Bucks/Pacers Lead-up - Dame Cleared for Practice

[CharityStripe34]

Healthy Bucks with KPJ as a wild card (hopefully starting) are capable to beat anyone in the NBA in a 7 game series

Not a chance. We've shown nothing to suggest we can even be competitive in a series against Boston or Cleveland let alone win it outright. Maybe less so with Cleveland as they've been sputtering lately....

From what I remember every game against Cleveland (except one) was really close and came down to 1-2 possessions. As far as overall consistency and talent I agree we are decided underdogs.

[Packbuckman]

When were those stats for Trent taking at the beginning of the year when he was starting and was god awful if so I wouldn’t waste time on those since that slump he’s been a very good player for us better than AJ and more consistent.

This is provably false.

Green had our best d-rating on the season as a whole. #2 in terms of net rating behind Giannis.

Last season Lillard-Green had a +17 net rating, and they only allowed 104 pts per 100 (backing up their 108 this season). In Portland, Dame-Trent allowed 115 (+4.4) & 116 (+4.6).

It's an indisputable fact Trent's an inferior defender to Green & Dame-Trent is a bad defensive backcourt, which makes it almost impossible to contend with.

Who shows up offensively for the postseason is an open question for both. But if it's just Trent to play next to Lillard, we're in trouble. You better hope Green carries over that functional offense to take advantage of the proven more functional defensive backcourt & Doc calls upon that.

I am not looking at stats years ago I would start who’s playing the best now which is Trent and KPJ and if it was me KPJ would be starting next to Dame if and when Dame is healthy enough to to play. Now I also want to see green and Rollins to play and all should play more so than prince in this series.

[fansinceforever]

Toss the ball and let's play. This team can beat anyone but now all of the excuses can be put to rest.

[tydett]

I'm genuinely worried for Dame that he's taking a risk he shouldn't. I would love to be wrong here.

That being said, any silly talk of Dame not caring or wanting to be elsewhere should stop. Dude has fought through multiple injuries in his time here to play and does it again here.

[CJTURT]

I’ve got big balls. We’ve got big balls! Dames got big balls. Kpg has big balls . Bobby’s balls are always bouncing from the left and to the right. But Giannis has the biggest balls of them all!!! Let’s go bucks in 6

[German Athens]

I’ve got big balls. We’ve got big balls! Dames got big balls. Kpg has big balls . Bobby’s balls are always bouncing from the left and to the right. But Giannis has the biggest balls of them all!!! Let’s go bucks in 6

Took the words right out of my mouth

[RiotPunch]

I’ve got big balls. We’ve got big balls! Dames got big balls. Kpg has big balls . Bobby’s balls are always bouncing from the left and to the right. But Giannis has the biggest balls of them all!!! Let’s go bucks in 6

Took the words right out of my mouth

One might say he took the big balls out of your mouth?

[German Athens]

I’ve got big balls. We’ve got big balls! Dames got big balls. Kpg has big balls . Bobby’s balls are always bouncing from the left and to the right. But Giannis has the biggest balls of them all!!! Let’s go bucks in 6

Took the words right out of my mouth

One might say he took the big balls out of your mouth?

What a blown opportunity.

[Bernman]

I am not looking at stats years ago I would start who’s playing the best now which is Trent and KPJ and if it was me KPJ would be starting next to Dame if and when Dame is healthy enough to to play. Now I also want to see green and Rollins to play and all should play more so than prince in this series.

When did Trent become this good defender? He has 1 of our worst d-ratings on the season. When he was going thru a slump early in the season cuz of his elbow or whatever, that didn't impact his d. He's been a bad defender this yr/in his career. You can't argue with that. Same goes for Dame.

You want 2 bad defenders in a backcourt, as opposed to 1 good, if you had the choice. Then you're arguing you'd start KPJ next to Dame ideally, so there'd be a too many cooks in the kitchen concern.

It seems practically your whole philosophy is to just throw all the biggest offensive talents in the same lineup, w/ little concern for anything else. If that worked, you'd think actual coaches would do that, and stats or logic would reflect that's more effective. But alas, not.

[Matches Malone]

I’ve got big balls. We’ve got big balls! Dames got big balls. Kpg has big balls . Bobby’s balls are always bouncing from the left and to the right. But Giannis has the biggest balls of them all!!! Let’s go bucks in 6

Took the words right out of my mouth

One might say he took the big balls out of your mouth?

[Shaffty]

I'm genuinely worried for Dame that he's taking a risk he shouldn't. I would love to be wrong here.

Nothing to worry about, this isn't something you can come back early from, this is an either you are 100% cleared or you are not.

[mlloyd10]

Healthy Bucks with KPJ as a wild card (hopefully starting) are capable to beat anyone in the NBA in a 7 game series

Not a chance. We've shown nothing to suggest we can even be competitive in a series against Boston or Cleveland let alone win it outright. Maybe less so with Cleveland as they've been sputtering lately....

From what I remember every game against Cleveland (except one) was really close and came down to 1-2 possessions. As far as overall consistency and talent I agree we are decided underdogs.

Bos – Game 1 – Down by 8 with 8 mins
Bos – Game 2 – Down by 3 with 2 mins
Bos – Game 3 – Down by 1 with 2 mins

CLE – Game 1 – Last sec shot by Mitchell – Lost by 1
CLE – Game 2 – Down by 2 with 45 secs
CLE – Game 3 – Blown Out
CLE – Game 4 – Down by 5 with 9 mins

[Ruben Quevedo]

Healthy Bucks with KPJ as a wild card (hopefully starting) are capable to beat anyone in the NBA in a 7 game series

Not a chance. We've shown nothing to suggest we can even be competitive in a series against Boston or Cleveland let alone win it outright. Maybe less so with Cleveland as they've been sputtering lately....

See you next season then

Oh I'll be watching and hoping. But it's simply a fact this team has shown *nothing* to suggest in can make a deep playoff run. The recent winning streak was mostly against bad teams. Detroit was a good win...but they are a 6 seed. Minnesota we were down 24 in the 4th. At home.

11th in net rating. 11th on offense and 12th on defense. Lost most of our toughest games this year, and we've been terrible on the road. Really the only argument is "Giannis and Dame" but it's been 2 years now and I think it's safe to say they don't elevate each other's games.

The coach is mediocre, the roster is mediocre, the advanced stats are mediocre, and the results have been mediocre. 5.5 point dogs to a mediocre Pacers team. You need some green and white tinted glasses to think we are anything more than 2nd round canon fodder.

(Go Bucks)

[Finn]

Healthy Bucks with KPJ as a wild card (hopefully starting) are capable to beat anyone in the NBA in a 7 game series

Not a chance. We've shown nothing to suggest we can even be competitive in a series against Boston or Cleveland let alone win it outright. Maybe less so with Cleveland as they've been sputtering lately....

Is this the same as all of the "there's no chance Dame is back this season" posts I've been reading?

[neiLz]

The dame news is surprising. all of the reports were saying he still had a clot. However, the bucks staff kind of lies. I member when Brook was coming back from back surgery in late november and he missed 75 games before he came back. Khris was coming back every week for like 2 years for his injuries. Maybe the staff just likes to troll people.

[neiLz]

Not a chance. We've shown nothing to suggest we can even be competitive in a series against Boston or Cleveland let alone win it outright. Maybe less so with Cleveland as they've been sputtering lately....

See you next season then

Oh I'll be watching and hoping. But it's simply a fact this team has shown *nothing* to suggest in can make a deep playoff run. The recent winning streak was mostly against bad teams. Detroit was a good win...but they are a 6 seed. Minnesota we were down 24 in the 4th. At home.

11th in net rating. 11th on offense and 12th on defense. Lost most of our toughest games this year, and we've been terrible on the road. Really the only argument is "Giannis and Dame" but it's been 2 years now and I think it's safe to say they don't elevate each other's games.

The coach is mediocre, the roster is mediocre, the advanced stats are mediocre, and the results have been mediocre. 5.5 point dogs to a mediocre Pacers team. You need some green and white tinted glasses to think we are anything more than 2nd round canon fodder.

(Go Bucks)

Last year they won most of their close games and flamed out cuz giannis was hurt. the difference is Giannis might be the healthiest he's been in a while. When you have the best player on the court, you have a shot.

[RogerMurdock]

Thinking about a healthy playoff lineup gave me deep vein throbosis.

[blazza18]

Surprisingly great news.

Hoping we see Rollins/Porter still play real minutes. Would even lean in to playing 2/3 together more than we’ve seen as well. Dame’s defence gotta tighten up but the two young dudes can help with that.

[raysbookclub]

I can't believe it. Not that I know anything about Deep Vein Thrombosis, but seeing how it shut down Wemby and how it ended Bosh's career, I figured we would see Dame back next year, at best. But kudos to the Bucks' doctors, first of all for saving his life ! of course, and apparently catching it so early that he could be playing in a matter of days.

Awesome, happy for Dame, happy for the team, happy for us.

So we won't see Dame in Game 1, but will we see Jericho Sims? I really think he is an X-factor as an athletic big who can really run the court, especially against a team like Pacers trying to push the pace. Visions of Thon vs the Raptors in the playoffs 2017. Doc, put him in!

[SupremeHustle]

If you think the Bucks, with this current roster, if healthy, have a shot to beat anybody in a series -- you are 100% correct.

I said it a few weeks ago, but I'll say it again: if our squad is healthy, we have a legit shot at the whole thing as long as Doctor Rivers doesn't try to outcoach himself. Sometimes I wonder if you guys forget how good #34 can be.