NBA Countdown | “If Giannis, Bucks don’t reach the Finals, it’s a failed season for them. – Perkins

NBA Countdown | “If Giannis, Bucks don’t reach the Finals, it’s a failed season for them. – Perkins

Our games across ABC today they’re stacked with talent look at this they’re featuring three of the top five scorers in the league of course the Bucks kick it off in a rematch of the 2021 finals here of course no Yannis so really it’s a couple of the top four but so much of

The buck success here it really hinges on Chris Middleton our Adrien wowski is back with us now it’s been a while since we’ve seen Chris Middleton uh but he is back in the lineup today what is the significance the importance of his return yeah he’s been out of the Bucks

Lineup since February 6 last time they played the Suns I talked to Doc Rivers last night after Chris Middleton said he would make his return today three really key elements getting Chris Middleton back number one another floor spacer for Giannis you know a legitimate third score now uh for this Milwaukee team and

His basketball IQ is they put this group together and keep working on this Giannis uh Dame ller partnership and then get into the postseason you know as Doc Rivers said Chris Middleton’s health will be huge for us it’s going to be imperative yeah I talk saw Doc Rivers a

Couple weeks ago did the Warriors game same thing he you know what he said he said Chris Middleton’s one of the smartest players he’s ever coached he’s coached a lot of good players he did not say that about you at all you didn’t even come up you know what’s crazy you

Know what’s crazy he never made it back to the finals okay yeah anyways so look Middleton does tie it together he he he’s necessary he ties the whole thing together he makes him a better defensive team they’ve went from a team that’s identity was defense with Drew holiday

To a team that’s identity is offense yeah with with Daman and they’re trying to figure it out and they’re still trying but Middleton will absolutely help all of it when he gets back healthy I feel like people maybe forget a little bit that 40 Burger he had in game four

Of the NBA Finals that was great in the finals great in the playoffs remember who had the ball in his hands a whole lot of the time in the critical possessions that playoff look at this these are his numbers in the 2021 finals versus the numbers that he’s had since

Obviously injuries have been a huge reason why he’s missed 99 games since the start of the 2122 season they can’t win without Chris M well I don’t know if they need that one the 21 finals but they need better and they need him to be able to

Guard and they need him healthy enough that he can still guard at that high level oh they need him at that level like when you when you talk about having the face of Boston right we’re looking at the Milwaukee bcks in Boston and the EAS Co off finals they need Chris

Middleton to elevate to that moneymaking midleton that guy we saw take them through that Atlanta Hawk series along Drew holiday jiannis was out when they did when can he do that though is he healthy enough the hard part about a lot of these teams we talking about is we

Have this idea of them the Phoenix Suns the Dallas we just haven’t seen seen these guys we’ve seen it we haven’t seen changed and Dame for Drew is a huge trade-off which which kind of begs the question for both of these teams but I want to start with the Milwaukee Bucks

When you look at the team on paper that’s one thing but in the reality that they have proven over the last 60 some games of the Season Bob what is the definition of a successful postseason Run for the Milwaukee Bucks and by the way I love what jannis said when they

Lost last year this isn’t a knock on that but they got to win the championship that’s what that’s what success is it doesn’t mean if they don’t do it I don’t use that word failure but but internally that’s it there’s no going to the finals and we lost great

Season wi to the Easter Conference Finals great year their their their title window is now it’s right now and Middleton we talked about his health he’s not getting healthier right you know they got Brook Lopez who’s a key part he’s not he’s getting older um and and Yannis and Dame maybe in their

Primes maybe not but this is the window now they feel that way they do I mean talking to Dame Lillard recently they are completely confident utterly confident they can do that now for us looking in from the outside what’s a successful Run for the Milwaukee Bucks getting into the Conference Finals and

Challenging Boston do does any of us think they can beat Boston this season I don’t right but losing in a seven game hardfought series is very different than being swep a gentleman sweep right that’s very different per if if they don’t reach the finals it’s a fa it’s a

Fail season for them it’s a fail season for them I mean you can’t fire Adrien Griffin with a 30 and 13 record bring in Doc Rivers trade Drew holiday bring in Damen Lillard and holiday to what ended up but but again you can’t break that up

And all of a sudden have Damien Lillard comeing there you have two top 75 greatest players playing on the same team is nowhere in Hell your expectations shouldn’t be reaching the NBA finals and Bob Bob said it Brook Lopez getting older Chris Middleton getting older their core guys uh their

Core role players around Giannis now Dame Lillard they’re moving out of their prime those are Impossible Players to replace when you are at over the salary cap and you are trying to win titles you need them still at a high level they’ve got to do it this year they’ve got to do

It next year it really both of these teams have run parallels in that way the both the the Suns since they were in the 2021 finals and the Milwaukee Bucks their windows are both right now all right before we get out of our primes in

Any older let’s hand it over to the game crew that’s going to do it for us Dave Pash huie Brown in absolutely is take it away we’ll see you at halftime Irving very early with his warm up today for the Dallas Mavericks game the second game of our

Double header here Kyrie is one of two players in map’s history to average 25 points five rebounds five assists in a season the other of course Luka donic luk in to the Mavericks a little bit they currently sit at eth in the Western Conference standings but as our good

Friend Stephen A would say everything everything in the west is very fluid fluid are we at fluid Point already is fluid we are at the fluid point I’m not sure I want to say that in the Western Conference playoff race Bob I’m going to turn to you because you have put put

Together uh a four-time championship organization when you look at Luca donic he’s been having an incredible season but does he have enough around we’ll see I mean I I don’t know it doesn’t look like it right now if I’m being honest with you I mean they’re 22nd in defense

They have two of the best Halford scorers in the league with Luca and Kyrie and that scares you in a playoff series because those guys can score for themselves they can pass they can set up their teammates and they’ve got some good guys that can make shots but when

You’re playing in the playoffs Malika they’re going to attack other teams are going to Target LCA donic they’re going to Target Kyrie and until they figure out a way Luca and Kyrie to hold up on the defensive end of the Court they put so much pressure on themselves

Offensively to score and they’re both fantastic at it but you cannot win in the playoffs when you’re giving up buckets coming at you every time and so what do you do if you’re the Mavericks you have to build enough around them but it’s hard to build a team Malika with

One Defender where is there’s an issue when you have two and I don’t I don’t say that critically I actually think Luca and Kyrie could be good Defenders I’ve seen Kyrie defend at a high level yeah you had a front row he can do it he

Can but but why are they 22nd what what they they got bigs around them now they got rib protection and Gafford so they got about 15 games to be a better defensive team but offensively they’re one of the best offensive teams going into the playoffs that scares you but

The defensive part you do worry about if I tell you they have cheese on the moon you better pack your crackers and when I say that is because for the last last three weeks look yic we understand who he is but Luca is the most dangerous player in the Western

Conference when it comes outside of joic when you think about Luca right now leading the league and scoring averaging 3599 I mean if he happened to face up against the Oklahoma City Thunder you don’t think he can win that battle against SGA I do if he happened to go

Against the Minnesota timberwoods you don’t think he can win that battle against Anthony Edwards without call Anthony towns I believe he can we see what he does to the Clippers every time they match up I don’t even want to take off my build and get to dancing and

Spanking this chair around the studio but when it comes down to Luca and what he’s capable of doing I’m going to stand on this I haven’t seen a guy control the game be able to dominate the game and to polarize the fact that that position s Lebron James he’s LeBron James minus the

Athleticism but perk there’s no to disagree with that defensively going back to Bob’s point is this willingness or is this something an ingredient that’s missing and this is what we we we go back to last year with Dallas it’s the same point are those guys going to be as committed

Defensively as they need to be starting like now you got this 15 game audition of the regular season and then going into the first round are they are they capable of playing the kind of Defense that’s going to convey in April y’all remember our conversation no I don’t

Remember much the conversation no no the conversation before we came on we was talking about a a coach in Tom Tibido that’s when Jay kid come and play right Jay kid is a guy that calls them out in the media they respect him can he dig

Deep in that locker room and get the ears to have Luca and Kyrie Irving lead the charge of of actually defend but here’s the three four five years ago somebody asked me can the Denver Nuggets win a championship with yic as they five I said no he doesn’t guard he can’t hold

Down the position he doesn’t guard look how much better joic has gotten defensively he’s in great he he has done a made a huge leap right why can’t dones do that why can’t he do that I think he can he just has to do it well and he’s

Been begging right for the lob threat of someone like gaffer for years and years and years and now you have gaffer now you have Lively it feels like the pieces that are coming together that he’s been asking for but does it yield in a deep play he’s the piece yeah this not him

Defensively right I mean look if you you’re that player you are there for for for for m for m for for for for for what for for for

NBA Countdown | “If Giannis, Bucks don’t reach the Finals, it’s a failed season for them. – Perkins