Bucks 2021-2022 season thread

[nate82]

This is proving to me what I thought all along, Lopez is way more important to this team than he's given credit for. Just having that anchor in the middle of the defense is huge.

 

Well playing with Giannis as your only real big man is going to cause some problems also. The Bucks don't really have a backup C as they are using Giannis and Portis as the backup C primarily. While this works during a game a long stretch of games where you don't have Lopez it is not going to work.

[DuWayne Steurer]

They're doing it again against the Knicks. Up 24 with 4 minutes left in the third, and the Knicks are within 1 with 3 minutes left in the game. Really struggling to close out games without Midds and Lopez.

[FVBrewerFan]

This is proving to me what I thought all along, Lopez is way more important to this team than he's given credit for. Just having that anchor in the middle of the defense is huge.

 

Well playing with Giannis as your only real big man is going to cause some problems also. The Bucks don't really have a backup C as they are using Giannis and Portis as the backup C primarily. While this works during a game a long stretch of games where you don't have Lopez it is not going to work.

 

 

Yea, that's the point. And I definitely think they trade for another big.

[patrickgpe]

 

 

Yea, that's the point. And I definitely think they trade for another big.

Not sure what they have at this point to trade. They can't trade their 1st this year. All other tradeable picks for the foreseeable future have been sent away in the Holiday trade and the ones that aren't can't be traded and are swaps.

 

DDV and Nwora are the 2 pieces that could be moved but both are restricted next season, so their trade value is limited.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

 

Yea, that's the point. And I definitely think they trade for another big.

Not sure what they have at this point to trade. They can't trade their 1st this year. All other tradeable picks for the foreseeable future have been sent away in the Holiday trade and the ones that aren't can't be traded and are swaps.

 

I guess you can move DDV, but he is up after this year.

 

I'm sure there will be a few bigs available on the buyout market come spring. They basically only need a guy that can spell Lopez and play 10-15 minutes a night. Who knows ... maybe there is a guy like they had in Diakite last year hanging out in the G League that they can grab?

[patrickgpe]

yeah you can go the buyout route, but that wont' help you until February / March.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

yeah you can go the buyout route, but that wont' help you until February / March.

 

Nothing matters until then anyway. The Bulls can win the division for all I care. Anybody think the Bulls are taking out the Bucks in the playoffs?

[owbc]

Last year it took them almost 30 games to start playing well. They will pass the overachieving teams at the top by Christmas.

[Joseph Zarr]

The early returns on the Grayson trade and signing are quite nice. If this keeps up, that will look like an absolute steal of a deal. Couple that with Pat vastly outplaying his contract and becoming one of the better role players in the League and I think it's fair to say the complaints and grumbles of either of these deals (whoever and wherever those may have been) were way off base. As always, gotta wait and see.

[roadcrew3]

If anything, last year should also show that for a team like the Bucks, health matters way more than home court advantage or seeding. After a long season last year and short offseason, plus add in the players who played in the Olympics, and you have a team full of guys who have played a lot of intense basketball in the past year. Take it easy now, even if it means dropping more games then usual, and hope it saves the guys from running out of gas in the playoffs this year.

[Outlander]

As long it doesn't wear out Giannis in the process. Everybody else is getting their turn except him.

[Joseph Zarr]

So, Brook Lopez is apparently the Team MVP. Who knew?

[homer]

That was an impressive half of basketball, Mr. Giannis

[sveumrules]

So, Brook Lopez is apparently the Team MVP. Who knew?

 

Brook really is the perfect realistic compliment for Giannis.

 

Serves as the primary rim protector giving Giannis more freedom on defense. Boxes out on the glass so Giannis can get the rebound & initiate transition. Camps outside the arc in the halfcourt opening up the lane for Giannis.

 

Hopefully they can get whatever's going on with his back straightened out.

[nodakfan17]

The Lakers were without LeBron last night, but at this point, it’s just about stacking wins. With the delayed start to last season, they are working on less rest than any championship in NBA history (with the possible exception of the 2020 Lakers). Then Middleton and Holiday spent an extra 3 weeks with Team USA. Lopez has had a remarkably healthy career for any player, especially a big man. He’s just 33, so you take what you can get. Hopefully, he’s healthy for the second half of the season.

[patrickgpe]

bucks were without Lopez, not quite a wash though. I think the bucks just need to stay in it (which they obviously will). Hopefully get a top 4 seed and be healthy in the spring and they will be fine.

 

Middleton, after struggling in the 1st half, looked much better in the 2nd which is a positive development. But man Ojelele had a rough game. will be good to get Brook back.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't think the seed matters for the Bucks at all. I'm sure they'll end 3rd or something. But if they want to worry about seed at all, I would just try to put myself on the opposite side of Brooklyn with the fixed bracket the NBA uses.

[nate82]

It feels like the Bucks have one of these games where they absolutely destroy the other team by the 2nd quarter at least 2 or 3 times a year.

 

That was just a beating the Bucks gave to the Magic yikes!

[owbc]

Why did we play the Magic 2 times in a row? That was cruel (for them).

[sveumrules]

It feels like the Bucks have one of these games where they absolutely destroy the other team by the 2nd quarter at least 2 or 3 times a year.

 

That was just a beating the Bucks gave to the Magic yikes!

 

Yeah, that was like a #1 vs #16 first round NCAA tourney match up.

 

Bucks now up to 6-0 with a 14.5 point average margin of victory in games where all three of Giannis, Khris & Jrue have played.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Why did we play the Magic 2 times in a row? That was cruel (for them).

 

Even more odd, we do it again in Orlando on Dec. 28 and 30.

[nodakfan17]

I don’t watch the Bucks closely enough to tell, but is DDV a better defender than Grayson Allen? I can’t see him usurping Allen when he returns from his injury. Allen’s extension is looking prudent.

[stoutdude04]

Blowout killed my 16.5 over on Midds bet. Blah.

[wallus]

I don’t watch the Bucks closely enough to tell, but is DDV a better defender than Grayson Allen? I can’t see him usurping Allen when he returns from his injury. Allen’s extension is looking prudent.

 

Yes DDV is one of the better guard defenders out there. (especially off ball/help) Allen is regarded as an average defender.

[Joseph Zarr]

I don’t watch the Bucks closely enough to tell, but is DDV a better defender than Grayson Allen? I can’t see him usurping Allen when he returns from his injury. Allen’s extension is looking prudent.

 

Yes DDV is one of the better guard defenders out there. (especially off ball/help) Allen is regarded as an average defender.

 

Agreed. DDV really is a fantastic defender. He is the consummate does a lot of little things guy - really good rebounder for his size, disrupts passing lanes, pesky. Grayson is simply a way more defined and refined offensive player. DDV is really not reliable offensively whereas Grayson is quite good from 3 and overall quite a bit more polished with every facet of shooting the ball. Will be a real luxury if they can keep both and wouldn’t be surprised in the least if they packaged DDV given their limited assets for another Big or younger true back-up PG. I personally hope they manage to keep them both.

 

Edit to add: when the Buckaroos have both Jrue and DDV healthy and guarding opposing backcourts they really really give opponents problems. A great defensive duo.