Round 1 Indy Lead Up

[FrieAaron]

It all comes down to how healthy Giannis is.
Honestly I was happy that he is even doubtful for game 1, I was expecting him out.
We should probably sit him game 1 and see if the team can win without him.
If they can win, sit him another one.

Agree with this but my primary worry is that we have been awful on the road this season. This would be a much easier decision if we were opening on the road.

[Brewhoopfan]

I’ve seen nothing down the stretch of the season that leads me to believe Dame is going to be an impact guy in this series, or that Doc can make the adjustments necessary to win in the playoffs. I also have very little faith in our veteran supporting cast to make 3 point shots. I believe Midds will show up, he generally does, but GA will have to go nuclear to win this series.

I will also be shocked if we win any game GA doesn’t play.

Hoping for for the best but my expectations haven’t been this low in a while.

I have no doubt the basketball gods will once again rekindle the hopes of all Bucks fans. Perhaps with a game one 120-104 game 1 Bucks win? This will set up an EPIC crash and burn playoff exit which is the only logical end to this crap season.

[emunney]

I am loving the talking heads making us out to be a clear underdog in this series.

[MissKhriddleton]

I really can’t see this team rolling over. Dame wanted a chance at a ring, is he going to half ass it because he’s not in Miami? Is Giannis cool with just one? Are Brook and Khris content to bide their time until retirement?

That’d all be weird.

[Karsenmitsche]

I really can’t see this team rolling over. Dame wanted a chance at a ring, is he going to half ass it because he’s not in Miami? Is Giannis cool with just one? Are Brook and Khris content to bide their time until retirement?

That’d all be weird.

My feelings as well. We were an old/injured team in the regular season going through a coaching change. We were never going to win a ton of games. Against all the top teams we played extremely well. They’ll show up. I think it’s about health/lack of experience more than anything but that’s more of an issue later into the playoffs not vs Indiana.

[WeMajor34]

I am loving the talking heads making us out to be a clear underdog in this series.

Bucks being pegged as underdogs going into a series has usually does some good for the team's collective motivation in the past. Hopefully they respond accordingly. I think they will.

[drew881]

I really can’t see this team rolling over. Dame wanted a chance at a ring, is he going to half ass it because he’s not in Miami? Is Giannis cool with just one? Are Brook and Khris content to bide their time until retirement?

That’d all be weird.

My feelings as well. We were an old/injured team in the regular season going through a coaching change. We were never going to win a ton of games. Against all the top teams we played extremely well. They’ll show up. I think it’s about health/lack of experience more than anything but that’s more of an issue later into the playoffs not vs Indiana.

Can’t you apply this same logic the last couple of years and the results still don’t pan out?

[BigO]

Pacers win. The homer in me wants to say Bucks in 6 but it's the Pacers. This Bucks roster is a mess.

Couldn't disagree more (still love you).

Based on my observations of the Bucks roster and other teams rosters, the Bucks starting lineup (even when Beasley was in there) was the best starting lineup in the league.

So to repeat for the 100th time (like a good teacher should), IF the Bucks are healthy, I like them to beat the Pacers in 6. If any one of the top three are out, I like the Pacers in 5 or 6.

The other caveat I throw in there is that the starting five has to play 40 minutes a game. The bench is bad, other than Portis. Unless they show they're on, keep PC and Crowder to limited minutes (ten or less). I would play Green some, to see what he's got.

[paulpressey25]

The downside of this series is that we'll have to see Haliburton's dad (good guy) literally every two minutes on cutaways. And he'll be dancing away, as he was earlier in the year.

I still don't know what to make of Indy. We played all five games against them BEFORE they traded for Siakam. And Haliburton has lost some of his magic ju-ju. And no Mathurin nor Hield.

This is a tough matchup, but I wouldn't take anything from those five games. They all happened before January 3rd. Both squads are just a lot different.

[smauss]

I’ve seen nothing down the stretch of the season that leads me to believe Dame is going to be an impact guy in this series, or that Doc can make the adjustments necessary to win in the playoffs. I also have very little faith in our veteran supporting cast to make 3 point shots. I believe Midds will show up, he generally does, but GA will have to go nuclear to win this series.

I will also be shocked if we win any game GA doesn’t play.

Hoping for for the best but my expectations haven’t been this low in a while.

Well said Luke! My thoughts exactly.........

[Plossum]

The downside of this series is that we'll have to see Haliburton's dad (good guy) literally every two minutes on cutaways. And he'll be dancing away, as he was earlier in the year.

I still don't know what to make of Indy. We played all five games against them BEFORE they traded for Siakam. And Haliburton has lost some of his magic ju-ju. And no Mathurin nor Hield.

This is a tough matchup, but I wouldn't take anything from those five games. They all happened before January 3rd. Both squads are just a lot different.

Maybe different squads but they’re still gonna play the same way. They’ll push the pace hard and try wear us out, drag Lopez out into Hali mismatches etc. We’ve been crying out for a coach who can make necessary playoff adjustments so we’re about to find out if Doc can really be an upgrade over Bud.

[Baddy Chuck]

My expectations go from no expectations to low expectations if Giannis is out any game.

[blazza18]

I don't know what to expect with the Giannis injury hovering over the entire series but I know I would feel better about our chances if Dame was DAME and if the team didn't completely lay an egg against the Pacers already.

[Profound23]

If Indy beats us you know Hali is stunting.

Make sure IF we win, we flex on him at least once.

[SupremeHustle]

Pacers win. The homer in me wants to say Bucks in 6 but it's the Pacers. This Bucks roster is a mess.

Couldn't disagree more (still love you).

Based on my observations of the Bucks roster and other teams rosters, the Bucks starting lineup (even when Beasley was in there) was the best starting lineup in the league.

So to repeat for the 100th time (like a good teacher should), IF the Bucks are healthy, I like them to beat the Pacers in 6. If any one of the top three are out, I like the Pacers in 5 or 6.

The other caveat I throw in there is that the starting five has to play 40 minutes a game. The bench is bad, other than Portis. Unless they show they're on, keep PC and Crowder to limited minutes (ten or less). I would play Green some, to see what he's got.

Respect, BigO.

I'm not concerned about the starters plus Bobby (other than their health). It's everyone else. If Doc goes with a 9-man rotation, which he definitely will, that means Patty C and Crowder are getting real playoff minutes. In my eyes, from what I've seen, that's not promising.

The wild card could end up being PatBev. Is he this year's version of PJ Tucker? If so, maybe we can beat the Pacers. But I'm still not picking us in the second round.

(Sorry if someone already made that point. I haven't caught up on the thread yet.)

Edited to add: And our chemistry seems to suck.

[HKPackFan]

There is some bad blood here.

Don't forget they goofed on giannis and his game ball... They mocked dame as well.


Even old guys can go and dig into that well and get that extra juice when they really want it. Maybe not every night over 3 months but here and there ya, they got that extra gear.

And they be pissed.


Giannis gonna go cheat mode on their asses, spirit of Portland Dame is coming back for a few games.

BP and patbev gonna be absolute **** to these young kids. Gonna **** with their heads and get under their skin.

While cool and smooth Kash money gonna bring some timely buckets.

Don't underestimate this team pissed off at the pacers.

[AntetokounmBros]

There is some bad blood here.

Don't forget they goofed on giannis and his game ball... They mocked dame as well.


Even old guys can go and dig into that well and get that extra juice when they really want it. Maybe not every night over 3 months but here and there ya, they got that extra gear.

And they be pissed.


Giannis gonna go cheat mode on their asses, spirit of Portland Dame is coming back for a few games.

BP and patbev gonna be absolute **** to these young kids. Gonna **** with their heads and get under their skin.

While cool and smooth Kash money gonna bring some timely buckets.

Don't underestimate this team pissed off at the pacers.

That would be the most satisfying way for this series to go, ala Miami 2021. I'd love to see AJ Green or Beasley go full Bryn Forbes on them too.

[GoldenAntlers]

Losing Hield, Brown, and Mathurin won't bode well for the Pacers. Those 3 dudes killed us in every game this year. Bucks in 6

They are all out indefinitely?

[GoldenAntlers]

There is some bad blood here.

Don't forget they goofed on giannis and his game ball... They mocked dame as well.


Even old guys can go and dig into that well and get that extra juice when they really want it. Maybe not every night over 3 months but here and there ya, they got that extra gear.

And they be pissed.


Giannis gonna go cheat mode on their asses, spirit of Portland Dame is coming back for a few games.

BP and patbev gonna be absolute **** to these young kids. Gonna **** with their heads and get under their skin.

While cool and smooth Kash money gonna bring some timely buckets.

Don't underestimate this team pissed off at the pacers.

Amen.

[MissKhriddleton]

Can we get a time? Trying to make Sunday plans.