PG: Series tied 2-2

[th87]

The "L" that is the ongoing narrative that Norman Powell should be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks just because we drafted him? Ok, sure.

Nope. The accurate narrative that he *wouldn't* be a Raptor if not for Kidd's moronic boner for Vasquez.

Along with being a moron who cost us years of true contender status.

Really audacious to still defend him.

The Vasquez deal was stupid at the time and I said so. Blaming Jason Kidd for Norman Powell killing us last night, when every team in the NBA passed on him in the draft at least once, is Donald Trump-level stupid. Congrats.

Ironic *you'd* consider him stupid when you yourself continually defend a moron who has proven himself to be a moron.

You have no credibility on this matter.

[DarrickMartin]

chiming in with a Toronto perspective - I personally don't feel like momentum is a factor (or provides me with any comfort) after the wild swings in the Philly series we experienced. I've imagined this one going the distance from the start and still see it going to 7. Bledsoe has been awful but I expect him to rebound and have an impactful game at home in gm 5 - he is too talented to shrivel away, just like some of our guys have responded after poor stretches... it happens but these guys are pros and will respond.

[JayMKE]

Toronto has a great crowd, they brought a ton of energy and were very loud. It seems obvious playing home and away matters to players and the way refs call games.

[leroyjw10]

Do we consider going to the Boston defense of switching 1-5 to stop Gasol and some of these other open 3’s? Might be worth a shot even though Kawai will get mismatches. I think if they play this same defense they have been it’s gonna take a vintage rare good Kidd defense game where everyone got gassed but was flying around like crazy. Just win game 5 at all costs even if it costs you game 6 and hope you’re rested enough for game 7. I don’t know, just thinking of random **** at this point.

I'd rather let Kawhi get his than let some of these other guys torch us from 3. Especially if he is showing any signs of injury, you might get lucky and he has an average to sub-average game. The strategy of stopping Leonard and making the other guys beat us have proven to not work these past two games. Their role players have stepped up.

Agreed. I'd single Kawhi up with whoever, and not leave anyone else open. No help on Kawhi whatsoever. If a 1-legged Kawhi drops 40, so be it, but we can still win. Once guys like Powell, Ibaka, VanVleet and Green get going, we're screwed.

[leroyjw10]

As bad as the defense was last night, I was really disappointed in the offense really for the last two games. There's been so much iso ball with Giannis and Mids, and I don't necessarily blame either. Bud needs to do a better job of running actual plays. Not nearly enough ball or player movement.

I'd love to see more Mids/Giannis PnR (with either as ball handler) and space the floor with Hill, Brogdon and Lopez. I think that'd create a lot more movement and be really hard to defend.

[KidA24]

Time to put the starting lineup that got us where we are back in place. Brogdon shifts back in, Niko sits his ass on the bench.

I have to admit, it pisses me off that Bud can see the energy and movement on defense and offense that DJ Wilson has the ability to bring during much of the regular season and then completely shuts him out this entire playoffs. Might have been a good idea to slip him in the game at a few points when Mirotic was playing like complete **** to see if he couldn't have sparked something. The kid doesn't have much of an offensive game, but every time he's in... he sets screens, moves, competes on defense, rebounds. I don't get it. Niko sits his ass outside the three point line and chucks... it kills the offensive flow. **** hate it lol.

Anyways, we need to regroup and win on Thursday or we're likely going to lose in 6. Going to game on Thursday so yeahhhhhhhhh but anyways, last night... never want to think about it again. I hope we didn't miss our chance at the Finals in game 3 when Toronto literally gave us chance after chance to go up 3-0. We'll see.

If DJ Wilson is the answer to your question, the premise for your question is incorrect.

[Chapter29]

You heard it here first. The Bucks won't win another game. They look confused and defeated.

Wrong. Sounds like your just crying about a loss. Toronto looked just as confused and defeated after game 2.

[ReddRum]

Whats worse? Losing in 6 to the Raptors in the ECF and knowing Giannis needs help or losing to the Warriors in 5 in the Finals and bringing back Middleton?

[JimmyTheKid]

Whats worse? Losing in 6 to the Raptors in the ECF and knowing Giannis needs help or losing to the Warriors in 5 in the Finals and bringing back Middleton?

We have the horses to win a title this year. Just need to play better. I doubt our roster gets better than this current version during Giannis' prime. It seemed we had a few opportunities to swing for the fences for Kawhi, Kyrie, and Jimmy Butler, but none of deals came to fruition. Losing to the Raptors in 6 would be worse than losing to the Warriors in 5.

[hdroffffff]

Time to put the starting lineup that got us where we are back in place. Brogdon shifts back in, Niko sits his ass on the bench.

I have to admit, it pisses me off that Bud can see the energy and movement on defense and offense that DJ Wilson has the ability to bring during much of the regular season and then completely shuts him out this entire playoffs. Might have been a good idea to slip him in the game at a few points when Mirotic was playing like complete **** to see if he couldn't have sparked something. The kid doesn't have much of an offensive game, but every time he's in... he sets screens, moves, competes on defense, rebounds. I don't get it. Niko sits his ass outside the three point line and chucks... it kills the offensive flow. **** hate it lol.

Anyways, we need to regroup and win on Thursday or we're likely going to lose in 6. Going to game on Thursday so yeahhhhhhhhh but anyways, last night... never want to think about it again. I hope we didn't miss our chance at the Finals in game 3 when Toronto literally gave us chance after chance to go up 3-0. We'll see.

If DJ Wilson is the answer to your question, the premise for your question is incorrect.

Either way, it's time Niko sees fewer minutes. He's killing us out there.

[Jadoogar]

You heard it here first. The Bucks won't win another game. They look confused and defeated.

Wrong. Sounds like your just crying about a loss. Toronto looked just as confused and defeated after game 2.

100% very weird take

[talbert]

You heard it here first. The Bucks won't win another game. They look confused and defeated.

Wrong. Sounds like your just crying about a loss. Toronto looked just as confused and defeated after game 2.

Duh!

[dsilby]

Bottom line. Players play, coaches coach. This is 100% on the players because they are in positions to make plays, they're just not making them.

But what do you mean not making plays? That's our offense all year and it's served us very well. In away games we average about 110 points, this time we had 102 because there were fewer possessions and fewer fast breaks on either side, which is normal for such a critical PO game. Lots of emphasis on getting back. If you adjust for possessions our offense overall was normal, not great, just average by our standards. Giannis kept finding open guys, he also found some drives to the basket, Khris made a bunch of threes and fadeaways, Mirotic made some buckets, the usual.

It was our D that kept breaking down again and again. You're not winning anything giving up 120 points in a low possession game, forget it. And our defensive breakdowns had nothing to do with how we defended Kawhi, we kept collapsing in the paint on everything and everybody and they kept kicking it out to open shooters. And it could be worse but they missed some wide open ones.

Also (for the benefit of the Raps fans stalking this board right now) their bench played much better than usual, and Gasol made some great plays, and we couldn't do anything about it.

You can blame the D all you want, and the D wasn't not perfect for sure.

But we've all watched these games and lets not pretend the main issue is not on offense. Bled and Khris have been a no show. Khris finally had a great game yesterday. Giannis has been shut down. Nikola can't hit a shot. Lopez has not been himself. Bled can not even made a layup. They're missing a lot of free throws. Brogdon had an abysmal game and had 4 points.
They are losing the offensive board battle and was the #1 ranked team in that regard in regular season.
The Raptor bench outscored the Bucks bench 48-23!!!

So sure, you can point to the defense and that's fine. But if this is going to be your offensive output, I don't care what they do on defense. You're done. The offense absolutely must improve, it must.

[Chapter29]

You heard it here first. The Bucks won't win another game. They look confused and defeated.

Wrong. Sounds like your just crying about a loss. Toronto looked just as confused and defeated after game 2.

100% very weird take

Yup

[DrWood]

There was no player who had significant minutes who played well in game 4. Midds offense was good, but he was whiffing on D all night; why wasn't he on Kawhi hardly at all?

[Coach Carter]

Whats worse? Losing in 6 to the Raptors in the ECF and knowing Giannis needs help or losing to the Warriors in 5 in the Finals and bringing back Middleton?

this made my head hurt

[Profound23]

Sad thing is, this guarantees GS wins the Finals in four, maybe five. We beat each other up while they get KD and possibly Durant back.

They are getting him back twice?

This is why I try not to post after 12 hour shifts.

I meant KD and Cousins.

[DMBucks22]

No word on T-shirts for tonight yet hey? Maybe switching it up? Rally towels?

[MissKhriddleton]

No word on T-shirts for tonight yet hey? Maybe switching it up? Rally towels?

I think it's Dozen Egg night.

[CoachD]

The "L" that is the ongoing narrative that Norman Powell should be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks just because we drafted him? Ok, sure.

Nope. The accurate narrative that he *wouldn't* be a Raptor if not for Kidd's moronic boner for Vasquez.

Along with being a moron who cost us years of true contender status.

Really audacious to still defend him.

They also used the 1st we gave them to trade for Ibaka.

Nope

That 1st was used to draft OG Anunoby - who is missed badly in this series. Another big, strong athletic body with above average defensive ability that could be thrown at Giannis