Bucks-Raptors dialogue: update from Milwaukee

Here’s a look at the Raptors – Bucks series from the other city’s perspective.

We continue our conversations with our FanSided colleagues in Milwaukee at Behind the Buck Pass (great name, BTW). My [BB] questions, Adam Mc Gee’s [AM] answers:

BB: Who has been the most disappointing Buck, and why?

AM: This is a tough question as most of Milwaukee’s players have performed really well. It’s probably Mirza Teletovic, who has been so bad defensively that he’s virtually unplayable at this point. Teletovic had a down shooting year, but his reputation precedes him and the Bucks have often been able to do some really nice things this season just by virtue of the threat he poses. With Toronto trying to pack the paint on Giannis, there’d be no better time for the player who led the league in three-point makes off the bench only a year ago to show up, but unfortunately there are no signs to suggest that’s going to materialize for Teletovic.

BB: Has any Raptor been a big surprise to you, either with good play or bad?

AM: Not particularly. This is a battle-tested team whose core most NBA fans have watched for years now, and through the first two games there’s been evidence of their strengths and weaknesses. I always expected Serge Ibaka to be effective, but seeing him dish out six assists in Game 2 and be arguably Toronto’s most consistently impactful player so far is a little surprising.

BB: Going a bit outside the lines here….what do you think of the referees?  There’s been grumbling around here that the Bucks are bashing the Raptors without sufficient penalty.

To be honest, I find it to be pretty amusing as Bucks fans feel there’s equally too much of a willingness on the part of the officials to send DeRozan and Lowry to the line. I’d say it has been no different to any other playoff series. There have been good calls and bad calls each way, and it’s the nature of the beast with the series split that fans will reach to point fingers at the officials for how either side could be better positioned.

In regards to the Bucks’ physicality, Toronto has the bigger, stronger players. If the Bucks weren’t coming with a little extra intensity, I really don’t think this would be much of a series. I’m not sure we knew they had this extra level in them, but it has certainly been a welcome sight. The series has been hard-fought on both sides and very entertaining so far, with little that I’d say could be deemed as excessive. In fact, the only example that does come to mind is when Jonas Valanciunas undercut Giannis after a dunk in Game 1. The physicality of this contest swings both ways, and let’s not pretend that a team including the likes of Valanciunas, Carroll and Tucker can’t stand up for themselves physically.

BB: What is the perception of the Toronto and the Raptors in Milwaukee?

From a distance Toronto seems like a great, vibrant city, and the team has certainly fit that bill too in recent years. I think the Raptors are respected, and will go back to being mostly well-liked by Milwaukee’s NBA public as soon as this series is finished. 

BB: Have the hopes of Bucks fans been raised by the results of the first two games?

AM: Absolutely. This is a real series now, and one the Bucks can win. If you give any fanbase a situation where they have the best player on the court, and they’ll advance by winning their home games; they’re going to feel optimistic. Most level-headed Bucks fans will be excited about the opportunity that now faces them, but also won’t lose sight of the bigger picture, though.

This team was dead and buried only a couple of months ago, so it’s a bonus to get here. Considering the injuries to key players throughout the year, for this young team to get to the playoffs and have successfully closed out a game against a higher seed on the road is already a big win. The Raptors are in win-now mode, but for the Bucks the journey is only beginning. Milwaukee hopes to see it’s team contend as an Eastern Conference powerhouse for years to come, and at the moment this series is certainly giving a nice taster of that. Everything the Bucks get from here in on is vital experience gained, but that isn’t hiding the sense that they can cause an upset.

BB: I think Jason Kidd has acquitted himself very well.  What do you think?  Bonus question: what do you think of Dwane Casey’s moves?

AM: I think for those who’ve watched this team all season long, they’re certainly going to see the same problems persisting. Kidd has been a little loose with the rotations, and the Bucks would be better off without Mirza Teletovic and Spencer Hawes on the floor at the moment. Saying that, the team has held together pretty well in terms of scheme so far and they’ve certainly arrived in the playoffs ready to compete. Kidd and his staff deserve credit for that, although the spotlight is only going to grow ever brighter from here on in. One thing I will add is I feel they’re saying all the right things in the media as the team who entered the series as the underdog. They have avoided piling any more pressure or scrutiny on themselves in a way the Raptors have done to some extent.

On the whole, I think Dwane Casey has been solid. He certainly made the necessary adjustments between Games 1 and 2, and he even got the gambles he took with younger players to pay off for Tuesday’sgame. I feel the Raptors definitely have weapons that they don’t effectively utilize, but for the most part that comes in playing to the team’s best players rather than working toward a more team-based philosophy. I’ll be curious to see if the ball-movement of Game 2 continues, and whether that was a directive from Casey or something more organic from the players on the floor.

For now, I’d say neither coach is currently winning or losing the battle for their team.