Bucks/NBA Prediction Thread - Locks at 6:00 p.m.

[mattg]

51 wins and 2nd round playoff loss in 6 games.

Just don't see us ever getting our chemistry down, can't figure out a team identity and style, we are old and slow asf at every position, and if one of our top 3 gets hurt we are out in the first round.

[blazza18]

Simmons reading out our rotation's age and experience then Russilo saying we only had one sure fire rotation guy in their 20's was pretty eye opening. Not anything we don't already know but when it's said out loud it's a bit of a shock still. That's why I'm kinda surprised people think we can be locked in pretty much every night and winning 55+ games. Even if we're good I just don't see that happening. There are going to be so many nights where the team just doesn't have it because they're old.

That's not true, though?

Guess Bobby and Giannis turning 30 during the season confused things here.

[Balls2TheWalls]

54-28, 2nd place in the East. Win championship because we actually have a fully healthy roster for the entire playoff run.

[Siefer]

The broad constellation of concerns is legit (age, injuries, depth), but the Simmons pod was a classic example of folks leaning on their priors in lieu of actually paying attention to the team, and it shouldn't be taken very seriously.

It would be very cool if basketball media wasn't populated with guys who don't watch much basketball.

[MiltownMadness]

IF they are healthy when the time comes, they will win it all. Bucks will take RS more seriously than most here expect, all the big 3 play at least 65 games. This is our last shot with this same core of KM/Dame/Giannis/Brook/Bobby/Pat and they know it, they will give it their all.

I think things are lining up for a perfect storm with every single person on our roster and coaching staff being disrespected in the most nasty ways for the last 7 months. Just remember Bucks are composed of champs with tons of pride and tons to prove, this is a good situation for the Bucks to be in. We would be cooked if we were favorites, our roster is MADE to play with a chip on their shoulder

[BUCKnation]

The broad constellation of concerns is legit (age, injuries, depth), but the Simmons pod was a classic example of folks leaning on their priors in lieu of actually paying attention to the team, and it shouldn't be taken very seriously.

It would be very cool if basketball media wasn't populated with guys who don't watch much basketball.

Using the same reasoning, idk how he was so high on the Suns but so down on the Bucks.

[MiltownMadness]

The broad constellation of concerns is legit (age, injuries, depth), but the Simmons pod was a classic example of folks leaning on their priors in lieu of actually paying attention to the team, and it shouldn't be taken very seriously.

It would be very cool if basketball media wasn't populated with guys who don't watch much basketball.

Using the same reasoning, idk how he was so high on the Suns but so down on the Bucks.

Bucks fans listening to Simmons is masochism and I'll never understand some of you for it. The dude hates the Bucks

[emunney]

The broad constellation of concerns is legit (age, injuries, depth), but the Simmons pod was a classic example of folks leaning on their priors in lieu of actually paying attention to the team, and it shouldn't be taken very seriously.

It would be very cool if basketball media wasn't populated with guys who don't watch much basketball.

Using the same reasoning, idk how he was so high on the Suns but so down on the Bucks.

The Suns had an unequivocally great offseason, but yeah, if you think the Suns are going to be great and the Bucks are going to be mediocre, you're putting too much weight on preseason games.

[Ron Swanson]

Simmons **** on the Bucks at every turn but he's always been a Giannis defender. But that's precisely why his contradictory reasoning is pretty funny. Like, he has the complete opposite take on the Nuggets and Mavs because of the reasoning that "Luka and Jokic give you a baseline 50+ wins".

He's even said he really likes all 3 acquisitions we've made (Wright, Prince, Trent), so it sure seems, like a whole lot of other NBA media goons, that he's just wish-casting the Bucks to fail spectacularly so that they can fill the "next superstar who wants out" void with Giannis trade talk. I mean, dude couldn't even wait 10-minutes into their WESTERN CONFERENCE over/under pod to start talking about Giannis trades.

[Matches Malone]

Simmons is a **** and his entire platform caters to Boston supremacy. idk how anyone likes that hack, let alone a Bucks fan. Just as braindead as Kendrick Perkins with a different accent.

[BigO]

I'm back, with thoughts you can take to the bank:

1) Bucks win championship, if healthy. They aren't balanced like Celtics, but they have the best player.

2) The Bucks young guys are brutal, but it is tough to judge them fairly if they only play with each other. A guy like Green should only be judged when he is playing with good players. He has an elite skill that is shown off when he is playing with better players.

3) I said it during summer league and it's even clearer now. AJ Johnson is not good. His handle is suspect, he can't shoot and has no idea what to do.

4) Picking Johnson before Ryan Dunn may be a firing worthy offense against Horst.

5) I see the anti Portis crowd still rears its ugly head every time he misses a shot. Recent posts calling him unplayable or saying he should be traded for Gabe Vincent are worthy of a real GM suspension.

[chonestown]

I'm back, with thoughts you can take to the bank

FDIC-level posting.

Big O was reading Zander Hollander yearlies back when they was handwritten on papyrus. Respect!

[Bernman]

5) I see the anti Portis crowd still rears its ugly head every time he misses a shot. Recent posts calling him unplayable or saying he should be traded for Gabe Vincent are worthy of a real GM suspension.

a. It was Vincent and a pick, we could use to acquire Paul Reed, a better, more athletic big, which is a need for this team. Omitting that doesn't speak well of your argument.

b. If anything it's suspension-worthy to deflect for a player w/ a 0 +/- the last 2 seasons on a contending team somehow, who then drops his level further in the playoffs. Of course you know the argument against him is not primarily about making shots in the regular & preseason. That's a projection it's what others care about.

[Milbucks96]

47-35
2nd round loss in 5 games
Giannis looks great, top 5 in mvp again. Dame plays at a borderline all star level, Khris in and out the lineup. Bobby traded.

Luka MVP
Evan Mobley DPOY
Celtics beat okc in the finals (Secondary pick Knicks over Suns)

[paulpressey25]

The Suns had an unequivocally great offseason, but yeah, if you think the Suns are going to be great and the Bucks are going to be mediocre, you're putting too much weight on preseason games.

Find the comparisons with the two teams fascinating. 2021 Finals opponents four seasons later.

We've got Giannis, they don't. Huge advantage Bucks.

That said, they've added since the last trade deadline Royce O'Neal, Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris, Ryan Dunn and...Bud.

That's pretty much a best case scenario to put next to Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, given they didn't have any draft capital.

[emunney]

The Suns had an unequivocally great offseason, but yeah, if you think the Suns are going to be great and the Bucks are going to be mediocre, you're putting too much weight on preseason games.

Find the comparisons with the two teams fascinating. 2021 Finals opponents four seasons later.

We've got Giannis, they don't. Huge advantage Bucks.

That said, they've added since the last trade deadline Royce O'Neal, Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris, Ryan Dunn and...Bud.

That's pretty much a best case scenario to put next to Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, given they didn't have any draft capital.

Oso's going to end up in their rotation, too. I had them as his ideal fit pre-draft.

[All The Bucks]

I've now seen enough overlooking and dismissing of the Bucks on a national level to predict an absolute dominant season, a #1 seed, a 3rd Giannis MVP, Damian Lillard reminding the league they're still on Dame Time, that Khris Middleton is Good, and a franchise 3rd NBA Championship

[BigO]

5) I see the anti Portis crowd still rears its ugly head every time he misses a shot. Recent posts calling him unplayable or saying he should be traded for Gabe Vincent are worthy of a real GM suspension.

a. It was Vincent and a pick, we could use to acquire Paul Reed, a better, more athletic big, which is a need for this team. Omitting that doesn't speak well of your argument.

b. If anything it's suspension-worthy to deflect for a player w/ a 0 +/- the last 2 seasons on a contending team somehow, who then drops his level further in the playoffs. Of course you know the argument against him is not primarily about making shots in the regular & preseason. That's a projection it's what others care about.

Props to you for outing yourself. But I don't think you did yourself any favors by wanting to trade BP for Paul Reed, who I think was claimed off of waivers by Detroit. Nor does an argument based on plus/minus mean a whole lot.

I just find it funny that a guy like BP, who was placed on the USA team by the most respected coaches in the world and who shoots at a high efficiency and rebounds at a high level, is so disrespected.

But I promised last season to stop responding to all the anti BP stuff and I will do the same this season after this. BP is not untouchable, but Vincent and Reed aren't even close.

[Jez2983]

I'm back, with thoughts you can take to the bank:

1) Bucks win championship, if healthy. They aren't balanced like Celtics, but they have the best player.

2) The Bucks young guys are brutal, but it is tough to judge them fairly if they only play with each other. A guy like Green should only be judged when he is playing with good players. He has an elite skill that is shown off when he is playing with better players.

3) I said it during summer league and it's even clearer now. AJ Johnson is not good. His handle is suspect, he can't shoot and has no idea what to do.

4) Picking Johnson before Ryan Dunn may be a firing worthy offense against Horst.

5) I see the anti Portis crowd still rears its ugly head every time he misses a shot. Recent posts calling him unplayable or saying he should be traded for Gabe Vincent are worthy of a real GM suspension.

Agree with most of this, with some minor debates.

Are the Celts that balanced? Their wing/guard rotation is the best in the NBA, but I have the same questions about their bigs. Surprised they didn't look to upgrade their back ups to Horford/Porzingas.

Agree with Green, however I'm not sure about AJJ being useless/not picking Dunn be a fireable offense. We picked Andre last year as the 'right' player and that hasn't translated. I can definitely understand why Horst swung at potential in this draft. Hopefully AJJ develops his shot, there's definitely flashes. It will also be interesting to see him in a situation where he doesn't have the green light to jack up everything.

Portis. Love the guy. We clearly need a mobile stretch big who can defend. I would definitely trade some of his offense for a defensive upgrade, but I don't think that player exists. So I'm 100% on board rolling with Bobby.

[DutchManDanFan]

60 wins with good health. Otherwise 50
It would be fun to see Giannis and Dame compete for the scoring title. One of them wins.
We win the 1st round for a change. After that anything can happen.
Luka gets MVP.