Playoffs: Bucks vs Pacers

[mufan2003]

https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1911638063710691757

Game 1 Saturday at 12pm CST. Let's go!

[MUfan12]

In a way, I am hoping Dame is out this series. They've finally found some on court chemistry (and perimeter defense) with him out.

[Goose85]

Dame will miss the start of the playoffs. Not sure when he will be able to return, but hopefully we can figure out how to beat the Pacers without him.

We have sure been snake bitten with injuries for the playoffs since winning the title.

[mufan2003]

KPJ has been a revelation, only 24, that is what gives me hope (knock on wood) he could end up being a steal. Prince/Trent Jr/Green all above 40% beyond the arc and Top 20 3PT% in the NBA. Connaughton even showing he is ready if needed.

Sounds like Jericho Sims will be ready for Game 1. Giannis is ready to go:

https://x.com/ThanalysisShow/status/1912529474043715784

[mufan2003]

East Schedule:
https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1912517742868963549

West Schedule:
https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1912519566372090013

[mufan2003]

Today's Lillard update....sounds promising.

https://x.com/eric_nehm/status/1912932773469290994

[mufan2003]

Lillard back for Game 2.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1914697462188515610?t=eZ_iJshCBNaIuUlPFgOvqA&s=19

[Goose85]

Lillard back for Game 2.

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1914697462188515610?t=eZ_iJshCBNaIuUlPFgOvqA&s=19

Good to hear that he is healthy enough to play.
I hope he can help make a difference tonight, as I'm really starting to despise the Pacers.

[mufan2003]

These fist two games......gross.

Yes, the Pacers are making shots, but the Bucks are making them look like the Golden State Warrior title teams of the past decade. Not making them uncomfortable at all offensively until way too late in the game

Even going back to the championship season, starting 0-2 against Brooklyn in the conference semis (down by 30 at one point in Game 2) and 0-2 against Phoenix in the Finals.

They can even this up, I just hate how they played through so much of these first 2 games.

Agree with you Goose.....Pacers fans and the players have become insufferable......Nembhard, Haliburton, Nesmith. Nobody on that roster has won anything, the franchise has never won a championship.

The Bucks are not playing anywhere near their potential......have to send Indiana a strong message and put them in their place in Games 3 and 4.

[mufan2003]

Good to hear that he is healthy enough to play.
I hope he can help make a difference tonight, as I'm really starting to despise the Pacers.

https://x.com/na7ural_/status/1914881236683612226

[mufan2003]

https://x.com/realapp_/status/1914861338884542697

Gary Trent 1-4
AJ Green 0-2
Need more from Lillard
Need more from Prince
Bobby very good offensively
Kuzma solid after a no-show in Game 1
May not be a series for Brook, but still need more from him
Sims needs to finish around the rim, hold on to the ball
Connaughton an option
Jackson an option to put on Haliburton or Nembhard if they get going

[mufan2003]

Thoughts:

(1) 4th straight postseason since winning a championship in 2021 that a big-time player for the Bucks gets injured during the first round series or right before the playoffs. Who has the Lillard and Giannis voodoo dolls? This has arrived at the point of being unbelievable if someone told you it were to play out this way:

2022 - Middleton
2023 - Giannis
2024 - Giannis and Lillard
2025 - Lillard

(2) This Pacers team isn't even that good, it is going to be Celtics vs Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals and that should be a great series. Meanwhile, these insufferable Pacers get another pass through the first round at Milwaukee's expense.

(3) Now the national media is giddy about revving up the "Giannis' future in Milwaukee" talk, despite the fact Giannis constantly shoots it down and says they would have to get rid of me. The media should do it with the Lakers and Doncic.

(4) Seems inevitable this is Brook's last year in Milwaukee. Kuzma has been disappointing. They need to keep getting younger around Giannis. A very difficult question, is Lillard declining? At 34, do you sell when there is still value? 2 injuries in the last 2 postseasons. With this injury, will there be much interest around the league? Has he lost some of his burst? KPJ (24), Green (25), Trent (26).....I like the youth there and what they bring to the table. Trent was on a 1-year prove-it deal, will the Bucks want to pay his market value?

(5) Now there is a ready-made excuse for losing in the first round (some say an excuse for Doc). There is a chance they would have still lost this series with Dame, but now will there be hesitation to make changes because of Dame's injury?? Horst, with his new deal, and staff have some tough decisions to make.

(6) So disappointing another loss gets credited to a major injury. I think they had a strong chance to win this series with Dame and he was getting his conditioning back with every game. All the energy was sucked out of the crowd and players when Dame went back to the locker room. Just unreal luck.

[MUfan12]

Bobby is gonna decline his player option. Pat is gone. Don't know what Brook is gonna do. If he's okay being a backup 5 on a vet minimum, I'd honestly keep him around. But there's not a huge market for him.

Dame's injury took away their final option to build around Giannis. The only prayer they had was getting .75 on the dollar back for Dame.

The issue they have is how much they want to gamble on Giannis' loyalty. He can opt-out in two years. If that happens and you get nothing back, you're looking at a decade in NBA Siberia. They're really stuck. Trading him would be extremely unpopular unless he were to ask out. But it might be their only choice.

[mufan2003]

Chuck's reaction is every Bucks fan's reaction:

https://x.com/NBAonTNT/status/1917382495273709692

Giannis receiving a lot of praise for how he handled the confrontation with John Haliburton:

https://x.com/stoolpresidente/status/1917409463121723425

https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1917581267215720709

https://x.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1917600874970722381

https://x.com/NBAonTNT/status/1917456113806762460


"I have won a championship, they haven't" :cool: Never leave Giannis and never trade him Bucks:

https://x.com/BleacherReport/status/1917575101739941961

[mufan2003]

Bobby is gonna decline his player option. Pat is gone. Don't know what Brook is gonna do. If he's okay being a backup 5 on a vet minimum, I'd honestly keep him around. But there's not a huge market for him.

Dame's injury took away their final option to build around Giannis. The only prayer they had was getting .75 on the dollar back for Dame.

The issue they have is how much they want to gamble on Giannis' loyalty. He can opt-out in two years. If that happens and you get nothing back, you're looking at a decade in NBA Siberia. They're really stuck. Trading him would be extremely unpopular unless he were to ask out. But it might be their only choice.

A lot of difficult decisions to be made, with very little draft capital. I don't envy Jon Horst & Co. I think Lillard could be back by next January. Giannis and Lillard are your cornerstones.

As I have said before, I really like KPJ (24), AJ Green (25) and Gary Trent (26). I would try to keep those three alongside Giannis and Dame.......everyone else is up for discussion. No more old veterans, need to continue the youth movement. Acquiring Trent and KPJ were examples of that.

The flip side is the OKC model......which can certainly work in the long run, but no guarantee. Trading Giannis for 4 first-round picks spaced out over separate years, a player or two, etc. It would be SO DIFFICULT to move on from Giannis, but it is certainly a valid discussion. Personally, I stick with Lillard and Giannis, keep reshaping the roster around them with young players (i.e. KPJ, Trent , Green). I think you move on from Brook (unless he stays on a minimum deal as you said), Prince, Pat. Bobby, might be beneficial to replace with a 2-way wing that is more balanced on both sides of the ball. Defense was atrocious at times. There is enough scoring with Lillard, Trent, Green, Giannis, etc.

A tough road ahead, but I still lean towards keeping Giannis in Milwaukee. The hope is that these tough times (past few years) will eventually see them break through with Lillard and Giannis at the forefront.

[mufan2003]

Another tough question, especially for all of us MU alumni who love him, what do you do with Doc??

To put it lightly, the general consensus is that he is washed up and the Bucks need to move on. But how many coaches in how many years? Supposedly Horst wanted Kenny Atkinson while ownership wanted Doc. Is Darvin Ham a possibility? A great connection with the players and a reputation for holding guys accountable.

Again, a lot of tough decisions ahead.

[mufan2003]

https://x.com/dpshow/status/1917635737098342587

[mufan2003]

https://hoopshype.com/lists/bucks-offseason-primer-is-this-the-end-of-the-giannis-antetokounmpo-era/