Are we better than last year?

[chonestown]

So a better record 23 games in automatically means we're a better team

A few games ago I would've said no, but now I feel it's pretty clear we are.

[JoeyMorgan619]

So a better record 23 games in automatically means we're a better team

A few games ago I would've said no, but now I feel it's pretty clear we are.

Did you just learn how to quote someone?

[soxperry]

This depends on if the question is "are we better than we were at this point last year," or "are we better than the finished product of last year that went to the playoffs and lost to Toronto?"

I think both answers are yes. The former question is answered pretty easily. The latter comes down to two things. 1. Adequately replacing Brogdon's production (and in some areas improving upon it: Donte's energy and defense) and 2. Giannis being improved and better equipped to handle a playoff defense.

[chonestown]

So a better record 23 games in automatically means we're a better team

A few games ago I would've said no, but now I feel it's pretty clear we are.

Did you just learn how to quote someone?

Lemonade is a popular drink and it still is

[emunney]

Team has a net rating of +7.9 when Giannis is sitting. If you exclude Q4, because so much of the Giannis off time there is junk minutes, it actually goes up to +8.4. The Bucks are on a hot streak and that number is not likely to remain *that* high, but it bears repeating that it is EXTREMELY HIGH. Only two teams in the league have a net rating that high (other than the Bucks): Lakers and Mavs. That means our Giannis OFF lineups to date have outperformed every other team in our conference. This is with Khris missing more than 1/3 of the games, of course.

Some of you are slow to adapt to the fact that the team is now good enough that the *basketball* reasons for Giannis to stay are as real as it gets.

[JimmyTheKid]

You do seem to be posting more this season.

the good posters are posting at alltime low levels that ive seen. a little here. a little there. the couple trolls are posting silly stuff and the only real debate is countering them.

good times. good times for bucks fans

Sorry man. I’ll pick up the pace a little.

It’s just that the Bucks no longer need us, the long suffering old school fans, to cradle their desiccated, frail corpse of a team and try to breathe life into the franchise and the city. The Bucks have been born again, the city loves them again, and our ministrations are no longer needed. This little golem we have protected, formed, and cradled over the years is ready to become a real little boy all on its own, and spread its wings, and fly out of the nest towards a gorgeous moonlit future.

A+ post. And so true. We've done all we can do. Now its time to just sit back and enjoy the ride. The next series of intense debates will come after the season.

[raferfenix]

The next series of intense debates will come after the season.

If Giannis leaves the intensity of debate over who / what is to blame might break realgm through a collective primal scream.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Team has a net rating of +7.9 when Giannis is sitting. If you exclude Q4, because so much of the Giannis off time there is junk minutes, it actually goes up to +8.4. The Bucks are on a hot streak and that number is not likely to remain *that* high, but it bears repeating that it is EXTREMELY HIGH. Only two teams in the league have a net rating that high (other than the Bucks): Lakers and Mavs. That means our Giannis OFF lineups to date have outperformed every other team in our conference. This is with Khris missing more than 1/3 of the games, of course.

Some of you are slow to adapt to the fact that the team is now good enough that the *basketball* reasons for Giannis to stay are as real as it gets.

it would be interesting to see us in a 7 game series against a team like Toronto or philly without Giannis in uniform. I think wed have a chance. were sooooo deep.

we need to post your post on the general board. more fun posting there these days if youre a hothead like me and it would generate some interesting debate that were kicking everybodys ass whether Giannis is playing or not. there would be a bunch of bud this and system that rebuttals and maybe theyd even be true but regardless if you put our lineup out there without Giannis against those old atlanta teams he had were closer than you immediately would think right on down the line.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

The next series of intense debates will come after the season.

If Giannis leaves the intensity of debate over who / what is to blame might break realgm through a collective primal scream.

there isn't any way im suggesting this... im not. but if Giannis decides to not sign that extension and we trade him.... we would get the most epic offers in the history of offers. considering how we don't have any bad deals anywhere on the roster and could move some of those vets as well..... we'd still be in an astounding position to compete for a long long time if we played this right.

that said.... I think there is a 1% chance Giannis doesn't resign. right now im almost expecting any day a kyrie moment where he announces it to Fiserv. when he was doing his happy birthday dance the other day I think if hed been asked there on the spot into a microphone to the stadium he wouldn't have been able to help himself.

soooo.. good luck with getting some debate on Giannis leaving. I don't see that being much to ever talk about either unless you live toronto

[DingleJerry]

I was just thinking today how close they are to undefeated. Buzzer beat vs Utah and blowing two huge leads vs Bos and Mia.

BTW I hate the general board talking point that Bud is a regular season coach due to the fact that he had that good ATL team once and made the ECF and lost to all time great LBJ, as if that's a flop. And that us going to ECF last year and starting the playoffs 12-1, but then losing is a flop. Granted, I did hate how we didn't adjust in those last 3 games. But I'm just saying trying to spin a story that winning two rounds of playoffs and then losing is evidence that you can't win in the playoffs just seems off. And it was an even worse argument going into last year's playoffs when all you had is 1 season losing to Lebron.

[Bucksmaniac]

Team has a net rating of +7.9 when Giannis is sitting. If you exclude Q4, because so much of the Giannis off time there is junk minutes, it actually goes up to +8.4. The Bucks are on a hot streak and that number is not likely to remain *that* high, but it bears repeating that it is EXTREMELY HIGH. Only two teams in the league have a net rating that high (other than the Bucks): Lakers and Mavs. That means our Giannis OFF lineups to date have outperformed every other team in our conference. This is with Khris missing more than 1/3 of the games, of course.

Some of you are slow to adapt to the fact that the team is now good enough that the *basketball* reasons for Giannis to stay are as real as it gets.

it would be interesting to see us in a 7 game series against a team like Toronto or philly without Giannis in uniform. I think wed have a chance. were sooooo deep.

we need to post your post on the general board. more fun posting there these days if youre a hothead like me and it would generate some interesting debate that were kicking everybodys ass whether Giannis is playing or not. there would be a bunch of bud this and system that rebuttals and maybe theyd even be true but regardless if you put our lineup out there without Giannis against those old atlanta teams he had were closer than you immediately would think right on down the line.

I don’t think we’d have much of a chance without Giannis against Philly. Too much talent in their starting lineup if healthy (I know that’s a big if with their squad). Toronto though we’d definitely have a shot. They have the worst depth among the top East teams I believe, and Siakam tends to struggle against the Bucks.

[emunney]

Team has a net rating of +7.9 when Giannis is sitting. If you exclude Q4, because so much of the Giannis off time there is junk minutes, it actually goes up to +8.4. The Bucks are on a hot streak and that number is not likely to remain *that* high, but it bears repeating that it is EXTREMELY HIGH. Only two teams in the league have a net rating that high (other than the Bucks): Lakers and Mavs. That means our Giannis OFF lineups to date have outperformed every other team in our conference. This is with Khris missing more than 1/3 of the games, of course.

Some of you are slow to adapt to the fact that the team is now good enough that the *basketball* reasons for Giannis to stay are as real as it gets.

it would be interesting to see us in a 7 game series against a team like Toronto or philly without Giannis in uniform. I think wed have a chance. were sooooo deep.

we need to post your post on the general board. more fun posting there these days if youre a hothead like me and it would generate some interesting debate that were kicking everybodys ass whether Giannis is playing or not. there would be a bunch of bud this and system that rebuttals and maybe theyd even be true but regardless if you put our lineup out there without Giannis against those old atlanta teams he had were closer than you immediately would think right on down the line.

I don’t think we’d have much of a chance without Giannis against Philly. Too much talent in their starting lineup if healthy (I know that’s a big if with their squad). Toronto though we’d definitely have a shot. They have the worst depth among the top East teams I believe, and Siakam tends to struggle against the Bucks.

I don't know how a playoff series would shake out, I'd guess we'd lose. My point is basically that the fact that there's even a numbers case to be made for the idea that we'd still be tops in the conference right now if we distributed Giannis' numbers proportionally across the rest of the team is insane and basically nobody's reckoning with it.

[crkone]

I was just thinking today how close they are to undefeated. Buzzer beat vs Utah and blowing two huge leads vs Bos and Mia.

BTW I hate the general board talking point that Bud is a regular season coach due to the fact that he had that good ATL team once and made the ECF and lost to all time great LBJ, as if that's a flop. And that us going to ECF last year and starting the playoffs 12-1, but then losing is a flop. Granted, I did hate how we didn't adjust in those last 3 games. But I'm just saying trying to spin a story that winning two rounds of playoffs and then losing is evidence that you can't win in the playoffs just seems off. And it was an even worse argument going into last year's playoffs when all you had is 1 season losing to Lebron.

It will just make a better story in the end. All the suffering will be for something. (hopefully)

[Ruzious]

Wow, I was the 120th person to vote and only the 2nd no. I think it's very close. Last season was special until the end. Ask me on Christmas after we finish up a tough 4 games beginning with LAL and ending in Philly. If we win 3 of those, I'll change my mind.

[aboveAverage]

it would be interesting to see us in a 7 game series against a team like Toronto or philly without Giannis in uniform. I think wed have a chance. were sooooo deep.

we need to post your post on the general board. more fun posting there these days if youre a hothead like me and it would generate some interesting debate that were kicking everybodys ass whether Giannis is playing or not. there would be a bunch of bud this and system that rebuttals and maybe theyd even be true but regardless if you put our lineup out there without Giannis against those old atlanta teams he had were closer than you immediately would think right on down the line.

I don’t think we’d have much of a chance without Giannis against Philly. Too much talent in their starting lineup if healthy (I know that’s a big if with their squad). Toronto though we’d definitely have a shot. They have the worst depth among the top East teams I believe, and Siakam tends to struggle against the Bucks.

I don't know how a playoff series would shake out, I'd guess we'd lose. My point is basically that the fact that there's even a numbers case to be made for the idea that we'd still be tops in the conference right now if we distributed Giannis' numbers proportionally across the rest of the team is insane and basically nobody's reckoning with it.

You're definitely on to something, emunney. I would guess that we'd be like Toronto this season after Kawhi left, if we lost Giannis. We'd still be a very good team contending for a top 4 seed. Knock on wood, that won't be happening any time soon.

[Arkaik]

Starting unit has a +18.6 NETRTG so far compared to +5.7 last year and the bench is destroying everyone. So far at least we're better.

[Ayt]

I was just thinking today how close they are to undefeated. Buzzer beat vs Utah and blowing two huge leads vs Bos and Mia.

BTW I hate the general board talking point that Bud is a regular season coach due to the fact that he had that good ATL team once and made the ECF and lost to all time great LBJ, as if that's a flop. And that us going to ECF last year and starting the playoffs 12-1, but then losing is a flop. Granted, I did hate how we didn't adjust in those last 3 games. But I'm just saying trying to spin a story that winning two rounds of playoffs and then losing is evidence that you can't win in the playoffs just seems off. And it was an even worse argument going into last year's playoffs when all you had is 1 season losing to Lebron.

There were plenty of people who thought LeBron would never win a championship. People said the same thing about Jordan. They'll keep saying it about Bud and Giannis until they win.

[Balls2TheWalls]

Wow, I was the 120th person to vote and only the 2nd no. I think it's very close. Last season was special until the end. Ask me on Christmas after we finish up a tough 4 games beginning with LAL and ending in Philly. If we win 3 of those, I'll change my mind.

This is kind of the point of the poll right? Asking people to express how they feel about it through 23 games. Anyone can do it later when the answer is abundantly more clear.

[Balls2TheWalls]

I think that the biggest difference is our perimeter defense. Right now if you look at the top DRTG players in the league (that have played in at least 15 games), you will find Bucks at numbers 1 (Sterling), 2 (DDV), 6 (Wes), 9 (Giannis), and 15 (Bledsoe). We have the talent to clamp down the backcourt players. Khris has also started to move up that list quickly since his return from injury.

[Ruzious]

Wow, I was the 120th person to vote and only the 2nd no. I think it's very close. Last season was special until the end. Ask me on Christmas after we finish up a tough 4 games beginning with LAL and ending in Philly. If we win 3 of those, I'll change my mind.

This is kind of the point of the poll right? Asking people to express how they feel about it through 23 games. Anyone can do it later when the answer is abundantly more clear.

Huh, I expressed my view and indicated it might change. Not sure why you'd have a problem with that.