Welcome to the Brew Hoop Night Shift. Every evening at 9:00pm (central time), this all-purpose thread goes up, and the comments section is where it’s going down. What Bucks news did we not cover? What topics do you want to break down further? Or is there something non-Bucks that you want to bounce off of one another? Even something non-basketball? This is the place.
Today’s (on)topic: Jason Kidd and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Defense
Are schemes or personnel the reason #FearTheDeer ranks just 22nd in defensive rating? @waymatth takes a side here, and it's not a favorable one for Jason Kidd: https://t.co/awZIfHeqrF pic.twitter.com/BPmwZDgu5L
— NBA Math (@NBA_Math) December 30, 2017
Absolute must read on how the defensive scheme is doing a disservice to the roster’s talent and defensive potential. For the most part, the article summarizes and confirms what most fans have witnessed from this staff’s X’s and O’s.
Rather than using their defensive versatility to bait opponents into inefficient possessions, the Bucks play a hyper-aggressive style that leads to numerous mistakes.
Yup.
They should be letting their length and athleticism take over.
Preach it!
Since this comes from NBA Math, they do more than state the obvious. There is actual concrete data to support what are our eyes and brains are telling us about the underachieving defense.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9951635/Capture.PNG)
The two Bucks logos on the far-right hand side are how they fared the previous two seasons on defending the corner three. The Bucks logo in the middle, but way at the top, is how they have done this year. The corner threes have come less frequently, but they have been converted on at a higher percentage. There is even @AllTheBucks worthy video evidence showing the monstrosity that is the defense.
I’ll leave you with this TL;DR of the article:
The destructive effects of Kidd’s overly-aggressive defensive scheme have stunted the progress of a promising Bucks roster... If things stay the same, Milwaukee is on its way to an early-round exit come May. When that happens, it will be time for Jason Kidd to leave as well.
Today’s (off)topic: Christmas Gifts
What did y’all get this holiday season? I came away with four pairs of fuzzy socks and some brand spanking new flannel pajama bottoms. I’m entering 2018 in full on comfy mode as I nurse my New Year’s Eve hangover.
As a general rule, non-basketball topics are permitted in an open thread, provided that they follow the SB Nation Community Guidelines.