Bucks 2020-2021 season thread

[DuWayne Steurer]

Giannis has 11 points on 5 of 11 shooting. Last year we would have absolutely lost this game as he just continued to try to hammer the ball into the paint over and over again.

[reillymcshane]

Things just go well when Jrue is running things.

[sveumrules]

Anyone still think Jrue is only a marginal upgrade over Bledsoe?

[SomewhereInTime]

Trust the Bucks?

[FVBrewerFan]

Two things. Miami is just not very good anymore. To a player, they're worse than last year. Dragic still gets his wide open mid range jumpers, but he's not makimg them. He made 120% of them last time around.

 

The Bucks, in addition to everything else, have played smart basketball. We need to see what happens when they're challenged.

[homer]

I know Herro is from Milwaukee and everything but I loved him being relegated to garbage time tonight

[patrickgpe]

Once again, opening up a big lead early, and just putting the hammer down. Kinda get the feeling they took that 4-1 loss personal last year.

its not the same team as last year. the additions that they made have really helped. Holiday is a massive improvement over Bledsoe. Tucker is a decent improvement over Matthews. Portis and Forbes has been FA's that have exceeded all expectations. you are right, I am sure Giannis and the rest of the returning cast really took it personal, but Horst has adjusted the roster pretty well to overcome the bucks defencies. Another big factor is that the bucks learned that you don't need to exert so much energy in the regular season to get the best seed, but rather it make sense to save it for the playoffs. The bucks - nets series will be fun to watch.

[homer]

They experimented with a bunch of different defenses this year. I'm assuming that was to find what works best but also put a lot more on film that teams have to prepare for.

[CheezWizHed]

Once again, opening up a big lead early, and just putting the hammer down. Kinda get the feeling they took that 4-1 loss personal last year.

its not the same team as last year. the additions that they made have really helped. Holiday is a massive improvement over Bledsoe. Tucker is a decent improvement over Matthews. Portis and Forbes has been FA's that have exceeded all expectations. you are right, I am sure Giannis and the rest of the returning cast really took it personal, but Horst has adjusted the roster pretty well to overcome the bucks defencies. Another big factor is that the bucks learned that you don't need to exert so much energy in the regular season to get the best seed, but rather it make sense to save it for the playoffs. The bucks - nets series will be fun to watch.

 

Holiday is a massive difference maker just in his ability to shoot a 3 ptr. Several times, the play went inside and Butler couldn't cheat and crash inside just because Holiday was standing at the 3 point line. The inside was much more open last night.

 

I've not seen Tucker play much, but I'd think at best, he is a "wash" with Matthews. Matthews was huge defensively last year. But having Portis, Forbes, and Holiday being able to shot threes has helped in spades.

 

The defense is also more diverse. Homer said there was more to prepare for, but I think they just have more options to matchup on the offense. They can play a few ways and aren't as predictable as before.

[nate82]

DiVincenzo to miss the rest of the playoffs.

 

https://www.brewhoop.com/2021/5/28/22458653/report-donte-divincenzo-out-for-remainder-of-nba-playoffs-milwaukee-bucks

[homer]

Oof. They'll miss him on D against the Nets

[reillymcshane]

DiVincenzo to miss the rest of the playoffs.

 

https://www.brewhoop.com/2021/5/28/22458653/report-donte-divincenzo-out-for-remainder-of-nba-playoffs-milwaukee-bucks

Sucks big time.

 

I'm wondering who gets his minutes. Will it be spread around to guys like Connaughton, Tucker and Forbes. Teague has kind of been a forgotten man. Perhaps he gets some more playing time.

[FVBrewerFan]

DiVincenzo to miss the rest of the playoffs.

 

https://www.brewhoop.com/2021/5/28/22458653/report-donte-divincenzo-out-for-remainder-of-nba-playoffs-milwaukee-bucks

Sucks big time.

 

I'm wondering who gets his minutes. Will it be spread around to guys like Connaughton, Tucker and Forbes. Teague has kind of been a forgotten man. Perhaps he gets some more playing time.

 

Not sure what Teague really gives you, maybe a very small amount of minutes to give the other guars a breather. I mean like 4 or 5 minutes. There's nobody else on the bench to give you playoff minutes.

 

I would like to see them start big with Tucker replacing DD. Defense first. Then Portis, Forbes, Pat off the bench. That's it. And those guys, especially Forbes, are really going to get abused on the defensive side of the court.

 

Bottom line, that starting 5, plus Portis, will need to play as many minutes as possible.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

DiVincenzo to miss the rest of the playoffs.

 

https://www.brewhoop.com/2021/5/28/22458653/report-donte-divincenzo-out-for-remainder-of-nba-playoffs-milwaukee-bucks

Sucks big time.

 

I'm wondering who gets his minutes. Will it be spread around to guys like Connaughton, Tucker and Forbes. Teague has kind of been a forgotten man. Perhaps he gets some more playing time.

 

If they were smart, Middleton would take on more of a ball-handling 2-guard role, and the Bucks go bigger with Portis moving into Middleton's small forward slot.

 

But I'd venture to guess that Connaughton gets the nominal start at the 2. He's been in that role with the 2nd team all season. It does suck. He doesn't have near the explosiveness of DiVincenzo, and doesn't offer near the defense either.

[Outlander]

Was guessing gentleman's sweep but hope they just get it over with today and the Celtics keep playing like they they did yesterday.

[nate82]

That was a dominating 2nd half by Giannis and Middleton.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Still say bucks in 6. It's not like the heat are gonna lay down. they're a tough team.

 

I'm man enough to admit when I was wrong.

[sveumrules]

Erik Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Heat for 13 seasons.

 

Four of those seasons he had the LBJ/Wade/Bosh superteams & it looks like last year's bubble performance was probably anomalous.

 

That leaves eight seasons, three of which they missed the playoffs.

 

In the other five seasons his playoff record is #5 seed (lost 3-4), #5 seed (lost 1-4), #3 seed (won 4-3, lost 3-4), #6 seed (lost 1-4) and #6 (lost 0-4).

 

So a 1-5 series record & 12-23 overall record when he isn't coaching with a stacked deck or in the bubble.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Spo is a very good coach, but reports of his genius seem a little overstated.

[homer]

Herro has plenty of time to party now.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Erik Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Heat for 13 seasons.

 

Four of those seasons he had the LBJ/Wade/Bosh superteams & it looks like last year's bubble performance was probably anomalous.

 

That leaves eight seasons, three of which they missed the playoffs.

 

In the other five seasons his playoff record is #5 seed (lost 3-4), #5 seed (lost 1-4), #3 seed (won 4-3, lost 3-4), #6 seed (lost 1-4) and #6 (lost 0-4).

 

So a 1-5 series record & 12-23 overall record when he isn't coaching with a stacked deck or in the bubble.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Spo is a very good coach, but reports of his genius seem a little overstated.

 

So he generally loses as a lower seed. Makes sense.

[sveumrules]

Erik Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Heat for 13 seasons.

 

Four of those seasons he had the LBJ/Wade/Bosh superteams & it looks like last year's bubble performance was probably anomalous.

 

That leaves eight seasons, three of which they missed the playoffs.

 

In the other five seasons his playoff record is #5 seed (lost 3-4), #5 seed (lost 1-4), #3 seed (won 4-3, lost 3-4), #6 seed (lost 1-4) and #6 (lost 0-4).

 

So a 1-5 series record & 12-23 overall record when he isn't coaching with a stacked deck or in the bubble.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Spo is a very good coach, but reports of his genius seem a little overstated.

 

So he generally loses as a lower seed. Makes sense.

 

Exactly. Pretty much just like any other coach normally would.

 

I guess I was just expecting better results considering his reputation.

 

Outside of the bubble fluke they've essentially been the definition of a treadmill team.

[CheezWizHed]

Odd. I wasn't looking that closely and didn't realize the game was a mid-day game....on a Saturday? Ok. Well, good they won.

[Mr Southpaw]

Once again, opening up a big lead early, and just putting the hammer down. Kinda get the feeling they took that 4-1 loss personal last year.

its not the same team as last year. the additions that they made have really helped. Holiday is a massive improvement over Bledsoe. Tucker is a decent improvement over Matthews. Portis and Forbes has been FA's that have exceeded all expectations. you are right, I am sure Giannis and the rest of the returning cast really took it personal, but Horst has adjusted the roster pretty well to overcome the bucks defencies. Another big factor is that the bucks learned that you don't need to exert so much energy in the regular season to get the best seed, but rather it make sense to save it for the playoffs. The bucks - nets series will be fun to watch.

 

Holiday is a massive difference maker just in his ability to shoot a 3 ptr. Several times, the play went inside and Butler couldn't cheat and crash inside just because Holiday was standing at the 3 point line. The inside was much more open last night.

 

I've not seen Tucker play much, but I'd think at best, he is a "wash" with Matthews. Matthews was huge defensively last year. But having Portis, Forbes, and Holiday being able to shot threes has helped in spades.

 

The defense is also more diverse. Homer said there was more to prepare for, but I think they just have more options to matchup on the offense. They can play a few ways and aren't as predictable as before.

 

The more you watch Tucker, the more you will love watching him play. He is a great defender, smart and intense. His basketball IQ is huge. He makes all of these great "little extra" plays. Different position, but he reminds me of the days of watching Sydney Moncrief.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think people look at the box score sometimes and see PJ Tucker went 0 - 2 shooting and had 2 rebounds and think "man he doesn't do much" but when you watch the games you see he's constantly moving, playing absolutely hard nosed defense, he can switch quickly, he calls plays on the fly, and knows when to call for defenders.... he's inside boxing out and creating space for the rebounders, he's spacing the floor properly... he's doing a lot of things so well that help facilitate the things the team needs to do to be successful.

 

I think back to Tony Snell. He was another guy who put up empty stat sheets but he pretty much stood around the perimeter and waited for someone to drag his defender off of him and then get a pass for a wide open three. He couldn't create shots, space the floor, be part of a dynamic passing offense. He played decent one on one D, but he didn't rotate well, rebound well, or really do anything else particularly well.

 

PJ Tucker has blended so well with this team, if they get to the finals he's going to be a huge reason for that success.

[CheezWizHed]

Don't take my comments as a knock on PJ Tucker.... Matthews was a huge part of the team last year. I was extremely disappointed he left for LA (both on our loss and their gain).