Game 48: Bucks at Blazers - 1/31/24 - 9:00 - ESPN/BSWI

[MickeyDavis]

Dame returns to Portland. It will be emotional, he'll get a great reception. He gets to (hopefully) spend some time with his kids and some old friends.

Blazers are playing better, going 4-6 in their last 10. They whipped Philly last night by 26 (without Embiid and Maxey).

We played them in November in Milwaukee and were down 28 before rallying with a big 4th quarter to win by 6. Middleton did not play that game.

The initial injury report will be out later today.

Bucks open as 10.5 point favorites.

Go Bucks.

[chonestown]

Brogdan returns to where his career started, just a readymade storyline.

Ah fk, it's in Portland.

Whew, gonna have to strain for a narrative here.

[tydett]

Doc seems like more of a pullover guy, but I guess blazers are cool too.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Must win. Need to keep ahead of the Sixers over the next 2+ weeks to the all star game. We don't have an easy 2nd half schedule, but the next couple weeks are brutal.

[Frank Nova]

Still patiently waiting for that nuclear performance from Dame in a Bucks uniform. @ Portland would be perfect.

[Matches Malone]

Read on Twitter

[MickeyDavis]

He's with his kids, that's great

[El Pooch Grande]

I think Dame has a big game tomorrow night.

[Neuromancer56]

I feel excited again to watch Bucks games. The hope is back.

[StickeeFingaz]

I feel excited again to watch Bucks games. The hope is back.

Agreed. I saw positives in the loss last night. Should be a fun second half of the season.

[HKPackFan]

120-104

Dame with a 40pt game. Those Portland nets just feel like home.

Book it.

[mediocrityrules]

120-104

Dame with a 40pt game. Those Portland nets just feel like home.

Book it.

120-104 feels closer to the mark with a new coach, new rotations etc. I think our offense is going to suffer slightly as our defense improves. I'm fine with that. We need to find a happy medium between the two, knowing that we have clutch time closers in Dame, and to a lesser extent Midds and Giannis. One of the things that the team was lacking.

Of course we still need that defensive wing, but one step at a time.

[Brewhoopfan]

Yep - this will be Dame Time from the opening tip. I fully expect him to get plenty of shots with his teammates deferring to him.

Interesting stats: https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203081/shots-dash?Season=2023-24

We've seen the 'Giannis shooting bump' for most players coming to the Bucks. Not so for Dame. He actually had a higher percentage of his shots come from 'catch and shoot' opportunities last year. He's also a shooting a better % on pull-up 3s both this year and last year. Dame needs volume and plenty of high balls screens to create mismatches and get downhill. I think we'll see plenty of both tonight.

[msiris]

should be an easy win. but

[CharityStripe34]

Should open the first possession with a Khris/Brook PNR with Khris dribbling off his leg for the lolz.

[sidney lanier]

I wonder if Stotts comes to the game. Or maybe just the shootaround.

[CannondaleF400]

Doc should put Khris on a dribble restriction.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Yep - this will be Dame Time from the opening tip. I fully expect him to get plenty of shots with his teammates deferring to him.

Interesting stats: https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203081/shots-dash?Season=2023-24

We've seen the 'Giannis shooting bump' for most players coming to the Bucks. Not so for Dame. He actually had a higher percentage of his shots come from 'catch and shoot' opportunities last year. He's also a shooting a better % on pull-up 3s both this year and last year. Dame needs volume and plenty of high balls screens to create mismatches and get downhill. I think we'll see plenty of both tonight.

On the positive, not only has Giannis gotten the "Dame shooting bump" but the types of shots are a lot healthier for Giannis. Feel I'm holding my breath a lot less this year.

Also, there was a time in my life I loved 9pm games. Could go to the gym, hang out with friends, etc...and then come home and watch a game. I won't lie, I consciously fell asleep during the Denver game. I'm too old for this ****.

[woosah]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39417736/after-unsettling-trade-damian-lillard-getting-comfortable-milwaukee-bucks

(Rivers) emphasized like, go more to Dame," Antetokounmpo said Monday night. "When I have the ball, kick the ball ahead to Dame. Set more screens, roll out of the post, dribble handoffs -- he wants that more and we have to do it more. Because at the end of the day, when Dame has the ball in his hands and I'm being a threat as a roller, we can cause some damage."

Per Second Spectrum, the Bucks are averaging 1.18 points per direct pick when Antetokounmpo sets an on-ball screen for Lillard. That's the third-best efficiency among duos in the NBA. It's the volume of those plays that had become a question under Griffin. They are running about 9.9 on-ball screens per game, which ranks outside the top 25 among duos this season.

"It's been effective," Rivers said Monday night, "but it should be dominant, in my opinion."

[MickeyDavis]

No Bucks on the injury report, everyone is a go.