Official* Game Thread: Bucks at Hawks (7:30 PM Tip!)

[lethalweapon3]

“Sorry, guys! I’m used to passing to Giannis!”

 

Oh, deer!

Last night, our Atlanta Hawks proved once again that they are who everyone else said they were, flopping before the husk of a basketball team modeling Miami heat jerseys. Now, the Milwaukee Bucks traipse into the Highlight Factory (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast, Fox Sports Wisconsin), also looking to avoid losses on back-to-back nights. And much like the Hawks on Friday night, I fumbled around and waited too long to get my act together ahead of tonight’s contest. So, here’s a few items ahead of this evening’s game:

The Bucks fly into Philips after hosting Charlotte last night, falling short in the closing minutes after squandering an early fourth-quarter lead. The Hornets shot just 43 percent from the field (including 29 percent on threes) and took three fewer free throw attempts. But they still got the edge in a sloppy game, thanks to the Bucks’ 22 player turnovers eclipsing Charlotte’s 17.

Milwaukee went into the All-Star break on a two-game winning streak, but that followed a 1-7 stretch that has kept them mired among the bottom of the East’s playoff contenders. They come into tonight’s game 6.5 games behind 8^th-seeded Chicago.

Oh, yeah, Milwaukee’s last road victory? That was back on January 19. They went into Miami and took a team WITH Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Hassan Whiteside, and held them to 79 points. So glad you asked!

You probably won’t have to worry whether Jabari Parker will have a breakout career-night today. That’s because he accomplished that last night in a losing cause. In his first season uninterrupted by injury, Parker poured in a team-high 23 points (20 of them on 10-for-19 shooting) and helped the Bucks establish the rebounding edge with 11 boards, tying Giannis Antetokounmpo (18 points and 11 rebounds).

Atlanta gave Giannis his career-night the last time we played his Bucks, a 108-101 overtime defeat for the Hawks on January 15 that saw Alpha-Bits add 16 rebounds to his 28-point night.

Michael Carter-Williams was all but certain the Bucks were going to trade him, but with the deadline having passed, MCW knows he’s got free reign for the remainder of the season. Coming off the bench, he sunk six of his seven shots last night. O.J. Mayo starts for returning coach Jason Kidd at point guard, but even he deferred passing duties to leading scorer Khris Middleton (7 assists, 6 TOs, 6-for-17 FGs).

Free agent prize Greg Monroe was also a target to be dealt until the closing days of the trade season, and he played to little effect off the bench yesterday versus Charlotte. One can expect much more activity from Monroe, and looks his way, tonight. Ten of his 12 rebounds versus the Hawks back on January 15 came on the offensive end.

Who will the Hawks put on SportsCenter tonight? Put your money on Miles Plumlee! Bucks fans are pleased with the way the Bucks (25^th in D-Rating on season, but 6^th in February) have looked defensively in their past three games, thanks to Plumlee’s presence in the starting lineup in place of Monroe. Styled-and-racially-profiled center John Henson (6 blocks vs. ATL on Jan. 15) has been suffering with a back injury, compelling the Bucks to turn more to Plumlee as a defensive stopper.

Cody Zeller still managed to hang 23-and-9 on the Bucks last night, as Plumlee (3 blocks in 18 minutes) sought to be more of a help defender. Surely All-Star frontcourt members Paul Millsap and Al Horford (combined 8-for-24 shooting vs. MIA last night) can do at least that much to get the Hawks back on a winning track tonight, right? Right?

Kidd kept his lineup short last night with just 8 Bucks seeing the floor, including rookie Rashad Vaughn (0-for-6 on 3s in just 14 minutes). Veteran guards Greivis Vasquez and Jerryd Bayless remain out due to injuries, forcing Kidd’s hands to go young with his backcourt reserves.

Vaughn and fellow guard Tyler Ennis are breakout targets tonight, especially if Dennis Schröder forgets to tie his shoes tight before hitting the floor. After a series of critical errors at both ends by Schröder while Jeff Teague sat with foul trouble last night, don’t be surprised if the returning Kirk Hinrich is the first guard subbed in tonight.

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[Guest]

Thank God for lw3 and his official game threads! :-) I couldn't even muster up the energy to play a simulated Bucks/Hawks on ps4. Comon Hawks pull together and give your fans something to cheer about. Teague stop picking your nose, Dennis learn to double knot ur shoe laces...just be ready.

 

GO HAWKS!

 

ps Play Captain Kirk 30 minutes tonight why the heck not.

 

pps

Bucks 107

Hawks 83

first time I predict the opposition to kill us...lets see if this works lol

[pimp]

Teague needs to put on a show tonight , so that the Bucks will increase their trade offer next time. 

[Guest]

If this is half assing it then man. I wish I could just quarter ass a lot of things then. Better than my no assed effort!

[Dnice]

What a sorry broken team 

[Plainview1981]

This team might just miss the playoffs altogether...

[Hawkmoor]

But, But, they dont need to make roster changes at the trade deadline.   Al Horford gonna take them to a chip.

[Lurker]

The Hawks lose in regulation if Jeff Teague stays in. Don't come at me, he was horrible tonight. Schröder may have crumbled in the 2nd OT, but he was far from the issue in the first 53 minutes of the game. He was just continuing the tradition of Georgia sports team always choke in the clutch and it doesn't matter who touches it, or what team.

Millsap was horrible after he hit the 20 point mark tonight.

[L1xi]

Dennis was great until the second OT. He looked tiered (physical and mental) he has to play more of this kind of games. He need the experience to play more then 20-25 minutes on a high level.

[ATLHawks3]

The worst part of this loss is that we have to face the Warriors on Monday. Yikes.

[Lurker]

7 minutes ago, L1xi said:

Dennis was great until the second OT. He looked tiered (physical and mental) he has to play more of this kind of games. He need the experience to play more then 20-25 minutes on a high level.

Oh yes, outside of one or two ill advised 3's, he played very well tonight until that 2nd OT. And before OT, 9 to 3 AS/TO is decent.

[NBASupes]

This team got wingman issues. Not even Korver gets beat off the dribble like Dennis, Thabo and Bazemore . I am realizing Korver defense is mainly effective due to his effort denying his man of the ball as was Carroll. I knew this already but this is something Thabo can only do in spurts and the Bazemore rarely does it as well as Dennis but Carroll and Korver did it often. I miss Carroll. His impact is extremely missed.

Edited February 21, 2016 by NBASupes

[pimp]

3 hours ago, pimp said:

Teague needs to put on a show tonight , so that the Bucks will increase their trade offer next time. 

Well Teague did put on a show before he left the game ... unfortunately that  show was a slap-stick style comedy with Jeff as  Leslie Nielsen

[rd79]

I was happy to see Dennis play very well, it was his best career game yet. New career best 25pts, 10 made fgs and 8 rebs. only 2 rebs shy of a tripple double. But unfortunatly he wasn't able to carry his play into the 2nd OT. He carried the team into 1st and 2nd OT, then somebody else has to step up too and help this kid.

I think this game is good for Dennis' development, because it showed him, that he already is able to carry the team and play very well, but it may be as much as important for him to see that he still has some work to do.

Like @L1xi already mentioned, he needs such games to develop. His development may have reached a level where coming of the bench and playing 2nd unit opponents doesn't help him very much. So unfortunatly this game happened right after the trade deadline, because for me it showed trading Jeff for a starting SF would have helped the team and Dennis a lot...

[Plainview1981]

Bud should be fired as both GM and coach tomorrow. That will not happen because ownership and management do not give a damn.

 

Edited February 21, 2016 by Hotlanta1981

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, Hotlanta1981 said:

This team might just miss the playoffs altogether...

This team might just miss the playoff...

 

Leslie Nielsen humor...

and don't call me Shirley....:-|

[Hawkmoor]

Look, its only so far that coaching can take you. At some point, talent has to win out.  The Bucks just DOMINATED the Hawks in the paint.  They played keep away with the ball. If they didnt outright get a rebound, they would tap it to a team mate.  As long as the Hawks deploy Sap/Horford as the front court, the results are gonna be the same.

[NBASupes]

5 minutes ago, Hawkmoor said:

Look, its only so far that coaching can take you. At some point, talent has to win out.  The Bucks just DOMINATED the Hawks in the paint.  They played keep away with the ball. If they didnt outright get a rebound, they would tap it to a team mate.  As long as the Hawks deploy Sap/Horford as the front court, the results are gonna be the same.

You didn't watch the game. This is bullshit. They beat us by dribble penetration, isos and dribble penetration that lead to easy tip ins, passes in the paint when the big moved to the penetrating player or Bazemore simply playing like trash. 

 

I hate dudes who don't watch the game but make stupid ass comments

Edited February 21, 2016 by NBASupes

[Jody23]

The Bucks outrebounded the Hawks 65 to 49.  So yeah, what went on inside had a major impact on the outcome of the game.

[pimp]

1 hour ago, Jody23 said:

The Bucks outrebounded the Hawks 65 to 49.  So yeah, what went on inside had a major impact on the outcome of the game.

I heard on 92.9 the Game,     that out of 23 games,   the Sixers are the only team that we have outrebounded in 2016 

 

Edited February 21, 2016 by pimp