Bucks 2020-2021 season thread

[sveumrules]

I also think it's a bit unfair to blame Jrue for the teams struggles this year.

 

In the 23 games Holiday played the Bucks had a +9.9 point diffetential, solidly ahead of the +8.8 they posted in their 60 win season & fractions behind their +10.1 mark from last year.

 

They weren't even really struggling.

[homer]

I also think it's a bit unfair to blame Jrue for the teams struggles this year.

 

In the 23 games Holiday played the Bucks had a +9.9 point diffetential, solidly ahead of the +8.8 they posted in their 60 win season & fractions behind their +10.1 mark from last year.

 

They weren't even really struggling.

 

Yeah, they were #1 in the league in Net Rtg with Holiday.

[pacopete4]

They're fine full strength. Is it enough to win it all? That's still pretty debatable.

[GAME05]

He's skinny and kind of a tweener so he'll probably never be able to defend the post, he doesn't have great hands so is prone to turnovers, and I guess you could say he fouls too much but to my eye he can do almost everything else. He has like a 7'3" wingspan, can defend in space (and has been covering guards here and there) very well, he is a natural shot-blocker, he's made some great interior passes, he looks good shooting the three, he can make his free throws, etc. etc.

 

I don't think he's starter material and he is doing this against the G League but he makes those guys look silly.

 

I think you just described Thon Maker.

[CheezWizHed]

They're fine full strength. Is it enough to win it all? That's still pretty debatable.

 

I think they clearly can win it all. But how probable is it? I'd say more than the post-COVID 2020 team, but not the pre-COVID 2020 team. They still seem like they've not regained the swagger they had before the COVID shutdown.

[homer]

He's skinny and kind of a tweener so he'll probably never be able to defend the post, he doesn't have great hands so is prone to turnovers, and I guess you could say he fouls too much but to my eye he can do almost everything else. He has like a 7'3" wingspan, can defend in space (and has been covering guards here and there) very well, he is a natural shot-blocker, he's made some great interior passes, he looks good shooting the three, he can make his free throws, etc. etc.

 

I don't think he's starter material and he is doing this against the G League but he makes those guys look silly.

 

I think you just described Thon Maker.

 

you know kinda looks like Thon except way more skilled on offense.

[CheezWizHed]

Well, at least we can beat the Timberwolves...

[HiAndTight]

 

He's skinny and kind of a tweener so he'll probably never be able to defend the post, he doesn't have great hands so is prone to turnovers, and I guess you could say he fouls too much but to my eye he can do almost everything else. He has like a 7'3" wingspan, can defend in space (and has been covering guards here and there) very well, he is a natural shot-blocker, he's made some great interior passes, he looks good shooting the three, he can make his free throws, etc. etc.

 

I don't think he's starter material and he is doing this against the G League but he makes those guys look silly.

 

 

That sounds a lot like Siakam. I watched a lot of his highlights at UV, and he looked impressive. I know it's a loooong shot, but maybe he overshoots the mark and can develop into a nice starter, or into that caliber of a player.

 

The physical attributes, the shot. Given how raw his is, having just started playing ball 6 years ago, there is a lot to work with there. Even if it takes 3-4 years to develop.

[CheezWizHed]

Giannis looks SO much better at the FT line now. He used to be herky-jerky and is nice and smooth now.

[homer]

That was a nice win today. I still like this team's chances now that Holiday is back.

[DuWayne Steurer]

1 game out of the 1 seed now. I was never worried.

[HiAndTight]

Giannis looks SO much better at the FT line now. He used to be herky-jerky and is nice and smooth now.

 

 

That's great to see. Still confusing why he ever changed his stroke as it looked so much better as a rookie. That guy looked like he could develop into a real threat from 3, but still, hitting ~75 pct from the FT line the last month is big for him.

[HiAndTight]

1 game out of the 1 seed now. I was never worried.

 

 

+7.5, 3 points per game better than Brooklyn, the #2 team.

[DuWayne Steurer]

1 game out of the 1 seed now. I was never worried.

 

 

+7.5, 3 points per game better than Brooklyn, the #2 team.

 

Everything says they're okay. They went through a rough patch when they were missing holiday. They're figuring some things out with a really new lineup and I still think this is the best team in the east. Are they better than the Lakers or the jazz? I don't know. I'm not saying they will win the East, but they are the best team in the East, and they definitely haven't hit their stride yet. I guess we will see how Bud chooses to manage his minutes, his rotation and his strategy when playoff time comes. That's going to be the big tell. but everything I'm seeing and everything the stats tell us, this team really looks to be all right and they are in good position heading down the back half.

[CheezWizHed]

I turned on the game half-way through the 3rd Q (whenever the Brewer game ended) and watched the rest.

 

Giannis looked pretty good and has put up good numbers the last 5 games. I'm guessing his increased FT % has helped there a bit (not only in making more, but perhaps less hack-a-Shaq tendency?).

 

But the rest of the team's offense was pretty offensive.

[homer]

That was a very slow-paced game. Only 94 possessions I think which is much more in tune with LAC style of play.

[owbc]

I turned on the game half-way through the 3rd Q (whenever the Brewer game ended) and watched the rest.

 

Giannis looked pretty good and has put up good numbers the last 5 games. I'm guessing his increased FT % has helped there a bit (not only in making more, but perhaps less hack-a-Shaq tendency?).

 

But the rest of the team's offense was pretty offensive.

 

Half the problem in the playoffs in recent years has been the reliance on role players because Giannis hasn't been capable of taking over a game in the 4th quarter the way that LeBron or Steph Curry frequently do. If Giannis can continue to do what he did last night against top-tier competition, the Bucks will be in excellent shape come playoff time.

[Baldkin]

I turned on the game half-way through the 3rd Q (whenever the Brewer game ended) and watched the rest.

 

Giannis looked pretty good and has put up good numbers the last 5 games. I'm guessing his increased FT % has helped there a bit (not only in making more, but perhaps less hack-a-Shaq tendency?).

 

But the rest of the team's offense was pretty offensive.

 

Half the problem in the playoffs in recent years has been the reliance on role players because Giannis hasn't been capable of taking over a game in the 4th quarter the way that LeBron or Steph Curry frequently do. If Giannis can continue to do what he did last night against top-tier competition, the Bucks will be in excellent shape come playoff time.

 

It's also been, and I am reluctant to say this, on the shoulders of Giannis for players struggles. He doesn't facilitate ball movement or player movement or defensive movement the way LeBron and Curry do. He waits, waits some more, then reacts somewhat passively to what the defense is doing.

 

Giannis made two passes in the first half as the double team was coming to him. Anticipating what was happening and creating in-real time.

 

Not dribbling away from the double team into the corner and flinging a soft pass that doesn't get there quick enough to make the defense rotate (what he normally does).

 

If those passes come more often, this offense is going to become lethal.

[FVBrewerFan]

LeBron and Curry are triple threats, Giannis is not. That's the problem, Giannis should never ever start the offensive possession pounding the ball at the top of the key. He's doing less of that this season, but it's still too much of that. Wall is built, Giannis thinks about putting up a 3, driving, or passing. Just a horrible way to start the offensive set. Move the ball around first, and you'll get Giannis in better positions to do some damage. That's on Bud, it' so obvious as you watch the games how much better they are this way.

 

As far as finishing games, without a 3 ball in his arsenal, Giannis simply can not be a closer consistently. But if he can be around 75-80% at the line that will definitely help at the end of games.

[nate82]

LeBron and Curry are triple threats, Giannis is not. That's the problem, Giannis should never ever start the offensive possession pounding the ball at the top of the key. He's doing less of that this season, but it's still too much of that. Wall is built, Giannis thinks about putting up a 3, driving, or passing. Just a horrible way to start the offensive set. Move the ball around first, and you'll get Giannis in better positions to do some damage. That's on Bud, it' so obvious as you watch the games how much better they are this way.

 

If you watched the game against the Clippers this is exactly what they did. They run a few pick and roll plays that they like to run a lot and they started to put some wrinkles into what they have been doing recently. This article on the Athletic explains what the Bucks have been doing (https://theathletic.com/2417881/2021/02/28/giannis-antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks-dunk-win/).

[homer]

Holiday is gonna make a big difference come playoff time.

[RollieTime]

One of the few games I’ve gotten to watch this season. Coming into the game on a 5 game winning streak. I thought I would have a nice game to watch this evening. Being down 20+ in the first half isn’t what I expected to watch.

[adambr2]

How can a 6'4 shooting guard like DDV suck so bad at free throws? 59%, really?

[adambr2]

How can a 6'4 shooting guard like DDV suck so bad at free throws? 59%, really?

[CheezWizHed]

Maybe Giannis should give him lessons. I wish I could put this in blue...