Bucks 2021-2022 season thread

[DuWayne Steurer]

Nice first half in Utah.  

[sveumrules]

28 minutes ago, RoCoBrewfan said:

Nice first half in Utah.  

& following it up with a typically flat third quarter.

Hopefully they can flip the switch in the fourth, then again haven’t won in Utah since 2001 so not holding my breath.

[sveumrules]

Switch flipped & the Salt Lake losing streak is over.

A little extra impressive since they closed them out down the stretch with the Big Three plus Carter & Matthews.

[stalton]

Lopez with 15 minutes in his first game back.  Nice win as well

[DuWayne Steurer]

super big win. they're up 2 in the win column on Philly now for the 2 seed. 

[sveumrules]

Could be a good day to gain ground in the standings on Weds.

Bucks have what should be an easy W at SAC while other East contenders have a lil tougher match ups with PHI @ CLE, CHI @ UTA and BOS @ GSW. 

[Joseph Zarr]

It is hard to fathom how absolutely dialed Jevon Carter has been since the signing. He looks completely re-inspired. This is a player you could seamlessly slip into the starting line-up and maximize Grayson's offense in the 2nd unit. I was hoping we'd get good Jevon Carter but we are currently getting the best version we've ever seen from him. Amazing.

Bro-Lo changes everything. Praying he stays healthy. 

[homer]

https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/1506364063969804289

 

[sveumrules]

Bulls beat the Jazz/Celtics back on OCT 30/NOV 1, since then they are 0-16 against the top 4 seeds in each conference. Haven’t beat a top 3 all season.

Hopefully the Bucks can avoid their usual 3rd quarter WOAHs & keep that winless Bulls run going here.

[sveumrules]

Evolution of Giannis shooting splits…

0-3 feet

18-21: 50.4% of FGAs | .791 FG%

21-22: 39.1% of FGAs | .814 FG%

3-10 feet

18-21: 16.7% of FGAs | .362 FG%

21-22: 20.2% of FGAs | .416 FG%

10-16 feet

18-21: 7.1% of FGAs | .391 FG%

21-22: 12.8% of FGAs | .414 FG%

16 feet - 3P

18-21: 5.7% of FGAs | .379 FG%

21-22: 7.8% of FGAs | .407 FG%

So essentially Giannis has increased both the percentage of FGAs he is taking farther away from the rim while also increasing his FG% on those shots. Pretty impressive.

His average shot distance his first MVP season was 7.7 feet, this season it’s at 10.2 feet. 

League average this season is .436/.430/.400 from 3-10/10-16/16-3P, so Giannis is still a little below average on the first two splits, but the diversification of his offensive game has been a joy to watch this year & it’s crazy to think he’s still getting better.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Evolution of Giannis shooting splits…

0-3 feet

18-21: 50.4% of FGAs | .791 FG%

21-22: 39.1% of FGAs | .814 FG%

3-10 feet

18-21: 16.7% of FGAs | .362 FG%

21-22: 20.2% of FGAs | .416 FG%

10-16 feet

18-21: 7.1% of FGAs | .391 FG%

21-22: 12.8% of FGAs | .414 FG%

16 feet - 3P

18-21: 5.7% of FGAs | .379 FG%

21-22: 7.8% of FGAs | .407 FG%

So essentially Giannis has increased both the percentage of FGAs he is taking farther away from the rim while also increasing his FG% on those shots. Pretty impressive.

His average shot distance his first MVP season was 7.7 feet, this season it’s at 10.2 feet. 

League average this season is .436/.430/.400 from 3-10/10-16/16-3P, so Giannis is still a little below average on the first two splits, but the diversification of his offensive game has been a joy to watch this year & it’s crazy to think he’s still getting better.

He's literally our Unicorn and it is amazing. We are SO lucky. John Hammond: You are always Forgiven.

[Joseph Zarr]

As an aside: Without Midds tonight, I'd say moving Brook back into the Starting Lineup had its desired effect? 126-98. Not a bad outing.

[owbc]

The second championship is going to be easier than the first one. It won't take more than 6 games to dispatch anyone in the East.

We already know they can beat Phoenix. It would be entertaining to play Memphis and Morant in the finals, but I suspect the Grizzlies are still a year away. 

[sveumrules]

They still haven't played one game all season with what would have been their postseason rotation before the season started...

Jrue / Grayson / Khris / Giannis / Brook / Bobby / Pat / Hill

With Carter / Wes / Ibaka added into the mix the depth on this team is so far ahead of where it was last year. Scary thought.

[nate82]

2 hours ago, sveumrules said:

They still haven't played one game all season with what would have been their postseason rotation before the season started...

Jrue / Grayson / Khris / Giannis / Brook / Bobby / Pat / Hill

With Carter / Wes / Ibaka added into the mix the depth on this team is so far ahead of where it was last year. Scary thought.

The backup at PG for Jrue is 1200% times better than what they had last year.  I think Carter, Wes and Ibaka is better than what the Bucks had last year and that is not downplaying what Tucker did for the Bucks last year on defense but those three I think are better and can provide as many or more meaningful minutes than Tucker did.  Scoring wise I think Carter is underrated while he may not be a really good scorer I think he is better than Tucker and is just slightly below him defensively.  

[Joseph Zarr]

We don't have a 'General NBA' thread so I'm posting this here. 

 

 

Heat lose handily at Home to a Warriors squad down Steph, Klay, and Draymond. You just hate to see this testy representation of 'Heat Culture'.

?

[HarryDoyle]

Anywhere Butler is is a toxic culture.

[DuWayne Steurer]

No Giannis, no Midds, no problem.  Up huge early, and coasted to the win.  With BroLo and Connaughton back, team is really hitting its stride right in time for the playoffs.  

[OldHeidelberg]

Crazy how tight the top 4 in the East are this late in the season, 1 game from 1st to 4th. Does everyone still want to try to avoid Brooklyn in 1st round? It would be nice for the Champs to make a late surge and take that #1 spot. 

[nate82]

26 minutes ago, OldHeidelberg said:

Crazy how tight the top 4 in the East are this late in the season, 1 game from 1st to 4th. Does everyone still want to try to avoid Brooklyn in 1st round? It would be nice for the Champs to make a late surge and take that #1 spot. 

Missing Brooklyn in the 1st round would be the best outcome.  The East is far deeper than the West is right now which is crazy because just 3 or 4 years ago it was the East that was a joke of a division with 2 or 3 top heavy teams and then everyone else.  Right now the West looks to be the worst with 2 or 3 teams being better than everyone else in the West and it is not even close.  

If the Bucks can get the 1 seed that would be great but I would love to avoid Brooklyn if possible.  Not that I am afraid of Brooklyn but that is at a minimum a 6 game series and is more than likely a 7 game series.  That is a lot of games to play in the 1st round and will have an impact on the team advancing deeper into the playoffs.  

[sveumrules]

Bucks need to go the Al Davis route. Just Win (& stay healthy), Baby. Let the seeds take care of themselves from there.

Missing the Nets would be ideal, but there’s only so much you can do with so many moving pieces.

If TOR/BRK stay in the 7/8 spots World B. Flat wouldn’t be able to play in Canada, so Nets likely end up #8 if they make it in at all.

If TOR climbs up to the 6 spot then BRK is a lot safer bet to end up #7.

 

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Down 10 at half to Philly. Half closed with a classic Midds step back airball from about 18 ft straight on FT line extended. Classic Midds. I find Midds to qualify distinctly in the class of 'Glenn Robinson' Buckaroos. You just never know what version you're going to get but you know, at any moment, they can turn the ball over with their sloppy handle or careless TO's, their defense is old and tired, AND they definitely could go off for 40. Good to be a Bucks fan, baby. 

[Joseph Zarr]

With the way Jevon Carter has been playing since his arrival, I absolutely do not approve of Coach Bud relegating him to the end of Bench in games that matter. I understand it as he wants to prioritize getting his vets in Wes and George going BUT, I say, let the young fella play. He's earned his stripes by playing excellent basketball. That's my Hot Bucks take.

[sveumrules]

Great comeback to beat Philly in the 4th with Giannis blocking Embiid to seal the deal.

Doesn’t get much better than that.

[nate82]

With 7-games left to play and all but the Pistons game being against Playoff teams this looks to be a very tight race for 1-4 seed.  

The Heat's final games are: at Boston, at Chicago, at Toronto, charlotte, Atlanta and at Orlando

Sixers final games: at Detroit, Charlotte, at Cleveland, at Indiana, at Toronto, Indiana, Detroit

Celtics final games: Miami, Indiana, Washington, at Chicago, at Milwaukee, at Memphis

Bucks final games: at Brooklyn, LA, Dallas, at Chicago, Boston, at Detroit

Must win games are LA, Dallas and Boston.  I think the Bucks can lose 2 and still keep the 2nd seed.  Really need to win the Boston game at home.  Would also be nice to win the game in Brooklyn on Thursday.  If the Bucks can win at Brooklyn and then beat the Clippers on Friday and hopefully the Celtics drop a game either against the Pacers or the Wizards but I wouldn't count on that happening.  The next loss for the Celtics may not come until next week.  The Celtics have the easiest schedule this weekend with the Pacers and Wizards.  

I think it is possible the Heat lose the #1 seed if they lose tomorrow night against the Celtics I think they will drop to the 3-seed.  Hopefully the Bulls and Raptors can beat the Heat as that would guarantee the Heat as the 3 or 4 seed probably the 4 seed.  

Should be a fun and interesting last few games here.