Comments on: Seeing some Piston in Bucks Title Plan

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:10:55 +0000

I think we can all say next step = home playoff series

By: Jeremy Schmidt

Jeremy Schmidt — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:43:13 +0000

I would argue that Rondo was the C’s best player by the time the finals rolled around, but we could go back and forth on that all day. Same with the Bucks Big Three. They were ohsoclose to a finals appearance where they could have really challenged LA. Thanks for the thoughts though, good stuff.

By: fred roberts

fred roberts — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:50:17 +0000

Interesting analysis on the whole, though I would slightly dispute a few particulars. First, to my mind at least, Ron Artest isn’t a star; he may have been one five years ago, but he hasn’t been one in a while. I don’t see Rajon Rondo as a star either, though admittedly, he may become one. (At this point, his “stardom” is a function of the East Coast hype-machine that surrounds the Celtics.)

Second, the Bucks already do have a top 20 player. Andrew Bogut was third team All NBA; he’s top 15 in other words. If Brandon Jennings becomes the second, Michael Redd’s salary slot could be the third, conceivably.

That said, after the run the Big Three put together 10 years ago, I’m not at all convinced three stars are the way to go, unless the “stars” align perfectly. (Ten years ago, Ray Allen would have had to have been a few years older and Sam Cassell a few years younger for it too have worked perfectly for the Bucks.) So the Piston model is more likely to work specifically, given Milwaukee’s situation, but it’s also more likely to work generally.

By: curak

curak — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:46:22 +0000

Ah, qualified optimism, in true Wisconsin style… I hear you all singing, I know just what you mean. I have my doubts about how this team fits together, but they obviously added talent, so I’m excited to see if it can gel. The East could be wide open, he only teams we know what to expect from will be Orlando and Atlanta. So a top-4 finish isn’t a crazy notion.

By: Phishtar

Phishtar — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:26:09 +0000

This probably isn’t going to be a championship team, but what it is going to be is an exciting regular season team that wins close to 50 games a year. That is plenty good enough for me, at least for a couple seasons in a row. Outside of the very brief George Karl run, being a Bucks fan has been a net negative transaction. Lots of misery, very little joy. Major kudos to Hammond for making the Bucks a relevant basketball team and in such a short period of time.
Now please, please, please: Bogut: Stay healthy. Jennings: Work on your mid-range jumper.

By: Bizzucks

Bizzucks — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:19:53 +0000

I actually can’t help but be optimistic now. It’s driving me crazy knowing how long it’s going to be before the season starts. Unless by some great evil the “big 3″ free agents end up together, I don’t see many teams out there with anywhere near the depth the Bucks have right now. That’s not to say we’re going 82-0, but I can’t see them not being a good team. Just doesn’t seem possible. And I just jinxed it…

By: Marq

Marq — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:08:10 +0000

For the first time in what seems like forever, Milwaukee has:

A legitimate head coach that wasn’t a lame duck the moment he was hired
A commitment to defense. No really, a team that plays good D
A solid big man that anchors the D and produces offensively
Depth at every position (assuming we can get decent backup PG; c’mon Ridnour!)
A good look at a playoff run next year and beyond
Quality free agent signings
A clear, solid direction in place

Can I finally be optimistic as a Bucks fan? Is it safe now?