Game Thread 15: Magic/Bucks
by Frank Madden on Nov 28, 2009 3:16 PM CST
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Orlando Magic at Milwaukee Bucks, Nov 28, 2009 8:00 PM CST
Linkage
Third Quarter Collapse / Bucks Gameday
News/notes after the jump...
Stopping Dwight. It's not going to happen, but the Bucks might as well try, right? Skiles seems content to keep Gadzuric as his starter, but Thomas has been clearly better since Bogut got hurt and he probably can't play much more than 30 minutes anyway. Given Gadzuric will probably have two fouls in the first four minutes (not necessarily a bad strategy), we could see Elson getting some meaningful minutes tonight as well. Yay.
Howard's numbers are slightly down but mostly because he's not having to play as much (32 mpg). He's still unstoppable around the cup (68% efg inside), can't make free throws (career-low 56.7%), and is the best rebounder on earth (21.8% rebound rate, nearly 12 rpg). The best strategy is probably doubling or fouling him and then praying that he'll turn the ball over (he still does that a ton), miss free throws, or that his teammates will miss open shots (given their personnel, not likely).
On a related note, can we stop saying stuff like "He's not even beginning to scratch the surface!" about Howard? His stats have been mostly flat for three years, which is perfectly fine given how dominant he is. Marginal improvements on defense or finding teammates might be all you can expect of a guy who got that good that young. He's shown zero development as a shooter, and I'm not sure we should expect that to change at this stage of his career (similar story for Bogut). Still, everyone seems to be obsessed with saying young players are going to improve dramatically, even though it's probably not going to happen. OK, end of mini-rant.
Getting Jennings going. If there was an easy solution to getting Brandon Jennings going then I'm sure Scott Skiles would have thought of it. But the reality is that teams are taking him out of games by aggressively doubling off pick and roll, which had been the bread and butter of the Bucks' hot start. And with Bogut out and Redd not performing, the Bucks have essentially become a jump-shooting team without a post presence or the ability to draw fouls. Shut Jennings down and you're a long way towards stopping the Bucks.
For one, I'd like to see Jennings not get pulled four or five minutes into a game. Yes, Skiles did it against the Warriors and Ridnour has been playing well, but there's something so, I don't know, submissive about it. We all know teams will be aggressive with Jennings, but waving the white flag and taking out your most dynamic player seems like the wrong answer so early in the game. But that's just me. Jennings still usually gets his minutes, but half the time he's splitting PG duties with Ridnour, which isn't really ideal either.
When the Bucks do run high P&R, it'd be nice if they could get it going more towards the middle of the court rather than walling Jennings off against the sideline (especially on the right side of the court, where he's on his strong hand going to the middle). This is all a process for Brandon, so it's fine if he learns on the job and makes some mistakes. The Bucks have run him off screens occasionally when Ridnour is handling the ball, which is a nice changeup, but when they do that let's just have him go after it as a scorer. I appreciate that he's playing within himself, but his teammates aren't good enough right now. And it seems like it's been a while since we saw that floater in the lane, too. The opportunities to finish at the cup are going to be minimal with Howard around, so that might be the only way to score in the lane.
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Even if we foul the hell out of Howard in the post he’ll probably get a half dozen offensive boards for putbacks.
by Frank Madden on Nov 28, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions
Ersan v. Rashard
I think this matchup is going to dictate the victor. Young Money v. White Chocolate. Really? Vinny the Insane v. Redd Cross. As long as we use our 18 fouls efficiently on Superman (I’m talking Kryptonite crowbars to the knees), I think we have a very good chance at victory tonight.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
Redd Cross
I think we’ve found his new nickname….
by Frank Madden on Nov 28, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions
Injuries
…and Vinny takes himself out with a bruised ego. “Why doesn’t Mikey want to come out and play with me?”
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
At the Half
Up nine. Jennings looking very good in his matchup v. inked chocolate blanco. Dwight Howard getting away with geriatric murder, and I take great pride in the crowd’s reactions to these acts of malice (these refs must have been imported from that Ireland-France matchup).
Still…up nine. And we’re getting feces rained upon us by the officiating. My only two worries are that Superman has been atrocious and Vinny has been licking his wounds. If these two come out with passion (which Howard has never been accused of playing without. I believe witness #1 for the defense in that trial would be the grounded Kurt Thomas. Is he alive still? Broken ribs? DAMN).
And still, we have Jennings. Not the Jennings who called his own number for the final shot. The Jennings who is going to come out, and make the Bradley Center his house, Ray Lewis-style.
BTW Ersan 1 Rashard 0
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
Ersan v Rashard
2 – 0
One got a $100 million dollar deal and will keep the Magic from building a dynasty around a probable HoFer. The other is on a very manageable contract that will definitely allow for the pieces to accumulate around a potential HoFer.
It was a different time…the last time I felt this good about my Mill-town NBA team.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
Umm...I was wrong
Ersan dominates Rashard and yet his 3-point attempt with 28 seconds left came up just short (much like his sadd attempt at the front end of that free throw) while Rashard got the game-winning basket.
Game Rashard.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
Some players are garbage players and some play like garbage. Danny G is the latter. Worthless worthless worthless. I screamed to high heaven five years ago pleading for the Bucks to sign Zaza for 16 mill over four, Instead dumbass Harris opts for the garbage 36 mill over 6. Freakin crazy.
Danny Gadz
2nd Rd international gems from UCLA who are defined best as “high energy”…. It was a different time.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
I’ll say. They were passing out 180 million on Redd, Gadz and Bobby Simmons. I hope those days are gone.
Milwaukee's finances
I would imagine the days of giving lavish contracts to specialty players is over. I also wonder if we even have the capability of ever offering a max contract to a free agent. I sincerely hope so with Jennings.
Chicks Dig The Long Ball.
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