it was Pat's 5th foul and Pat was going to be on the court with the backups for some of the 4th quarter. He wasn't going to need the challenge down the stretch in a tight game, so he used it to try to save a foul on a guy who would see the court in garbage time.

Yep. Criticism of him using the challenge there was unwarranted.

[cheebs09]

There's a part of me that wonders how much Atlanta was just satisfied with the split, and that's why it was so lopsided. But the Bucks did look like a much better team. They played with way more intensity than Game 1.

They did a great job of cutting off the head of the snake by swarming Young in the paint and using their length for deflections.

[Jockey]

Does anybody have an answer as to why Budenholzer would challenge a foul call, up 40, with 7 secs to go in the 3rd Q?  I thought that was bizarre.

The shimmy.

This game was an attempt to embarrass Atlanta. A completely unnecessary challenge was part of that effort. Saving a 5th foul on a reserve when you are up 40 points is NOT a thing.

[wadesworld]

The shimmy.

This game was an attempt to embarrass Atlanta. A completely unnecessary challenge was part of that effort. Saving a 5th foul on a reserve when you are up 40 points is NOT a thing.

It is when backups are going to play the entire fourth quarter and one of those backups just picked up a fifth foul with 14 minutes left in the game.

[Jockey]

It is when backups are going to play the entire fourth quarter and one of those backups just picked up a fifth foul with 14 minutes left in the game.

No. The backups who played in the 4th were from a lot deeper on the bench than Pat.

[JWags85]

There's a part of me that wonders how much Atlanta was just satisfied with the split, and that's why it was so lopsided. But the Bucks did look like a much better team. They played with way more intensity than Game 1.

They did a great job of cutting off the head of the snake by swarming Young in the paint and using their length for deflections.

With all due respect, not at all.  The Bucks went on a 20-0 run midway through the 2nd quarter.  It wasn't a 10-12 pt game in the 3rd that Atlanta just rolled over in, they got their doors blown off early and often.

[wadesworld]

No. The backups who played in the 4th were from a lot deeper on the bench than Pat.

Right. Because Pat has 5 fouls with 14 minutes left in the game.

[GB Warrior]

Does anybody have an answer as to why Budenholzer would challenge a foul call, up 40, with 7 secs to go in the 3rd Q?  I thought that was bizarre.

This was applaudable pettiness from Bud. Pat got a couple cheap ones, the game was over so 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Jockey]

This was applaudable pettiness from Bud. Pat got a couple cheap ones, the game was over so 🤷🏼‍♂️

My point exactly.

[GB Warrior]

I was at the game, so not sure how much they showed Bud when he challenged, but if you didn't see it, his challenge motion to Scott Foster had this energy

[Jockey]

I was at the game, so not sure how much they showed Bud when he challenged, but if you didn't see it, his challenge motion to Scott Foster had this energy

I feel some micro-aggression here, GB. I may have to report you to the mods.