The Bucks stole our Thunder….or something.
When you look at the box score you have to do more than just take a quick peek to see the story of the loss tonight against a scrappy, hungry Milwaukee Bucks team. If you just glance you might see that we out shot the Bucks both in FG% (42.9%-39.6%) and eFG% (44%-41.5%), yet we got out-shot in a manner of speaking. The Bucks used a lot of Guard play, a lot of quick feet, and a ton of drive and dish to manage to get up 106 field goal attempts tonight. That’s quite an accomplishment for a team that only averages 87 FGA’s a night.
The Bucks simply got off a butt load of shots tonight with their fast tempo and frequent three guard lineups. They just seemed to get back nearly every miss and have another shot at it. They figured out what was working for them and kept doing it. Check out the four factors in the bar graph. We took 3/4, but it wasn’t enough.
It was a close game for most of the night but it was the little things that put the Bucks over the top. Obviously the rebounds like I’ve already mentioned, but the turns were decidedly in the Bucks favor as well (15-9). While they were getting up more FGA’s, we were getting more face time with the free throw line. It’s great to get those charity points but all in all the Bucks had 10 more scoring opportunities (FGA’s + FTA’s) because of all the booted possessions. Credit where credit is due, the Bucks are a good defensive team and they played bend don’t break all night. Mbah A Moute was especially crafty with Kevin.
Bullets:
- I don’t really want to add insult to injury here. I’ve already clearly stated that the rebounds (or lack of) were an absolute killer, but I need to point out that our starting center failed to get even one of them.
- Thabo on the other hand had 7 in the first half and 9 total.
- Jeff Green had one of those nights….just sayin’.
- I have to mention that Durant broke the team record for consecutive 30 point games with 7 tonight. I believe I read the other night that he is only the second guy 22 or younger to get 6 in a row…the other was the king.
- Brooks opted to run a little two PG thing in the first half of the fourth quarter. I thought it looked good. Harden has been playing like a rookie the last half dozen games or so and Ridnour is blazing fast and so is Jennings. I think what you lose in size (with Thabo out) you get back in ball handling, shooting and ball movement. The bucks used a lot of multi-guard looks with Charlie Bell and Redd and the two PG’s.
- Maynor had 6 boards, 4 assists and two big time steals in the open court to go with just one turn and 1 block and 8 points in 18 minutes. He might have just stolen some of Harden’s minutes. Funny, Maynor doesn’t play like a rookie.
- I could be wrong about this, and hopefully somebody corrects me, but I don’t remember seeing Ibaka getting much if any time defending Bogut. It was always Krstic who was inneffective, or Colly who was a bit better and definitely tougher but undersized. Bogut is a bull and has very basic yet fundamentally sound and effective post moves. Why not put the jumping jack on him? He cleanly shot over Krstic and Colly time and time again.
- I did see Brooks bring doubles onto Bogut after the first quarter which had some effect. It was usually Thabo coming over after one dribble or after he started his move.
- I was screamig at the TV for a double team in OT when Bogut had the ball on the elbow up by one. He faced up and took a dribble and floated a running right hook before the double could develop.
- Russell Westbrook was very impressive in nearly every way (except his FG%). 13 assists, zero turns, an amazing offensive rebound and slam putback, some big time shots….
- Luke Ridnour was at one time my favorite player. He went to Oregon, former Sonic, he was the starting PG the last time we went to the playoffs. He’s a bit of a late bloomer and I hated that Presti traded him and not Earl Watson. It killed me to see him hit that floater in overtime. He’s so fast with the dribble that even when Westbrook went under the screen, which should give him some advantage on the drive, he couldn’t do anything to Rid’s shot.
- Michael Redd looked horrible in the last Bucks game. He’s got his swagger back.
- I see Kevin Ollie is back in uniform instead of the sport coat.
- I thought we had our swagger when we came out to open the third quarter and ran off a little 11-2 run. Scott Skiles called timeout and then the Bucks went on a 13-2 run.
- The Bucks were doubling Durant when the could on the perimeter. Everybody knows where he is going when he comes off that curl.
- Russell had a vicious, nasty block from behind on Jennings.
- The Bucks tiny tot lineup went 10-2 in the second quarter.
- Even though Harden couldn’t hit a jumper tonight I did witness some very good perimeter d by the beard on Michel Redd in the first quarter.
