Preseason Game 3: Bulls at Bucks - 10/14 - 7:00 - BSWI

[emunney]

The flashes may be nice but we're going to need AJ Johnson to make some shots eventually.

Sure, but not this year, and never in the preseason.

[ReasonablySober]

Chicago is a whore.

Chicago is a nice city I might like to live in some day.

(Stevens Point is a whore)

You saying you might pay money to be inside Chicago?

Might? Have. It's always been extremely enjoyable.

[Bernman]

Brook & Dame looking great physically + attitude-wise were the most important things we needed to see in preseason.

Middleton being not far from returning & saying the right things about how he feels is also pivotal.

This team is always about the top 3-4 guys being the best in the NBA, & the rest just need to be adequate rotation players pretty much. We won a title off 6-7 players being playable in the playoffs & have upgraded the core since.

Anyway, I've liked the way Trent has looked. I don't get the consternation. Getting after it on d, & the shot is pure. Prince looks fine in a minimalist way. I've been heartened our rebounding hasn't been killed when he was in. Wright's also a minimalist. He needs to play more around the core. Pat may still be a playoff riser when he doesn't have to handle the ball.

I feel better not worse because of what I've seen in the preseason. The only disappointment was a "young" guy like Green & someone else didn't step up. But it's about making shots for him, which he's done for 2 yrs, so it should turn around. I'd like to trade 1-2 of them before the bottom falls out & to potentially get another useful guy this yr. I'd trade Smith too, but I didn't draft him.

[WeMajor34]

AJJ and Smith getting minutes in the rotation is intriguing, but imo, this could just be Doc giving them their time in the big leagues before shipping them off to the minors for the season.

AJJ has so much raw talent in his game. He can get to wherever he wants in the paint. His finishing needs a LOT of work, but that can be worked out during his redshirt year.

It’d be very interesting to see AJJ get minutes in the rotation this year. Sadly that just speaks to the lack of young talent that’s been on the roster for the last few years. We’re desperate for any of these guys to break through and contribute.

[blazza18]

The flashes may be nice but we're going to need AJ Johnson to make some shots eventually.

Sure, but not this year, and never in the preseason.

I want to see signs of him becoming one at least. I'd even take him being a good to great free throw shooter in the g-league at this point.

[Bernman]

I want to see signs of him becoming one at least. I'd even take him being a good to great free throw shooter in the g-league at this point.

You saw signs. He got to spots on the court. That's the building block. He just needs to hit shots from there. And he can shoot ok when actually under control + open. When he's forced to do much these opportunities are limited.

Besides, shooting/touch (& reading of the game which will help) is one of the most developable skills, and typically comes later for outstanding athletes like he is, after earlier in their careers they could rely more on these traits.

[ReasonablySober]

The flashes may be nice but we're going to need AJ Johnson to make some shots eventually.

Sure, but not this year, and never in the preseason.

I want to see signs of him becoming one at least. I'd even take him being a good to great free throw shooter in the g-league at this point.

I've seen him make multiple good looking threes.

[-Jragon-]

Starters really starting to gel already.. you could see it in the 3rd... keep it going

[KidA24]

Chicago is a nice city I might like to live in some day.

(Stevens Point is a whore)

You saying you might pay money to be inside Chicago?

Might? Have. It's always been extremely enjoyable.

Chicago would also take that money. Bringing us back..

Chicago is a whore.

[yb90]

The Bucks should work out Fultz because they need a back up pg. They need someone who can pass and help the 2nd team. Khris is a playmaker but he needs another creator when he is running with the 2s. I would not pair him with Giannis much but there should be enough shooters on the floor with him even without a starter on the floor

[ReasonablySober]

Nah, give the kid the backup PG minutes.

[Packbuckman]

Nah, give the kid the backup PG minutes.

This right here we need his speed and he already plays good D. Doc when talking about him you can see how much he likes him let Dame and rondo work with him all year by playoff time he could really help us.

[old skool]

The close to the first half was brutal. But as MD said, preseason games are meaningless.

The Bucks domination in the 3rd quarter was meaningless, coming against scrubs from a lottery team.

AJJ getting to the rim was meaningless, coming against a lottery team without any rim protectors on the court.

That said, this was my first chance to see the new roster in person. It was nice to see some offensive cohesion. Disappointing to see the defense give up 68 first half points to scrubs. To the extent that most of us here would be salivating at our depth if the Bucks had four end of bench players score in double figures in the first half, we should be sobered by the Bucks defense giving up double figure scoring to scrubs - preseason notwithstanding.

It looks like Green and Ajax might be out of the primary wing rotation. Certainly behind Prince, Trent Jr and Wright.

Horst needs a Plan B should Lopez, Antetokounmpo or Portis miss significant time to injury. Hard to imagine how he solves that problem with virtually zero spare financial flexibility.

Fiserv was incredibly dead. Maybe 30% of seats occupied. Not even the typically heavy contingent of Bulls fans looking to take advantage of bargain basement small town prices. I was glad to have attended, even knowing that I would see preseason.

[Baddy Chuck]

Brandon Jennings misses a layup....

Brandon Knight misses a layup....

Donte Divincenzo misses a layup....

AJ Johnson misses a layup....

I hope AJ can break this streak.

[old skool]

Brandon Jennings misses a layup....

Brandon Knight misses a layup....

Donte Divincenzo misses a layup....

AJ Johnson misses a layup....

I hope AJ can break this streak.

AJJ seemed to be shooting his layups to soon - before he was in the right position to use the backboard. When the game slows down for him, he might be more comfortable not rushing the shot. Either that or he builds some strength and learns to absorb contact on his way to the basket. Or, shudder, he joins your list of Bucks non-finishers.

[-Jragon-]

Brandon Jennings misses a layup....

Brandon Knight misses a layup....

Donte Divincenzo misses a layup....

AJ Johnson misses a layup....

I hope AJ can break this streak.

AJJ seemed to be shooting his layups to soon - before he was in the right position to use the backboard. When the game slows down for him, he might be more comfortable not rushing the shot. Either that or he builds some strength and learns to absorb contact on his way to the basket. Or, shudder, he joins your list of Bucks non-finishers.

Drew, Jrue, Have it all, and Werewolf some decent layup ball skills

[Packbuckman]

AJJ even said it himself he’s a little to excited out there it’s his first games and he said as he plays more and feels more comfortable those layups will go in. He’s going to get every opportunity to play the pg position as he is our second best ball handler but also learning that position is not easy as Doc said especially for a 19 year old rookie.

[Badgerlander]

The flashes may be nice but we're going to need AJ Johnson to make some shots eventually.

Sure, but not this year, and never in the preseason.

Are u sure because you can count the number of ball handlers on this team on one hand

[ShootingtheJ]

Nah, give the kid the backup PG minutes.

He's 23% from the floor in preseason, playing a lot of minutes against scrubs.

[Ron Swanson]

You can be excited about the flashes he's shown but also concerned that he makes MCW look like prime Kyrie as an efficiency comparison.

NBL: 35/28/54
Summer League: 32/32/60
Preseason: 23/27/66

Woof. I mean, I guess he's now sporting a robust 66% from the line? You just want to see some sort of improvement here. Again, only concern is whether this is a "natural touch" thing vs. a "just needs to slow down" thing for him. The latter is fixable, but the former severely limits his ceiling.