Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks recently broke a 5-game climb loss.
The view of the Milwaukee Bucks from 30,000 feet is calm enough, based on the team’s intentions for the regular season 2020-21.
It is the scene from 30 feet that has so many fans embarrassed, skeptical media representatives and opponents inspired.
When Milwaukee face the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday night in the sixth game of its eight-game homestand, nearing the end of the first half of the season, it raises more questions than answers. That’s not terrible, but it definitely feels different.
Going 116-39 over the last two regular seasons, the Bucks probably didn’t have issues – it was like. Their fall against Toronto fell in the Eastern Conference finals in 2019 after they led the best 2-0 series of seven and were abruptly disbanded by Miami in 2020 from the conference semifinals eliminating and revealing a group that had run through 82 games one season, 73 the next.
The Bucks ’19-13 season so far has been anything but a riot. Grinding? At times. A winding walk through unknown forests with a map or compass? That could be even closer.
The funny thing is, how unbelievable it can be for the team and its fans – the Bucks had to go 37-4 to match last season ‘s record ( and there are 41 games left) – it was a bit predictable.
Giannis is the best this season
Check out some of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s favorite plays of 2020-21.
And even though it was kind of a prediction, it’s still a bit unpredictable. Milwaukee will hold on to that base, with no other possible head / tail production, in fact, until mid-May.
Such a life in a team that has succeeded or failed has completely moved to the post. For all the roster changes implemented by general manager Jon Horst in the short term, for any changes coach Mike Budenholzer is made offensive or defensive, for whatever improvements are needed. two-time Kia MVP manager Giannis Antetokounmpo and his players managed their individual skills, this eight-ton boulder to close their way through the regular season:
It’s the playoffs, pallies.
That’s why finding out what the “real” Bucks team is right now – the flat group that fell five straight recently or the boys – is not only challenging. which brought eight victories around that spear.
Things didn’t seem to be so true in the last two seasons. Looked like gold, finished like iron pyrite.
In dropping five games after Feb. 10-18, losing to Phoenix, Utah, Oklahoma City and Toronto (twice), the Bucks shot 36.6% on 3-pointers and an average of 13 3- pointers. That’s far from 42.9 percent and 16.4, their numbers in virtues.
They averaged just 42.4 reps, promising 21 games per game and had levels of 110.3 / 118.3. Their opponents fired a whopping 50.3%, 39.9% on 3-pointers and fired 23.8 free throws per game at 120.4 ppg.
The messages from Budenholzer and players throughout were staying on course, learning and, as Antetokounmpo put four losses in, without panicking.
“I say many times when things go bad, that’s where you get better,” Antetokounmpo said when the spear hit five. “That’s where you excel, that’s where you develop. Alternatively, you can turn the other way, just go home and stop. Or you can fight. ”
Somehow, the proofs have been correct, but that is not all certain.
Replay game: Bucks 98, Thunder 85
The Bucks went against the Thunder on Feb. 18 to end a 5-game slip.
The usual three-game win streak, averaging 17.7 points, has been against OKC, Sacramento and Minnesota. So far, Milwaukee is 3-5 against Brooklyn, Boston, Indiana, Toronto and Miami (and has yet to play Philadelphia).
The Bucks have kicked back into being one of only three teams to rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rankings (Utah and Phoenix are the others). They are among the top 5 in scoring, percentage of field goals, 3-point percentage, 3-points made per game, scoring difference and net ranking.
But they are at level 24th in a 3-point defense percentage, compared to 15th last season. They are 1-9 when they come out, 5-13 when the other team hits 45% or better. The Bucks have only won one game all season in which they failed by 100 points. And they’re 0-10 when they slow down after three-quarters, a real measure of horizontal.
Alone, there are not many red flags. Antetokounmpo is still a force at each end of the floor and will start again in his fifth All-Star Game. He and Nikola Jokic at Denver are the same players with an average of 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game.
Khris Middleton, who joined “The Greek Freak” as an All-Star the past two seasons, was considered a coaches snub when he didn’t make it to a reserve in 2021. He has a season close to a mirror until 2019 -20. (20.3 ppg, 5.7 apg) while again running the unprofitable club 50/40/90 in firing percentages. (Only five players in NBA history have done it and get an average of at least 20 points.)
During the streak that lost five games, Middleton averaged 16.6 ppg and was a member of the 40/30/70 club. With Jrue Holiday’s big offseason pick out, Middleton had an offensive double team and held up nearly as many turns (4.4) as it helped (4.6).
Holidays have not played since Feb. 6 due to health and safety protocols. His status against his former Pelicans team on Thursday was unclear. Milwaukee has gone 4-5 without, even as Holiday and the Bucks were still changing each other before he was sent off.
Center Brook Lopez has been more global than last season both indoors and out. But despite his scoring being a bit off, his free throw rate has dropped and the second All-Defensive team has a 46.2 percent pick in 2019-20 (after 60.2% t last season).
Donte DiVincenzo’s two-sided play has been helpful, though perhaps his best role is to be off the bench rather than starting at a shooting guard with Wesley Matthews away. The bench itself has been a mixed bag, with Bobby Portis as a big feisty with a shooting range, DJ Augustin spouting with his picture and Torrey Craig getting harder minutes to come.
This all leaves the Bucks where, right? Maybe they are learning and improving. Might be packing themselves up for the playoffs and fighting for some focus in the meantime.
Most of where they are now, however, seem to be in a quandary.
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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can email him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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