PGT: Blazers at Bucks

[Fearthebucks]

Say what you will, but I love Salmons new move. Dribble for 4 seconds and take a 20 ft contested jumber, superb.

[WRau1]

I'd rather have Redd on the court right now instead of Salmons and if Johnny keeps up this level of play, that could be a possibility.

[FrieAaron]

Just a thought but bringing in Gooden, Brockman and to a lesser extent Mags over the summer i would say would be playing a part in Ersans early season form. I mean at the end of last season Ersan was playing at the level bordering on starter but if not definately first of the bench he was cofident, looked extremely active and hustling like he really wanted to be out there.
He worked hard to play that kind of ball last year and how was he rewarded? By seeing 3 guys come in that effectively have just sunk him further back in the roations..he doesnt look as active and dosnt look to be at all enjoying himself..

I was a big fan of our roster and i still am im not gonna lose for a start that i expected even if im still disappointed..but if this dosnt pan out the way we hoped that will be how we look back on it. We all new when we saw the players we got in we were going for immediate success with high risk of going nowhere but lets hope Ersan gets his mojo back and these boys start clicking because it could start to become a frustrated locker room with no seasoned vets like last year..(stack and kt

+1. Ersan having some mental issues regarding his game and his worth for the team. Yes, he is guilty too for his performance but Bucks organization didn't give him the enough appreciation. So, the result is inevitable.

No, the only person to blame for Ersan's play is Ersan. You can't just pawn everything off on Gooden. And Salmon's is obviously struggling, but he's not going to shoot 15% the entire year.

[smooth 'lil balla]

To early to panic. Way too early. Two good games from now we're all happy again.

With that said, I'd be starting Maggette right now with Delfino at the 2 until Salmons improves his game.

[vlietinho]

To early to panic. Way too early.

Yep. And that's including our injury rattled preseason. Just wait till we've played at least 10 games, before we roll in the tank

[Jollay]

The Bucks aren't League Pass worthy this year. Maybe they will be in Feb.

Happens everytime I decide to purchase it in advance, LOL...

I'm not too worried fellas. Of the 12 that played last night, half are new pieces, and Salmons is absolute garbage right now due to injury and lack of preseason run. (lets hope NOT new contract at all).

I think this team will take some time. Still playing like this around Christmas and we're sunk.

[Sigra]

I think the signing of Gooden and the trade of Maggette were just horrible on the management part. Two guys that were never known to be good defenders. I haven't seen Maggette jump to challenge shooters, or become passionate on the defensive end. Also not liking the double down defense, as we are being murdered the 3's.

Maggette and Gooden can't hurt us. Only Skiles can with the way how he use them. If those 2 guys are problem for our chemistry and/or defense then Skiles should not play them at all.

Skiles has that option to not play them at all. He can start Ersan for example and use Moute to rest Salmons, Delfino and Ersan. Brockman backup for Bogut and Dooling for BJ. It is posible if Skiles wants to.

So blaming Maggette and Gooden makes no sense. It is all about Skiles and what he does.

But year, right now it looks like Hammond had terrible off season.

[coolhandluke121]

Fitness is a huge problem. Guys are lethargic and slow. TBH Bogut has had stamina issues most of his career. Of course, he is big a center, so it's not as egregious as Salmons being so out of shape. Dude got his big contract and is for sh*t right now. Looks like he didn't run all summer. Don't make the sprained knee excuse, being out of shape is probably the reason he had that injury. BTW, didn't Redd's problems all start with a knee sprain 3-4 years ago? Boy, that bodes well for the future.

Last year was, in a way, the worst thing that could happen to this team. They had a magical run and were convinced that they should move forward with a win-now strategy. This past off-season is going to live in infamy for years to come, just as I promised.

[paulpressey25]

Last year was, in a way, the worst thing that could happen to this team. They had a magical run and were convinced that they should move forward with a win-now strategy.

We need to see where this team is a month from now. Too many guys out of shape.

But the signs at the moment are horrible. And we really don't have a lot of salary flexibility to make a mid-season move unless Kohl signs onto taking on some massive future contract liabilities in a Redd trade and thus "doubling down" on win-now.

Larry Sanders needs to emerge at PF/C, even as a backup. I'm not confident he will, but he's still the key to all of this.

[Max Green]

I think at the moment it's just a perfect storm working against the Bucks right now. You don't want to use injuries and new players as an excuse but obviously it's going to be a learning process. On top of that they're going to be playing what I think we all acknowledged was a very hard opening schedule. New Orleans and Portland are a combined 7-1 now. Boston tomorrow is 3-1. The Wolves loss was really bad, but I think it's important they don't get too discouraged right now.

+1

Skiles teams are notorious for starting off slow. After a couple of more games and practices where the guys get back into game shape and start to gel, Skiles will trim the dead weight we will return to last years form.

[Newz]

I'm not going to overreact and say we have no chance to win anymore this year. Obviously we could turn it around and be a very good team. So far though we have been really disappointing... And the person to blame is John Hammond. Every single player Hammond resigned or brought in has been a major disappointment so far.

Fish has been terrible.

Drew Gooden is Drew Badden. (Stun)

Corey Maggette is settling for WAY too many jumpers and playing subpar defense. (Stun)

John Brockman I liked as a third stringer... But he is an AWFUL back-up center. The guy just isn't a rotation player.

Dooling looks bad, real bad. It is at the point where I would rather play Earl Boykins... And as you all know, Earl Boykins is Earl Boykins.

The guy I like most out of the bunch is Larry Sanders, yet for some reason he never gets in the game. Ersan has also been really bad.

Right now we look like one of the Bucks teams from 3-4 years ago. No energy, no hustle, no leadership, no teamwork and no defense. That has to change and obviously there is plenty of time for it to change. But there are about four or five guys we need to contribute this year that have been bad to REALLY bad thus far.

[smooth 'lil balla]

But year, right now it looks like Hammond had terrible off season.

How did it look last year at this point?

[Max Green]

Skiles is a fool for allowing salmons to play himself into shape.

Skiles did the samething with Redd last year, played him way to many minutes before he was even close to being ready and his play clearly hurt the team.

[paulpressey25]

How did it look last year at this point?

We had a home-run draft pick this time last year named Brandon Jennings. In the first two weeks it looked like he'd be better than Chris Paul.

And we also were fed the line that we'd be patient until 2011 and then be power FA players to get a couple difference makers who would fit our culture.

Our future last year after week one seemed more promising IMO.

But a win in Boston cures a lot of ills.

[JoeHova]

... TBH Bogut has had stamina issues most of his career. ...

The Big Honky?

[Newz]

Maggete: YOU. SHOOT. TOO. MUCH. He got to the line 8 times which is great, but 12 shots in 17 minutes?

Also, I find it amusing if anyone is shocked by this.

Maggette has always been one of the biggest ball hogs in the NBA. 90% of this forum despises Michael Redd as a basketball player... Then 90% of this forum turns back around and embraces Maggette. Corey Maggette is pretty much Michael Redd, only you trade the jump shot for the ability to get to the free throw line.

[blkout]

There's differences though. Redd was the first option offensively and on the court for most of the game, Maggette comes off the bench and plays pretty limited minutes. You can only do so much damage in 17 minutes. His per 36 stats so far (as far as FGA goes) are so far above his career averages. He needs to relax.

[vlietinho]

The Bucks aren't League Pass worthy this year. Maybe they will be in Feb.

Happens everytime I decide to purchase it in advance, LOL...

Had exactly the same thoughts and experience.. lol
Ohwell, they'll turn it around, hopefully sooner than later

[Sigra]

ey east side
what is skiles suppoised to do he needs to rest his starters,you cant play all your starters 48 minutes every game,the bench needs to step up and have yet to do so

Issue i have is that he rested all 5 of them at once for 6 minutes of a game right after a period where we were up 6 after a quarter shouldve been more but overall looked pretty comfortable barring a few to many TO IMO.

Then by the time he racted and brought all 5 back in we were behind or perhaps up by one at the point and all the rhythmn those starters had was lost..i agree need to rest the starters but a 5 for 5 swap when we have momentum not a good move

You are wrong.

1. Delfino (starter) played entire 2nd quarter so it may be only 4 for 4 swap right?
2. That was 5 minutes. Not 6

Besides, Portland did same thing. They also had 4 for 4 swap (Aldridge played entire 2nd quarter) and they used it for 7 minutes.

Actually, all NBA teams always do that. Start of 2nd quarter is when starters rest.

[Newz]

There's differences though. Redd was the first option offensively and on the court for most of the game, Maggette comes off the bench and plays pretty limited minutes. You can only do so much damage in 17 minutes. His per 36 stats so far (as far as FGA goes) are so far above his career averages. He needs to relax.

He did about as much damage as he could do to our team last night in 17 minutes played... He took several bad shots and got destroyed on the defensive end of the floor.