2021-22 NBA Thread: The Bucks are Reigning Champs

[forgetful]

I think Memphis might steal the next one. They played physical and dirty, and it took a lot out of the older Warriors.

They will need every minute of the next 3 days of rest.

[MuggsyB]

Morant has just been nothing but special. Amazing touch at the rim.

But, he hits the defender in the chest hard on every drive with his off hand. You wonder if he keeps being as successful if they change the way they call that in the future.

Why wouldn't they double him late?  I think he had their 18 of their last 20 pts.

[MuggsyB]

I think Memphis might steal the next one. They played physical and dirty, and it took a lot out of the older Warriors.

They will need every minute of the next 3 days of rest.

I tend to think GSW will win pretty comfortably in San Fran.  They have not shot well at all these two games. 

[lawdog77]

Brooks shouldn't get suspended. And he won't. But that was clearly worse than Allen's foul on Caruso.

I would think he will get suspended for at least one game, especially now that Payton has a broken elbow. He should get more.

[tower912]

Classic NBA playoff basketball.   Higher seed loses game one at home, comes back with a strong game 2 performance.   

[MU82]

Payton is a bigger loss than he might seem just looking at stats. Of everybody the Warriors tried on Morant, he did the best. And he also kept two critical offensive rebounds alive in Game 1 -- they very well lose that game if not for either of those. He's the kind of hard-working, high-energy, ultra-hustle role player every coach loves to have on the roster.

[cheebs09]

Bucks looked like a team happy with the split, which is disappointing. Despite the ugly game last night, I'm still feeling pretty good.

Van Gundy was making a big deal about the quality of shots in the paint the Bucks were getting and how that is a more sustainable way to win than Boston raining 3's. I'm not sure how much of that was good Bucks offense or the Celtics were content giving up 2's and making sure the Bucks didn't get hot from 3.

[BM1090]

I think Memphis might steal the next one. They played physical and dirty, and it took a lot out of the older Warriors.

They will need every minute of the next 3 days of rest.

I had the opposite thought. GS is going to come out pissed. They aren't going to shoot 18% on threes again. I think they win the next one by 10+.

It might benefit them to stop running with Memphis, though. It's not in their DNA but slowing it down and controlling pace could be beneficial.

[BM1090]

I would think he will get suspended for at least one game, especially now that Payton has a broken elbow. He should get more.

After sleeping on it, I think you're right. Especially since the league said they took Caruso's injury into account when handing Allen his suspension. Brooks likely gets one game.

[BM1090]

Bucks looked like a team happy with the split, which is disappointing. Despite the ugly game last night, I'm still feeling pretty good.

Van Gundy was making a big deal about the quality of shots in the paint the Bucks were getting and how that is a more sustainable way to win than Boston raining 3's. I'm not sure how much of that was good Bucks offense or the Celtics were content giving up 2's and making sure the Bucks didn't get hot from 3.

I always take the shot quality calculations with a grain of salt, but SQ had the game last night as an expected 97.9 to 97.9 score, each team wins 50% of the time. So there might be something to that.

[MuggsyB]

Bucks looked like a team happy with the split, which is disappointing. Despite the ugly game last night, I'm still feeling pretty good.

Van Gundy was making a big deal about the quality of shots in the paint the Bucks were getting and how that is a more sustainable way to win than Boston raining 3's. I'm not sure how much of that was good Bucks offense or the Celtics were content giving up 2's and making sure the Bucks didn't get hot from 3.

I have a few concerns:

I think in Game 1 they scored 27 pts on fast breaks and a lot off turns.  You can't expect that number the rest of the series.  Their half-court offense can't just be iso ball.

Giannis had a very poor Game 2 until it was too late.  Without Middleton he is forcing some shots but more importantly I think he's rushing once he gets into the paint.   He can get an easy 10 footer whenever he wants vs G. Williams or Horford.  Take it with confidence and after the downhill attacks plant more and be patient. 

You can't overreact to guys going bananas from 3 but they are getting beat on the downhill initial drive.  I think they overpressured a lot in Game 2 and it bit them.  Giannis should not be exerting energy picking up Derrick White 45 feet from the rim or for that matter going 94 feet on offense. 

They need to create more opportunities from the mid-post with Giannis and Portis as well as get Lopez a few more touches.  It can't just be their two beat players alternating high pick and rolls or isos.  I would use Giannis much more in that mid-post area.  The fact is their half-court offense is a bit of a mess through two games and the turnovers have been careless. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I have a few concerns:

I think in Game 1 they scored 27 pts on fast breaks and a lot off turns.  You can't expect that number the rest of the series.  Their half-court offense can't just be iso ball.

Giannis had a very poor Game 2 until it was too late.  Without Middleton he is forcing some shots but more importantly I think he's rushing once he gets into the paint.   He can get an easy 10 footer whenever he wants vs G. Williams or Horford.  Take it with confidence and after the downhill attacks plant more and be patient. 

He's not getting a lot of "easy 10 footers" right now.  They are letting him take uncontested 18' shots, and he is hitting his fair share, but Horford and Williams are pretty strong dudes who aren't letting Giannis back them down into the lane.

I agree with you a bunch on the iso ball though.  The ball movement in the first quarter was terrible.  I think that is because Boston switched up their defense and never really doubled much on Giannis like they did in game 1.  So he tried to make them "pay" for the lack of a double team, but wasn't able to do so.

I expect Bud to make adjustments. 

[Holy hell all time]

I said before the series and I think it now, I don't think the Bucks will win the series if Khris doesn't return.  The C's have the recipe to make life hard on Giannis (a strong, physical wing defender who can make it hard for him to get into the lane, and then a rim protector waiting when he does get into the lane), Giannis is asked to initiate the offense too much when Khris isn't available, and the spacing gets bad without Khris.  The Bucks have three point shooting to replace Khris, but Khris is one of only two guys on the Bucks that can score at all 3 levels (Jrue, and Bobby can score at all 3 levels but he's not really creating his own shot in doing so).

The Bucks really need to use Giannis as the screener.  The issue is the pick and roll was unstoppable with Giannis screening for Khris, because when teams packed the paint to stop Giannis's roll, Khris could just pull up at the elbow and knock down the 15 footer all day.  Jrue doesn't seem to like pulling up for that shot, and they haven't used the Jrue/Khris pick and roll nearly enough.  Frankly, Jrue seems better in the pick and roll when Brook is the screener.

I think the best option would be Jrue as the ball handler, Giannis as the screener, and Grayson in the corner on the side Giannis is rolling to.  If/when the corner defender helps on the Giannis roll, skip pass to Grayson in the corner.  Pat or Bobby in the strong side corner and Jrue needs to get the defense to commit to him or be aggressive scoring the ball.

[MuggsyB]

I said before the series and I think it now, I don't think the Bucks will win the series if Khris doesn't return.  The C's have the recipe to make life hard on Giannis (a strong, physical wing defender who can make it hard for him to get into the lane, and then a rim protector waiting when he does get into the lane), Giannis is asked to initiate the offense too much when Khris isn't available, and the spacing gets bad without Khris.  The Bucks have three point shooting to replace Khris, but Khris is one of only two guys on the Bucks that can score at all 3 levels (Jrue, and Bobby can score at all 3 levels but he's not really creating his own shot in doing so).

The Bucks really need to use Giannis as the screener.  The issue is the pick and roll was unstoppable with Giannis screening for Khris, because when teams packed the paint to stop Giannis's roll, Khris could just pull up at the elbow and knock down the 15 footer all day.  Jrue doesn't seem to like pulling up for that shot, and they haven't used the Jrue/Khris pick and roll nearly enough.  Frankly, Jrue seems better in the pick and roll when Brook is the screener.

I think the best option would be Jrue as the ball handler, Giannis as the screener, and Grayson in the corner on the side Giannis is rolling to.  If/when the corner defender helps on the Giannis roll, skip pass to Grayson in the corner.  Pat or Bobby in the strong side corner and Jrue needs to get the defense to commit to him or be aggressive scoring the ball.

Good analysis but I do think they can win without Middleton although it's going to be a challenge.  Where I disagree with Fluffy (and you to a lesser extent) is that Giannis cannot get his game on track if he is continued to be guarded on on one.  He can get a quality shot vs Horford/Williams if he exercises a little patience in the mid-post. He's playing a bit too balls to the wall with one speed and all force.  He can get to his sweet spots by changing direction and planting more often in the paint.  If they double move the ball and get a quality shot.

Both Brown and Tatum are capable of going off.  What cannot happen is for Grant Williams and Horford to outplay Portis/Lopez.  They can use Brook more imo.

I think the Bucks need to win at the FT line and get at least 10-12 triples.  They're certainly capable of doing this without Middleton but Budenholzer needs to figure out how to attack in their h-c offense and they need to take care of the ball.    I expect Giannis to elevate his game. 

[MuggsyB]

Miami is going to stroll to the ECF.  Doc looks extremely upset.

[MuggsyB]

Harden doesn't look like he can carry a team offensively anymore. 

[MU82]

Jimmy looked like a point guard out there. Very impressed with the quality of his passes. I was surprised when I looked at the box score and he "only" had 12 assists to go with his 22 pts and 6 rebs. Hell of a player.

I wanted the Heat to win, but I wish Embiid were playing. It would be nice to have at least a semblance of a series.

[MuggsyB]

Jimmy looked like a point guard out there. Very impressed with the quality of his passes. I was surprised when I looked at the box score and he "only" had 12 assists to go with his 22 pts and 6 rebs. Hell of a player.

I wanted the Heat to win, but I wish Embiid were playing. It would be nice to have at least a semblance of a series.

True.  I can't imagine Jojo is particularly thrilled with the current skills of James Harden or having to play with him moving forward.  Miami is crazy deep and Jimmy is better than most of the "experts" think.  They have a great chance imo. 

[MuggsyB]

Jae dropped 15 in the 1st half.

[MuggsyB]

Maybe CP3 wasn't the problem in Houston. 

[BM1090]

Harden doesn't look like he can carry a team offensively anymore.

He's not as good as he was, but he has no chance in this series without Embiid. They are building a wall against him like he's Giannis and PHI role players are not up to the task.

Doc also isn't doing his guys any favors.

[forgetful]

NBA does the right thing and suspends Brooks for game 3.

[MU82]

NBA does the right thing and suspends Brooks for game 3.

I thought he should have gotten at least 3 games.

It was a dirty, injurious, reckless, non-basketball play.

[forgetful]

I thought he should have gotten at least 3 games.

It was a dirty, injurious, reckless, non-basketball play.

I agree. I just thought they wouldn't do anything, so content they at least did a suspension.

[JWags85]

This game has been an objectively brutal watch so far.  Miami is beyond cold.

Sixers clearly spurred on by having Embiid back, but my god Harden just looks out of sorts.  For someone who used to be so deft getting to the lane and scoring, hes more than a step slow and kind of flails like a backup.  Age waits for nobody, but he's only 32.  Watching him compared to Durant and Curry who don't appear to have lost a step is kind of crazy.