Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Milwaukee Bucks

[itrsteve]

No post-mortem to be had.

The key players are under contract and they did 7 games against a highly competitive team without their second best scorer.

Bucks are fine.

[vinnymate]

I think Bucks needs to look at a new coach.

Bud has done all he can for the Bucks. He can raise the floor, but caps the ceiling.

His stubborn and sticks by his schemes/rotations no matter what. Celtics rained down 3s all series long. Even if the new coach isn't as good as Bud, but is more willing to make adjustments during the playoffs, I think you have to take that chance and see what happens.

Thoroughly outcoached by first year coach Ime Udoka lol.

[CoP]

Run it back. Connaughton and Portis opt in, then try to sign Matthewa and Carter. The DiVicenzo trade was pretty bad in retrospect.

[Joao Saraiva]

The Bucks are fine. Took the Celtics to 7 without Middleton and without HCA...

Make some roster upgrades and you should be fine. Try to land a FA or something that can help. That's it.

I'm also getting 2014 Spurs vibes with the Celtics. It's that impressive.

[Blame Rasho]

They need to get younger and get a dynamic swing player.

[Patches Perry]

Just keep things the same and run it back. I voted for "rising" since treadmill doesn't really fit, but as a 1st tier contender you are mostly moving laterally.

Obviously get Middleton back and see if you can add any reliable 3D guys.

[CoP]

Just keep things the same and run it back. I voted for "rising" since treadmill doesn't really fit, but as a 1st tier contender you are mostly moving laterally.

Obviously get Middleton back and see if you can add any reliable 3D guys.

Haha, I did the opposite and voted treadmill team but for the same reason. They were a conference contender last season, this season, and will be next season

[Marmoset]

this is the first time I couldn't pick a choice for rising, treadmill and waning. they are a contending team IMO.

We're at a point where these options don't really work for some of the remaining teams. They're not rising or waning, so technically they could be called a treadmill team, but a perennial contender is not a treadmill team the way you might say a team like Washington is.

That said ... the Bucks don't need to do too much. Keep the core, get Middleton healthy, try to add a nice role player or two because they did get exposed a little there.

I think the Bucks would have won the series with Middleton in the lineup, but you can't assume that will be enough next year because Boston and other teams can also continue to improve. Getting him back while adding a piece or two on the bench could do it.

[trickshot]

Am I allowed to criticize Bud even if he won a title last year? Because man it's tempting. Embarrassing game plan today.

He almost cost them the Nets series last year with the absurd drop coverage on Durant.

Same drop coverage that allowed Trey to walk into floaters for a whole playoff game. That Atl series shouldn't have gone 6, it was one half of offense they could have plugged so easily, then he'd use the same coverage on CP3 allowing him to walk into what felt like more open midrange shots than he had seen his entire career combined. He definitely went to the same coaching college with Doc. They always drop at least one game wasting their teams advantages.

[Chanel Bomber]

Am I allowed to criticize Bud even if he won a title last year? Because man it's tempting. Embarrassing game plan today.

He almost cost them the Nets series last year with the absurd drop coverage on Durant.

Same drop coverage that allowed Trey to walk into floaters for a whole playoff game. That Atl series shouldn't have gone 6, it was one half of offense they could have plugged so easily, then he'd use the same coverage on CP3 allowing him to walk into what felt like more open midrange shots than he had seen his entire career combined. He definitely went to the same coaching college with Doc. They always drop at least one game wasting their teams advantages.

Yep.

Doc, Thibs, Bud... the league has passed them by. A couple others two.

From this generation of coaches, only Kerr and Spoelstra are progressive and open-minded enough to put their teams in the best position to win (not all the time but on most occasions).

[dWadeOwnzYou]

Bud hands down worst coach in the league right behind Steve Nash. They win this game had he had the right personnel on the floor.

[danvato]

I really don't think Milwaukee has a ton of work to do. They have the best player in the league, a solid bench and a Middleton plays this could have been a different outcome.

Milwaukee will be there again next year

Having the best player isn't enough to win titles. You need a quality 7-8 rotation to survive in the play-offs and the Bucks bench could be gone next year.

Maybe their GM finds adequate replacements, i'd say they did OK with Grayson Allen and Wes Mathews but they did not fill PJ Tuckers shoes.

Bucks are in repeater tax and I would be shocked if Bobby Portis and Pat Con don't opt out, they will 100% get $10m+/year. Are the Bucks willing to pay that?

[ken6199]

This Bucks teams from the past 2 years just highlights that in today's league where injuries are happening on an alarming scale, it is so crucial to stay healthy. Every team has a pretty short contending window where their core is young/healthy/synchronized on reasonable contracts plus they happen to find some nice role players. It's so difficult to win a ring let alone repeating.

Bucks don't need to do much next year to remain as a title favorite. However like someone said above, having a healthy Middleton might not be enough next year with Boston seemingly rising, the big question mark how Ben Simons integrates into the Nets, and how Philly retools this summer to find their winning recipe.

[danvato]

No post-mortem to be had.

The key players are under contract and they did 7 games against a highly competitive team without their second best scorer.

Bucks are fine.

their 4th and 5th best players makes $5m/year and have player options. They are 100% opting out.

[TheNewEra]

Without Middleton you can’t give a fair evaluation of this team. He’s the second best player and key scorer on the team. He is the Klay type engine for the Bucks so getting him healthy fixes a lot of issues. Still a good team and just some worries how much longer will Brook Lopez last at his age. Would look to add a bench gunner type for cases like these that guys are out. Maybe Jordan Clarkson or Eric Gordon

[tamaraw08]

OMG, Bud’s critics have been patiently waiting since last year to lock their missiles on him and lay 100% of the blame on him. He loses his 2nd best player and manages to extend this series to 7 games against a young healthy team. Is it his fault that his FIVE SHOOTERS went 0 of 18 from the 3 pt area? Bbbbbut he has Giannis and……. The great Jrue who took a Holiday this series.

[hugepatsfan]

I think they’d do well to incorporate more ball and player movement. Obviously Middleton out was tough for them and him coming back could have made a huge difference. But that difference would have had to been by knocking down tough shots. Because watching how this series played out, I don’t believe that they would be able to generate open looks even with Middleton. They need to incorporate some new offensive principles around Giannis.

[life_saver]

I am really not a fan of Bucks defensive strategy.

[vinnymate]

I am really not a fan of Bucks defensive strategy.

After game one, it felt like the drop defensive scheme got less and less effective.

By the end of the series the Celtics were scoring in the paint effectively, while still raining 3s because they were continuously open.

[Fencer reregistered]

I am really not a fan of Bucks defensive strategy.

After game one, it felt like the drop defensive scheme got less and less effective.

By the end of the series the Celtics were scoring in the paint effectively, while still raining 3s because they were continuously open.

The Celtics were pathetic from 2-point range in Game 7, and a lot of that was at the rim.