Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Bucks backed into the postseason in losing eight of their last 11 games, and they will most likely begin their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers without Giannis Antetokounmpo and a hobbled Damian Lillard.
We opened up the mailbag for readers to ask their questions about this playoff series and the team in general and you didn't disappoint. First, thanks to everyone who took the time to write in and contribute. There were some common themes with many of the questions, so I grouped many of them together below.
To start, let’s hit on the Bucks-Pacers series, specifically.
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How can the Bucks beat the Pacers?
Stephen: Anyone who watches bb can see that Middleton, Beasley and Dame together on the floor are awful together defensively. Unless the opposing team was bad, they were scored on at will. Beasley looks lost sometimes in defensive rotations. Do you think Bev(erley) will start in the playoffs and if so do you think he will matchup vs Haliburton to begin with?
Jim Owczarski: For what it’s worth, that trio has a 109.6 defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) and a 119.0 offensive rating (points scored per 100) for a net rating of 9.4 – which is pretty good. And most of the Bucks’ top lineups on both ends of the court include those three.
But yes, there are defensive flaws at the point of attack and there was a reason Pat Beverley was put in the starting lineup to end the season over Beasley. But in the playoffs, I’m not sure it matters who starts, but who finishes. And if Antetokounmpo and/or Lillard are out or limited by injury, the Bucks need Beasley to score. Teams dared Beverley to shoot, leaving him wide open to double team others. While he is capable of making teams pay for that, it’s probably a safe bet to think in a series Beverley will be allowed to “beat” the other team more often than not.
This is not a dominant defensive team, nor will they turn into one. Beverley can help pester Haliburton and make it tough but even he said it’ll require a team effort to limit the Oshkosh native.
Nickel: Cool, calm and collected, Bucks coach Doc Rivers adapts to a practice without Giannis and Damian Lillard
Owen D: With Giannis quite possibly out at the beginning or even all of round one, are there any bigs on the roster who may get some surprising court time? Or will Doc just keep the rotation very tight with only 8 guys seeing the court?
Deann C: If Giannis is unable to go for the first few games, do you think we'll see more Brook in the post? We know he can do it and with the Pacers lack of inside presence it seems like it makes sense.
Jim Owczarski: Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis are the big guys in this series until Antetokounmpo returns. They will likely start together, and Rivers will probably then work them on-and-off after that, perhaps matching up with Myles Turner’s minutes. No, I don’t think Danilo Gallinari is going to get surprise minutes, and I do think Rivers is going to keep his rotation very tight – particularly since it appears sharpshooter AJ Green may miss time in the series as well with an ankle sprain.
As for going to Lopez in the post, I’m not sure we’ll see that version of “Brooklyn Brook” per se, but Doc Rivers has said they want him to roll hard to the paint against smaller opponents and need the ball handlers to get him the ball quickly.
Vernon: With no back to backs in the playoffs, I think a key factor outside obviously Giannis' health status is Middleton staying healthy and playing the majority of the playoff games. Of course Dame needs to get into Dame time form. What other factors do you feel will be key for Buck's playoff success?
Jim Owczarski: When the Bucks lose and look bad, it’s often when they settle into isolation (one-on-one) offense that leads to bad shots, which in turns leads to transition offense. The team also turns the ball over quite a bit, leading (again) to fastbreaks for the other team. And if there is one thing the Pacers do well – and do often – it’s run. To me, the key factor for the Bucks is to play disciplined, well-executed offense. That means moving the ball from good-to-great shots, not settling for (or forcing) shots that create mismatches going the other way. They need to help their defense with good offense.
More: In Bucks vs Pacers season series, Indiana holds the edge. Here's a breakdown ahead of their NBA playoffs showdown.
Can the Bucks find consistency?
Joe H: Seems the Bucks have an identity crisis and are playing inconsistent ball as a result. They were rebuilt and started the season as an offense-oriented team. Players like Beverly were added for defense, and rookie Jackson played a bigger role. This isn't working. Should they simply rely on their offensive prowess to get them past the Pacers? I only ask because I think they're trying to do too much and there isn't enough time make it all work.
Tim C: Thank you so much for your insight into our favorite basketball team! My question is about the consistency, or lack thereof, for the Bucks this year. I understand there are injuries, but all teams have players that are hurt and/or injured. But the Bucks are a conundrum. One week they can blow out the Celtics or the Thunder, the next week they can lose to the Grizzlies and Wizards. What is going on, is it just a lack of focus?
Jim Owczarski: Without, potentially, Antetokounmpo for an undetermined period of time and Lillard being hampered, it’s hard to say “lean into” offense. That’s what, 50-plus and 13-plus assists that may be off the board entirely or numbers that are drastically lowered. I think to beat this Pacers team, yes, they have to score … but the Bucks need to return to that disciplined, communicative and connected defense we saw them play out of the all-star break and at times against Oklahoma City, Boston and Orlando down the stretch.
Focus might play into it, particularly that bad stretch of losses at the end of the year, but I do think injuries to the Big Three really, truly, hurt this team. It’s the bad part of such a team construct. When one, two or all three of those guys are injured or hobbled, it puts tremendous pressure on everyone else down the line and over a long stretch of time, it’s hard for every role player to have a great day. One game at a time? Sure. But over a stretch of a month? It’s difficult to do.
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Can the Bucks go on a deep playoff run?
David: The Bucks are seemingly limping into the playoffs, Giannis is hurt, defense is sporadic, chemistry is questionable and the Pacers are a tough matchup…what’s your viewpoint? Is there any probability for a deep playoff run?
Jim Owczarski: There is a probability, but it hangs on the Bucks holding home court and being in position to close out the Pacers if Antetokounmpo is able to return later in the series. Should a fully healthy Antetokounmpo come soaring in at the tail end of the first round, it sets the Bucks up nicely in any matchup afterward. The last time we saw Antetokounmpo be totally healthy in the playoffs was 2022, and he put together one of the greatest individual performances of all time against Boston. So, yes, there is a chance.
What if the Bucks lose to the Pacers?
Brad S: What happens if the Bucks get bounced in the first round?
Jim Owczarski: I’ll be making a tee time for the next day.
Seriously though, it’s really hard to say. The core is under contract through next season. Doc Rivers is under contract for several more seasons. If nothing changes but the role players around the top nine players, they will once again be serious contenders to win the Eastern Conference. But, it’s fair to wonder how ownership will feel about having one of the league’s top payrolls for fewer than four playoff wins. But you don’t hire Rivers and pay him what they are to just punt on competing for titles, so while there may be changes in the front office, coaching staff and the fringes of the roster, I do think the Bucks are going to position themselves for another run in 2024-25.
Now, on to some larger talking points:
Re-evaluating the Damian Lillard-Jrue Holiday trade
Harry H: Was it a mistake to get rid of Jrue Holiday?
JPH: Lillard seems to be a bad fit for both the team and city of MKE. Does ownership and Horst (if not fired) look to trade Lillard if Bucks are eliminated in 1st or 2nd rd?
Brad S: What are your thoughts on the Dame Lillard trade? I think Bucks fans had high hopes but have been disappointed so far. To me, it seems like maybe Dame wishes he was either in Portland or Miami. I almost get the impression (by his body language) that he doesn't really want to be in Milwaukee. What are your thoughts?
Jim Owczarski: I’d make the trade every time. The Bucks have lacked shot creation and playmaking whenever Antetokounmpo and Middleton have been hurt, and Lillard gives them that. But, as a seven-time all-NBA player I can see how Bucks fans feel like he turned in just a “ho-hum” all-star season. I think the coaching situation through camp and the first 43 games didn’t help, and he has admitted adjusting to a new role after 12 years of playing one way has been tough.
I think it’s unfair to say he’s not a good fit on or off the court. He’s a walking Hall of Famer, an all-time great who helped change the game with his three-point abilities. His playmaking is still top shelf. And how can anyone know about fitting the city? If the Bucks win a title in his time here the “fit” will then appear to be great.
Is Jon Horst’s job safe?
Chris S: Shouldn't the general manager be under more scrutiny with the botched coaching changes and the team's late-season collapse (even before Giannis was injured)?
Mike R: Is Jon Horst still the whiz kid after the coaching fiasco and Lillard trade? Not a hater at all, but these moves have highly contributed to one of the most disappointing sports stories of the year.
Jim Owczarski: Oh, I think the GM has gotten his share of scrutiny already and would deserve more of it should this team fall short of its goals this postseason. Look, the Bucks have not advanced out of the second round the last two years. They’ve fired and hired two coaches. They do not control their own first-round pick or their own second-round pick until 2031. They’re spending tens of millions of dollars in luxury tax on a roster that is aging, increasingly unhealthy and without much wiggle room to add around the edges. The team went from 58 wins to 49. Those are facts. If they don’t get to a conference final it’s fair to think ownership will evaluate how the team was constructed, and what the plan is going forward.
Bucks fans want to see the ‘young guys’
Stephen: Can you give more insight into Beauchamp's injury and why Beauchamp, Ajax, Giannis, Dame weren't allowed to play together in stretches to give a team a different look?
Mason M: Will Doc Rivers need to get some of the youngsters out there for defense if the veterans prove to be too slow to close out on 3's if the Pacers are hitting a bunch? Or will he simply try to outscore them and focus on the Buck's offense in his lineup decisions?
Jim Owczarski: MarJon Beauchamp had been out with left foot tendinitis, back spasms and an ankle sprain since the beginning of March. So, that answers why he never really played over the last month of the season. Generally speaking, he has now played under three head coaches in his two seasons and hasn’t been able to really crack the rotation when the entire roster is healthy. Jackson Jr., for all of his athleticism and hustle, is still working on his shot – and is a player who the opposing team would just not worry about on the offensive side of the ball.
Whatever promise people think those two have, they’re not better players than the top eight or nine at this point. And the idea of trying out random lineups for short-minute spurts isn’t a sustainable method for winning games. Rivers tried it one game with Jackson Jr. and AJ Green to make a point, and while the Bucks made the game competitive they still lost.
Wherefore art thou ‘Bud?’
Pauly: With the benefit of hindsight, do you think it was a mistake for the Bucks to move on from coach Bud? I know the Bucks had some disappointing playoff performances, but the team was much more in sync and consistent than they have been this year.
Brad C: The Bucks fired Budenholzer mainly because of his playoff record the past few seasons. So why then hire Doc Rivers who, in 10 seasons with talent laden teams in the Clippers and 76er's, never made it past the 2nd round in the playoffs?
Jim Owczarski: I think the partnership with Budenholzer and the Bucks had run its course. Naturally, if they had gotten to the conference finals or beyond, he would still be the coach. It’s fair to question the process of hiring Griffin to replace him, however, since the team moved on from him after just 43 games. As for Rivers, that record is there and it is real. But when you’re looking to hire someone midseason the pool is shallower – but even in deeper waters there aren’t that many guys who have won a title (and coached in two NBA Finals) as well as won over 1,000 games.
Can the Bucks dominate again?
Scott G: What’s the Bucks path back to dominating, as in next season?
Jim Owczarski: Honestly, the easiest path is to stay patient and give Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Middleton a month of open gyms in Milwaukee in September and a full training camp under Rivers in October.
In 2022-23, the Minnesota Timberwolves were pilloried for trading multiple first-round draft picks for Rudy Gobert. The big man and Karl-Anthony Towns barely played together and they went 42-40 last year. This year that core group returned and went 56-26 – a record that would’ve been better had Towns not gotten hurt again. Towns and Anthony Edwards were all-stars and Gobert is likely to win another Defensive Player of the Year award.
It’s not quite apples-to-apples but it’s an example that sometimes, time is what it takes when you put stars together.
Brats. Brats are the answer.
Steven H: Would increasing the number of brats shot from the bratzooka during the game help the odds of a Bucks win?
Jim Owczarski: I mean…yes.
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