Game 43: Bucks at Pistons - 1/22/24 - 6:00 - BSWI

[sidney lanier]

As we trudge through the barren wastes of January NBA basketball, there have been plenty of complaints in our plucky band of Bucks fans, especially about the expedition leader. And yet here we sit with the #2 seed.

I wonder what will happen if we fall out of that position, or, heaven forbid, out of home-court seeding period. Replay of the Donner party?

No defense no scheme and no leader
This forum a malcontent breeder
And we few with hopes
Are looked at as dopes
Pessimism's a cannibal feeder

Possible outcomes tonight:

1. You blew out the worst team in basketball. So what? Fire the coach.
2. You barely beat the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.
3. You lost to the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.

Go Bucks, I think.

[Brewhoopfan]

As we trudge through the barren wastes of January NBA basketball, there have been plenty of complaints in our plucky band of Bucks fans, especially about the expedition leader. And yet here we sit with the #2 seed.

I wonder what will happen if we fall out of that position, or, heaven forbid, out of home-court seeding period. Replay of the Donner party?

No defense no scheme and no leader
This forum a malcontent breeder
And we few with hopes
Are looked at as dopes
Pessimism's a cannibal feeder

Possible outcomes tonight:

1. You blew out the worst team in basketball. So what? Fire the coach.
2. You barely beat the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.
3. You lost to the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.

Go Bucks, I think.

In between wincing and grimacing, Dick Bennett once said "Do not accept in victory what you would not accept in defeat." So, I'd like to think the outcomes could contain a bit more nuance. Historically, a bottom third team in defensive efficiency does not fit the description of a contender. January is going in the wrong direction. That's not pessimism, but plain fact. Win or lose, improvement in defensive efficiency is a must.

Like most humans, I can do 2 things simultaneously: 1) Enjoy the heck out of watching Giannis and Dame 2) Have concerns about the teams chances to win a title under Griffin's leadership.

[sidney lanier]

As we trudge through the barren wastes of January NBA basketball, there have been plenty of complaints in our plucky band of Bucks fans, especially about the expedition leader. And yet here we sit with the #2 seed.

I wonder what will happen if we fall out of that position, or, heaven forbid, out of home-court seeding period. Replay of the Donner party?

No defense no scheme and no leader
This forum a malcontent breeder
And we few with hopes
Are looked at as dopes
Pessimism's a cannibal feeder

Possible outcomes tonight:

1. You blew out the worst team in basketball. So what? Fire the coach.
2. You barely beat the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.
3. You lost to the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.

Go Bucks, I think.

In between wincing and grimacing, Dick Bennett once said "Do not accept in victory what you would not accept in defeat." So, I'd like to think the outcomes could contain a bit more nuance. Historically, a bottom third team in defensive efficiency does not fit the description of a contender. January is going in the wrong direction. That's not pessimism, but plain fact. Win or lose, improvement in defensive efficiency is a must.

Like most humans, I can do 2 things simultaneously: 1) Enjoy the heck out of watching Giannis and Dame 2) Have concerns about the teams chances to win a title under Griffin's leadership.

Concerns, yes, we all have them. But I have faith that things will improve, both on the coaching and the playing front. As Dick Bennett also said, “Most of my learning and philosophy regarding coaching basketball was developed after great frustration.”

[Ron Swanson]

FWIW, for people who weren't here 6-7 years ago, I don't think Sid is as much a Griffin supporter as he is a "It's never the coach's fault" guy. I mean, he was also one of the very last Jason Kidd defenders. I believe his consistent philosophy is that basically all NBA coaches are just window-dressing, i.e. interchangeable. While I think there's some truth to that, where I'd 100% disagree is the idea that good coaching practices/acumen takes months and years to manifest. Nah, that's a bunch of Usinger's bologna.

Most of us were here when Bud walked through that door and immediately changed the culture. Less but still a lot of us were here when it was clear from Day 1 that Larry Drew no longer had the necessary tactical sense to coach an NBA team (he arguably never did) regardless of how badly constructed the roster was. The extremes of the spectrum (the really bad and really good) reveal themselves early. Griffin would have to perform a Giannis-level development path to overcome the litany of Coaching 101 red flags that he's already shown, and even if he could, we don't have 2-3 years to be patient with him as he flounders out there. We have 2-3 months.

[sidney lanier]

FWIW, for people who weren't here 6-7 years ago, I don't think Sid is as much a Griffin supporter as he is a "It's never the coach's fault" guy. I mean, he was also one of the very last Jason Kidd defenders. I believe his consistent philosophy is that basically all NBA coaches are just window-dressing, i.e. interchangeable. While I think there's some truth to that, where I'd 100% disagree is the idea that good coaching practices/acumen takes months and years to manifest. Nah, that's a bunch of Usinger's bologna.

Most of us were here when Bud walked through that door and immediately changed the culture. Less but still a lot of us were here when it was clear from Day 1 that Larry Drew no longer had the necessary tactical sense to coach an NBA team (he arguably never did) regardless of how badly constructed the roster was. The extremes of the spectrum (the really bad and really good) reveal themselves early. Griffin would have to perform a Giannis-level development path to overcome the litany of Coaching 101 red flags that he's already shown, and even if he could, we don't have 2-3 years to be patient with him as he flounders out there. We have 2-3 months.

Busted. Yes, I've never been one to think the coach is that big a factor in a free-flowing game like NBA basketball, and with the exception of Larry Drew, I've been reluctant to endorse a change in part because change involves what the economists call switching costs. I even defended Stotts, although not as consistently as Epi did.

I don't think Griffin is perfect. He probably tried to do too much too soon, and his academic training in leadership may have him doing things that looked good in textbooks but aren't the best in the real world. But these are tactical problems, not inherent ones. When I hear him in postgame media availabilities he comes across as thoughtful, intelligent, positive, and knowledgeable. I wouldn't like to see him ridden out of town on a rail just because he's working with a roster that is going to take some time to come together.

[Neuromancer56]

As we trudge through the barren wastes of January NBA basketball, there have been plenty of complaints in our plucky band of Bucks fans, especially about the expedition leader. And yet here we sit with the #2 seed.

I wonder what will happen if we fall out of that position, or, heaven forbid, out of home-court seeding period. Replay of the Donner party?

No defense no scheme and no leader
This forum a malcontent breeder
And we few with hopes
Are looked at as dopes
Pessimism's a cannibal feeder

Possible outcomes tonight:

1. You blew out the worst team in basketball. So what? Fire the coach.
2. You barely beat the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.
3. You lost to the worst team in basketball. Fire the coach.

Go Bucks, I think.

If we play solid defense, I don't care if we win or lose, that would give me more faith in Griff. I'm not holding my breath.

[Serge28]

Let's see how many 3s we give up this time. I looked it up and was surprised to see that we're actually 4th best defensive team for 3pt% - 34.7%. However, we are dead last in:

1) Free throw % shot against us - 81.9%. Detroit is second to last at 81.3%.

2) Turnovers forced, just 11.0 per game.

3) Field goal attempts given up - 94.8 per game. Washington is second worst in that regard with 93.3.

[yannisk]

anticipating another triumph of the Griffin armada, I wrote a small poem for him

Oh, Griffin! thou art peerless in thy skill
To guide the Bucks with wisdom and with will
Thy genius shines in every match and play
Thy spirit fires thy team to win the day

Thou know'st the art of blending strength and grace
Of moulding heroes in thy noble face
Of breathing courage in each valiant breast
Of leading them to glory and to rest

Oh, Griffin! thou art worthy of our praise
Thy name shall live in fame through endless days
Thou art the best and brightest of thy kind
Thou art the pride and wonder of mankind

[drew881]

Let's see how many 3s we give up this time. I looked it up and was surprised to see that we're actually 4th best defensive team for 3pt% - 34.7%. However, we are dead last in:

1) Free throw % shot against us - 81.9%. Detroit is second to last at 81.3%.

2) Turnovers forced, just 11.0 per game.

3) Field goal attempts given up - 94.8 per game. Washington is second worst in that regard with 93.3.

Gotta love it when your aspirant partner is the worst team in the league.

[sidney lanier]

anticipating another triumph of the Griffin armada, I wrote a small poem for him

Oh, Griffin! thou art peerless in thy skill
To guide the Bucks with wisdom and with will
Thy genius shines in every match and play
Thy spirit fires thy team to win the day

Thou know'st the art of blending strength and grace
Of moulding heroes in thy noble face
Of breathing courage in each valiant breast
Of leading them to glory and to rest

Oh, Griffin! thou art worthy of our praise
Thy name shall live in fame through endless days
Thou art the best and brightest of thy kind
Thou art the pride and wonder of mankind

Love it. I wish I knew how to embroider.

[AntetokounmBros]

anticipating another triumph of the Griffin armada, I wrote a small poem for him

Oh, Griffin! thou art peerless in thy skill
To guide the Bucks with wisdom and with will
Thy genius shines in every match and play
Thy spirit fires thy team to win the day

Thou know'st the art of blending strength and grace
Of moulding heroes in thy noble face
Of breathing courage in each valiant breast
Of leading them to glory and to rest

Oh, Griffin! thou art worthy of our praise
Thy name shall live in fame through endless days
Thou art the best and brightest of thy kind
Thou art the pride and wonder of mankind

Optional prayer to follow:

Our Griffin, who art in the locker room
Hallowed be thy name
Thy clipboard come, thy will be done
On the court, as it is on paper
Give us this day our daily win, and forgive us our skepticism
As we watch opponents score points against us
And lead us not into vacation, after delivering us to a first round exit
For thine is the Fiserv, the Horts, and the deer-in-headlights expression
For ever and ever
Amen

[MoreTrife]

Is this tweet accurate that got sent to me that Bucks starting unit is second in defensive rating per cleaning the glass?? With our overall defensive rating and amount of minutes the starters play that can't be right can it? Or at least some small sample size or something?

[blazza18]

Trust Giannis more catching a lob or bounce pass below the waist?

[JayMKE]

Tired of these Buffalo Wild Wings commercials

[Siefer]

I just turned the game on and Novak had been talking for 60 seconds straight. MD, help.

[nagawicka]

anticipating another triumph of the Griffin armada, I wrote a small poem for him

Oh, Griffin! thou art peerless in thy skill
To guide the Bucks with wisdom and with will
Thy genius shines in every match and play
Thy spirit fires thy team to win the day

Thou know'st the art of blending strength and grace
Of moulding heroes in thy noble face
Of breathing courage in each valiant breast
Of leading them to glory and to rest

Oh, Griffin! thou art worthy of our praise
Thy name shall live in fame through endless days
Thou art the best and brightest of thy kind
Thou art the pride and wonder of mankind

Alas, poor Yannisk, this scansion doesn’t track
we knew him well, ‘til he honor’s frontier edges wrecked
By crushing forg’d resignation letter into his own Captain’s hands
while bound behind his back and forced to walk the plank
Tho burned by night and fast deleted, the Ship’s crew’s mounting ire
had had that mutinous letter yeeted
Grif’s loyal crew then fast in to the Motor City breach, lands a hundred and a score
and sets sail live-well full back to nearest beach, shouting at the sight of Lake Michigan’s western shore

[Turk Nowitzki]

These refs are on one tonight. Nobody is here to see you guys.

[randy84]

wTF?

[Siefer]

Yuck, Jae

[midranger]

My god