Game 81: Bucks at Thunder - 4/12/24 - 7:00- OTA - Dame Doubtful, Green Out

skbucks1985 · Post #21 » by **skbucks1985** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:31 am

On the flip side of this, I doubt the Thunder see catching Denver as a realistic possibility and I'm not sure how much they'd prefer 2 over 3 given 3 will likely be either the Pelicans (who are one of the few teams that don't have appreciably more playoff experience than them) or the Suns who don't have the personnel to take advantage of their biggest weakness.

Karsenmitsche · Post #22 » by **Karsenmitsche** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:38 am

skbucks1985 wrote:
Plossum wrote:I’d be resting everyone for this one and see where the chips fall for the final game in Orlando. If we don’t need to win that to get a 2/3 seed then punt it too.

If the Knicks had lost tonight I think there'd be a better argument for that. But with their win tonight you have to assume the Knicks win out with home games against Brooklyn (even if it is a b2b) and a nothing to play for Bulls team. In which case the Bucks are going almost definitely going to have to win 1 of the next 2.

Which is not to say they should throw caution to the wind and just go full throttle without any concern to injury worries. But, they've got 2 shots at this and I don't think they should punt one of them. Especially since as good as the Thunder are and they do matchup better with the Bucks without Giannis, I still think this is a bad matchup for the Thunder.

If the 76ers win tomorrow vs the Magic the Bucks are going to want to beat the Magic sunday. But if the Magic win then it's almost certainly going to be better to be the 3 seed. So losing tomorrow gives optionality for the final game.

Especially now that Giannis is injured it becomes crucial to play for a specific matchup.

Matches Malone · Post #23 » by **Matches Malone** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:59 am

Read on Twitter

skbucks1985 · Post #24 » by **skbucks1985** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 3:08 am

Karsenmitsche wrote:
skbucks1985 wrote:
Plossum wrote:I’d be resting everyone for this one and see where the chips fall for the final game in Orlando. If we don’t need to win that to get a 2/3 seed then punt it too.

If the Knicks had lost tonight I think there'd be a better argument for that. But with their win tonight you have to assume the Knicks win out with home games against Brooklyn (even if it is a b2b) and a nothing to play for Bulls team. In which case the Bucks are going almost definitely going to have to win 1 of the next 2.

Which is not to say they should throw caution to the wind and just go full throttle without any concern to injury worries. But, they've got 2 shots at this and I don't think they should punt one of them. Especially since as good as the Thunder are and they do matchup better with the Bucks without Giannis, I still think this is a bad matchup for the Thunder.

If the 76ers win tomorrow vs the Magic the Bucks are going to want to beat the Magic sunday. But if the Magic win then it's almost certainly going to be better to be the 3 seed. So losing tomorrow gives optionality for the final game.

Especially now that Giannis is injured it becomes crucial to play for a specific matchup.

Strong disagree. For one, I highly doubt Orlando goes into Philly and wins tomorrow night. And if they do, I think that is probably a good indication that the fear of Philly is overblown.

Try to get the 2 seed, hope and do whatever is needed to try to get Giannis back as soon as possible and let all the other chips fall where they may.

RogerMurdock · Post #25 » by **RogerMurdock** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:18 am

Galloway out again? Man.

At least Thanasis is probable.

Post #26 » by **MickeyDavis** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:37 am

Good. Rest up, play everyone sans Giannis on Sunday. Then rest up again for a week.

HKPackFan · Post #27 » by **HKPackFan** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:38 am

The Knicks are getting 50 wins.

If we also finish with 50 wins we have the tiebreaker?

Post #28 » by **MickeyDavis** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:40 am

HKPackFan wrote:The Knicks are getting 50 wins.

If we also finish with 50 wins we have the tiebreaker?

Yes

SpreeS · Post #29 » by **SpreeS** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 7:16 am

If MIL will lose last two games and PHI wins against ORL and CLE wins against IND:

2 NY
3 CLE
4 MIL
5 PHI

ouch

Plossum · Post #30 » by **Plossum** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 9:18 am

It’d be handy if the Pacers could beat the Cavs.

Sigra · Post #31 » by **Sigra** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 9:54 am

The Bucks will play against Pacers in 1st round. That is my prediction.

Karsenmitsche · Post #32 » by **Karsenmitsche** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:55 am

Plossum wrote:It’d be handy if the Pacers could beat the Cavs.

pacers losing keeps the dream scenario of them and magic falling to 7+8 alive

Post #33 » by **MickeyDavis** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:06 pm

Karsenmitsche wrote:
Plossum wrote:It’d be handy if the Pacers could beat the Cavs.

pacers losing keeps the dream scenario of them and magic falling to 7+8 alive

That's cool as long as we win on Sunday. Lose tonight and Sunday and we could be ****.

MartyConlonOnTheRun · Post #34 » by **MartyConlonOnTheRun** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:37 pm

Never thought I would say this in early April but I may stay home Sunday and watch a crap ton of NBA basketball to see how seeds shake out

ShootingtheJ · Post #35 » by **ShootingtheJ** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:46 pm

SpreeS wrote:If MIL will lose last two games and PHI wins against ORL and CLE wins against IND:

2 NY
3 CLE
4 MIL
5 PHI

ouch

So we'd get playoff frauds in the 1st 2 rounds? Awesome.

WeMajor34 · Post #36 » by **WeMajor34** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 1:07 pm

We’re definitely playing with fire a bit for punting this game. I don’t like the idea of making Sunday an intense must win considering the Magic are still a pretty good team. Hopefully we know what we’re doing and positioning luck comes into play.

Ron Swanson · Post #37 » by **Ron Swanson** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 1:32 pm

How many times does it have to be said that health is the most important thing going into the playoffs? I'd just as soon punt the Orlando game as well if any of the Top-8 rotation is dealing with any sort of lingering wear and tear. I've never been lower on this team's championship aspirations than I am right now, and it's only/entirely because it's all but guaranteed we won't get close to a 100% Giannis this postseason.

Stop....caring.....about......seeding.

jimmybones · Post #38 » by **jimmybones** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 1:44 pm

Agree that by far the most important thing is health so I'm on board with punting tonight and playing whoever is healthy enough Sunday. Goal #2 for me after health is by far 2 seed over first round match up. Intentionally lowering your seed for an easier first round matchup while losing home court advantage is some Herb Kohl era "just get into the playoffs" super soft mentality. There's no "we got out of the 1st round" award and honestly if you are that scared of who you play in the first round, you are not **** to begin with.

Yes, you have to win the first round to get to the second round but if the ultimate goal is to win a championship, why worry about your first round matchup at the expense of home court in your second round matchup. I don't care if Philly or Miami is not a typical 7 seed and I don't care what happened last year. We are better than both of those teams and if we have an ounce of title aspirations you need to handle either of them with HCA AND go into round 2 with HCA.

Miss me with all the super soft avoiding of matchup talk.

GoldenAntlers · Post #39 » by **GoldenAntlers** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:05 pm

Health over seeding. Our team is old and banged up enough that this isn't even really a "rest" game. No Giannis, No Dame = no win. Take the night off, fellas.

Post #40 » by **MickeyDavis** » Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:46 pm

GoldenAntlers wrote:Health over seeding. Our team is old and banged up enough that this isn't even really a "rest" game. No Giannis, No Dame = no win. Take the night off, fellas.