Round 2, Game 5 - Bucks at Celtics - 5/11/22 - 6:00 - TNT

[rilamann]

Unleash Luca

Now seriously, perhaps not the time. Maybe. But with George Hill coming from an injury and playing like... he's coming from an injury, I doubt Luca will do worse than him. And I love GH, but he can't add much now, and he's risking get a worse injury.

I think we have to think out of the box now. Either have Giannis as a facilitator or try Luca for some time at least. If Bud has the courage to do this, this is the ideal game to try. I have little faith in Jrue as a facilitator and without a facilitator, our 3 point shooting is unlikely to improve much, and without that shooting, we will lose

Luca playing is as likely as Bud listening to me on strategy.

Bud loves his veterans (I know Luca is old). What other team would have Matthews and Hill as high minute guys? Bud is slow to change and especially when he is under the gun, he will stay at his comfort level. The only way he changes is if some of the vets go to him and suggest some changes, like PJ did last playoffs.

I would be considerably more confident in the Bucks making an adjustment on Horford if PJ was still on the team. They probably would have made the adjustment after game 3.

One of the many highly valuable intangibles that PJ brought to the table that are evidently lost on a lot of people.

[rilamann]

After getting swept in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Heat are 1 win away from hosting the ECF.

I'm sure if you ask the Heat players and coaches, they would tell you adding PJ to their roster has had zero impact. Just like PJ had zero impact on the Bucks winning the championship last season.

[theFireBlanket]

After getting swept in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Heat are 1 win away from hosting the ECF.

I'm sure if you ask the Heat players and coaches, they would tell you adding PJ to their roster has had zero impact. Just like PJ had zero impact on the Bucks winning the championship last season.

First in line, Duncan Robinson.

Seriously though. What about Strus, Caleb Martin & Vincent? Now healthy Oladipo... they added many contributors.

[Pachinko_]

Play better is what it comes down to, so far we simply haven't been good enough to deserve an ECF appearance.

Shooting is not good enough, Giannis's efficiency is not good enough, the game plan is a fail by definition when you make Horford beat you and he simply does. We're only in this because of big strong bodies, but that's never enough.

We have to do better starting from this game, or it's over.

[th87]

I miss PJ

PJ last night when we were up 10 with 2 minutes to go in the 4th, if he was still on the team: BURY THESE MOTHER ****!!!!! WE DOGS!!!! Meanwhile we got Bobby and Grayson out there looking like they're about to **** themselves

And not a chance in hell Horford hits Giannis with that elbow (which was 100% intentional) if PJ is on the team.

People who bring up stats in regard to PJ are clueless to the value he brought to the team.

Maybe PJ didn't want to stay here,but holy **** do we miss his intangibles.

Don't forget DDV for defense and some ballhandling.

The Ibaka trade is looking like an all time boner of a mistake.

[greekbuck34]

In the most physical series possible against the best defense Giannis has 40% usage by pure bully ball. This is not sustainable. He either has to find the strength to beat them by himself 2 more times or we have to find some other ways to be competitive.

Shooting better than trash is always the answer. If we make more 3s, there is more space for Giannis, he will have easier work and better efficiency.

There is no team in the NBA that is not strugling when they can't hit their 3s and we can't hit our 3s for 3 games in a row.
The Mavs miss the 3s for 1 quarter, the Suns defense can finaly take more risks with Doncic in the paint and all of a sudden they look like a g-league team.

[HKPackFan]

I miss Khris. I think even the haters must miss Khris at this point.

I feel we would go 4-1 with Khris.

[greekbuck34]

I miss Khris. I think even the haters must miss Khris at this point.

I feel we would go 4-1 with Khris.

2 wins with Giannis going supernova
1 win with Khris going MJ and/or hitting the clutch shots in the end
1 win with the Bucks hitting their 3s.

This is the true way of the 2021 champions Bucks.

[rilamann]

I miss PJ

PJ last night when we were up 10 with 2 minutes to go in the 4th, if he was still on the team: BURY THESE MOTHER ****!!!!! WE DOGS!!!! Meanwhile we got Bobby and Grayson out there looking like they're about to **** themselves

And not a chance in hell Horford hits Giannis with that elbow (which was 100% intentional) if PJ is on the team.

People who bring up stats in regard to PJ are clueless to the value he brought to the team.

Maybe PJ didn't want to stay here,but holy **** do we miss his intangibles.

Don't forget DDV for defense and some ballhandling.

The Ibaka trade is looking like an all time boner of a mistake.

I swear we think alike lol, I was just telling someone earlier today what a dumb move trading Donte for Serge was. We traded a legitimately solid playoff rotation player in Donte for basically another Semi Ojeleye.

If we were insistent on trading Donte, we should have just traded him for Dennis Schroder when the Celtics made the offer. He's a guy who can handle the ball and make plays and get into the paint and create some shots for others. Plus he knows a lot of the Celtic's plays. He might not have played a ton in the playoffs if Middleton doesn't get hurt, but he would be a nice guy to have right now.

One thing that hurts our depth right now is we haven't really hit on any of our draft picks over the past few years. The one guy we did hit on was Donte and we basically give him away for nothing.

[th87]

PJ last night when we were up 10 with 2 minutes to go in the 4th, if he was still on the team: BURY THESE MOTHER ****!!!!! WE DOGS!!!! Meanwhile we got Bobby and Grayson out there looking like they're about to **** themselves

And not a chance in hell Horford hits Giannis with that elbow (which was 100% intentional) if PJ is on the team.

People who bring up stats in regard to PJ are clueless to the value he brought to the team.

Maybe PJ didn't want to stay here,but holy **** do we miss his intangibles.

Don't forget DDV for defense and some ballhandling.

The Ibaka trade is looking like an all time boner of a mistake.

I swear we think alike lol, I was just telling someone earlier today what a dumb move trading Donte for Serge was. We traded a legitimately solid playoff rotation player in Donte for basically another Semi Ojeleye.

If we were insistent on trading Donte, we should have just traded him for Dennis Schroder when the Celtics made the offer. He's a guy who can handle the ball and make plays and get into the paint and create some shots for others. Plus he knows a lot of the Celtic's plays. He might not have played a ton in the playoffs if Middleton doesn't get hurt, but he would be a nice guy to have right now.

One thing that hurts our depth right now is we haven't really hit on any of our draft picks over the past few years. The one guy we did hit on was Donte and we basically give him away for nothing.

Haha no surprise.

And the logic doesn't make any sense either - it was supposedly insurance for Brook. But what insurance would a completely cooked player be? And if they didn't know he was this washed up, that's a failure of their talent evaluation.

Would've been amazing if the Celtics accepted the Grant Williams offer. But he'd probably miss all his 3s with us, so...

[th87]

Went back and checked out the Nets Game 5 PG thread:

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2091860

Positive takeaways:
- We're a lot calmer and less dramatic
- Fewer hot takes now
- We ended up surviving despite losing what we thought was a mentally unrecoverable pivotal game

Negatives:
- Giannis still hasn't learned to stop taking 3s; this ruined us in that game
- Offensive stagnation was the same then as it is today
- Budenholzer made no in-game adjustments and let Giannis bash his head against the wall
- Budenholzer left a player open and allowed him to single-handedly beat us

Really drives home how amazing our playoff run actually was last year. I have zero idea how Bud did it, conceding whole games because of a refusal to make adjustments that hamburger-eating fans could see were necessary.

[Sigra]

Anything is possible here. Without Middleton we are about same quality as healthy Boston team. Each game will depend of how players feel that day and little details. I like to predict things but it is impossible here.

My gut feeling tells me that we will not win championship this year anyway. I think Warriors will. So I am not very excited or emotionally invested anyway. Last year we were lucky (Nets injuries, Sixers collapse, Suns good matchup) and this year it looks opposite (Middleton injury, Warriors healthy etc). I did predict that we will achieve with Giannis something like what Spurs did with Duncan. Never repeat championships (not that dominant) but always be contender and win some rings when other things line up for us.

[rilamann]

Don't forget DDV for defense and some ballhandling.

The Ibaka trade is looking like an all time boner of a mistake.

I swear we think alike lol, I was just telling someone earlier today what a dumb move trading Donte for Serge was. We traded a legitimately solid playoff rotation player in Donte for basically another Semi Ojeleye.

If we were insistent on trading Donte, we should have just traded him for Dennis Schroder when the Celtics made the offer. He's a guy who can handle the ball and make plays and get into the paint and create some shots for others. Plus he knows a lot of the Celtic's plays. He might not have played a ton in the playoffs if Middleton doesn't get hurt, but he would be a nice guy to have right now.

One thing that hurts our depth right now is we haven't really hit on any of our draft picks over the past few years. The one guy we did hit on was Donte and we basically give him away for nothing.

Haha no surprise.

And the logic doesn't make any sense either - it was supposedly insurance for Brook. But what insurance would a completely cooked player be? And if they didn't know he was this washed up, that's a failure of their talent evaluation.

Would've been amazing if the Celtics accepted the Grant Williams offer. But he'd probably miss all his 3s with us, so...

And what tops off the whole Insurance for Brook thing is why not just keep Boogie then? Boogie is worlds better than Serge and even if Boogie didn't play in the playoffs, I would rather have Boogie sitting on our bench than Serge. At least Boogie, even if he wasn't playing brought that competitive edge. Serge just basically just sits there and gets a free court-side seat. And most important, if you keep Boogie not only do you have a better player than Serge, you never have to give up Donte.

And it's insane that the Bucks didn't know Serge was cooked, it was obvious to anyone who watched a few Clippers games. I feel like the front office had to of known, which actually makes them look worse....lol.

Yeah, we should have went harder for Grant Williams. I get the sense Boston would have been willing to trade him, but not straight up for Donte. It seems crazy now that the Celtics were willing, or at least listening to offers to trade Grant Williams. But when the Bucks made the offer that was when the Celtics were still hovering around .500 and appeared headed for the play-in. Probably could have got him if we threw in Nwora....lol. Yeah, his defense would be huge for us but you're right, he'd probably shoot 20% on wide open 3's if he put on a Bucks jersey lol.

[Plossum]

I think you’re all overthinking this a bit. Khris got injured and it’s killing us in spots where we’re used to having him. Wes is doing a fine job of adding what PJ gave us. I really don’t think we’re missing him (at all).

But we don’t have Khris’s play making. We don’t have his shooting. He’s a borderline all nba player at his best so it’s pretty clear that’s what we miss most. It sucks but it’s part of sports. We benefited from injuries to other teams last year and this year we’re feeling what it’s like to be undermanned.

We can still win but we’re gonna need some massive contributions from our role guys. Bobby and Grayson have more to give, I really hope they can step up.

[Baddy Chuck]

I think you’re all overthinking this a bit. Khris got injured and it’s killing us in spots where we’re used to having him. Wes is doing a fine job of adding what PJ gave us. I really don’t think we’re missing him (at all).

But we don’t have Khris’s play making. We don’t have his shooting. He’s a borderline all nba player at his best so it’s pretty clear that’s what we miss most. It sucks but it’s part of sports. We benefited from injuries to other teams last year and this year we’re feeling what it’s like to be undermanned.

We can still win but we’re gonna need some massive contributions from our role guys. Bobby and Grayson have more to give, I really hope they can step up.

Overthinking is finding reasons why having more good basketball players on your roster is a bad or unneeded thing.

Obviously losing someone like Khris is a giant hit, and roleplayers underperforming doesn't help, but that's exactly why you have as many arrows in your quiver as you can.

[DrWood]

Unleash Luca

Now seriously, perhaps not the time. Maybe. But with George Hill coming from an injury and playing like... he's coming from an injury, I doubt Luca will do worse than him. And I love GH, but he can't add much now, and he's risking get a worse injury.

He at least has the potential to be a play maker, which they badly need. But I don't see it happening outside of garbage time.

[DrWood]

After getting swept in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Heat are 1 win away from hosting the ECF.

I'm sure if you ask the Heat players and coaches, they would tell you adding PJ to their roster has had zero impact. Just like PJ had zero impact on the Bucks winning the championship last season.

His play with the heat is much better than his play for the bucks. Unless you're thinking he just got his PEDs straightened out, there's no reason to assume he would have played as well for the bucks this year as he has for the heat.

[drone3]

Grayson needs more shots, can't have Giannis clanking 6 3s for no reason

[Plossum]

I think you’re all overthinking this a bit. Khris got injured and it’s killing us in spots where we’re used to having him. Wes is doing a fine job of adding what PJ gave us. I really don’t think we’re missing him (at all).

But we don’t have Khris’s play making. We don’t have his shooting. He’s a borderline all nba player at his best so it’s pretty clear that’s what we miss most. It sucks but it’s part of sports. We benefited from injuries to other teams last year and this year we’re feeling what it’s like to be undermanned.

We can still win but we’re gonna need some massive contributions from our role guys. Bobby and Grayson have more to give, I really hope they can step up.

Overthinking is finding reasons why having more good basketball players on your roster is a bad or unneeded thing.

Obviously losing someone like Khris is a giant hit, and roleplayers underperforming doesn't help, but that's exactly why you have as many arrows in your quiver as you can.

I guess we’ll never know as we didn’t re-sign him but I don’t disagree with you. I just don’t think having/not having PJ has been the difference in us winning and losing games this series.

If I had my choice I’d have re-signed PJ but what can you do?

[MickeyDavis]

All this Tucker lament. SMH. Middleton is who we miss.