Game 40: Raptors at Bucks - 1/17/25 - 7:00 - FDSWI

[Plossum]

This would support though that Trent is streaky af and doesn’t offer much if he isn’t hot from three.

[mediocrityrules]

Why do I feel nervous about this one?

[HKPackFan]

Why do I feel nervous about this one?

Decades of being a Bucks fan.

[pifhluk23]

I agree Green is the better fit as a starter, but I wonder if it's simply Ajax's energy that the coachs want setting the tone?

His energy and defense to not let the opposing best guard get in a rythm right off the tip is my guess why he starts.

[-Jragon-]

Schedule W
Must L
Lose 104 - 120
Low scorer Dame
Highest scorer Liam

reverse all of that

[Daver]

Yeah, we've seen enough of the Andre experiment. You simply can't have SG Ben Simmons in the starting-5 with Giannis. Hopefully Doc understands this eventually.

Not only that but you cant have 2 guys in your starting 5 who cant score in prince/ jax.Puts to much pressure on the other 3.greens D isnt that much worse even if it is than ajaxs.Zero reason to start ajax when green or trent would mske the spacing so much better

[jimmybones]

I mean we could just start Green and Dre together and see how that looks for a bit. Green off the bench simply makes no sense to me anymore, I don’t quite care who the other wing is as long as Green is starting and playing big minutes.

This please.

Green starting feels so incredibly obvious. Trent and Green are both better defending versions of what Beasley was with this starting unit, why not have one of them start. Green will space the floor for the stars and not take usage from them by taking dumb shots. I can't wrap my head around how Beasley was an automatic start all year as a one trick pony while Green is literally a better all around version of him doesn't start.

I think you can make an argument for Prince or Ajax at the other spot. I'd go Ajax for the athleticism and glue guy stuff he brings but Prince brings better shooting/spacing and passing, size. And Ajax might make more sense as a chaos merchant off the bench in spurts.

A lot of guys like to point out that it matters more who finishes games than who starts but I don't like the idea of starting a guy that's going to play 15 mins a game and not be in closing units. We should increase Green's minutes with the main guys not only because he's synergistically a great fit but also to maximize his chemistry with those dudes because he should be a closing unit guy.

[tydett]

I support AJG starting. Only concern is that the still uses his hands a bit too much on defense and you run the problem of him maybe getting into early foul trouble. But he's earned his position, and again, I think Ajax makes a good secondary playmaker and defender with the second unit.

[MiltownMadness]

To be honest I question if AJJ should be playing at all, the Bucks are much worse when he is on the floor. If you want to develop him by giving him 10 minutes a night, be my guest, but pigeonholing him into being the starter for no reason hasn't been working. He still is a bad defender overall due to his lack of discipline and knowledge

Would prefer if we got off to faster starts as that is when it seems Bucks roll. Green or Trent would work fine

[Bernman]

To be honest I question if AJJ should be playing at all, the Bucks are much worse when he is on the floor. If you want to develop him by giving him 10 minutes a night, be my guest, but pigeonholing him into being the starter for no reason hasn't been working. He still is a bad defender overall due to his lack of discipline and knowledge

Would prefer if we got off to faster starts as that is when it seems Bucks roll. Green or Trent would work fine

Ajax definitely should be benched, but not rigidly throughout the game. We shouldn't be stuck in this binary. It would lead to the mistake that was made w/ Pat. It's feast or famine.

Why not just call on him when there's an offensive force he projects to effectively stifle & our plan a's can't do it, or a lineup requires rebounding, young legs, etc.; they can't get elsewhere.

[MiltownMadness]

To be honest I question if AJJ should be playing at all, the Bucks are much worse when he is on the floor. If you want to develop him by giving him 10 minutes a night, be my guest, but pigeonholing him into being the starter for no reason hasn't been working. He still is a bad defender overall due to his lack of discipline and knowledge

Would prefer if we got off to faster starts as that is when it seems Bucks roll. Green or Trent would work fine

Ajax definitely should be benched, but not rigidly throughout the game. We shouldn't be stuck in this binary. It would lead to the mistake that was made w/ Pat. It's feast or famine.

Why not just call on him when there's an offensive force he projects to effectively stifle & our plan a's can't do it, or a lineup requires rebounding, young legs, etc.; they can't get elsewhere.

Agreed he is very situational, all the more reason you gotta move him to the bench. We saw in the Pacers series that he is matchup dependent

[-Jragon-]

Keep working with AJJ on timing that back cut and lob pass to him because that alone will keep a defender honest. With that athleticism and the gravity our duo demands, adding timing and he can't be ignored. On D he obviously has a role as the Pat Bev type disrupter.

[JEIS]

Yeah, we've seen enough of the Andre experiment. You simply can't have SG Ben Simmons in the starting-5 with Giannis. Hopefully Doc understands this eventually.

Not only that but you cant have 2 guys in your starting 5 who cant score in prince/ jax.Puts to much pressure on the other 3.greens D isnt that much worse even if it is than ajaxs.Zero reason to start ajax when green or trent would mske the spacing so much better

I think it would be interesting to try A Jax as a small ball center in lineups where Brook and Bobby are too slow. He seems like he would have the ability to play up tempo, be able to set a decent screen for pick and rolls.

[MickeyDavis]

AJJ is officially out, Trent is officially in

[Ron Swanson]

Having a 59% (Trent) or 55% (Green) corner-3 guy ready to launch off of Giannis/Dame drive & kicks just makes the offense so much more lethal than when Andre is out there knee-capping your spacing. Love his energy but Andre needs to be firmly planted on the bench going forward.

[Siefer]

I'm for Green (preferably) or Trent in the starting lineup moving forward, but I think a significant part of the problem has been Dre and Prince on the floor together. Prince can at least hit an open three or two, but it's hard for an offense to be elite with Tony Snell and Moute on the court at the same time.

[Packbuckman]

I would like to see a Dame AJ Ajax Giannis Lopez lineup just to see how it looks come on Doc see how Ajax guards the 3 instead of the quickest players.

[-Jragon-]

I think Doc views basketball a little differently. In the lob city days he had Deandre Jordan and Blake Griffin non-shooters but he made them dangerous in different ways. They played some athletic D and got into their offense quickly If you reverse that and have our center Brook and Prince outside for catch and shoot (Brook can get back on D easier) .. then let AJJ/Giannis set screens and slash at the right time and we're getting lobs/layups/dunks we're still going to be hard to deal with --- and the defense will set the tone as well.

For Dame and Giannis, AJJ's athleticism and Brook's size/height cause a lot of chaos and those 2 guys thrive on chaos. Everyone except Dame is long for deflections (but Dame is fast) and we're starting the game in run/gun mode getting Dame and Giannis comfortable and in flow. For you to think that we have to have Green starting, that means you see us as a halfcourt team that wants to be a halfcourt team and that our duo will thrive as a halfcourt team instead of some quazi fast break run and gun type stuff. I think we need deflections, chaos, running, picks, and motions/angles/cuts off that chaos to get guys open running towards the hoop. Defense collapses to stop the rim running and that's when Prince/Brook/Dame pick them apart with 3's and GTJ/Green are in the wings waiting to capitalize on their tired a$$es. Doc sees us as a hustle chaos team and moving KM/Bobby for more grit/toughness/D solidifies that that's what we are.

[-Jragon-]

If the net ratings don't show that we're better with AJJ and the starters than Dairy with the starters, it doesn't change that Doc still might be trying to start the game that way with energy flying around and then bring in Dairy and GTJ in when things slow up a little. Another guy in the starting lineup that doesn't need shots also gives Giannis and Dame more FGAs in that faster flow to get heated up.

[-Jragon-]

If you think about all the clues and evidence you'll see it's most likely true... Who's getting in? AJJ/Rollins -- running
Who is rumored to be on the way out? KM, Bobby, Pat C.. half court non-defenders
Doc, Hamm, idk... but someone decided we need to run or at least jog into our sets to get the most out of GA and Dame.. believe me now or keep watching and believe me later