“Come further up, come further in!,” – C.S. Lewis. Taking the advice of the wise English author I’ve spent the majority of my Bucks time writing for Fansided’s BehindtheBuckPass.com, largely eschewing contributions to this site. Having said that, let’s talk some basketball.
Despite losing Larry Sanders to general instability and Kendall Marshall to an ACL tear–the Milwaukee Bucks continue trudging through their January schedule playing .500 basketball at 6-6. That’s not a bad rate for a team missing two opening day starters, Sanders and Parker, and a solid bench player in Marshall.
But when you step back and look at who the 6 January wins have come against: New York (2), Minnesota, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Miami–things look less glossy. Meanwhile the Bucks had opportunities against playoff contenting San Antonio, Toronto, and Phoenix before being edged by single digits each game.
In other words the Bucks are too good to be bad and too bad to be good. As all Buck’s fans know–that’s a recipe for NBA purgatory…the 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs.
So why should you embrace this year’s Bucks team when they’re almost inevitably heading toward a six-game series defeat against Toronto, Chicago, Cleveland, or Washington? It’s Jason Kidd.
Outside of Milwaukee few members of the media truly appreciate what Kidd has done with this team. Most panelists gave the Bucks 20-30 wins, low estimate to high estimate this season. And playoffs? They certainly aren’t sniffing that out. But through creative rotations and strong bench play Kidd has done something Milwaukee hasn’t seen in over a decade–he’s created a winning atmosphere.
You can see Kidd’s attitude translated on the court through his player’s demeanor. Take last night’s win against the Heat for example, with special attention to the this section of the third quarter:
6:01
62-69
Danny Granger makes two point shot
6:01
Khris Middleton shooting foul (Danny Granger draws the foul)
62-69
6:01
62-70
Danny Granger makes free throw 1 of 1
6:01
O.J. Mayo enters the game for Khris Middleton
62-70
6:01
62-70
James Ennis enters the game for Mario Chalmers
5:45
John Henson makes two point shot
64-70
5:26
64-72
Hassan Whiteside makes layup
5:26
John Henson shooting foul (Hassan Whiteside draws the foul)
64-73
5:26
64-73
Hassan Whiteside makes free throw 1 of 1
5:18
64-73
James Ennis personal foul (O.J. Mayo draws the foul)
5:07
Brandon Knight bad pass (Danny Granger steals)
64-73
5:01
64-73
Norris Cole misses driving layup
4:58
John Henson defensive rebound
64-73
4:56
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes layup (Brandon Knight assists)
66-73
4:56
Heat Full timeout
4:37
66-75
Chris Bosh makes two point shot (Danny Granger assists)
4:22
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes 12-foot two point shot
68-75
3:54
68-78
Norris Cole makes three point jumper (Hassan Whiteside assists)
3:31
O.J. Mayo makes 11-foot two point shot
70-78
3:31
70-78
James Ennis shooting foul (O.J. Mayo draws the foul)
3:31
Jerryd Bayless enters the game for Brandon Knight
70-78
3:31
O.J. Mayo makes free throw 1 of 1
71-78
3:05
71-78
Chris Bosh misses 19-foot two point shot
3:04
Jared Dudley defensive rebound
71-78
2:55
O.J. Mayo makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jerryd Bayless assists)
74-78
Notice the score with 5:07 remaining–the Bucks are down nine, just turned the ball over and looked for all the world like they were about to face a double-digit deficit. Having lost a team-record 67 times last season, we almost expected a complete collapse. Not this Milwaukee Bucks team, not Jason Kidd.
Giannis Antetokounmpo took a handle of the game scoring 4 fast points, holding off the Heat just long enough for O.J. Mayo to catch a little fire and bring the Bucks back to within four points. The Bucks would tie the game by the end of the quarter, giving themselves a great shot in the fourth. The Bucks would win the game 109-102. Last year’s team wouldn’t have.
That’s this team in a nutshell–mentally tough, poised, and defensively eager.
So when the Bucks make the playoffs and likely lose in the first round your knee-jerk reaction will be to roll your eyes and say “I thought things we’re going to be different.”
Kenyon Martin will bring size and depth to the Buck’s front line
It’s official: the Milwaukee Bucks have signed Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract while waiving Nate Wolters.
The move provides the Bucks much-needed front court depth during the indefinite absences of Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova along with the season ending injuries to Jabari Parker and Damien Inglis.
The addition of Martin will likely reduce the minutes of Johnny O’Bryant, who has been largely ineffective in a starting role. O’Bryant’s game, while boasting a reasonable jumper, lacks rebounding and shooting discretion (.404 since his debut at Portland on Dec.17th). Given time to develop his game O’Bryant could become a clogger with a jumper, but his defense will need to improve if he’s to earn bigger minutes–he’s currently getting just over 14 in a starting role.
Using Martin’s size, the Bucks should play more traditional sets (2 guards, 2 forwards, 1 center) instead of the 4 guard, 1 center “small ball” attack we’ve seen the past 2 weeks. The small ball offense, while offensively capable and good in transition, lacks defense and rebounding. The latter being an area of weakness that’s plagued the Bucks this entire season.
If Martin can contribute in a complimentary role until Ilyasova and Sanders return, while reducing the chances of injuries to Buck’s mainstays (Henson, Pachulia, and O’Bryant), then this move should benefit the Bucks and their increasing playoff chances.
But what about Nate Wolters and the supposed “Own the Future” campaign?
Nate Wolters sure did charm Bucks fans last season. His 3.2/1 assist to turnover ratio demonstrated a knack for ball security and overall unselfish play; and though the Bucks trudged through a 15 win nightmare last season, fans noted Wolter’s surprising development as a silver lining (along with the Hi, my name is Giannis, Greek Freak).
But after the additions of Jerryd Bayless and Kendall Marshall, Wolters saw his spot on the depth chart sink from #1 (he started 36 games last season) all the way down to #4. He appeared in only 11 games for the Bucks this season, and played without the rookie swagger he demonstrated last season. With his confidence likely down, his play followed, leading to his expendable designation.
Wolter’s release makes it clear that the “Own the Future” movement isn’t about a blanket commitment to young players in the mold of the 76ers or Timberwolves. But we knew that when the Bucks added Jerryd Bayless, Kendall Marshall and Jared Dudley in the off-season.
“Own the Future” means “Own the development of Knight, Parker, Giannis, and (perhaps) Middleton’s future”–not “let’s develop young players for the sake of developing young players.” That’s a luxury the organization doesn’t have.
The Bucks desperatelyneed to build an arena. In order to do that they need to drum up fan support, and the best way to do that is through winning games and showing promise. We’ve already felt the winds of change in terms of buzz around the team, attendance, and attitude. All of those things needed to happen this season and they have.
So it makes little sense for the organization to commit to a younger player like Nate Wolters (who isn’t even that young at 23) if it means sacrificing wins, right now, and casting the organization’s future into further doubt. Realistically, Nate Wolter’s ceiling is a fringe rotation player. That makes him expendable. He has a future in the NBA, just not with the Bucks.
Are the Bucks another solid piece from serious contention? Yes. Is Nate Wolters that piece? No. Would they find that player in this year’s lottery? Probably not. But what they can do is ensure a playoff birth this season, wait for Parker to get healthy, and hope that Big 3.5 (Knight, Parker, Giannis, and Middleton) continue their rise to greatness.
Larry Sanders and John Henson. Options 1 and 1a for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The most prominent of the rumors swirling around “embattled” Bucks center Larry Sanders focus on a lack of desire to continue playing basketball.
This story grew longer legs yesterday after Sanders rejoined the team for the first time in 7 games (albeit in street clothes) and addressed the media.
”Without these things being corrected, I don’t think basketball will be something I can even do,” said Larry about his enigmatic struggles.
Many have speculated a major death in the family to be the root of the issue, or perhaps even a drug problem hinted at by his 5 game marijuana suspension last season (and subsequent advocacy). But whatever the issue may be, its becoming clear that Larry Sander’s tenure in Milwaukee is precarious.
Best wishes, Larry Sanders–the Milwaukee Bucks community wishes you well.
Because of the rumors we must imagine the possibility that If Larry Sanders were to leave the team tomorrow, next week, next season, what could it do to the development of the Bucks?
In two words: Not Much. Here’s why.
John Henson. AKA: the Gadget, or Hennessey. Henson stands an even 6’11” 235 lbs. with Larry Sanders (per ESPN) and brings a similar defensive length to the Bucks front-court. They share a bewildering 7’5-6″ wingspan. Physically the two are nearly identical.
But how do those physical gifts translate to the court, and more importantly–wins?
A glimpse at Henson’s Player Efficiency Rating (PER) shows that Henson, when healthy, is a much larger asset to the Bucks than Sanders.
Henson’s PER is a strong 18.13. That’s higher than: Markieff Morris (17.37), Marcin Gortat (17.42) Roy Hibbert (15.97), and the Bucks own Zaza Pachulia (13.79). The league average is 15.
Larry Sander’s PER in the 2014-15 season is 15.36.
Remember his “breakout” season 2 years ago when he posted a maddeningly prodigious 9.8ppg, 9.5rpg and 2.8bpg? Sander’s PER for that 44 million dollar inducing contract was 18.70.
I’m under no delusion that PER is the end-all rating metric that, say, the QBR is (err, maybe not). But put under the same scrutiny Henson came up more than marginally superior to Sanders.
But things in the NBA aren’t as simple as compiling at group of 5 guys with 20+ PER’s and waltzing to a title. Ask the beleaguered Cleveland LeBron Jameses about that strategy.
Things like rebounding, blocking and defensive efficiency are equally important to a team’s bottom line.
Rebounding in particular is an area that the Bucks have struggled with this season. The Bucks rank 23rd in the league with 41.2 per game, while giving up the 22nd most offensive rebounds in the league.
From a numbers standpoint Larry Sanders rebounds better than John Henson. Per 36 minutes Sanders is averaging 10.2rpg, while Henson hauls in 8.7rpg.
DeAndre Jordan, the league’s best rebounder, averages 14.5 rebounds per 36 minutes. So neither Henson or Sanders is a strong rebounding option.
So the long-term viability for either as the Buck’s future center is debatable–and a topic for a different discussion.
But what about blocking? “Doc Block” is surely superior to Henson…right?
Not quite. Sanders earned his reputation as a rim defender through his 2012-13 campaign, a year he averaged 3.7 blocks per 36 minutes.
That 3.7 number is interesting. It’s the size of the V-6 Ford Mustang engine. It’s also Bryan Cranston’s birthday (you know, Heisenberg).
More to the point 3.7 is the number of blocks that John Henson is averaging per 36 minutes this season. In other words, per 36 minutes this season, John Henson is matching Sander’s best season.
Further, Henson’s block percentage–the chance that a player has of blocking a shot each defensive possession, is 8.7%. That’s 1.1% better than Sander’s strongest season, and 3.2% better than Sanders this season (per basketball-reference.com).
The interesting thing about stats is that while you can twist, contort, cram, and package any stat into a ready-made Campbell’s soup can–they will never tell the whole story.
Larry Sanders brings the intangible passion, competitive ferocity, and contagious energy that you want in a star player.
But as far as hard on-court numbers John Henson is an equal if not superior option.
I would rather have Walter White than this guy–at least “Heisenberg” is good at chemistry
It has been reported by an unspecified source that Jason Kidd invited his old playing buddy Kenyon Martin to work out for the Bucks Tuesday afternoon. Kidd and Martin anchored 2 NBA Finals appearances with the New Jersey Nets (02,03) but lost both times. The two played together again in New York during the 12-13 season.
So Jason Kidd knows Martin on a personal level better than most. But could his faith be misplaced? Martin was, after all, known as the locker room cancer sort who catered to his own interests instead of those of the team.
From a position standpoint the move would make sense. With Jabari Parker lost for the season and Ersan Ilyasova missing time with a 2nd concussion in 2 months the Bucks are thinning at the PF position. So the Bucks may only be looking to sign the 6-9, 225 pound Martin as an insurance policy should, heaven forbid, Johnny O’Bryant miss more time.
If Martin does get an offer, I would expect a short-term contract (teams can begin offering 10-day contracts starting January 5th) until Ilyasova has a clean bill of health.
The problem with someone like Kenyon Martin is…well…he brings this sort of negative energy to teams.
I understand that the now 37 year old Kenyon Martin probably doesn’t still treat people the way he does in these obviously negative-framing videos. But is that something Jason Kidd should risk exposing to his young team?
Hell no! That would be like coming home after a late night, scouring the refrigerator until you find that 2 week old piece of chicken breast that you’ve long forgotten about. You know that you shouldn’t eat it, but your body craves the sultry barbecue sauce that you so carefully applied weeks ago. In a moment of poor judgment you heat it up and eat it. And it tastes great. “I am an immortal golden chicken god,” you think to yourself.
But when you develop gradually worsening diarrhea, stomach pain, and abdominal cramps you realize that you willfully ingested Salmonella.
“I am no golden god,” you think. “I am a foolish fool who foolhardily ate bad food.”
Don’t eat bad chicken, Milwaukee Bucks. Don’t invite a player with a history of bad attitudes into your positive locker room.
Don’t give yourself salmonella. Sign someone like Ivan Johnson, or D.J. White instead.
Our worst fears were confirmed last night when reports surfaced that an MRI revealed a torn ACL in Jabari Parker’s left knee. The injury was initially declared as a “knee sprain”–which is, relatively, no big deal as the recovery time is 2-6 weeks. Unfortunately a knee sprain wasn’t the case.
Remember when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real, and that Christmas was more of a corporate holiday than religious? Okay, maybe that’s a little off-kilter example. But the feeling of despair is real.
Jabari Parker didn’t deserve this–he’s only 19. The franchise didn’t deserve this. And the casual Milwaukee Bucks fanbase may not sustain it. I’m not talking about the hardcore fans, like you or me–we’re in it for the long run; but rather “that guy” who at every bar loudly proclaims that the Bucks should ditch town so a hockey team can move in. A healthy Jabari Parker diffuses any pompous anti-Bucks sentiment.
But the fact remains that Jabari Parker isn’t coming back anytime soon. Here are 3 musings about the fallout of his horrific injury.
#1 Jabari’s Injury Doesn’t Ruin the Buck’s Playoff Chances
At least not that much. Here’s why: Khris Middleton. “Dueces” figures to be first in line to see an uptick in minutes with Parker out. Look, nothing can replace the lost developmental time that Parker misses with this injury. But Middleton is a talented, capable, and still developing forward. He has a good jumper and is equally strong facing up and with his back to the basket. There is nothing positive about this situation, but at least Middleton will have a chance to see more court time.
At the time of his injury Parker was contributing 12.8 PPG and 3.4 rebounds per game in roughly 30 minutes (in his last 5 games). Those aren’t life-changing numbers. Solid, but not otherworldly. Right now Middleton is averaging 10.2 PPG and 4.2 rebounds in only 23 minutes. And if Middleton doesn’t perform well then Ersan Ilyasova could help offset Parker’s absence when he (Ersan) returns from his broken nose.
So from a basketball standpoint Parker is replaceable, but…
#2 This Puts the Kibosh on the “Own the Future” Campaign
For now. This means that all of the marketing momentum that the Bucks had gained after a summer of parading around Jabari Parker at Summerfest, Lambeau Field, and local charity events could come to a crashing end. A major storyline with Parker’s arrival was the potential emergence of a once in a generation talent coming to Milwaukee. Milwaukee. Of all places. Plus with Giannis Antetokounmpo showing signs of potential stardom the Buck’s marketing team wisely clumped the two teenagers together in what amounted to the “Own the Future” campaign.
And it was all going so well. Attendance and local viewership easily eclipsed last season’s totals (albeit, not that it was hard to do). It’s reasonable to assume a fair amount of casual fans gravitated back to the team after the Bucks landed Parker. And why not? Who doesn’t want to see the next Carmelo Anthony or Paul Pierce?
For how relatively little Parker’s injury hurts the Bucks playoff chances, it completely devastates their marketing strategy.
I would imagine that the Buck’s PR team will lean heavily on Giannis Antetokounmpo and perhaps Brandon Knight (especially if he can make the all star team…i know, i know snowball’s chance). But the marketing absence left by Jabari Parker’s injury cannot be replaced.
#3 No. The Bucks Won’t (and shouldn’t) Tank for a Lottery Pick
Because losing is a habit. And the 2014-15 team has already made strides in erasing the “losers” mindset. Further, the team NEEDS to show the casual fanbase real progress right now. If the Bucks can’t gather the fan support they need to build a new arena than they will leave Milwaukee. It’s that simple.
A successful Bucks season would have been winning 25-30 games and giving Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo ample opportunity to develop their game.
But it became clear weeks ago that this team not only is capable of making the Eastern Conference playoffs as-is, but competing in them as well–with big wins over the Grizzlies, Clippers, and Suns.
So the Bucks don’t necessarily need another lottery pick to complete with the top dawgs of the league. But rather, they need their young talent to develop into the players that we all know they are capable of becoming.
Is there the implicit danger of becoming stuck in NBA purgatory? Sure, I guess. But the Bucks already have their blossoming “Big 3” in Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brandon Knight. All three being 23 years old or younger. And they don’t need another lottery piece to compete for championships. They need time.
And given the failure rate of lottery picks there is no reason to want this team to tank this season. This team has too much potential, right now, to play Russian roulette in the lottery and put the fanbase through another losing season. The Milwaukee Bucks can’t afford that.
For those of you who supported the Bucks as long as I have you will know this blossoming level of national attention takes the franchise into uncharted waters.
We’ve seen plenty of has-been storylines in Milwaukee over the last two decades.
Competitive? Sure. If beating middle of the road teams and earning an 8 seed is competitive…
Playoffs? Been there, lost that.
Youth movement? The T.J. Ford/ Andrew Bogut/ Michael Redd days were supposed to revitalize the fanchise…
#1 draft pick? Jabari Parker has garnered 5x the hype Andrew Bogut ever did–and has actually delivered early.
So what makes this young Milwaukee Bucks team different?
They’re cool, and you can’t teach cool. When Giannis Antetokounmpo dunked on veteran all-star Chris Bosh, that was cool.
The Bucks have the young exciting players in place and are already the darlings of NBA media. I mean, who really hates on the Bucks? Who? The Phoenix Suns maybe (getting Lew Alcindor in a coin toss). Everyone loves a Cinderella–especially when Cinderella has been so anonymous for so long.
But that’s not enough. Being good isn’t enough. The Bucks need their home community to embrace them. Here’s 3 ways for the Bucks to completely re-invent their image and take all this potential to the next level.
#1 A New Arena
The sad, old BMO Harris Bradley Center has seen too much losing
This one almost goes without saying. If this young Bucks team will ever win a championship it will not happen in the Bradley Center. If you need to be reminded why the Bucks need a new arena then you haven’t been paying attention the last 2 years. Poor sight lines, uncomfortable seating, lack of amenities, etc ad nauseam.
It’s simple why the arena is #1 on this list. If the Bucks do not have a new arena in the works by 2017, they’re gone. And we can all watch Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo bring the Seattle franchise a championship. Imagine how that fanbase feels seeing Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder succeed in the way they have the last half decade.
The Bucks have done some pretty amazing things this past off-season: they brought in young, ambitious owners, they drafted Jabari Parker who is already teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo to create the league’s best under 21 duo–and it’s not even remotely close.
What better way to usher in a new era of successful Bucks basketball than a new arena?
Look, the arena is a complicated issue that is deserving of 3 articles to even scratch the surface of it’s complexity.
But look at what Miller Park did the Milwaukee Brewers. I know it’s tough to believe but there was once a time when the Bucks sold out the Mecca every single night–hell, even the Bradley Center in the “Big 3” era.
When the new arena is built, and houses a competitive Bucks team, the Bucks will be in the top 10 in league attendance.
#2 Re-Brand Already, Damnit!
Can we have this back please?
That logo to the left defined an era of Bucks basketball that was consistently competitive and saw the city’s lone NBA championship.
From the Buck’s inception in 1968 until 1993 that logo represented a product that the entire state of Wisconsin could take pride in. What are we as Wisconsin sport’s fans if not prideful? All of our sports teams have history and have spanned generations.
The Milwaukee Brewers are the youngest Wisconsin pro franchise at a spritely 44 years old (founded in 1970).
Let’s not even get started on that Green Bay franchise.
But to revive a brand riddled with negativity? To do that you need a logo that embodies the metaphysical idea of a team’s success.
And let me tell you–thisdoes not inspire confidence in anybody. That logo represents a Milwaukee Bucks era where mediocre is acceptable and being slightly above average was the measuring stick of success. Pardon me while I go ahead and puke. GET RID OF IT!! The Buck’s have already overhauled their personnel-now it’s time to overhaul their image.
Not a soul on earth looks at the logo below and is stricken with anxiety
Look at it. It sucks. Bango’s eyes are green–no wonder Brandon Jennings rampaged blindly into the paint for all those years–he’s clearly blind.
Plus, it doesn’t even change the basic design of that god-awful purple logo of the 90’s. And I apologize to all of you purple-bucks lovers, but that color scheme is AWFUL. It has nothing to do with Milwaukee, or the Bucks.
The Bucks inexplicably brought back a uniform from that era which looks like this. Terrible, terrible stuff.
Right now retro is cool
The Golden State Warriors have gone old school, as have the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets (modern retro), and Orlando Magic (pinstripes).
Clearly, if the Bucks expect to regain their casual fanbase they NEED to present a brand that is not associated with maintained mediocrity.
I present to you: Project 34
This pair of uber-sexy concept unis harken to the golden years of Bucks basketball and would certainly be an upgrade over the current unis.
They use 3 different shades of green like the old uniforms that generally looked like this.
The most important thing to keep in mind here is to go with a color scheme that inspires the casual fan to support the team–because it’s the same scheme from the successful 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Right now the team is in a transformation period to begin with. And the early results have been great.
Now the strategy must shift from personnel to image.
Look, I see more people wearing more old school Bucks apparel than any other type of Bucks gear. And it’s not even close. Why? Because that old school logo is cool. It just is. And if you don’t feel that way you’re wrong. Look at it. It’s perfect.
That should make things simple for the Buck’s brass. If people are already choosing to rally behind the old school logo then the message is simple: GET RID OF THE CHRISTMAS COLOR SCHEME. And bring back the ballin’ Bango. Simple.
#3 Find a defacto rally song
The Packers have Bang my Drum by Todd Rundgren. Try telling me, if you’re a Packer fan, that hearing the first 10 seconds of that song doesn’t make you happy. You can’t.You’re instead immediately taken to an alternate universe wherein the Packers have just scored a touchdown. Good tunes, good vibes, and an immediately identifiable riff.
The Wisconsin Badgers have Jump Around by House of Pain. If you’ve ever watched a Badger home game, live or on TV, then you are familiar with this song. It’s not only a battle cry for drunken students, but for the entire state. Try sometime, driving downtown Madison with Jump Around blaring. You will likely get a bunch of cheering from red-clad badger fans. Why? Because this song doesn’t belong to House of Pain anymore, but instead to Badger nation. And they’re not giving it back.
The Chicago Bulls have this one–which really needs to explaining.
Hell, even the Baltimore Ravens have adopted Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes. In fact, the Ravens are so cool that other American (it’s been popular overseas) fan-bases started copying the “Seven Nation Army” harmony during blowout games. Now it’s generally regarded as a way for fans to intimidate opposing teams. Why not us? Why can’t Buck’s fans do that?
The Bucks used to have a pretty cool rally song, though
But the team went away from playing the song in the Bradley Center shortly after the Ray Allen trade debacle. I remember hearing a ’07 version of it when the Andrew Bogut, Michael Redd era was in it’s prime, but I haven’t heard it since.
I know the song is lame. But it’s also unique and identifiable by Bucks fans. Which makes it cool.
I would bet my season tickets that if they played a Parker, Sanders, Greek Freak, Knight iteration of Light it Up the Bradley Center would explode. Why wouldn’t they? It’s perhaps the only song that unifies Bucks fans in their fandom of the team. And everyone who was around in the late 90’s and early 00’s knows all about how cool the team was then.
The Bradley Center used to play Crazy Train by Ozzie Osbourne late in the 4th quarter of close games to get the crowd pumped up. When I was a kid I had no idea what the song was called or who it was by but when I heard it the intro played through the speakers of a Taco Johns I immediately grabbed by Dad’s attention and said “That’s what they play for Bucks games!” He said “Yep, sports thumper music.”
Crazy Train has all the elements you’re looking for in a defacto theme song. It’s Identifiable, loud, has a distinct introduction (a similarity it shares with Bang my Drum and Jump Around) and is reasonably associated with success.
But we can’t use Crazy Train. It’s too universal. The song has to be somewhat obscure as to have exclusivity. There’s nothing cool about using a song that everyone else uses.
But I have a couple nominations for the Bucks to adopt. I feel they all share the recipe of being identifiable, catchy, and obscure.
Song 1 – Jerk it Out by Caesars. I can see it now. Brandon Knight hits a contested three pointer forcing a timeout from, lets say, the Chicago Bulls. Queue Jerk it Out and watch the Bradley Center cheer itself to death. Jerk it Out has the distinct intro that you’re going after which doesn’t overstay its welcome, but is the perfect length for a fan-base to know what it is and what it means right away. Which in this case would be your good-mood timeout song. Jerk it Out‘s use would be similar to the “Hey” song but would belong to the Bucks instead of all of sports.
Song 2 – Glitter Aint Gold (Jumpin for Nothing) by Gary Clark Jr. This song has far too cynical undertones to be realistically adopted as a Milwaukee Bucks song–what with the “Don’t get me jumpin’ for nothing” lyrics (and how many times have we felt that as Bucks fans?) But the intro is strong. This would make for a great bringing the ball up-court song.
Song 3 – What you Know by T.I. Probably the most mainstream of the three. But whatever. Use the instrumental and play it during those moments when the Bucks have the game well in hand, have the ball, and the time is draining. You would be hard-pressed to find a more triumphant sounding intro. Wouldn’t this song make you feel better than the iteration of If You’re Happy and You Know It that they play when a Bucks win is imminent? The Bucks are going to be winning a lot soon–might as well adopt a song with no lack for swagger.
That’s about it–I’m sure an overhaul of the Milwaukee Bucks will take MUCH MUCH more than a couple thousand words and pipe-dreams of stadium music–but hey we can dream.
If you have any ideas of how to make the Bucks cool again feel free to cite them in the comment box below. Especially potential rally song ideas. I’m limited to my personal taste in music, so I would love to hear what you would think fits as Buck’s rally music.
Instead of a traditional preview for tomorrow’s Pistons-Bucks matchup (aka, 5-7 paragraphs of Brandon Jennings bashing), we’re going to rank the top 7 Bucks plays after their 7-7 start.
This collection tells us many things about the potential of this team, most importantly–the future is nigh, and the Bucks will own it. Enjoy.
7. “We know its going to you.” Jason Kidd Psyches Out Joe Johnson
It’s not just that he literally called out Joe Johnson before the play, its that the Bucks FINALLY have a coach that thrives playing mental games. What makes this “play” even cooler is the fact that Giannis shut down Joe Johnson the ensuing play. Kidd’s got brass.
6. Brandon Knight’s Redemption 3 Pointer vs. Brooklyn
Not only did Brandon Knight make this 3 pointer to send the game to triple overtime–but he made it after the fail-up. He could have mentally withdrew after whiffing on that shot, but he came back and knocked home this game extending 3 pointer when his team needed it most. Props to Brandon Knight for coming back strong like that.
5. Zaza’s Behind-the-Back Pass to Bayless
This highlight came in the game that Zaza dominated against the Oklahoma City Thunder. His stat line of 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists doesn’t do justice to how well he elevated his team that night. This play in particular ignited the Bradley Center crowd and scored style points to boot.
4. Jabari Parker’s 3 Pointer in the Home Opener
It’s not that just that Jabari Parker made an open 3 pointer (which has proven to be an iffy proposition), it’s that these were the first points in front of the home crowd in a Buck’s uniform. After all of the hype, excitement, and anticipation for Bucks fans to see Parker’s game–it took all of 40 seconds to bring the house down. What a moment.
3. Giannis Takes Over vs. Memphis
The sequence of Giannis dominance begins at 1:30. Not only would have the Bucks lost the game without Giannis making these plays, but this was the first time in Giannis’ career that he completely took over a game. It shows that his game is rapidly developing and he’s just starting to scratch the surface of the potential he demonstrated last season–an idea that makes Buck’s fans salivate. Mmmm…Giannis…
2. Brandon Knight’s Game Winner vs. Memphis
Here’s the scenario–the 6-0 Memphis Grizzlies travel to the Bradley Center to face the 2-4 Milwaukee Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back. With a loss the Bucks would fall to 2-5 and perhaps lose confidence in the crucial early season. The Grizzlies were an undefeated Western Conference team–so why wouldn’t they cruise to a victory? But the Bucks shut-down defense made things tough for the Grizzlies all night long, while their offense did enough to keep them in the game (I.E. Giannis’ incredible 4th quarter stretch). In a play designed for an O.J. Mayo 3 pointer, Brandon Knight picked up the pieces of the broken play and scored 3 the old-fashioned way–proving to the league that the Bucks are no longer a pushover.
1. Doc Block Kills Gibson, Knight to Giannis Alley Oop
This is the sort of play that Bucks fans have in mind when they think about the future. It has it all: a despised divisional foe, a Larry Sanders block, and a Knight to Giannis alley oop on the other end. Throw in the fact that it was in front of the home crowd in a tight game and you have a recipe for a top play. More of this please.
So there you have it–the top 7 Bucks plays so far this season. Here’s to many, many more.
Also, expect the Bucks to wipe out the Pistons tomorrow night to the tune of 97-85. Book it.
Jason Kidd’s Bucks Have Impressed So Far (Morry Gash/AP Photo)
Strengths
We expected Jabari Parker to be ready for the league when he was drafted in June. We expected Jason Kidd to bring a fresher, younger perspective than Larry Drew. We expected Giannis to show clear improvement.
We did not, however, expect the Milwaukee Bucks to have a top 5 defense. Here’s how they stack up in all the major defensive categories.
Larry Sanders Anchors the League’s #4 Paint Defense
Points Per Game: 92.6 (3rd)
Opponent FG%: 41.8 (4th)
Steals: 9.3 (t2nd)
Blocks: 5.3 (10th)
Defensive EFF: 94.7 (2nd)
In victories the Bucks allow an infantile 37.2 Opp. FG %.
Let’s put that into perspective.
Imagine that every player on every team in the league was comprised of Brandon Jennings (a disconcerting thought, but follow me on this one). That 37.2% is what those teams would shoot night in, night out.
In short the Bucks are squeezing the life out of opponents–if Gary Payton was “The Glove” then this Bucks team is “The Saran Wrap“.
It starts with the Bucks interior defense. Where defensive rebounding has been an issue, defensive points in the paint has been a strength. Through 10 games the Bucks have surrendered 37.2 points in the paint per game, good for 4th in the league. (Last year they gave up 42.4 per game.)
On the perimeter the Bucks have allowed 20.1 ppg from 3 point range, just a shade under 7 3’s allowed per game.
So the Bucks inside-out defense is sound, aggressive, and outstanding at generating turnovers as evidenced by their 9.3 steals per game.
Jabari Parker has been a pleasant surprise in this category, averaging 1.2 steals per game, good for 4th among rookies (6 spots ahead of Andrew Wiggins, btw).
IF Jason Kidd can keep his team motivated to play aggressive defense through 82 games–this team will be able to compete for the Eastern Conference’s 5th seed. That’s how good a suffocating defense can be.
Weaknesses
For as good as the Bucks have been defensively they have been equally bad offensively. The first place we are going to look for improvement is 3 point shooting, where the Milwaukee Bucks rank DEAD LAST.
Through 10 games the Bucks have shot 29.6% from 3. How bad is that bad?
If Charlie Villanueva and Delilah has a baby, and that baby was born without a pinky on his shooting hand, he would still be able to put up 35%–you know, what the Detroit Pistons are currently shooting.
Look Out Below! The Bucks Are Shooting 3’s!!
Remember that Brandon Knight is shooting .405 from 3 pt. range–the best 3 point shooting team is Cleveland, at .406. So BK is torching it while everyone else is chucking bricks.
Ersan Ilyasova leads the brick-chucking charge, clocking in at .167% on the year. His early season slump continues after last season’s disappointing shooting campaign.
Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jared Dudley, and O.J. Mayo are all shooting .200-.299 percent from three. You would expect that from Dudley, Giannis, and maybe even Mayo–but our deepest fears have been confirmed with Parker and Middleton. These guys just don’t have a consistent 3 point shot.
I’ll give Mayo a free pass just because his shooting is so streaky he can shoot you in, and out of a game. For the most part this season Mayo’s shooting has been timely–but he will occasionally take that early in the shot clock bomb.
Ersan Ilyasova will pretend to pass, before realizing he’s WIDE OPEN. Clunk.
Jabari Parker throws up an in rhythm open shot. Clank.
Giannis has flat given up on the shot–unless he so shockingly open he’s obliged to launch it. Choonk! (the sound effect reserved for a shot that lands between the backboard and the rim). This anemic shooting brings us to our next early season criticism…
Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokoumpo’s Outside Shooting
First of all credit Giannis for reaching the starting lineup. His development through these first 10 games has been astonishing. The high water mark for his season was putting the team on his back down the stretch of the Memphis win. He was not capable of that last season.
But his outside shooting has been abominable.
In the restricted area (5 ft.) he’s shooting a robust 64.8% on 35-54 shooting.
Take a step back to 8 ft. and his shooting dips to 38.5% on 5-13.
Outside the paint his percentage dips even further to 33.3% on 5-15.
And then finally behind the 3 point line he’s .250% on 2-8.
Take that with a grain of salt because his overall field goal percentage is .522% on 47-90. This is a noted increase from his .429 FG% last season. This is largely due to his dribbling ability improving over last season, and he uses it to often slice to the rim.
Jabari Parker has a similar look, except with a much lower field goal percentage. He’s shooting at .422 overall on 46-109 shooting.
In the restricted area he’s shooting 65.9% on 29-44 shooting.
At 8 ft. his percentage dips to 17.6% on 3-7.
Midrange is 31.4% on 11-35.
And behind the arc he’s shooting .231 on 3-13.
What does this information tell us? He’s not really very good at all right? Not even close. Duh. He’s a rookie. And he’s shown flashes of insane ability on the regular knifing to the hoop while demonstrating excellent body control for a big guy.
Keep in mind: Nobody is, or should be disappointed with Giannis’ and Jabari Parker’s season thus far. Both have shown seriously capability; and BOTH are 19 years old. If Jabari is still throwing up clunkers from 18 feet when he’s 24 the Bucks will have already moved to Las Vegas. That’s NOT going to happen. He was a good shooter in college and he will find his shot in the NBA–just give him time.
10-Game MVP
No Buck has benefited more from Jason Kidd’s coaching than Brandon Knight. He has shown across-the-board improvement in scoring, assists, rebounds, FG%, and 3 pt. FG%. Let’s take a quick look at the numbers.
The heavy uptick in assist production should quiet Brandon Knight naysayers (although his turnovers are also up). No other Buck’s player is even averaging 4 assists per game. Brandon Knight is finding people, rebounding, and scoring late in ball games when the team needs it the most.
Let’s revisit this gem:
So quiet down Brandon Knight haters. He is out best player RIGHT NOW, and looks like he can handle the mantle as the Milwaukee Bucks PG of the future. He is, after all, only 22 and has shown improvement in each of his 4 seasons.
The Outlook
I don’t expect the Bucks intense defensive prowess to continue at the rate that they are performing at–largely because the quality of their opponents has been questionable.
They beat a dead Pacers and Thunder team.
They beat the Heat sans D-Wade (and Chris Bosh for all intents and purposes). And the Memphis Grizzlies can’t score worth a damn to begin with.
When they go west and play offensive juggernauts like Golden State, San Antonio, Portland, and Phoenix that defense will be tested.
I’m not saying this is not a good, suffocating, unit–I’m just reserving frothing optimism for after those game because while holding a team like Indiana to 81 points is impressive–it’s also mandatory given their struggles. The same goes for OKC.
Their length and athleticism is unquestionable. This will be a top 10 unit–and it could remain in the top 5. If they can keep up the defense against tougher competition–look out.
It will be a very interesting story-line to follow over the next ten games including: Toronto, Houston, Dallas, and Cleveland. Strap in guys–this ride is only getting better.
The two most important young bucks since Bambi and that G-Unit rapper
What to Expect?
The Bucks begin the 2014-15 season vs. the Charlotte Bobcats Hornets–an Eastern conference playoff team from last year (which is sort of like getting a participation award). Their playoff run ended after 4 not-so-close games with the Heat. The Hornet’s core consists of a similar nucleus to Buck’s teams of the past decade. That is, leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner and old bones playing out the string (with the exception of Kemba Walker & Noah Vonleh).
You remember those Buck’s rosters right? Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson, Bobby Simmons and the disappointing Andrew Bogut. Hell, you could even throw in John Salmons, Jerry Stackhouse, and Desmond Mason in the mix. Those were rosters built to beat low-rung teams, compete with average teams, and get decimated by elite teams. In the fortunate event the Bucks eked out an 8 seed in the playoffs they were rewarded with short series with the top-level Pistons.
These Hornets resemble those Bucks teams. Their addition of Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams, and Jannero Pargo in the off-season won’t be enough to take this team to the next level. But they will compete. And they are (sadly) better right now than the Milwaukee Bucks however slim the margin and regardless of the Buck’s earth-shattering potential.
Lets take a look at positional match-ups:
Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets
PG: Brandon Knight Kemba Walker
SG: Khris Middleton Lance Stephenson
SF: Giannis Antetokounmpo Michael-Kidd Gilchrist
PF: Jabari Parker Marvin Williams
C: Larry Sanders Al Jefferson
The Bucks have match up advantages at SF, and PF (duh, that’s where Giannis and Jabari are!) Giannis out-lengths M-KG by 2″ but is giving up 20-30 pounds. But Gianni’s speed, length, and skill will be too much for M-KG to handle. Expect around 12 points and 8 rebounds from Giannis tonight.
Jabari Parker is has a slight advantage over similarly sized Marvin Williams–who is an eager defender and should relish the opportunity to shut down the hyped up rook. But in the NBA offense is king and Parker already has the tools to make defenders look silly. Take a look at this…there’s just no defending it. Marvin, your hands will be full tonight.
I’m not sure what’s better–Jabari’s ridiculous skills or the announcer’s unrestrained glee “It’s the boogie-man!!”
The Hornets have big advantages at all the other positions most notably at PG and SG. Brandon Knight has a small reputation for wearing concrete galoshes on the defensive end. Look for Kemba Walker to ring up assists faster than Michael Jordan rings up screen shots tonight.
The Bucks will need to play a lot of help defense on Lance Stephenson which should open the door for interior scoring with Al Jefferson. The Bucks will need Larry Sanders to be healthy and active on the defensive end to keep up with the Hornet’s gunners. If Sanders (235 pounds) can’t out-hustle Jefferson (289 pounds!!) the Bucks will struggle.
Predictions
Jabari Parker, Brandon Knight, and Larry Sanders have big nights, each having 10+ points. Giannis will make 2-3 splash plays with 12 points 4 assists and 4 turnovers. Khris Middleton will make 2 shots from deep en route to 10 points. And the Bucks bench comes up big with superior depth than the Hornets.
Right now the Hornets are the superior team, but hell, this is a Milwaukee Bucks blog and this is the dawn of a new era so let’s go for it:
Bucks 106 – Hornets 101,
or in other words:
Swing by BangoCrossing.com for post game grades, and further analysis.
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