With only 14 games remaining in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season, does this become much more consequential for the Milwaukee Bucks that the confrontation this Wednesday against the Boston Celtics?
Well, that game against the Celtics and the one they scheduled for early April.
What’s at stake has nothing to do with seeding: Boston will be the East’s top seed in the playoffs; at most, the outcome would impact Milwaukee’s race with Cleveland for number two. It’s more about setting the tone. Preferably a different tone than the one that seems to see the Bucks start every game against Boston behind the spiritual/moral eight.
Wednesday represents, in large part, an opportunity to validate the Doc Rivers experience (so far). At the risk of completely ignoring the previous two results, the Bucks bring a new set of offensive accents (Dame-Giannis two-person matchup, Khris Middleton’s return as connector, Bobby Portis seems to have hit a rich vein of shooting, Pat Connaughton is not). not a dead man walking) and a statistically improved defense that is not as prone to allowing opponents to operate on the perimeter without any friction. The rotation has tightened while reducing the demands of non-Big Three players, and both teams look relatively healthy heading into this.
So it’s not about winning and we are the future champions of the East. But this is the ultimate test for this team until the games really start to count in late April. Let’s hope it’s, at worst, a fun outing and let’s see how far a new Bucks team can go. The wins won’t change the final standings much, but it could be just the bit of momentum needed to make a difference in a few months.
Let’s do a check in !
Ties to the Milwaukee Bucks
MVP ladder: Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis still chasing Jokic (NBA.com)
I can’t/won’t seriously weigh in on the MVP race because I don’t watch enough non-Bucks basketball to have an opinion. I’m glad to know that Giannis has reached a point where he’s a walking, talking double-double with 30+ points and can take it to both ends of the court. The true realization of every bit of its potential.
Giannis Antetokounmpo calls this season ‘the hardest,’ says he doesn’t want to ‘cry’ to enter MVP race (CBS Sports)
Giannis isn’t super hyped about the MVP race either, at least publicly. And frankly, I completely believe him and can understand the way he perceives himself (again, publicly) as still having a lot of work to do. We can get tired of perpetual growth mindsets, but if continually raising the bar is what it takes to keep him motivated and locked into the grind of the seasons, good for him.
A turbulent year for AJ Green, former UNI star feels ‘incredibly blessed’ (The Gazette)
Piece is a few weeks old and doesn’t really have much besides boilerplate athlete quotes, but I wanted to post it in honor of Green completing the journey from an undrafted pickup to having a big role in stopping Tyrese Maxey to help secure a win against the Sixers last week. Kyle Carr always believed in you, AJ. Remember that.
Doc Rivers tries to save the Bucks and restore his reputation (Washington Post)
Again, this article is older (it’s unfortunately past my radar), but it’s worth the read. Your mileage may vary on Doc – that’s understandable – but it seems obvious, in retrospect, that he would be the only person available for hire who has the breadth of experience necessary to walk into a messy situation and have a chance to stabilize it. It’s easy to look ahead to playoff issues and hope the team sticks with Prunty to start with a clean slate this summer. Selling that to a locker room and stars who don’t meet those deadlines would have been a challenge, though. So let’s hope that everything goes according to Jon Horst’s plans.
‘Control Your Drive’ Campaign Expands With Milwaukee Bucks Star Bobby Portis (Channel 3000)
The list of Milwaukee-area public service campaigns featuring Bobby Portis as the face is growing once again. In a very short time, he became the essential local man.
Know your enemy NBA
Boston Celtics – Celtics Blog – The Quiet, Overwhelming Greatness of Jayson Tatum
The subtitle includes the term “NBA Megastar”. I respect Tatum as much as I respect any Bucks opponent (read: not that much), but I think calling almost anyone a megastar is going too far. There’s about one megastar every two decades. Perhaps it’s a little early to anoint Tatum for this? Even if it remains perpetually 23 in the minds of the media.
Brooklyn nets – Daily nets – Cam Johnson says all the right things about coming off the bench, but…
Deeply impressed with the extent to which Johnson has been able to push himself in his career and go a little beyond his core skill as a shooter. Injuries are a pain in the neck and may cause the Nets to write off this season for him, but don’t sleep on guys with a range that changes things in a flash from season to season.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Welcome to Loud City – What’s next for Josh Giddey?
There has to be some sort of rule that each contending team’s fan base has designs on one of their five regular starters moving to the bench to become the God of the reserve unit. For the Bucks, it goes back and forth between Malik Beasley and Khris Middleton. For the Thunder, apparently, Giddey is that guy. Heightened competitive expectations have this effect on you.
Comment of the week
Good exchange between Brew Hoopers and a visiting Sixers fan in JoeSchu, noahflex and _ha_ha_ha regarding the scourge of reffings (and the relative decline of whistles) in the NBA of the 2020s:
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The social media section
Marketing teams at consumer product-focused companies around the world are deeply passionate about setting the money on fire.
Bobby is for the expansion of the Baird Center
Common Pat Bev #Belt2Ass W
Is MarJon about to start offering investment advice? Keep an eye on this space
Take this image of Dame, Giannis and AJ Green and frame it. Big things in store.
Thanks for that, Bossmann
Riley’s prediction record for the 2023-24 regular season: 33-35
Milwaukee Bucks Actual 2023-24 regular season record: 44-24
It’s time for the grudge match!
@ Boston Celtics, Wednesday – 6:30 p.m. CT
vs. Brooklyn Nets, Thursday – 7:00 p.m. CT
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday – 6:00 p.m. CT
I believe in the formula and will root for the Bucks to beat the Celtics on the road in a close win, but one that ultimately validates the progress the team has made and challenges “the narrative.” Then they would lose to the Nets back-to-back before dispatching the Thunder in another narrative set.
Happy Monday!
