Needed Adjustments

[AtLaS]

1. No more Solomon Hill.  Period.  Dude has a negative PER in the playoffs.  He's done and shouldn't see another minute.

2. Okongwu needs at least 20 minutes as primary defender on Giannis.  He's by far our best option here.

3.  Bogy has been awful.  While we desperately need him to get his shot back and he could be a key in us winning the series, we should reduce his minutes until he gets hot again.  I'd start him and give him ~20 minutes and judge by his play if he deserves more.  If he gets off to a 1-8 start, sub Reddish in.  No more blind sticking with Bogy when he is clearly a liability on the floor.  I really think we just need to see more Okongwu and 6-10 minutes of Reddish.

4.  This one is assuming Trae's ankle is OK.  But Trae needs to be more aggressive driving.  He had Giannis/Portis/Lopez switched onto him a dozen times last night and had the defender on skates, and had them beat, but he just kept dancing, only to crossover again and step back to take a deep 3. Sure, his 3 was falling last night, but it helps us much more when he's attacking as he's a better scorer/facilitator when he's driving and also can get the defense in foul trouble.  I don't expect Trae to hit 4 logo threes in a game again.  It's what the defense wants him to do, he's bailing them out when he launches them.

We can win this series.  Khris won't do that again.  

Edited June 28, 2021 by AtLaS

[AHF]

Great post, @AtLaS!  I am on board with all of this.  

[capstone21]

I agree with this but I would also add unleashing Dunn and his D.  The dude is an awesome perimeter defender and give him 10 minutes on Middleton too.  I would even consider giving him Lou's minutes.

[Wretch]

I agree about Okongwu.  Though not so much about him on Giannis.  We just need to keep big bodies on him and anticipate the kick out.  Dude has nothing when pressed by a solid defender.  Definitely think Okongwu is up to it.  Man, losing Hunter hurts so bad.... 

Also agree about Bogi, even though he's hurt.  He's a liability our there on both ends and he needs rest.  We need to let him come in on limited burn with the 2nd unit.

Honestly though, through all the injuries and the size of Milwaukee, we fought a good fight last game.  We just came up short in the end and Milwaukee's "big two" delivered a win.  We were right there the whole game, they just outlasted us with timely shots.

[Spud2nique]

15 minutes ago, Wretch said:

Definitely think Okongwu is up to it. 

Yes sir! 

[Spud2nique]

34 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

2. Okongwu needs at least 20 minutes as primary defender on Giannis.  He's by far our best option here.

Yup.

 

35 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

We can win this series.  Khris won't do that again.  

True he usually has like 1 game or maybe 2 where he does really well. This last one was hopefully it. He went off. 38 is crazy for Khris.

[NBASupes]

It's hard to say on Trae due to the injury but I agree with the rest. We can't play Solo no more. 

[bleachkit]

Man, Bogi picked an awful time to have a miserable shooting slump. Props to Gallo, he's been excellent. 

[Atlantaholic]

1 minute ago, bleachkit said:

Man, Bogi picked an awful time to have a miserable shooting slump. Props to Gallo, he's been excellent. 

It's frustrating knowing that if Bogi was playing like he did for that three month stretch we would be cruising to the finals.

[AHF]

1 hour ago, Atlantaholic said:

It's frustrating knowing that if Bogi was playing like he did for that three month stretch we would be cruising to the finals.

We've seen Bogi's shooting numbers get significantly impacted this season both times that he got hurt.  It definitely sucks because we could sure use a game like he averaged over the majority of his season.  A majority of his season had him with a line like 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and .650% TS%.  Knock some of that efficiency down due to the increased defensive pressure in the playoffs and that would be so important and so welcome.

[DieHardHAWK]

1 hour ago, bleachkit said:

Man, Bogi picked an awful time to have a miserable shooting slump. Props to Gallo, he's been excellent. 

Gallo has been playing his ass off on both sides..its like he's found a fountain of youth or as a vet, he knows this opportunity may not come again for him or us. I wish the rest of the team could see that too.

As far as Bogi, he should of came out after he got blocked on a fast break when he should of passed to Trae. We know he got a warrior spirit and wants to do for the team but he is pressing and doing too much which is costing us. 

[AtLaS]

2 hours ago, AHF said:

We've seen Bogi's shooting numbers get significantly impacted this season both times that he got hurt.  It definitely sucks because we could sure use a game like he averaged over the majority of his season.  A majority of his season had him with a line like 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and .650% TS%.  Knock some of that efficiency down due to the increased defensive pressure in the playoffs and that would be so important and so welcome.

I don't blame Nate for sticking with Bogy because he has such a high potential ceiling, and our team is completely different when he is playing well.  Hell we won a bunch of games without Trae while Bogy was killing.  If he could just get out of the damn shooting slump.  That's why I still like starting him and giving him time, but pulling him a little faster if he is off.  I mean, if Reddish comes in and stinks it up we can always put Bogy back in.  

[capstone21]

If Trae can't go, I would start Bogi at the point and start Cam at the 3.  Lou and Dunn off the bench for the backcourt (offense and defense combo).  

[Alex]

If Trae can’t go they may as well just head to Milwaukee and get ready for game 5.  They might lose by 60 without him.

[NBASupes]

Boogie playing big mins in game 5 is why we should play Cam and Dunn more in this series. If some guys aren't working, change up the menu. This is the playoffs, go hard or go home. 

[Dejay]

Agreed. While they would've been home (not at State Farm, AT HOME) weeks ago had Bogdanovic not been in the lineup, his injury has severely affected his play in this series. He starts Game 4, but gets a short hook for Reddish if he's still ineffective tonight. If anything, Reddish could help prevent one of Giannis' sidekicks (see Middleton, Khris) from going hibachi-mode in a quarter, unlike what Match Light did out there. And yes, OO has to play more minutes; this pretty much goes without saying. All of this is assuming that Trae plays tonight and is effective. You can delete this whole thread if otherwise.

Man, what a bad time to have key injuries on your team. With a healthy Hunter, Reddish, Dunn, and Bogdanovic, they're likely up 2-1 right now but oh well. Everyone has had to play through them and no one wants to here anyone cry about not having anyone available right now (although the ref doing his best Danny Davis impersonation on Trae doesn't help (ask your parents about that one, kids). 

That being said, the Hawks are still in this series. Folks were quickly writing them off after losing Game 3 to the Sixers and falling behind 2-1 so I'm not giving up on them now. Not this deep in the playoffs; not in only the second ECFs I've seen them play in my lifetime. That's why Gallo is breaking his neck out on the court right now; at his age, there's absolutely no guarantee that he sees another opportunity like this again. We've seen Sho'nuff get the glow in Game 3; let's see if Bruce Leroy has one more Hulk-up moment left in him...

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, Dejay said:

That being said, the Hawks are still in this series. Folks were quickly writing them off after losing Game 3 to the Sixers and falling behind 2-1 so I'm not giving up on them now. Not this deep in the playoffs; not in only the second ECFs I've seen them play in my lifetime. That's why Gallo is breaking his neck out on the court right now; at his age, there's absolutely no guarantee that he sees another opportunity like this again. We've seen Sho'nuff get the glow in Game 3; let's see if Bruce Leroy has one more Hulk-up moment left in him...

Well said. Go HAWKS!!!

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

1 hour ago, Dejay said:

That being said, the Hawks are still in this series. Folks were quickly writing them off after losing Game 3 to the Sixers and falling behind 2-1 so I'm not giving up on them now. Not this deep in the playoffs; not in only the second ECFs I've seen them play in my lifetime. That's why Gallo is breaking his neck out on the court right now; at his age, there's absolutely no guarantee that he sees another opportunity like this again. We've seen Sho'nuff get the glow in Game 3; let's see if Bruce Leroy has one more Hulk-up moment left in him...

Yes, they are and it's a shame this board is already jumping off the cliff over the game 3 loss. A bunch of Debby downers. This team will at least force game 6.

[Dejay]

20 minutes ago, PSSSHHHRRR87 said:

Yes, they are and it's a shame this board is already jumping off the cliff over the game 3 loss. A bunch of Debby downers. This team will at least force game 6.

Use all of your chances until all of your chances have been spent. Yeah, I borrowed that phrase from Rogue One but it's a good point nonetheless. I'm not giving up on them yet; we've gone this far down the rabbit hole so why not see how the endgame is played out?

Besides, where else would you rather be than in the ECFs right now, even while down 2-1? You'd rather spend this June debating about some college player in the Draft that only three of us have heard of as we've done the last 20 years on this board? Wasting even more time talking about what fantasy move is feasible to bring in Kawhi, Siakam, or Zach Lavine?

Call me myopic but count me out of that thread for the time being. Until the Bucks win two more, this season isn't over yet...

Edited June 29, 2021 by Dejay

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

16 minutes ago, Dejay said:

Use all of your chances until all of your chances have been spent. Yeah, I borrowed that phrase from Rogue One but it's a good point nonetheless. I'm not giving up on them yet; we've gone this far down the rabbit hole so why not see how the endgame is played out?

Besides, where else would you rather be than in the ECFs right now, even while down 2-1? You'd rather spend this June debating about some college player in the Draft that only three of us have heard of as we've done the last 20 years on this board? Wasting even more time talking about what fantasy move is feasible to bring in Kawhi, Siakam, or Zach Lavine?

Call me myopic but count me out of that thread for the time being. Until the Bucks win two more, this season isn't over yet...

I agree and I am tired of the status quo with HS as well and Trae is giving me something I haven't had in a while for the Hawks... hope. It ain't over until it's over and these Hawks will find a way to at least get one more.