24-25 Season

[mufan2003]

Some interesting sound bites from "The Starting Lineup" (Frank Isola and Brian Scalabrine) on SiriusXM NBA Radio:

Giannis:

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1848745508484911315

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1848792329098039538

Dame:

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1848748276390187333

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1848776959360438634

Doc:

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNBA/status/1848760840784384225

[mufan2003]

The Bucks are being overlooked. Gary Trent was a very nice addition. Dame is in much better shape heading into this season.

Just give me a healthy Giannis, Dame, Khris, Brook, Bobby, Trent come playoff time and I believe the Bucks are the biggest threat to Boston, that should still be the favorite in the East.

https://twitter.com/frankmikesmith/status/1848475516325560365

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1846597771115352550

https://twitter.com/SWatsonTV/status/1849113895962603573

[mufan2003]

Milwaukee picked to finish 5th in the East by NBA GMs:

https://www.nba.com/news/2024-25-nba-gm-survey

[Goose85]

The Bucks are being overlooked. Gary Trent was a very nice addition. Dame is in much better shape heading into this season.

Just give me a healthy Giannis, Dame, Khris, Brook, Bobby, Trent come playoff time and I believe the Bucks are the biggest threat to Boston, that should still be the favorite in the East.

https://twitter.com/frankmikesmith/status/1848475516325560365

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1846597771115352550

https://twitter.com/SWatsonTV/status/1849113895962603573

Bucks are being way overlooked.
Almost beat Indiana in round 1 without Giannis and with Dame injured.

I think Doc will have them in a good place. I think this team is determined.

Boston won it all, so they are #1 until someone knocks them off the perch.
I get the excitement for the Knicks, and they were aggressive offseason.
Bucks should be #3.

Take time with Middleton, no need to rush him back. Try to focus on being in the top 3 seeds. Load management, make sure the key players are healthy and ready for the playoffs.

I really like this Bucks team, if healthy, to make a serious run at the title.

[mufan2003]

Things are looking up. Bucks have won 5 straight, 7 of 8 and back to .500 (9-9).

Lillard was incredible last night against Miami. I really like what AJ Green and Andre Jackson are bringing to the team. Green can obviously really shoot it, but is a very underrated defender with a strong build that holds his ground well (high IQ). Andre Jackson is so athletic and has been fantastic on the defensive end. He also keeps the ball moving on offense and is just full of energy.

Gary Trent is finally playing better and Taurean Prince has been consistent. I think the plan all along was to keep Middleton out the month of November. Shorten the season for him, bring him back at some point in December.....All-Star break in February and then playoffs begin mid-April.

Nice win against the Heat last night, 3-0 in the NBA Cup standings.

https://x.com/BucksAfterDark/status/1861621902579552339

https://x.com/Bucks/status/1861616355780202880

https://x.com/BleacherReport/status/1861590657015652678

[Goose85]

Bucks looking good and now over .500

Agree mufan, Green is playing much better defense as is Jackson. Need young guys who can step in and play meaningful minutes, and they are. Need Green's 3 and D right now, and thankfully Trent is finally hitting shots.

Middleton was a beast in the playoffs last year. Need him to be healthy so take your time getting him back. Manage the season, as they have been doing, and just get into the top 5 and be ready to play playoff basketball.

[mufan2003]

Middleton listed as "Probable" for tomorrow's game @Boston. :cool:

https://x.com/Bucks/status/1864753174864712153

https://x.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1864693559535784077?t=dxQc3WOPvMxjqVMC2Cgo7g&s=19

[Goose85]

Middleton needs to get his shooting back in line, might take some time. Had a good number of assists last night.

I really don't care about this in-season tournament, but at least the Bucks are showing up in games and advancing.

Just need to keep playing together, developing the younger players into guys that can play meaningful minutes and D, and getting Middleton back in the flow of the game with Dame and Giannis.

When looking at schedule, we are already done playing Boston for the year, and have just one more game with Cleveland, so from an east standpoint we have the hardest games in the rear view mirror.

[mufan2003]

While the ultimate goal is April/May/June, watching the Bucks win the NBA Cup and Giannis another MVP was fun because they are playing so well right now. Lillard's conditioning is superb, at times he looked "lazy" last season because he was not in peak condition. He is driving the ball and making great reads/passes. His shooting remains amazing, just shake my head at times (Steph Curry and Lillard in a class by themselves of active players).

Gary Trent is dialed in and playing well. Taurean Prince has been a solid starter. AJ Green, not only his shooting but his tough defense. Andre Jackson's defense and motor.

Giannis truly might be the leading candidate for a 3rd MVP right now. Jokic might be the only one ahead of him. The Bucks have righted the ship.

An unspoken strength......a great coaching staff. Darvin Ham left after the 2022 ECSF against Boston that was lost in 7, to coach the Lakers. Many of the players said Darvin Ham had a way of holding players accountable and had a strong presence. I think it is so crucial having him back in the fold, he might be the successor to Doc......Giannis is playing defense like he was in 2020 (DPOY) and 2021. Greg Buckner, who came from Cleveland, was widely respected for his defensive prowess in helping a resurging Cleveland team. Dave Joerger, former coach in Memphis, highly respected. Joe Prunty (time as a head coach, long-time assistant), Rex Kalamian and Vin Baker (great for Giannis and his offensive game).

I love how Giannis said they were playing so that rookie Liam Robbins could buy a house in Iowa (with the $500K prize money) :D. Dame speaking along the same lines to help staff and others with the prize money. Kind of a cool thing, even though the Larry O'Brien trophy is the main prize that they are working towards.

https://x.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1869248675652022527

https://x.com/ArashMarkazi/status/1869252977200144750

https://x.com/BucksLead/status/1869230889147973878

https://x.com/JWeinbachNBA/status/1869241582882546161

https://x.com/ESPNNBA/status/1869198158120567227

https://x.com/NBA/status/1869258652126966072

https://x.com/SportsCenter/status/1869231610991657354

https://x.com/NBAonTNT/status/1869231691199619368

https://x.com/NBA/status/1868385907247849783

https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1869237477594263889/photo/1

[Goose85]

Great post, and thanks for the links mufan2003, I enjoyed those links.

Trent and Prince are finding their place to be successful with this group. Jackson and Green have really fit the bill of what the Bucks lacked last season. Jackson brings that defensive quickness and energy. Green is hitting 3's and playing better D.

Need to just stay healthy, get Middleton in the mix (hopefully to the point he was at in the Pacer playoff series), and keep the momentum with Trent, Prince, Jackson and Green. Keep Connaughton in the mix as he too will be needed (it is a long season).

Giannis and Dame are looking more comfortable together. Just keep those two clicking.

Great points on the coaching staff.

Look forward to seeing what this team can do.
Interesting point, after Friday we are done playing Cleveland and Boston for the rest of the year (until playoffs). Doesn't mean we have an easy schedule, but it doesn't hurt to be done with the two top teams in the East.

[mufan2003]

To me, Boston is still the clear-cut best team in the East and the NBA. However, Milwaukee has never had its "Big 3" since winning the championship in 2021. No Middleton in 2022, no Giannis in 2023 or 2024, Lillard missing 2 games in 2024 and not being healthy in game 6 against Indiana.

If everyone is available, the way they are now playing together offensively and defensively as a team, they certainly can come out of the East and win it all. Not wishing for it, but Boston has not had to deal with missing Tatum or Brown in the playoffs. Cleveland has been very good. New York, Indiana and Miami all have talent and good coaching......but to me Boston is the best until someone knocks them off.

[Goose85]

To me, Boston is still the clear-cut best team in the East and the NBA. However, Milwaukee has never had its "Big 3" since winning the championship in 2021. No Middleton in 2022, no Giannis in 2023 or 2024, Lillard missing 2 games in 2024 and not being healthy in game 6 against Indiana.

If everyone is available, the way they are now playing together offensively and defensively as a team, they certainly can come out of the East and win it all. Not wishing for it, but Boston has not had to deal with missing Tatum or Brown in the playoffs. Cleveland has been very good. New York, Indiana and Miami all have talent and good coaching......but to me Boston is the best until someone knocks them off.

Winning the title is a crap shoot of who has all their top guys healthy.

Celtics are top dogs, but it is really hard to run it back. It was a long grind last year for the Celtics, and it will be another long season too. Holiday is 34 and Horford is 38. Hard to have fresh legs deep in the playoffs after NBA championship season, and another long season. They should really focus on load management with those two guys as the regular season doesn't matter as long as you get to the playoffs.

Like you said, Bucks haven't had the big 3 healthy since winning it all. Teams that are healthy have a shot. Let's hope the Bucks are healthy!