Fear the Deer!
Or how about Fear the Freak?
Okay, I am still looking for my first W as a blogger here. The Raptors fell to the Bucks 104-99, and it was yet another game that went down to the wire.
That's two straight losses for the boys. My takeaways.
1. Kawhi had 20 points but he didn't have legs in this one. A lot of jumpers came up short. He missed from spots where he's usually money. He did have the signature Kawhi moment late in the game, draining a 3 to put the Raps up 97-94 with about 2 minutes to go and then forcing a turnover at the other end. But then Lowry missed a 3-pointer from the middle of the arc that he usually makes (catch-and-shoot situation moving to his left), and Brogdon made back-to-back 3s (more on him later). So that was that.
There haven't been back-to-backs recently, but we've played every other day since the final week of November. With the Clips and GSW on consecutive days later this week, my guess is Kawhi will sit out the first one and go face the Warriors in Oakland. Maybe he was exhausted from carrying the team on his back for the past week or so.
2. Lowry's scoring woes are real. He went 0-for-5 from the field (all from deep) and went scoreless for the first time this season, and for the first time since 2013. You don't win a lot of games when your starting point guard doesn't score a point. He has scored just 15 points in his last four games, while recording 33 assists against 15 turnovers. Kyle still leads the NBA in assists per game, but we'd all like to see more offense from him. I feel that he's passing up shots too often at times. He hasn't been assertive on the attack for a few games. Wonder where the confidence has gone, and Kyle is nothing if not confident and brash. I would love to see more of Kyle's patented, pull-up 3s in transition.
3. I liked our defensive intensity for the most part. Holding the Bucks to below 120 is no mean feat. But we missed a lot of open 3s (what's new there?) early in the game and were forced to play catch up. Ended up making 15 from downtown with a stronger second half, but should have had more from downtown.
4. Speaking of 3-point shooting, how about Brook Lopez? Talk about reinventing yourself. He used to be as old-school as it gets, when it comes to playing the center position. In his first six seasons, he attempted seven 3-pointers. Then in his 9th season ('16-'17), he threw up 387 shots from deep! Then followed that up with 325 attempts. And 24 games into this season, 161 attempts already. And he's shooting a career-high 36 percent from downtown. Lopez has taken more 3-pointers than guards like Kyrie, Buddy Buckets, Danny Green, etc.
Anyway, he made 5 in this game, including one from Steph Curry range. Just watch at 1:35 mark.
5. With the Bucks' offense, there's nothing in between. They either jack up 3s, or give the ball to Giannis and get the hell out of the way. But my, that young man is truly a freak, and in a good way, too. He had a relatively quiet 19 points but also grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out six assists. When he puts his head down and drives to the basket, he's unguardable. It's a great weapon to have.
6. But I could have used more points from Giannis. I am an avid fantasy sports player and that's truly an understatement. I am playing in two NBA leagues this year, which is about two fewer than usual. In one private league with friends, I have both Giannis and Brogdon, the Bucks' PG. I was in desperate need for some healthy bodies at the PG spot, and I picked up Brogdon a few games ago. I am the worst team in the league in assists, and Brogdon hasn't exactly helped me in that cat. But I won't complain about his scoring. He's averaging 18.6 points over the last 5.
Okay, I am still looking for my first W as a blogger here. The Raptors fell to the Bucks 104-99, and it was yet another game that went down to the wire.
That's two straight losses for the boys. My takeaways.
1. Kawhi had 20 points but he didn't have legs in this one. A lot of jumpers came up short. He missed from spots where he's usually money. He did have the signature Kawhi moment late in the game, draining a 3 to put the Raps up 97-94 with about 2 minutes to go and then forcing a turnover at the other end. But then Lowry missed a 3-pointer from the middle of the arc that he usually makes (catch-and-shoot situation moving to his left), and Brogdon made back-to-back 3s (more on him later). So that was that.
There haven't been back-to-backs recently, but we've played every other day since the final week of November. With the Clips and GSW on consecutive days later this week, my guess is Kawhi will sit out the first one and go face the Warriors in Oakland. Maybe he was exhausted from carrying the team on his back for the past week or so.
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| I am sorry, but this person looks nothing like Kyle Lowry. |
3. I liked our defensive intensity for the most part. Holding the Bucks to below 120 is no mean feat. But we missed a lot of open 3s (what's new there?) early in the game and were forced to play catch up. Ended up making 15 from downtown with a stronger second half, but should have had more from downtown.
4. Speaking of 3-point shooting, how about Brook Lopez? Talk about reinventing yourself. He used to be as old-school as it gets, when it comes to playing the center position. In his first six seasons, he attempted seven 3-pointers. Then in his 9th season ('16-'17), he threw up 387 shots from deep! Then followed that up with 325 attempts. And 24 games into this season, 161 attempts already. And he's shooting a career-high 36 percent from downtown. Lopez has taken more 3-pointers than guards like Kyrie, Buddy Buckets, Danny Green, etc.
Anyway, he made 5 in this game, including one from Steph Curry range. Just watch at 1:35 mark.
5. With the Bucks' offense, there's nothing in between. They either jack up 3s, or give the ball to Giannis and get the hell out of the way. But my, that young man is truly a freak, and in a good way, too. He had a relatively quiet 19 points but also grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out six assists. When he puts his head down and drives to the basket, he's unguardable. It's a great weapon to have.
6. But I could have used more points from Giannis. I am an avid fantasy sports player and that's truly an understatement. I am playing in two NBA leagues this year, which is about two fewer than usual. In one private league with friends, I have both Giannis and Brogdon, the Bucks' PG. I was in desperate need for some healthy bodies at the PG spot, and I picked up Brogdon a few games ago. I am the worst team in the league in assists, and Brogdon hasn't exactly helped me in that cat. But I won't complain about his scoring. He's averaging 18.6 points over the last 5.
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