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I think the Hornets are going to be the next young team to rise, they've got quite a good young core in LaMelo, Miller, Williams, Mann and Bridges.

Miller is looking really good. Just need to keep Ball healthy.

Would love to see Miami jump up to the 6th seed and have Miami and Philly enter the playoffs as the 6th and 7th seed.

Think they both could knock off a higher seed whether it's Milwaukee, Orlando or Cleveland.

Milwaukee lost to Washington, Memphis, AND Toronto in 4 days lmao. Talk about a bad stretch.

FriedRise wrote:Milwaukee lost to Washington, Memphis, AND Toronto in 4 days lmao. Talk about a bad stretch.

Potentially tanking to avoid Embiid/Miami in the first round and draw Indiana instead. Not sure if I give Doc that much credit though, they may just be playing like crap.

Muzbar wrote:I think the Hornets are going to be the next young team to rise, they've got quite a good young core in LaMelo, Miller, Williams, Mann and Bridges.

Miller is looking really good. Just need to keep Ball healthy.

I like what they did at the trade deadline and agree with you about Miller. Williams health is also a concern.

I think they tried to trade Bridges but he vetoed it...? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if he moves on in the off season.

Diar better be ready

kodo wrote:

FriedRise wrote:Milwaukee lost to Washington, Memphis, AND Toronto in 4 days lmao. Talk about a bad stretch.

Potentially tanking to avoid Embiid/Miami in the first round and draw Indiana instead. Not sure if I give Doc that much credit though, they may just be playing like crap.

It wasn't tanking. They straight up stink.
* They would beat the hell out of us in a series but against a real playoff team they are toast.

Mk0 wrote:

kodo wrote:

FriedRise wrote:Milwaukee lost to Washington, Memphis, AND Toronto in 4 days lmao. Talk about a bad stretch.

Potentially tanking to avoid Embiid/Miami in the first round and draw Indiana instead. Not sure if I give Doc that much credit though, they may just be playing like crap.

It wasn't tanking. They straight up stink.
* They would beat the hell out of us in a series but against a real playoff team they are toast.

Milwaukee was done the moment they traded for dame he a geat player but jrue holiday was the better player for that bucks team it sucks for them be cause with that trade they got the better player but got worse team wise and made their rival Celtics much much better idk what they can do in the offseason to improve they have no cap flexibility and are pretty much stuck with this current team

FriedRise wrote:Milwaukee lost to Washington, Memphis, AND Toronto in 4 days lmao. Talk about a bad stretch.

Bring back Griffin.

kodo wrote:Potentially tanking to avoid Embiid/Miami in the first round and draw Indiana instead. Not sure if I give Doc that much credit though, they may just be playing like crap.

Credit? That would be nuts. Doing something to intentionally lose games, thereby angering the players (nobody wants to lose intentionally, especially with fans mocking them on social media), for the possibility -- not guarantee, just possibility -- that the first round matchup could be against a team that they think will be easier, but might not in fact would be easier?

With all that scheming done solely for a single, opening round of the playoffs? When nobody really remembers who lost in the second round, and when the coach is hired to get past the second round anyway?

I can't imagine any NBA coach ever doing such a thing.

Miami is a half a game behind Indiana for the 6th seed and 2 games behind New York and Orlando for the 5th and 4th seed. The east seeding is not in any way set so I don't think Milwaukee could be intentionally tanking to avoid anyone.

They're just playing poorly.

For everyone in the East seeds 4-8 the playoffs have begun. All of these games are important.

Ice Man wrote:

kodo wrote:Potentially tanking to avoid Embiid/Miami in the first round and draw Indiana instead. Not sure if I give Doc that much credit though, they may just be playing like crap.

Credit? That would be nuts. Doing something to intentionally lose games, thereby angering the players (nobody wants to lose intentionally, especially with fans mocking them on social media), for the possibility -- not guarantee, just possibility -- that the first round matchup could be against a team that they think will be easier, but might not in fact would be easier?

With all that scheming done solely for a single, opening round of the playoffs? When nobody really remembers who lost in the second round, and when the coach is hired to get past the second round anyway?

I can't imagine any NBA coach ever doing such a thing.

Sixers w/ Embiid are the 2nd best team in the EC, it's not like it's a normal seeding situation. Reigning MVP over Joker.
If during the late 90s Chicago lost MJ & Scottie and was coming in at 7th/8th seed, teams would be tanking like crazy to avoid Chicago. Philly lost both Embiid & Maxey but both are now healthy.

With all that scheming done solely for a single, opening round of the playoffs?

They had one of the better coaches in the league with a championship, and he was fired for not making it past the first round. So obviously getting past the 1st round makes all the difference in the world.

While there is plenty of rational motivation, it's probably just as likely they're just on a bad streak.

kodo wrote:They had one of the better coaches in the league with a championship, and he was fired for not making it past the first round. So obviously getting past the 1st round makes all the difference in the world.[/quote}

OK, that is a good point. I will concede that one.

While there is plenty of rational motivation, it's probably just as likely they're just on a bad streak.

Or even more likely.

Bucks are really free falling. They have lost 6 of 7 and 4 straight. They play Celtics tomorrow.

Its really a mess over there unless they really do damage in the playoffs.

Its been a total disaster.

They let Griffin go who was 30-13 for Doc Rivers who is now 15-17 under his watch. And the trade that started it all, basically made the Celtics the best team in the league for at least 2 seasons.

In hindsight, I don't exactly think losing Griff was an end all be all. He wasn't really that good. But I do think the lesser evil was to not trade for Dame in the first place.

They totally underestimated the impact of Jrue.

DASMACKDOWN wrote:In hindsight, I don't exactly think losing Griff was an end all be all. He wasn't really that good. But I do think the lesser evil was to not trade for Dame in the first place.

They totally underestimated the impact of Jrue.

1) Griff - I agree and disagree. Agree in that he was nothing special. Disagree in that the Bucks (and apparently most of their fans) thought that Griff was the issue, when he most assuredly was not. Put whatever jockey you want on a nag, it's still a nag.

2) Jrue/Dame - Yes, a total disaster. The GB has been all over the Sabonis-Hali trade, with many calling it historically bad, but the truth is that Sabonis has been every bit as good as Hali since that trade was made (in the regular season). The true historically bad trade looks to be the Jrue for Dame trade, which as you note not only hurt the Bucks, but ended up also benefiting their chief rival.

Ice Man wrote: The true historically bad trade looks to be the Jrue for Dame trade, which as you note not only hurt the Bucks, but ended up also benefiting their chief rival.

Yup. It was like the perfect move for the Celtics too. Celtics looked like they would really miss Smart in the KP trade. But getting Jrue basically solidified a rock solid squad. White and Jrue are the best 2 backcourt defenders in the league.

To me though, this all goes back to Giannis.

The Bucks basically did all of this to appease Giannis. He resigned and extension shortly after the trade. But in this mess, he wanted Coach Bud gone. He asked for Griff. Wanted Doc.

This team is also basically locked into the roster for 2 years with little to no room for improvement. They seem more like a 5-6 seed next year.

I would put Bos, Philly, Knicks, Cleveland, maybe even Orlando over the Bucks next year.

DASMACKDOWN wrote:

Ice Man wrote: The true historically bad trade looks to be the Jrue for Dame trade, which as you note not only hurt the Bucks, but ended up also benefiting their chief rival.

Yup. It was like the perfect move for the Celtics too. Celtics looked like they would really miss Smart in the KP trade. But getting Jrue basically solidified a rock solid squad. White and Jrue are the best 2 backcourt defenders in the league.

To me though, this all goes back to Giannis.

The Bucks basically did all of this to appease Giannis. He resigned and extension shortly after the trade. But in this mess, he wanted Coach Bud gone. He asked for Griff. Wanted Doc.

Mike was a similarly bad GM when he played for the Bulls. Fortunately, Krause had the luxury of ignoring him because Mike wasn't a realistic threat to leave, as Giannis is with the Bucks. These days if you live by a superstar, you might also die by that superstar.

Why does KC Johnson keep saying Caruso has to play 2 of the next 4 games and 20 mins to reach the 65 games goal.

Caruso has played in 68 games.

DASMACKDOWN wrote:Why does KC Johnson keep saying Caruso has to play 2 of the next 4 games and 20 mins to reach the 65 games goal.

Caruso has played in 68 games.

Is it because he needs to play at least 20 minutes, in order for a game to count as part of the 65? Because there have been a handful of games in which he played less than 20 minutes.