The defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks season comes to a finish after a prideless effort in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Boston Celtics in a 109-81 loss inside TD Garden.
Probably one of the worst title defense seasons possible. From a largely uninteresting regular season, to tanking a few games in the final weeks of the regular season, to taking two games to figure out the Chicago Bulls of all teams (who they tanked to play) and losing Khris Middleton in the process, to taking three different series leads against Boston before ultimately losing in seven in the second round. It’s not a good feeling.
Giannis Antetokounmpo left it all on the court this series. He became the first player in NBA playoff history to record 200+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 50+ assists in a series.
Milwaukee was outscored by 159 in the series from the 3-point line. It’s crazy that “hope they miss” as a defensive strategy didn’t work.
People can feel how they want, but this is a hugely disappointing result to me even without Khris Middleton. Bucks were up 3-2 with a game at home and they followed a stinker in Game 6 with an uninspired and lifeless Game 7. Nobody outside of Giannis consistently executed offensively and in sunk the Bucks.
You can’t be one injury away from having zero offense. Nobody stepped up to answer that call. Mike Budenholzer didn’t help either with his rotations and lack of defensive and offensive adjustments.
If Peyton Prichard can get some burn, Jevon Carter should have been on the floor this series.
I had to turn the TV off once the clock hit 0.0 because I can’t watch that team celebrate. I hope the Heat win.
The NBA needs to do some serious changes regarding flopping. I’m fine if they go to the college rules where you get a warning and then it’s a technical foul every time after that. STOP INCENTIVIZING THE THEATRICS!
It’s hard to blame the series solely on the Khris Middleton injury. The Bucks had three different leads in the series and had a chance to win and advance in Game 6 at home. Bucks fans also shouldn’t be using the Middleton injury as an excuse. Last year would not have happened if not for injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden in that series. You can’t have it both ways.
Jon Horst and company will need to make some moves this offseason. Clearly, Milwaukee needs help at the wing play and they need more playmakers. Milwaukee has $142M committed to six players. Brook Lopez is 34. Few picks or assets to move. It won’t be easy. I’m not saying that as an over exaggeration, point is other teams have clearer paths to get better than the Bucks do.
George Hill got his apology season, unfortunately he’s guaranteed for next season. He might be a salary filler on a draft day trade. I’d be surprised if the Bucks didn’t move their pick yet again. Milwaukee needs to move on from George Hill and that should be a priority.
I think Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton need to get re-signed this offseason. Portis probably kept his value down a little bit with his performance in these playoffs.
October can’t come soon enough.
We just lost in the second round. I am not going to go too in-depth about next year just yet. I’m proud of what the franchise accomplished over the last 12 months and I’m going to grab a bite to eat and maybe have a … Gatorade and some cheesecake.
To quote a song from Journey, “The party’s over.”
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Nick Obot 