The Milwaukee Bucks mercifully closed the book on their five-game west coast road trip, but not before posting losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin helped the Clippers slow roll the Bucks, while Steve Nash let it be known the Bucks had no chance to beat the Suns from the beginning. The absences of Andrew Bogut, Mike Dunleavy and Beno Udrih have hurt, but the current problems run deeper than the current injuries. The Bucks have stumbled to 2-6 out of the gate, and now need a strong run in the next 10 games to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference for the remainder of the season.
They say misery loves company, but then again they say a lot of things...and "they" should probably take the time to read our Brew Hoop gamethreads. The recent failures and inadequacies of the team have inspired some great insights, comedic tangents and heartfelt reactions from the Brew Hoop community. Whether you comment regularly during games or simply stop by to watch the responses roll in, this is our chance to highlight the best of what we see each game and each week. Consider it an organic love letter to our faithful readers and commenters, and an open invitation to all newcomers to join in the fun. Check out the reactions to games against the Clippers and Suns beyond the jump:
Bucks vs Clippers (92-86 Loss)
Related: Bucks vs Clippers Game Recap
What Happened (Brew Hoop Game Recap Excerpt):
Ah yes, the "respectable" loss...
Two days after choking away a 21-point lead in Sacramento, the Bucks made it four losses out of four on their Western trip with a relatively predictable (and thus painless?) loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles, and in the end it was the usual suspects doing most of the usual things for both sides . The Bucks' reliance on Stephen Jackson (18 points on 4/18 shooting, 4 to), Brandon Jennings (21 points, 9/21 fg, 7 ast, 6 rebs, 2 to) and Drew Gooden (18 points on 14 shots, 13 rebs) meant plenty of head-scratching shots, but it still took the Clippers 24 minutes to wake up and get their game in gear behind Griffin, Racine native Caron Butler (14 of his 20 in the third) and Chauncey Billups (19 points on 14 shots).
This is a spectacular reference, but then Jon Brockman somehow manages to work his way into the picture. Leave it to Brockman...
unklchuk: Robert Burton said it all in the 16th century, after giving the populace what they wanted with the more popular soundbite. Later in his library he cursed under his breath, threw his glass of whiskey against the fireplace bricks, and declaimed: "WTF! What can't be endured must be cured!!" Burton, although he held prominence as an Oxford scholar and religious official, must have been a Milwaukee Bucks fan at heart. He is famous for penning the classic The Anatomy of Melancholy. That work does not mention the Bucks by name (it would have destroyed his good reputation) but the inspiration is obvious.
Dan Sinclair: "Brockman's Tour of Destruction" Chapter 6 in The Anatomy of Melancholy
CanadaBucks: See how Griffin likes the flying elbow drop
It was indigestion, CanadaBucks.
Steve von Horn: I can feel the excitement in here for tonight's game. I can feel it.
CanadaBucks: Where?
Steve von Horn: That's why I said feel. I can't see it yet. :)
CanadaBucks: Sure that's not indigestion?
At least one person on the boards had some fun during the game. Unfortunately, he happened to be a visiting Clippers fan.
senelcoolidge: Should be a fun game.
CanadaBucks: Clippers fan?
I've heard that if you watch enough video clips of Ersan Ilyasova trying to score in the post, you turn into stone. I'm too scared to find out if it's true.
Steve von Horn: Ersan looks just as ugly operating in the post as I expected him to look. That's a relief.
tommyr: Was that ugly or what? Looked like he was trying to shake spiders off his arm.
Small victories exist amid bigger defeats. One minute of real-time separates Dave's first comment from his second comment.
AussieTom: Blow the siren, we are up by one.
Big Crazy Dave: And the Bucks are up 1....
Big Crazy Dave: ...were...
Bucks first-round pick Tobias Harris made his NBA regular season debut and acquitted himself quite well in 8:39 of action. The Bucks fan base has been waiting to see him for a while now...
FearTheDeer: Harris! I couldn't be happier.
tommyr: Nice shot Tobias.
TheJay: Yay, first round points!
CanadaBucks: W000000000t. Take that Marshawn
Jacob Grinyer: Tobias. Youth!
Dan Sinclair: Harris on pace to make 67% of his shots and have the other 33% blocked by Blake Griffin.
Steve von Horn: I say whoever has the recap tonight has to refrain from using the term "welcome to the NBA" for anything on Harris. Please....for the love of creativity and avoidance of obligatory sports tropes....I beg of you Dan/Frank.
Dan Sinclair: Too late, I've already saved the permalink as ...welcome-to-the-nba-tobias-harris-kobe-is-clutch-lebron-suckzzzz
I feel like "Gardettos" could become an effective internet meme under the right circumstances, so be sure to file this one away for later.
Dan Sinclair: Laying off the keyboard for a bit. Gardettos.
I'm still waiting for an answer on this one. Add this to the list of things I am scared to try.
Steve von Horn: If you point a mirror at the TV while Reggie Evans is shooting the ball, what happens? Does it crack the TV or the mirror?
Brockman took contact to the eye and had to leave the game. I was really hoping he would return to action with a pirate patch over the bruise, but it never happened. Oh well.
MadTown Hoops: Man Down, Brockman overboard. A Bucks season is a lot like a horror movie. Everyone gets slowly picked off as you yell at the screen.
Steve von Horn: Nobody is going to look for Brockman, so we're fine.
Superelkman: Don't go upstairs!!!
MadTown Hoops: Why are you at the top of the key?!? You are a power forward! Stay away from the top of the key!!!
Stephen Jackson is bringing people together. THAT IS LEADERSHIP!
Superelkman: I like Jackson going to the rack.
FearTheDeer: I was just going to say that
Superelkman: We both thought it because we are clearly soul mates.
Blake Griffin took a delayed pass from Chris Paul on high pick-and-roll and turned it into a highlight dunk over Ersan Ilyasova. Every time I watch this clip a little piece of remaining respect for Ersan dies off...
Dan Sinclair: RIP Ersan
MadTown Hoops: Actually, that would explain a few things if he was undead, some sort of freakish Eastern European blending of unholy magic and unnatural science.
Steve von Horn: He could be Dr. Frankenstein's monster. Got the right look about him
MadTown Hoops: Exactly, after he leaves the Bucks he's going to rampage and then wander the Arctic.
FearTheDeer: Is he really dead?
Dan Sinclair: Only his dignity.
Put a new player on your draft boards. He's a half-cyborg, half-Kurdish herdsman that stands 7-5 and he's possibly only 19 years old!
Dan Sinclair: TOBIAS HARRIS JUST COST LEUER AN OFFENSIVE REBOUND
Jacob Grinyer: TRADE HIM. Agzdhfdghjkdhdlebronsnotclutchsklgnjdjkd
Superelkman: Who is Agzdhfdghjkdhdlebronsnotclutchsklgnjdjkd?
Jacob Grinyer: The best player.
MadTown Hoops: He's a seven foot Kurdish herdsman and he's the next big thing.
Big Crazy Dave: ...in the sheep paddock...
Brick's house: I heard he was 7-5 with an 8 foot wingspan. No hangtime though, a tippy toe dunker.
Superelkman: He is also half cyborg.
MadTown Hoops: Plus, he's only 19 so he has room to grow. What do you mean he's 24 and he has seven children? All of those birth certificates were destroyed, no he's definitely 19 and his ouzo problem is totally under control. He goes to meetings. It's cool.
The last words go to MadTown for a gem of a line that cuts deep.
MadTown Hoops: The Bucks don't suck, they are tantalizingly adequate.
Bucks vs Suns (109-93 Loss)
Related: Bucks vs Suns Game Recap
What Happened (Brew Hoop Game Recap Excerpt):
Some points in garbage time helped the Bucks mask the Suns' dominance, but the proof is in the final line. Steve Nash finished with a whopping 17 assists, 10 points and only 3 turnovers, the Suns shot 55.8% as a team and 45.5% from three and every Suns starter shot at least 50% from the field. As for the Bucks, no starter shot over 50%, only Ersan Ilyasova scored in double digits (11 points) for the starting five and the team as whole stumbled to 43.0% on field goals and 20.0% on threes. In other words, just another loss in Phoenix.
The 109-93 loss marks the 24th-straight road loss for the Bucks in Phoenix, a dubious streak that dates back to February 21, 1987, and also ties a Suns franchise record for consecutive home wins over a single opponent.
Hey, the Bucks haven't won in Phoenix in a while.
Mitchell Maurer: February 21, 1987. I was three months from being a twinkle in my daddy's eye.
Steve Nash in high pick-and-roll felt unstoppable all night long. Can't get off to a better start than this as an NBA point guard.
Brick's house: Nash has seven assists for seven Suns FGs.
It might be time to burn the road reds after going 0-5 on the west coast.
TheJay: I like that the Bucks only brought one set of uniforms for this entire trip.
Brick's house: Yeah, I am beginning to hate these red uniforms by association.
The NBA League Pass free preview gave fans a chance to appreciate just how good Jim Paschke and Jon McGlocklin have been calling Bucks games over the years.
MadTown Hoops: "Gortat altered the shot" "Gee, that's as good as a block." These Suns announcers are crap. It's nice to know that we have one of the best broadcast teams out there, even if our team is junky at times.
2-33: Like how the Clippers announcers ignored Leuer's block of Griffin the other night...Lame.
Speaking of Paschke, he dropped this little nugget during the broadcast.
AussieTom: Bit of trivia.....Channing Fyre is Tobias Harris' cousin
Steve Nash finished with 17 assists and he played less than three quarters. Breaking News: he's good at basketball.
Brick's house: That Nash is pretty good.
kanyon: He may have a future in this league.
He actually posted this same hypothetical score during the third quarter of the Clippers game as well, so I will doff my chapeau for a nice little jab tossed at the inept offense on multiple nights.
TwoShoesMcGooze: They can't miss!!! Bucks win 104-90!!!
Garbage time scouting reports are always fun.
BlackPack-fan: Hobson showin off da handulls
MadTown Hoops: Harris is fun to watch. He actually reminds me of Barkley with his girthful mobility.
MadTown Hoops: Watching Sanders play is like watching a sad little puppy struggle in quicksand.
Superelkman: So... awesome?
There is a bright side. It's smaller than the dark side in this case, but there is always a bright side.
Big Crazy Dave: Another bright side, our scrubs are better than their scrubs...17-15 this quarter ;)
Bucks: At least our rookies don't look like Joe Alexander. Improvement.
BlackPack-fan: This is going to help our "bench points" stat.
Make to watch Bucks games with a mask on or something, their brand of basketball might be contagious.
tommyr: The Bucks jinxed my son's team. Up 13 at half Saturday, they were out-scored 19-3 in the third quarter. I am blaming Scott Skiles ;)