GT #61: Wizards @ Milwaukee Bucks 8:00 PM (TNT/1500 AM)

[Kanyewest]

Everybody was eating in the Wizards win against the 76ers especially in the first half. Bradley Beal, Kelly Oubre, and Otto Porter combined for 66 points. Brooks also played Satoransky 20 minutes in the 2nd half. Even Gortat showed good activity against Joel Embiid and Morris hit a couple 3 pointers. Washington held the 76ers to 94 points; in their previous 3 meetings the Wizards allowed at least 115 points in each of those game.

Watch on YouTube

;feature=youtu.be

The Wizards go on to play the Bucks who are only 1 1/2 games back. The last time the Wizards beat Milwaukee, the Wizards certainly didn't consider themselves a better team without John Wall, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous game in a loss to Toronto in what a was a nice win off of a back to back. The Wizards then proceeded to lose 2 games to Bucks at home while John Wall played over 40 minutes in each of those game; Otto Porter was a DNP in one of the games.

Now Washington is playing well with Satoransky in starting lineup who is shooting over 50 percent from 3 in that span and has helped lead the Wizards to a 9-3 record. There is almost a common sentiment from ESPN to the Dunc'd on Basketball Podcast that this Wizards team is not any better without John Wall; the experts are expecting the Wizards to have a regression to the mean soon; TNT's Players Only will probably be diminishing some of the Wizards accomplishments if they come up short in a nationally televised game. The Wizards have bigger concerns than proving the doubters wrong; they do not face a non-playoff team until March 23rd. Winning against Milwaukee is important, otherwise the Bucks would not only gain a game on the Wizards but would hold the tiebreaker for playoff positioning.

The Wizards will have to deploy a similar strategy to slow down Giannis as they did against Ben Simmons. Plus Satoransky may be tested by a quicker point guard in Eric Bledsoe. The Bucks come into this game having won 6 of their last 10, but have lost 2 of their past 3 games.

Here are the highlights from the last time the Wizards beat the Bucks.

Watch on YouTube

[JWizmentality]

Please just stick to the game plan. Just pass. Everybody eats.

[FAH1223]

Pass the ball

But like Charlotte be wary of Milwaukee’s long defenders.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

November 20, 2017

Wizards won....

Watch on YouTube

The rematch:

January 6, 2018

Bucks won...

Watch on YouTube

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Is Brogdan still out? I like our chances a lot better when he isn’t playing.

I’m also wondering who the refs are. If Giannis gets the full LeBron treatment, the Bucks are hard to beat.

[nate33]

The Wizards new ball-movement offense is typically the type of offense that disrupts the Bucks' scrambling, trapping defensive scheme. If they move the ball well, they should end up with layups and open 3's.

My biggest concern is that the Wizards are often predictable in their first few passes in each offensive set. You know that first pass is going to the break on the left or right side as a player comes up from the baseline off of a down screen. Milwaukee is going to try and get into those passing lanes and get some steals. We've got to be aware of that and be prepared to make some backdoor cuts and other types of misdirection to throw them off.

[80sballboy]

Is Brogdan still out? I like our chances a lot better when he isn’t playing.

I’m also wondering who the refs are. If Giannis gets the full LeBron treatment, the Bucks are hard to beat.

Brogdon and Delly are out.

[FAH1223]

Is Brogdan still out? I like our chances a lot better when he isn’t playing.

I’m also wondering who the refs are. If Giannis gets the full LeBron treatment, the Bucks are hard to beat.

Brogdon and Delly are out.

-------------------------VS-------------------------



76ers @ Wizards- 94-109 (W)
Pelicans @ Bucks - 123-121 in OT (L)

Lineups:










Bench:

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/bucks-look-bounce-back-against-wizards-042002417--nba.html

Bucks look to bounce back against Wizards

The Bucks were defeated by the Pelicans the other night.

Letdowns like that have
been a problem for the Bucks all season, though they seemed to have moved past it during the last month, winning 10 of 13 games.

Interim coach Joe Prunty plans to put an emphasis coming out of halftime with more authority.

"I think the biggest part of the game is the third quarter," Prunty said. "That's pretty clear. We need to do a better job making sure we come out to start the third quarter with the right mindset

Interesting to hear Coach Prunty emphasizes the third quarter. After halftime will the Greek freak dominate?

(The Warriors' Steph Curry is the highest scoring player in the third quarters of the entire NBA.)

The Wizards have gone 9-3 since losing John Wall to a knee injury, including a 109-94 victory Sunday over Philadelphia, snapping the Sixers' seven-game winning streak.

It was Washington's first test in what's shaping up to be a challenging run; the Wizards will play 13 consecutive games against teams currently in playoff position and Tuesday at Milwaukee is the front end of a back-to-back set with the Warriors awaiting Wednesday night in Washington.

One key for the Wizards will be ball movement. They need to get Bucks players reaching. Another key is to limit Giannis Antetokounmpo from getting to the basket for easy layins.

Protect the paint. Rebound. On offense, move bodies and the ball. Milwaukee has a new, detail-oriented, better (?) coach. Brooks needs to be on point.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Wizards likely lose according per oddsmakers. They're the road team. However, if they win they make a huge statement.

Sent from my [device_name] using [url]RealGM mobile app[/url]

[Ruzious]

So, when everyone's healthy, the Bucks lineup can be Delly, Snelly, Telly, Zelly, and Antetokounmpo... er Gianny.

[ducler]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

So, when everyone's healthy, the Bucks lineup can be Delly, Snelly, Telly, Zelly, and Antetokounmpo... er Gianny.

When those guys all walk into a room together, the room gets S _ _ _ LY


Hint: Like feet or musty underarms.

[MickeyDavis]

You might see the Bucks team who gave Toronto a rare home loss last week. Or the team that 2 days later blew an 18 point second half lead at home.

[JWizmentality]

You might see the Bucks team who gave Toronto a rare home loss last week. Or the team that 2 days later blew an 18 point second half lead at home.

We son Toronto all the time. That aint a high bar.

[payitforward]

So, when everyone's healthy, the Bucks lineup can be Delly, Snelly, Telly, Zelly, and Antetokounmpo... er Gianny.

When those guys all walk into a room together, the room gets S _ _ _ LY

Hint: Like feet or musty underarms.

That's just silly.

[payitforward]

I mean... really.

[80sballboy]

Players-only broadcast. Wonderful.

[80sballboy]

That's a nice start, 10-0.

[gravytrain24]

Players-only broadcast. Wonderful.

Well two positives; its not Webber and there's no LeBron.