[EC Semifinals] (2)Brooklyn vs. (3)Milwaukee

I think the Nets will have too much firepower in the end and win a close series that will probably seem like it can go to anyone after any given game.

The Bucks are probably going to give them a scare. Wouldn't be surprised if they win it, it's going to come down to a few games I imagine will be close. In the end, the Nets are more experienced, and guys who've done this before....

I will say the interior matchup will be interesting. There's a chance here that the Bucks completely dominate the paint and if that's the case...it could be bad news for the Nets if they ain't hitting their shots...but they have Irving, Durant, Harden...so they likely will be hitting their shots.

 

Secretly it is going to be Thicc vs Thicc.

 

Nets in 6

 

and Harris, Green, Shament, Tyler

 

If Green is healthy, I see Nets in 5. The Nets will be focused because I truly believe that they think this will be their toughest opponent especially with Embid's knee injury.

 

I got Bucks in 6. They looked better in the first round than the Nets did. Nets have no way to stop people from scoring at the rim.

I expect Jrue to take out Kyrie.
Giannis will be close enough to balance out KD.
And that will leave Harden with the task of winning the series. Middleton and PJ are good enough defenders, and Lopez is a great rim defender.

I just think that the Bucks are a smoother running machine than the Nets are now. The Nets are still figuring each other out.

 

yannis will show the bearded one who the real mvp is. easy sweep.

 

Bucks have the best personnel, probably in the entire NBA, to deal with the Nets' big 3. Giannis can defend. Tucker can defend. Holiday can defend. Portis and Middleton are solid defenders.

If the Bucks can't beat the Nets, no one is beating the Nets.

 

the Bucks are the team best suited to exploit the Nets limited time together. still hard to pick against the sheer gravity of their big three.

Nets

 

No doubt, but here's the thing...if the other team is just getting dunks and layups, it adds more pressure to hit those shots.

Bucks will play small ball too, they did against the Nets in the regular season, putting Giannis at center. Nets have no one to even slow down Giannis, we already seen that. Jrue has a history of playing solid defense against Harden as well. Is he going to stop him, hell no, but that does wear on players during a series.

I feel like if it just comes down to the Nets hitting shots, they are playing a risky game. Guys get cold. They are going to have to find a way to prevent easy baskets at the rim. Gonna have to do it.

I agree this is the Nets toughest challenge with Embiid out in the entire playoffs. I also had the Lakers as their toughest challenge because again, small ball, Anthony Davis...but that's gone now. I could see CP3 (healthy CP3) Suns team beign an issue for them as well, other than that I give no other team a shot at beating them. Bucks have the best chance. Giannis has a chance to really dominate down low, who is going to stop him? Blake (lol) Green (Lol!) who?

And if they do the small bal lineup with Tuck at 4? That's a problem.

If the Nets try to go big then the Bucks have no issue with that either, Lopez is more than enough to deal with big lineups.

 

Battle of the MVPs....pressure is on #13....he has what just happened to Lebron in his head now. No added pressure on Irving or KD they already have rings

 

I generally prefer defense and I think Bucks can win this.

They have the defensive players to provide some resistance.

OTOH, Nets will have to work really hard to stop their inside presence and Giannis trying to bulldoze his way to the basket.

Lopez will also give them problems. Griffin is terrible on defense and Jordan is trash. Nets need Green.

Nets lack of size and inside presence will show in the series.

Harden should guard Giannis in the post.

Nets should force Tucker to dribble/make plays.

 

I predict the opposite will happen

 

a team who shot 42.6% from behind the arc in prev series is not gonna feel any more pressure than a team who shot 32.7%

yeah Jrue and the double teams sent to Harden did a good job on Harden and the Rockets

difference now is Harden has KD, Kyrie, Harris, Green, Shamet, Johnson

at the end of the day, the Bucks need to figure out how to outscore the Nets

While Nets have to figure out how to limit Giannis and take out their 3 pt shooters

 

Really need the Bucks to win this. Break the super team model. Win one for all the undesirable markets.

 

Folks talking about the bucks size seem to be forgetting one thing. Guys like harden force bigs to be unplayable. But wait. It isn’t only harden now. He has KD and kyrie next to him. All 3 of these guys are going to give all of the bucks bigs fits and force them to the bench

 

Mis matches for the Nets
Dru can only be on one of Net's guards Harden or Kyrie. This means whomever Cunnington guards, might be a mismatch and can cook more.

At the forwards spot, it's Middleton and Giannis vs. Joe Harris and KD. How comfortable is Giannis to defend the perimeter. Giannis has length, but he's not great recover from screens, but with a decent defensive supporting cast, Bucks is able to hide it better. Tucker may be able to come in on KD, but off the bench and Bucks will have to go small.

Any of the big three may be hunting Lopez, opportunities. Still have to watch out for Giannis defending from the weak side.

Injuries
Jeff Green is day-to-day.
DiVincenzo is out entirely.

Mis matches for the Bucks

Bucks do not respect Blake at the 3pt line.

On offense,

Middleton and Holiday will probably hunt Blake. Until Green returns, can Claxton give OK minutes.
Dru or Bryn Forbes also hunt Kyrie for mis-match?
Giannis and Lopez. - How is Nets going to defend them.

With Nets switch defenses, can Bucks always pick the one of nets big 3, and get them into foul trouble.

 

The pressure is when you can't stop the other team from scoring. then it feels like every shot you take you HAVE to make because the other team will just go down and get an easy bucket. Nets didn't have that pressure last series, they knew once Tatum goes out Boston became completely trash on offense. The Bucks size will consistently be a threat for easy buckets.

The Bucks and any good defensive team can deal with contested 3 point shooters, you contest, tip your hat if they make it...but if they close off the lane, which they have the ability to do, and the series comes down to "Can the Nets make enough contested long jumpers?" I'd give the Bucks the edge there.

Also, the Bucks can play small ball with Giannis at 5, they did this very thing against the Nets and found success. In these games against the Nets, Giannis has feasted inside, one of these games he scored 49 points...Giannis with 49 points, almost his career high.

The only thing we can say is that Bucks did not beat all three of the big three in a game and the playoffs are different anyway. Still, the strategy for the Bucks will be the same. Close the lane, contest 3 point shooters, if they do that they very well will win this series.

 

Fair to say the winner of this wins the whole thing?