Playoff Observations

Injured with a hamstring pull? Keep him, BKN. Just like AD. We don't need anymore wood. Nice non-pics, Danny.

db

Bob I still wouldn’t give up a J for a few years of Harden.

Me neither.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Bob I still wouldn’t give up a J for a few years of Harden.

Cow,

Brooklyn gave up Caris LeVert and Jarett Allen. Would you have given up Marcus Smart and RWill for Harden?


Bob

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Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:Just to make it fun, dboss, I'll take the other side.  Pretty sure the Hawks just let cat out of the bag and woke up the sleeping giant.  This is textbook Doc as you will recall.  It took the 2008 team 26 out of a possible 28 playoff games to claim that title.  We pretty much stuck to home court winning as I recall.  I'm going to bet nothing much has changed.  Doc is always amazed when these things happen.  He's a character for sure.  Doc won't lose this series.  

db  

db

Okay but remember this quote.  "If you want to act real silly, be a fool and bet on philly"

I'm taking the Hawks because I think Embid will not finish the series.  One more tweak of the knee and he is done.  Then enter clown show Dwight Howard.

dboss, you’ve been in ATL long enough to know that predictions like the one you’re making are like spitting in the wind. Atlanta ain’t beating Philly! Your city is jinxed. They were even going to pass legislation to change interstate 285 to 283 after that Super Bowl loss to the Pats. Hawks ain’t  beating the 6ers bud.  

ktron you deserve multiple smiley faces

jinxed or not, I got a qualifier to lean on. If Joel Embid is not able to go the distance, the Hawks could upset them in this series.

bobheckler wrote:

Ktron wrote:

bobheckler wrote:65-41 Nets at the half.

Neither Giannis nor Middleton have shown up yet.

Durant with 21.  NO HARDEN.


Bob


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We gave them a better run than this. WT…..

ktron,

True dat.  We were down 3 starters, they had Harden and we still gave them a better run that this.  

Game 1:  
Celtics vs Nets.  104-93.    Nets by 11.
Bucks vs Nets.   115-107.  Nets by 8.

Game 2:  
Celtics vs Nets.  130-108.   Nets by 22.
Bucks vs Nets.    Nets by 39.  (It was as high as 49, then it was cut to 42 with 3 minutes left)

Total points differential through two games:
Boston vs Nets.  Nets +33
Bucks vs Nets.   Nets +47


It's true that we only won one game, it's true we were down 0-2 before we won our game just like they are, but we were extremely short-handed.  The truth is we probably had no right to win even one game, not against that talent and with us down so many key pieces, but we did.  Let's see if the Bucks rally in Wisconsin, it isn't over yet, but through two we're looking better than the healthy Bucks.

Makes you wonder if you'd like to hire Mike Budenholzer if/when he gets fired, doesn't it?


Bob


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I’m anticipating a Bucks turnaround in Milwaukee. At the very least they should make it a series. Not impressed with coach Bud and he does look to be on thin ice.. Vaughn/Nash are playing KD and Kyrie a lot of minutes when it looks to me that they really don’t/haven’t had to thus far. That could catch up with them and work in the Bucks favor going forward.
Giannis does not look like he is very confident right now and those free throws are only getting worse. He wants no part of that line and if he keeps shooting jumpers instead the Bucks can forget it. Middleton is being playoff Middleton. Not a very good pressure player. His biggest asset is his shot and when thats not falling he’s basically useless.
Bucks are in trouble but like you said Bob, it ain’t over yet.

I should add that Doc, "the yoyo master" Rivers,  never was able to take the Clippers to the big dance.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/riverdo01c.html

His playoff record in LA, a very unimpressive 27-32.

bobheckler wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Bob I still wouldn’t give up a J for a few years of Harden.

Cow,

Brooklyn gave up Caris LeVert and Jarett Allen.  Would you have given up Marcus Smart and RWill for Harden?


Bob

.

. Iiiiiiiii would have to say YES!

dboss wrote:

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:Just to make it fun, dboss, I'll take the other side.  Pretty sure the Hawks just let cat out of the bag and woke up the sleeping giant.  This is textbook Doc as you will recall.  It took the 2008 team 26 out of a possible 28 playoff games to claim that title.  We pretty much stuck to home court winning as I recall.  I'm going to bet nothing much has changed.  Doc is always amazed when these things happen.  He's a character for sure.  Doc won't lose this series.  

db  

db

Okay but remember this quote.  "If you want to act real silly, be a fool and bet on philly"

I'm taking the Hawks because I think Embid will not finish the series.  One more tweak of the knee and he is done.  Then enter clown show Dwight Howard.

dboss, you’ve been in ATL long enough to know that predictions like the one you’re making are like spitting in the wind. Atlanta ain’t beating Philly! Your city is jinxed. They were even going to pass legislation to change interstate 285 to 283 after that Super Bowl loss to the Pats. Hawks ain’t  beating the 6ers bud.  

ktron you deserve multiple smiley faces

jinxed or not, I got a qualifier to lean on.  If Joel Embid is not able to go the distance, the Hawks could upset them in this series.  

. Dboss, If Embid morphs into lil Lame Lamont and cant go, you’re right. Philly and Doc won’t advance. Trae is one scary dude that looks more unstoppable the more I watch him.

Ktron wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

Ktron wrote:

bobheckler wrote:65-41 Nets at the half.

Neither Giannis nor Middleton have shown up yet.

Durant with 21.  NO HARDEN.


Bob


.

We gave them a better run than this. WT…..

ktron,

True dat.  We were down 3 starters, they had Harden and we still gave them a better run that this.  

Game 1:  
Celtics vs Nets.  104-93.    Nets by 11.
Bucks vs Nets.   115-107.  Nets by 8.

Game 2:  
Celtics vs Nets.  130-108.   Nets by 22.
Bucks vs Nets.    Nets by 39.  (It was as high as 49, then it was cut to 42 with 3 minutes left)

Total points differential through two games:
Boston vs Nets.  Nets +33
Bucks vs Nets.   Nets +47


It's true that we only won one game, it's true we were down 0-2 before we won our game just like they are, but we were extremely short-handed.  The truth is we probably had no right to win even one game, not against that talent and with us down so many key pieces, but we did.  Let's see if the Bucks rally in Wisconsin, it isn't over yet, but through two we're looking better than the healthy Bucks.

Makes you wonder if you'd like to hire Mike Budenholzer if/when he gets fired, doesn't it?


Bob


.

I’m anticipating a Bucks turnaround in Milwaukee. At the very least they should make it a series. Not impressed with coach Bud and he does look to be on thin ice.. Vaughn/Nash are playing KD and Kyrie a lot of minutes when it looks to me that they really don’t/haven’t had to thus far. That could catch up with them and work in the Bucks favor going forward.
Giannis does not look like he is very confident right now and those free throws are only getting worse. He wants no part of that line and if he keeps shooting jumpers instead the Bucks can forget it. Middleton is being playoff Middleton. Not a very good pressure player. His biggest asset is his shot and when thats not falling he’s basically useless.
Bucks are in trouble but like you said Bob, it ain’t over yet.

Was floored to see the Bucks get the ever living snot beat out of them.... Again!  Not much snot left.

There needs to be a warning flashed across the screen everytime Giannis takes a free throw or a 3 pointer.  Viewer discretion advised, may not be suitable for young children to watch

Maybe they will regain their confidence at home because right now they look terrified.  Coach Bud has done nothing to dismiss the fact that his teams are superb during the regular season only.    If Giannis and Holiday are really high end defenders, the Bucks need Giannis to be on Durant and Holiday to stay with Irving.  The Bucks going 14-57 from deep in those two losses must change for them to get back in this thing.  Boy was I wrong about the matchups.

Can someone tell me why the Bucks are 14-57 or better yet, why are they taking that many from deep? They have a size advantage. Between Giannis and Brooke they should own the middle and inside. I don’t get it.
Giannis brother is a wild card madman defender. Give him some minutes and let him disrupt some things and pick up about 8 fouls. Cmon Buddddddd

Please allow me to revise my take on tonight's BKN vs. MIL after further pondering.

G3 is not the end of the road. This is a two-part miniseries. Some may even argue a three-part miniseries. Obviously, if the Bucks come up short tonight, the death wish and the subsequent A-Bomb has landed in Milwaukee. And what happens in G4 doesn't matter. It's over.

What happens that will be the most telling is if the Bucks do get their act together tonight, then G4 will tell all. The end-all, be-all is if the Bucks go back to BKN down 3-1, it still doesn't matter. It's over.

So this means G4 (assuming a Bucks win in G3) is the the only game that matters. You might even be able to extend the argument to G5 where the Bucks will have to win that one (as they are running out of chances to win on the road with two blown already) as well if this is indeed a "defining" moment for Giannis. Really, anything less and that's going to pull the curtains on the MIL/Giannis Era.

And we thought we kept backing ourselves into a corner all season before the walls caved in.

Show me something, Milwaukee!! Dang it!! Put these prima donna chumps in their place.

db

db

You would think that the Bucks can pull off a win tonight at home. You would think. No James Harden again but the Nets are still favored.

If anyone saw the Suns beat the Nuggets last night, there was an ultimate floor general on the court in the form of 36 year old Chris Paul. 15 assists and zero turnovers is not something you expect to see.

CP3 is a master of the hardwood.

We need someone of his caliber.

15 assists, zero turnovers is the hallmark of a truly great professsional, one who elevates the game of his much younger teammates. We need some of that.

worcester wrote:CP3 is a master of the hardwood.

We need some of his caliber.

25 assists, zero turnovers is the hallmark of a truly great professsional, one who elevates the game of his much younger teammates. We need some of tjat.

worcester

yeah, pretty amazing.

Well, several observations from last night's Buck's' victory.

First off, Congratulations! Very weird game with the tale of two quarters/4 quarters. Plus add in there the record for % scored by two players, but MIL did what they had to do to win. Took it right up to the last minute but pulled it out.

I do like the mantra signs I saw...History In The Making. And the throw back to the TOR run a couple of seasons ago of having the huge crowds outside the arena or wherever that was being held. TOR was very successful with that. MIL is hoping for the same. Although I think it took a couple of seasons of that to finally work but I may be wrong. I think this will be a one and done because if the Bucks don't advance, their team will be blown back to the Stone Age. But I digress.

MIL willed a win last night. And Giannis said it best. It doesn't matter if you win by 1 or 30, it counts as one game. They'll take it. Giannis and Middleton clearly were the superstars. Can't say much about the rest of the team. I'm feeling I've heard this script somewhere before...oh well. Maybe it will come to me by the end of this diatribe.

G3 was merely a stepping stone. Without this win, Chapter 2 of this miniseries could not take place. G4 is now the Bucks end-all, be-all. Pretty much the same script as G3 with ever so slightly less pressure, but still a loss in G4 and it's curtains in Milwaukee. Now they must clear the Ghost of The Gentleman's Sweep. A victory in G4 will do just that. As of right now, they have done no more than what we did against these clowns. As a matter of fact, it is identical to this point.

Here's what I want to see - BKN rattled to their stupid, pathetic core. From the post-game interviews, there is no panic in the eyes of BKN. None. And why not. And of course even if the Bucks win G4, BKN will issue the same annual corn pone platitude that the Bucks did what they were supposed to do...hold serve. So that doesn't get it either.

Not getting ahead of ourselves here but assuming the Bucks do win G4, and that's a huge if given what we saw overall last night, this means G5 where the Bucks have to win on the road becomes the game. Let's not split hairs here. Bucks will not win a G7 in BKN. That's off the table. History will not be made there if you're a Bucks fan.

History will be in the making if the Bucks win 4 games out and get it done in 6. That will be enough to send BKN into a nuclear option firing-frenzy like no other. If you can't get out of the 2nd round with those three snipers, no team or organization can. Forget it. Everybody's out. Experiment over.

But MIL has to get it done. They've backed themselves into this corner. They've done it consistently every real playoff series in the Giannis Era. Do they finally get over the hump? Your best teams do eventually figure it out. And it couldn't happen against a more villainous team the BKN. But the Bucks, if they go out this round, despite all the roster adjustments in the previous off season designed to get them over that hump, will have made no progress. And under these circumstances/conditions you can easily argue they will have regressed.

Dang it!! What team does all this sound like?!! I can't put my finger on it. I'll have to get back to you.

Fight for your lives, Bucks!

db

Is any non-New Yorker rooting for the Nets?

An underwhelming victory last night by the Bucks.  They were up 30-11 after 1, flipped the script in the 2nd to head into halftime up only 3.

12 assists on 34 fgm for the Bucks.  Remember this the next time we start complaining about how iso our offense gets.  12 assists.  At our worst I don't remember ever having that few.

Lopez with 3 points on 1-7.  Jrue Holliday with a 4-14 clunker.

This was a must-win game for the Bucks, and they won, but their inability to maintain their fire and intensity for 4 quarters does not bode well.

And this was without Harden. The Nets lost by only 3, on the road, without Harden and with the Bucks getting 19 ftas vs only 8 for the Nets. Harden lives at the line. I hate his head-bobbing "play for the whistle" style of play, but it works, he gets a lot of them. How about this game if Harden had the ball in his hands?


Bob


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Remember, we were 2-1 against the Bucks this season. They are not that good a team.

Yeah, but they can beat BKN 4 times, worcester. Give them one game at a time through G5. Any of those result in a loss and it's over. I kinda want to see the fire sale because Giannis will probably be on the block and I want to see how Brad does being thrown into the fire with high stakes right off the bat, but I don't want the Nets to win another game.

I've got a feeling while Brad was giving everybody a trophy with playing time this season, he was watching all the other teams very closely and has the perfect team set up in his mind and will go after it.

db

A real ugly win for the Bucks.

A real impressive win by the Jazz.

Looks like Mike Malone will be looking for a job soon.  Backing up gets you fired every signal time.  Jokic might be available as well.  GM, too.  Like the Knicks, Denver is Denver.  Party's over.      

Brad might be walking right into the perfect storm in the GM world.  Better get up to speed in a hurry. If Bucks don't come through tomorrow afternoon, we have to get in the Giannis/Jokic sweepstakes.    

db

Jokic and/or Giannis will not be available anytime soon. Cmon man..

dbrown was Jokinc.

The Clippers finally got a win and Donovan will be managing his ankle injury.

The Nets will try to push the Bucks to the edge of the cliff. I wonder if the Bucks will be able to play a similar type of game this afternoon. Two high scoring teams locked in a dog fight where scoring was difficult for both teams.

Denver still has the MVP but the loss of Jamal Murray has caught up with them. I really enjoy watching the Suns play. They really share the basketball.