PG Philly: Liberty Bell showing more cracks

[SkilesTheLimit]

Philly didn’t sign Horford just to stop Giannis. They had terrible issues last year when Embiid was off the court. They needed a backup C.

I just wonder how much of this is Horford truly being done, versus him not being with Brad Stevens anymore.

Elton Brand must not have been watching the domination Giannis put on Horford when the Bucks demolished the Celts in the playoffs last year.

[sidney lanier]

Say they keep the Tatum pick. The Mikal Bridges pick. Say they keep Covington and Saric. How much more do you fear the 76ers? Say they spent the free agent money wisely. The 76ers are still scary. However they could be a lot scarier if they didn't make the worst choices possible over the past 3 years.

That's the point I'm making. A dynamical system is always in motion and subject to perturbations all along the way. Asserting that the Hinkie algorithm assures success fails to take into account all the things that happen along the way. It's kind of like the towering inaccuracy of things like Malthusian predictions of famine. I suppose you could say, "dammit -- if that guy hadn't discovered dwarf rice, I would have been right." But he did.

[JayMKE]

Giannis always changes his approach and comes at guys who have guarded him well even harder the next time, Philly signing a 33 year old Horford as a 'Giannis stopper' is completely ridiculous and as good as an old vet like Horford can & was he can't stop time. He'll be 37 by the end of that contract, no way he can stay productive all those more years!

[MissKhriddleton]

Low key Giannis's best offensive game ever? Threes, fade aways, mid range, drives - it was all there.

[Ayt]

You need both the process and a solid front office that knows how to get/create a coach and scheme.

Philly turned all their assets over to a hack retread in Colangelo.

Philly got **** by the league when they essentially forced Hinkie out. That was great for the Bucks, but it was a pathetic move by Silver.

[Daver]

My question is would this game of been different if simmons didnt get hurt dude had 5 points in 5 mins

[Ayt]

Say they keep the Tatum pick. The Mikal Bridges pick. Say they keep Covington and Saric. How much more do you fear the 76ers? Say they spent the free agent money wisely. The 76ers are still scary. However they could be a lot scarier if they didn't make the worst choices possible over the past 3 years.

That's the point I'm making. A dynamical system is always in motion and subject to perturbations all along the way. Asserting that the Hinkie algorithm assures success fails to take into account all the things that happen along the way. It's kind of like the towering inaccuracy of things like Malthusian predictions of famine. I suppose you could say, "dammit -- if that guy hadn't discovered dwarf rice, I would have been right." But he did.

No one ever said it assures success. Knocking down strawmen is boring.

They were barren of assets when he took over and they were loaded with assets when he resigned. Colangelo proceeded to blow most of it and Brand has continued that trend. You can't ask for more from your GM if you are going to boot him before he's able to actually use his assets.

[TroyD92]

Giannis always changes his approach and comes at guys who have guarded him well even harder the next time, Philly signing a 33 year old Horford as a 'Giannis stopper' is completely ridiculous and as good as an old vet like Horford can & was he can't stop time. He'll be 37 by the end of that contract, no way he can stay productive all those more years!

He’s not even productive now

[Ron Swanson]

Low key Giannis's best offensive game ever? Threes, fade aways, mid range, drives - it was all there.

I'm surprised this isn't getting talked about more. This was arguably the most efficient and unstoppable that I've ever seen him on offense. This was 2011 postseason Dirk-like. Against a defense that was pretty much built with the sole intention of slowing him down no less.

[sidney lanier]

Say they keep the Tatum pick. The Mikal Bridges pick. Say they keep Covington and Saric. How much more do you fear the 76ers? Say they spent the free agent money wisely. The 76ers are still scary. However they could be a lot scarier if they didn't make the worst choices possible over the past 3 years.

That's the point I'm making. A dynamical system is always in motion and subject to perturbations all along the way. Asserting that the Hinkie algorithm assures success fails to take into account all the things that happen along the way. It's kind of like the towering inaccuracy of things like Malthusian predictions of famine. I suppose you could say, "dammit -- if that guy hadn't discovered dwarf rice, I would have been right." But he did.

No one ever said it assures success. Knocking down strawmen is boring.

They were barren of assets when he took over and they were loaded with assets when he resigned. Colangelo proceeded to blow most of it and Brand has continued that trend. You can't ask for more from your GM if you are going to boot him before he's able to actually use his assets.

OK, maybe not assures success, but Processistas were and remain fervid in holding these truths to be self-evident: that tanking is a necessary precondition for mediocre teams to escape mediocrity; that deliberate losing begets winning; and that a complete tear-down is inherently better than a conventional rebuild.

This is the supply-side economics of the NBA -- asserted to be true because intellectually satisfying, but disproved empirically over and over.

[JayMKE]

Was just thinking, how crazy it is to be 40 games over .500. I remember so long just wishing to break .500 and now we're on the way to maybe 70 wins? Gosh darn, we were so close last year but if we win it all this year there's going to be so many tears shed, laughs had, drinks shared, and cigars smoked! It's been a pleasure being on this journey with so many trials and tribulations over the years with you guys, savor every moment!

[Ron Swanson]

Also, if you construct a team that goes 19-63, 18-64, and 10-72 over a three year span, then I sure as hell expect you to be "loaded with assets" or else what the hell are you even doing as a GM?

[Bucksfan28]

Low key Giannis's best offensive game ever? Threes, fade aways, mid range, drives - it was all there.

I'm surprised this isn't getting talked about more. This was arguably the most efficient and unstoppable that I've ever seen him on offense. This was 2011 postseason Dirk-like. Against a defense that was pretty much built with the sole intention of slowing him down no less.

Him making Embiid pay in the first quarter for giving so much space was beautiful.

[fan230]

Said this in the game thread but we’re at the point where Frank Mason needs to be suiting up over DJ so we have a garbage time ball handler. Would say they should trade places, but I wouldn’t want Wilson messing up the Herd’s flow right now. He looks cooler in street clothes anyway.

I would have preferred to cut dj rather than bender, but the bucks decided to save money by their choice.

[emunney]

Philly didn’t sign Horford just to stop Giannis. They had terrible issues last year when Embiid was off the court. They needed a backup C.

I just wonder how much of this is Horford truly being done, versus him not being with Brad Stevens anymore.

He makes no sense next to Simmons and Embiid. He's obviously aging and the contact was a ridiculous own goal but he's not as bad as he currently looks.

If they needed a backup C, feels like they could have done it a lot more economically (room exception) and have signed a quality guard with the space. They'd be right there if they had

[buckboy]

40 games over .500

I'm excited to see what 50 over feels like in 10 games.

[hege53190]

Also, if you construct a team that goes 19-63, 18-64, and 10-72 over a three year span, then I sure as hell expect you to be "loaded with assets" or else what the hell are you even doing as a GM?

Seriously. He was missing two first round picks. He was hired less than 7 years ago. He inherited a team that could have maybe won 35 games if he absolutely tried with absolutely zero upside.

Even with those terrible records. You have Orlando, Sacramento, Phoenix, Minnesota, New York, Orlando, Charlotte, Chicago and a number of others that were just as bad and nothing to show for it. If you are bad you might as well develop young players and get good picks. There is no consolation prize for winning 30 games instead of 15 when you are baron of impact talent.

He also didn't just get good picks with his own terrible record. He acquired really good picks. That is sometimes really difficult. The Wizards, Bulls, Pistons, Knicks and Wolves would be really smart to take a look at the way Hinkie did things and try to emulate it right now.

[DavidDunn21]

The good:
We whooped Philly and embarrassed Embiid
Giannis was more decisive in going to pull ups after Embiid backpedaled
The crowd was loud to start
Marvin Williams played over Ersan
Bledsoe hitting shots early usually a win indicator
Khris continuing to look in shape and competing more around screens


The bad:
Khris' casual approach to scoring where he wasn't really a part of either getting the lead or getting the lead back
Giannis 5/8 from the line
The crowd quickly fell back into sleep mode
The officiating was terrible and probably an indicator of what the post-season will bring
4 turnovers a piece for Eric, Giannis and Khris
We're better than Philly, but Simmons going out early sours this a bit

The ugly:
DJ Wilson

25 points on 15 shots in 31 minutes to whoop the sixers isnt enough for you? lol you wont be satisfied with this until Khris is Kobe or some ****. What are you shaqs dad?

theyll win the finals and youll post 'Yeah but Khris didnt even win FMVP he could've been more aggressive.' Just sit back and realize we are in the midst of the greatest season of the Bucks we will ever watch and we need to just enjoy it together. We are wholping teams and we are letting these outside fans get in our heads, every one gets to say 'reagular season wins dont matter' but dont let them make that the case when youre the one winning all of them.

Just smile that we are here for once

Nevermind that the Bucks were +27 in the 31 minutes when Khris was on the court and -6 in the 17 minutes he was off the court. Somehow he did not help get the +27 when he was on the court even though he went for 25/9 in the 31 minutes on 15 shots.

At least it is down to 1 guy and not overtaking every damn thread any more.

This was a statement game for us. The major question worth asking IN THE REGULAR SEASON are whether Khris has really leveled up or if we are simply watching an extended hot streak. We should beat the fully loaded Sixers at home on rest anyway, but once Simmons went out this became just another night's work for everyone.

If you guys can't grasp the nuance of observing when a player gets his points under what context, I don't know what to tell you. It's interesting how we get leads. It's interesting how we lose leads. It matters. If Khris continues to be the kind of closer who will push a ten point lead to 18 in the 3rd Quarter, that's a super important thing, right? We can all agree that's a super impactful skill.

It's not the same thing as being occasionally (when he's feeling it) the reason we jump out to a 12-2 start, and then the guy who saves our bacon when we are down 8 in the fourth. What Khris did last night was hang around in the first half, commit a few silly turnovers early in the second, and then score 17 points in the second half when we were leading anywhere from 10-25 points. And that's fine. The reason I'm generally more confident in him this year is he is moving better on defense because he is in shape, which significantly raises his floor. But the rest of this remains to be seen.

We've got the Raptors and the Heat coming up, that'll be interesting

[kid idioteque]

Elton Brand is an awful GM.

[glenn]

My question is would this game of been different if simmons didnt get hurt dude had 5 points in 5 mins