Bucks 2022-2023 Season Thread

[adambr2]

2 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

I haven't seen what Giannis is doing but am of the opinion he shouldn't play in the first round until they are facing an elimination game. 

That's  ..a pretty slim margin for error, don't you think? Any team can randomly lose a single elimination game to another team. 

I'm fine with him sitting if playing would potentially be detrimental to their long-term outlook this series, but I wouldn't be very comfortable if we dropped a 2nd game and he was inactive again for Game 4 facing a potential 3-1 series deficit. 

I'd feel a lot better with him potentially missing Game 4 if the worst case scenario was heading back to Milwaukee tied 2-2.

[adambr2]

Shooting fine, but playing sloppy. Confusion on defense resulting in the easy bucket and immediately followed by another turnover.

[adambr2]

Now we're sloppy AND shooting poorly. 

[HarryDoyle]

Feel free to bring your 3 point defense anytime this series, Bud.

[adambr2]

The Bucks without Giannis are not a far superior, if at all superior team than the Heat.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Getting pretty gross but was sorta expecting it. Just has the feel of being an annoying series. I think it's 2-2 going back to MKE though. 

[HarryDoyle]

On 2/25/2023 at 6:30 AM, HarryDoyle said:

Surprising win to me between Giannis leaving early and Miami being a thorn in the Bucks side. Maybe it's me but Miami seems to be a bad matchup for the Bucks. I wouldn't want to see them in the playoffs.

This is exactly what I feared. It boggles my mind that some would think this Heat team would be a walk in the park, given the history. Losing this series is a very real possibility even if Giannis returns. We should be playing the Hawks now if not for the NBA rewarding bad teams into a play in tournament.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

7 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

The Bucks without Giannis are not a far superior, if at all superior team than the Heat.

Seems premature. A 30 point blowout and down in the 2nd quarter. Let's see what happens. Sure wish it wasn't this interesting, though. 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Just now, HarryDoyle said:

This is exactly what I feared. It boggles my mind that some would think this Heat team would be a walk in the park, given the history. Losing this series is a very real possibility even if Giannis returns.

If the Bucks are down 1-2, get Giannis back and lose the series, then good riddance. We stink. 

[HarryDoyle]

Just now, OldSchoolSnapper said:

If the Bucks are down 1-2, get Giannis back and lose the series, then good riddance. We stink. 

I'm going to assume Giannis will not be 100% even if he returns but even so, if this scenario plays out, changes need to be made. The team is pretty old as it is.

[nate82]

Just now, HarryDoyle said:

I'm going to assume Giannis will not be 100% even if he returns but even so, if this scenario plays out, changes need to be made. The team is pretty old as it is.

There is very little the Bucks can do other than trading Giannis.  If you let Middleton and Lopez go there is no savings the Bucks will still be over the cap and won't be able to sign any significant FA. 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think we gut this series out, I mean this game isn't even over, but I don't know why we seemingly haven't worked inside to Lopez at all. It got us going game 1 and we've stopped. 

And I know Butler isn't a great 3 PT shooter but that doesn't mean you defend his 3 like he's Shaq. Come on. 

[adambr2]

Crowder absolutely blows. Total bunny with a chance to cut it to 7 and he misses and it swings back to 12.

[nate82]

Connaughton has to be the worst player in the NBA fighting through screens. 

[HarryDoyle]

Through two and a half games the Heat are shooting 53% from three. I was told this was their weakness. What does that say about our defense?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

3 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

Crowder absolutely blows. Total bunny with a chance to cut it to 7 and he misses and it swings back to 12.

Just said this to a buddy. He has been awful. 

[worm81]

I just said to my wife how horrible Crowder has been as a Buck. Seems to be horrible at 3s and his defense isn't what I was expecting. 

[adambr2]

18 minutes ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

Seems premature. A 30 point blowout and down in the 2nd quarter. Let's see what happens. Sure wish it wasn't this interesting, though. 

This seems a little misleading. We actually won Game 2 by 16 and lost Game 1 by 13, so we've been outscored in this series so far. 

If Giannis were to miss an entire season, I don't think many Bucks fans would take the over on 44 wins. 

[adambr2]

4 minutes ago, worm81 said:

I just said to my wife how horrible Crowder has been as a Buck. Seems to be horrible at 3s and his defense isn't what I was expecting. 

Aside from Tucker, almost all of the Bucks big deadline acquisitions in the Giannis contention era have been absolute duds. 

I can't remember a single positive moment from the Serge Ibaka era.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Bucks need to realize they're down 13 not 33. Work it back inside to Lopez. Contest 3s, I know that one is a big ask of them, but maybe try it. 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think Crowder's been fine defensively but he's advertised as being able to hit an open shot and he hasn't been that.  

[adambr2]

I agree with those who think the Bucks still pull this series out, but looking at a 6 or 7 game series with an 8 seed isn't encouraging going forward.

[adambr2]

58% from 3 and we're down double digits to an 8. 

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Bud, use the clipboard. This isn't working. 

What's most concerning about this for me is we are absolutely getting outworked. 

[adambr2]

Outcoached, outhustled, outwilled.

They better stop getting cute thinking they can get Giannis some rest and still be fine this series because if there was ever a game that proves they aren't crap without him, this is it.