Milwaukee, WI

Defensive ills, no title contender, 1 shot for Durant in 4th: Takeaways from Suns’ ugly loss to Bucks

Published

12 months ago

March 18, 2024

Defensive ills, no title contender, 1 shot for Durant in 4th: Takeaways from Suns’ ugly loss to Bucks

MILWAUKEE — The Phoenix Suns are who they are — not an NBA championship contender. Not even close.

They might very well figure it out come playoff time, but right now, the Suns (39-29) are right where they should be — in the play-in that will be hell to survive with a seed.

Eighth in the West, the Suns would have to beat the Mavericks in Dallas to get the seventh seed if the postseason started today.

A loss and they’re hosting either the Warriors or Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot.

Really? Wow. They’ve dealt with injuries, and only had their Big 3 together for 27 games (16-11 record).

Devin Booker keeps saying they have things to address as he smiled after Friday’s win at Charlotte in saying the Suns (39-29) fix one thing, but then repair something else.

The following have been problems all season:

Turnover prone, don’t get back on defense after coughing it up and lack consistent urgency, which is crazy considering their current postseason situation.

Struggle in man-to-man defensive and give up the paint without much rim protection, which further hinders their already weak 3-point shooting defense. Too much hand down, man down.

That also leaves them vulnerable on the offensive boards, especially when going small.

Play iso ball, take tough shots and don’t get enough easy looks despite having three prolific scorers in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Booker.

Those ills are why the Milwaukee Bucks (44-24), even without Giannis Antetokounmpo, could splatter Phoenix with 82 points in the first half of a 140-129 victory Sunday afternoon at Fiserv Forum.

Let’s get right to the takeaways as the Suns trailed by as many as 24 points in the first half and 25 in the second in concluding a four-game road trip.

Suns’ defensive disaster

Damian Lillard going for 31 points is one thing. With Antetokounmpo out, Lillard went Portland-mode early in being aggressive, but how did he come up with 16 assists, too?

The Suns not only couldn’t guard him off the bounce, they helped off so much, that it left the four other guys relying on Lillard to set them for 3s to have open shots off the drive-and-kick game. The Bucks went 24-of-41 on 3s two games after Boston blitzed the Suns for 25-of-50 Thursday night.

Lillard took advantage of what he called “lazy switching” by the Suns to score or find teammates.

Yes, this modern NBA is leading to historic offensive numbers, but any team that gives up 18 3s in the first half when they weren’t having to defend Antetokounmpo playing downhill to really force the defense to converge in the paint to help isn’t a championship contender right now.

Now, Bobby Portis going 5-of-5 from 3 in scoring 25 points in the first half came out of nowhere, even though he let it be known he’s caught fire like this before. Fair enough, but Portis made up for Antetokounmpo being out not only with his 31 points, but 10 rebounds and three steals.

Frank Vogel has a reputation for being a defensive-driven coach, but his team isn’t playing like that end of the court is a major priority — or maybe they just can’t guard the ball. Period.

Kevin Durant’s dilemma

He’s right. Any team that scores 129 points should win. The Suns lost Sunday’s game on defense.

He’s right. The Suns went small with him at the five and got back in the game. They cut the 24-point deficit down to six in the third, but Portland closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to go back up 15.

And yes, Durant had to take care of other things, like rebound and defend in that small ball unit as the Bucks played Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks off the floor by spreading the Suns out.

However, Durant taking 10 shots in scoring 11 points with only one coming in the fourth is not enough even with Beal cranking out a team-high 28, Grayson Allen having 25, hitting 6-of-11 from 3, and Booker adding 23.

Durant said after the game Allen took his “scoring spot” Sunday, but teams will live with Allen going for 25 if it means Durant’s scoring just 11. The Suns got by with Durant only scoring 13 in Friday’s win over lottery Charlotte, but the Bucks are a different monster that can score at will.

Phoenix needed Durant in that go-get-it mode. Allen can score, but Durant is now nine points away from passing Shaquille O’Neal for eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list for a reason.

He’s arguably the greatest scorer who can deliver on all three levels, get to the line and force the defense to adjust, which opens up the rest of the offense.

The problem is he’s also the team’s best defensive player. That shouldn’t be the case.

It’s great for the 35-year-old Durant to play at a high level on that end. He’s kept his word to Vogel about wanting to guard in his system, but to play 41 minutes with some at the five, which has become their get-back-in-the-game lineup, could be taxing on him physically.

He could very well be wearing down at this point in the season. The Suns need wins to stay out of the play-in and have called upon him to initiate an offense and be the team’s best defender?

More Suns: How Grayson Allen is quietly building a historic season in first year with Suns

Turnovers, again

Again, this is who the Suns are.

They turn the ball and the opponent scores off those turnovers as an alarming rate. The Bucks scored 24 points Sunday off 14 Phoenix turnovers.

Isaiah Thomas isn’t fixing this.

The Suns are signing him to a 10-day later this week, sources informed The Arizona Republic this weekend. The 35-year-old veteran point guard provides depth, but he can’t be the answer for their turnovers that are as much about decision-making than who is handling the ball.

Trying to make passes in traffic and without the proper spacing is a recurring problem.

They should be better than this, but the bigger problem is how they’ll respond to the turnovers in giving up points off them. That’s a greater concern than the actual turnovers.

Look, this team has more than enough offense. Can’t see them greatly improving on the defensive end in terms of man-to-man, but Royce O’Neale is a starting point.

O’Neale has been a liability from 3 on offense, but made 4-of-5 in the fourth. The Suns can only hope that carries over into the next few games because he can guard and isn’t backing down.

However, it’s on Eric Gordon, Allen, Booker and Beal to make a stronger commitment on that end in terms of contesting 3s and guarding the ball. The schemes clearly aren’t holding up as opponents are just gutting them with dribble penetration, ball movement and 3s.

The game has been played like this for a minute.

The Suns must be better — or this season of championship expectations will end in the play-in. Period.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

Source link

Click to comment

Milwaukee, WI

Up to 2 inches of snow forecast for Milwaukee Sunday morning following warm temperatures last week

Published

11 hours ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Up to 2 inches of snow forecast for Milwaukee Sunday morning following warm temperatures last week

Light snowfall is in the forecast Sunday morning with a possible accumulation of two to three inches of snow into the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say temperatures will get up into the upper 30s with breezy northwest winds around 15 miles per hour on Sunday. Snow should start to melt in southeast Wisconsin around 1 p.m. as temps continue to climb toward the upper 30s, said NWS meteorologist Andrew Quigley.

Roads are expected to become slick and snow covered on I-43 from Elkhorn to Milwaukee on Sunday morning, according to the NWS. As of 8:30 a.m. most roads in the area are already partially covered in areas across southwestern Wisconsin, according to WisDOT. For the most up-to-date road conditions, visit 511wi.gov.

Temperatures are expected to fall back below freezing tonight, which could refreeze any precipitation on the roadways, but by late Monday morning and into the afternoon, temperatures are forecasted to hit the 50s.

“Welcome to March in Wisconsin,” said Quigley.

Tomorrow marks the start of a warming trend through Tuesday, before another system moves in on Wednesday with rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Temperatures are forecasted to fall into the upper 30s by Thursday, according to the NWS.

Tips for driving on icy roads

Here are some guidelines for driving on icy roads, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:

Keep safe distances between snow plows and large trucks. Snow plows often leave a cloud of snow in their trail, so stay at least 200 feet behind any working plow to make sure your visibility isn’t obscured. Also keep a safe distance behind trucks on the highway, since pieces of snow or ice can fly off the top of commercial vehicles driving fast.
Clear snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, roof, hood and front and rear lights. You can do this by warming up the car and then using a snow brush and ice scraper to clear the snow and ice.
Drive slowly, allowing extra travel time and leaving extra distance between vehicles. Most winter crashes and slide-offs are caused by drivers going too fast for the existing conditions, according to WisDOT.
Turn on your low-beam headlights. State law requires drivers to turn on their vehicle’s low-beam headlights any time weather or other conditions make it difficult to see objects 500 feet ahead, WisDOT says.
Use brakes early and carefully. With anti-lock-brakes, use firm, steady pressure and gently steer. Never use cruise control in winter weather.
Watch out for bridge decks and overpasses. These areas can be especially slippery when the roads ice over.

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks 126 – Indiana Pacers 119 (Mar. 15th, 2025) Game Recap

Published

22 hours ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Milwaukee Bucks 126 – Indiana Pacers 119 (Mar. 15th, 2025) Game Recap

Source: John Fisher / Getty

(MILWAUKEE, WI) – The Milwaukee Bucks (38-28) claim the season series over the Indiana Pacers (37-29) behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominating performance.

1. First Quarter

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

On Tuesday night, a miraculous four-point play from Tyrese Haliburton elevated the Pacers over the Milwaukee Bucks. For majority of the last meeting, the game was between four points on either side. Indiana’s starting lineup was the usual crew – Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. The first six minutes consisted of the Bucks possessing the lead until the Pacers hit three consecutive triples. Haliburton hit two and then Turner’s first three of the game put the Pacers on top 18-15. Turner would tie the game up a few possessions later at 20 with two free throws. Milwaukee caught fire in the next three minutes to take the first double figure lead with a Damien Lillard thirty-footer to make it 35-25. Indiana would make minor improvements the final 2:09 of the quarter. After twelve minutes, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 38-30. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a perfect 6/6 from the field, leading all scorers with 12 points. Indiana’s leading scorer was Turner with 9 points and Haliburton with 8 points. Indiana struggled defensively, allowing Milwaukee to shoot 14/20 (70%) from the field and 4/8 from the three-point line.

2. Second Quarter

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

Milwaukee’s torrid start would continue to the start of the second quarter. Indiana’s bench unit has not been as dynamic as last season, and the Bucks feasted off the Pacers bench unit to start the second quarter. Milwaukee scored the first 11 points of the quarter with another Lillard three extending the advantage to a first half high 19 points. Indiana countered the run with an 11-0 run to bring it back to an eight-point game. Nembhard’s layup with 6:28 left in the half made it a 49-41 ballgame. The Bucks did answer, but the Pacers were hanging in there with this game being the biggest of the season because of Siakam and Obi Toppin. Those two scored combined the final 17 points of the half. Indiana’s deficit at intermission was 65-60 after closing the quarter with an 8-2 run. Siakam led all scorers in the quarter with 17 points. Milwaukee’s leading scorers in the quarter were Giannis and Lillard with 6 points. Siakam led all scorers at halftime with 19 points, following by Antetokounmpo with 17 points. Haliburton’s double-double streak was nearly extended to nine games in the first half with 10 points and 8 assists. Giannis was two rebounds shy of a first half double-double, and Lillard was on track for a triple-double with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

3. Third Quarter

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

The third quarter was pretty much a repeat of what happened in the first quarter. With the starters on the floor, Indiana was hanging in there, but the bench could not keep the Pacers in the game. Giannis would extend the Milwaukee lead to ten points with 9:52 left in the quarter, but Indiana drew within five two possessions later when Siakam nailed a three. Haliburton would cut into Milwaukee’s advantage a little bit later with a layup, to make it 84-80. Rick Carlisle then inserted Mathurin, McConnell, and Thomas Bryant with 4:46 left in the quarter. Indiana went ice cold from the moment on in the period. The Bucks outscored the Pacers 16-2 to close the quarter and head to the fourth with all the momentum. After three quarters, Milwaukee was leading 100-82. Antetokounmpo was unstoppable in the period, scoring 14 points while dishing out five assists. Indiana’s leading scorer in the quarter was Nesmith with 11 points. Antetokounmpo was leading all scorers after three quarters with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Siakam was Indiana’s leading scorer with 22 points. Haliburton was Indiana’s most effective player with 16 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals. In the third quarter, Milwaukee shot 13/18 (72.2%) from the field and 3/6 from three-point range. Indiana was just 2/8 in the third quarter beyond the arc.

4. Fourth Quarter

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

Despite his bench struggling to close the third quarter, Rick Carlisle didn’t make any substitutions to start the final period. It led to Milwaukee extending its lead to a game high 21 points when Lillard delivered another deep three. At the time it was 105-84, and then Carlisle inserted Turner and Nesmith to play along McConnell, Sheppard, and Toppin. Coming out of the timeout, that group went on a quick 7-0 run with Turner scoring five of those points. With 8:12 left in the game, Carlisle went back to his starting five, hoping they would be able to make a drastic comeback. That group of players was able to make it a twelve points game with 6:29 left, but the Bucks scored five quick points to go back up by 17 with 5:47 left in the contest. For the most part, Indiana was out of the game, until Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out with 2:46 remaining. Giannis exited with the score being 117-109. On the following possession, a Siakam floater made it a six-point game, the closest Indiana had been in the second half. Taurean Prince delivered an early dagger with a near thirty-foot three to extend Milwaukee’s lead back to nine points. Nesmith countered seven seconds later with his sixth three of the game. Milwaukee would have the ball with 1:35 left and Indiana forced them to miss a shot, but the Bucks corralled two offensive rebounds, effectively sealing the game. Nembhard delivered a three with 12.7 seconds left to make it 122-119, but the Bucks would close the game making their final four free throws. Indiana falls 126-119 to Milwaukee. Nesmith was the best player in the quarter with 13 points on a perfect 5/5 shooting, including 3/3 beyond the arc. Milwaukee’s leading scorer was Lillard with 8 points.

5. Top Performers

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

Giannis Antetokounmpo (34p, 10r, 7a, 3b, 1s), Damian Lillard (25p, 10r, 8a), Kevin Porter Jr. (16p, 6r, 4a), Taurean Prince (14p, 4r, 5s), Gary Trent Jr. (13p, 4r, 3a), and Brook Lopez (10p). For Indiana, Aaron Nesmith (30p, 4r), Pascal Siakam (26p, 7r, 2b), Tyrese Haliburton (24p, 15a, 6r, 5s), and Myles Turner (14p, 4r). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

Indiana Pacers v Milwaukee Bucks

Source:Getty

Indiana is now 37-29 and 16-19 away
- Indiana is 21-11 in 2025
- Indiana is 7-6 after the All-Star break
Indiana has now lost 4 of the last 5 on the road games
Indiana has allowed 120+ points in 5 of the last 6 road games
Indiana loses season series to Milwaukee 3-1
Indiana now trails Milwaukee by a game for fourth in the Eastern Conference
Indiana still holds onto a one game lead over the Detroit Pistons for fifth
Indiana is 4-7 on the second night of a back-to-back
Indiana’s bench players were on average -20.6 in +/-
Aaron Nesmith set a new career high with 30 points
Aaron Nesmith 20+ points in 3 games this season
Aaron Nesmith’s 6 threes tie a season high
- One shy of tying career high
Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard were a team best +27 in +/-
Bennedict Mathurin & T.J. McConnell were a team worst -31 in +/-
Damian Lillard recorded his 14th double-double
Damian Lillard scored 20+ points for the 45th time
Damian Lillard recorded 5+ threes for the 15th time
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his 46th double-double on the season
Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 30+ points in 32 games
Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out for the 2nd time of the season
Myles Turner is shooting 14/46 (30.4%) from three-point range this month
Pascal Siakam recorded his 38th game with 20+ points
Tyrese Haliburton recorded his 24th double-double on the season
Tyrese Haliburton ties career high double-double streak at 9 games
- Ties franchise record for consecutive double-doubles with points & assists
- Haliburton has recorded 110 assists and 9 turnovers during stretch
Tyrese Haliburton has recorded 15+ assists in 4 games this season
Tyrese Haliburton has scored 20+ points in 23 games this season

7. Next Up

Minnesota Timberwolves v Phoenix Suns

Source:Getty

Indiana will one day off and will conclude its three-game road trip in Minneapolis on Monday night. Pat Boylan will have the pregame coverage between the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:30pm. Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play at 8pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.

Source link

Milwaukee, WI

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

Published

1 day ago

March 15, 2025

Press Room

Why Brewers infielder Vinny Capra can be more than just the team’s latest spring fling

PHOENIX – Remember these Milwaukee Brewers spring heroes of Cactus Leagues past?

There was Mike Brosseau, who won the spring home run crown with six bombs and carried an OPS (on-base plus slugging) above 1.500 in 2022.

What about Nick Franklin, who raked his way to a 1.222 OPS in 2018.

Or Brad Nelson, who won a spot on the opening day roster in 2009 by hitting four homers and driving in 19 runs.

Can you recall all the way back to 2001, when Angel Echevarria went 15 for his first 30 with three homers?

It’s a rite as old as spring training itself. A player on the fringe of making the major-league roster becomes as hot as the Arizona sun.

Unfortunately, just as the desert temperatures cool when the sun sets, so do the bats of these spring flings. Brosseau was designated for assignment within months of his spring training slamming. Franklin never got another big-league knock. Same with Brad Nelson. Echevarria actually had the best offensive year of the bunch, but his defense made him a negative-value player the rest of the season.

Vinny Capra making strong case for roster spot

Enter 2025’s Maryvale masher: Vinny Capra.

The Brewers infielder is having one of the most impressive springs of anyone not only on the Brewers, but in the entire state of Arizona. He’s batting .346 with a 1.414 OPS and Cactus League-leading five homers.

A journeyman at 28 years old, Capra seemingly has an inside track to make the opening day roster, too.

“Vinny doesn’t have options, so if you really like the player and he has the spring that he’s had, you got to think there’s probably a good shot he at least wins the job temporarily,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

The roster spot no longer seems to be a big question for Capra. This though, is: Can Capra be more than just the Brewers’ latest spring fling?

Here’s the optimist’s breakdown of why he could be less of a Franklin or Echevarria and more 2017 Jesus Aguilar.

Off-season adjustments to swing have paid off

Capra hopes that off-season simplification of his mechanics and bat speed work will lead to some late blooming as a hitter.

Let’s start with the former. Frustrated by where his swing was at late in the off-season, Capra texted hitting coach Connor Dawson with a thought: What if I just simplify all my movement at the plate?

“That’s a great idea,” Dawson responded.

Capra felt he was swaying too much in his load, which threw his whole swing out of sync – “That kind of changes your eye level,” he said – and just tried to simplify the movement. He would send Dawson videos from his training in Florida and felt like there was progress.

“Once I kind of hammered in that movement for a month, it was like I told myself when I get to bat, ‘Don’t think about anything,’” Capra said. “Just see the ball, load, get downhill and kind of see what happens. Everything is working out.”

There’s another element to Capra’s swing that is working out, too: The power his bat is generating.

Work to improve his bat speed in the off-season has translated to game action this spring. His five homers could ultimately just be a byproduct of spring training, but for someone who has hit all of 30 homers in six professional seasons, it’s at least worth paying attention to.

“It feels more powerful,” Capra said of his swing. “It may even be a little faster. I think the way the mechanics go, it’s just more of a grounded swing using more of my legs, which I think is a huge key.”

With no minor-league options remaining, it’s now or never for Capra to make his impact felt by the Brewers. Sometimes desperation begets innovation; in this case, though, it might have led to something else, too.

“When you’re at the edge, oftentimes it creates kind of a freedom of, ‘I’m just going to go do it,’” Murphy said. “It seems that he’s in that spot. So that gives him kind of an inside track because he’s out of options and you don’t want to burn players. We feel pretty lucky in that spot.”

Source link