Five losses in seven games, dropping the Bucks to the #8 spot in the East, has led to the firing of Jason Kidd. Kidd took a lot of criticism for his rotational decisions and his defensive "scheme" (which can loosely be summarized as "Give up a lot of three-point shots"). Assistant Joe Prunty takes over as interim for now... unclear if he will stay there for the remainder of the season. Also not clear what he will do that Kidd wasn't doing. Still, in the eyes of many, the team was underachieving. Maybe a little odd that they didn't give Kidd more leash with Jabari expected to return in a few weeks, but perhaps panic is setting in.

Game 46: Getting 30+ points from Middleton and Brogdon, the Freakless Bucks open the Prunty era with a win over Phoenix.

Game 47: Giannis returns to the lineup after eight days off, scoring 41 to lead the Bucks to a 116-91 win over the Nets.

Game 48: Prunty remains undefeated as the Bucks top the Bulls 110-96.

Game 49: Giannis has another big game as the Bucks run to 4-0 under Prunty, beating the Sixers 107-95. Five-thirty eight has noted that the Bucks have moved away from Kidd's defensive scheme to a more traditional look. While the early results have been good, they note that the opposition (Suns, Nets, Bulls) leaves something to be desired as a legitimate test.

Game 50: With Bledsoe missing the game due to injury, the Bucks lost Brogdon and Giannis to injury during the game, an ugly 108-89 loss to the T-wolves. Brogdon will be out for a while; severity of Giannis' sprained ankle not known yet. Jabari returns tonight against the Knicks.

Game 51: Giannis is able to play, and leads the Bucks with 29 points and 11 boards. Bledsoe also returns to the lineup, and Jabari scores 12 in 15 minutes in his return after nearly a year. Giannis hits a layup with 2 seconds left to give the Bucks a 92-90 win over New York.

Game 52: Bucks start a four-game road trip with a 109-94 win at Brooklyn, but lose Delly and Giannis to fourth-quarter right ankle injuries. Severity undetermined at this point. Bledsoe picks up the slack with a 28-point performance.

Posted by kermit on 1/22/2018 5:35:00 PM (view original):
Five losses in seven games, dropping the Bucks to the #8 spot in the East, has led to the firing of Jason Kidd. Kidd took a lot of criticism for his rotational decisions and his defensive "scheme" (which can loosely be summarized as "Give up a lot of three-point shots"). Assistant Joe Prunty takes over as interim for now... unclear if he will stay there for the remainder of the season. Also not clear what he will do that Kidd wasn't doing. Still, in the eyes of many, the team was underachieving. Maybe a little odd that they didn't give Kidd more leash with Jabari expected to return in a few weeks, but perhaps panic is setting in.

JOE PRUNTY! FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL!

Bucks trade Rashad Vaughn and a 2nd-rounder for Tyler Zeller. Not exactly the rumored DeAndre Jordan splash we've been teased with, but probably a wiser choice.

consider yourself lucky - Deandre is a dinosaur (you wind up playing offense 4 on 5 and you can't play him in the 4th) and no way does he stay in Wisconsin any how

He roots for the Bucks. There is a good chance he doesn't know what lucky means.

You thugs broke the Unicorn.

Jabari's been broken half his time in the league.

Game 53: The Bucks take down the Knicks, 103-89, and rupture Porzingis' ACL in the process. Bledsoe and Giannis score 23 each, with Giannis eliciting a "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS" reaction from John McEnroe when he leaps over Hardaway for a dunk on a fast break. Delly out 4-6 weeks with his sprained ankle.

Game 54: The Bucks face D-Wade in his first game back with Miami, and the results are not good for Milwaukee. Miami wins 91-85, outscoring the Bucks 30-8 in the third. Miami wins the battle of the boards, 51-37. Yikes.

Game 55: Milwaukee bounces back to top the Magic 111-104 in Orlando, finishing the road trip 3-1.

Game 56: The Bucks put five players in double digits as they down the Hawks 97-92. In other news, former first round pick Brandon Jennings returns to the organization when he is claimed off waivers by the team's G-league affiliate, the Oshkosh Herd. Early word is that Jennings will play for the Herd when they return to action on Feb. 21. There is no current room on the NBA roster for Jennings and it's uncertain whether the team is willing to eat another contract to make room for Jennings.

Game 57: Apparently preparing for the All Star Game, the Bucks and Nuggets gave defense a pass in the final "first half" game. Jokic had a triple double before the first half had ended. While Giannis eventually joined him in the second half, the Nuggets hit a team-record 24 three-pointers and were never in serious trouble in a 132-124 win.

Game 58: The Bucks start the stretch run with a game in Toronto... after blowing a lead in regulation, they eke out a 122-119 win in OT. Giannis leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Game 59: Milwaukee plays a Sunday matinee at home and drops a 123-121 overtime decision to the Pelicans.

Game 60: The Bucks fall behind 14-0 to start the game and never make the ground up, losing 107-104 to the Wizards.

Game 61: The Bucks make sure nobody watches this one to the bitter end, getting crushed 110-87 in Detroit.

Game 62: The Bucks drop their fourth straight game, losing 103-96 to the Pacers, who now move two games ahead in the standings.

Game 63: The skid ends in Philly as the Bucks put together a 27-5 run in the second half to overcome a big deficit, winning 118-110.

Game 64: A new skid potentially starts as Freak's last second three misses and the Bucks lose to Indiana (again) 92-89.

Game 65: Houston continues to roll, winning their 17th straight game with a 110-99 decision over the Bucks. Bucks are now in the #8 position in the East, but seemingly comfortably ahead of #9.

Game 66: The Bucks finally find a patsy, beating the Knicks 120-112. In other news, Teletovic is released, having been diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs last December. Brandon Jennings is a Buck again, signing a 10-day contract with the team. With the team short on PGs, with Delly and Brogdon still injured, I suppose this makes some sort of sense, though Jennings' 34.6% shooting in the G League doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

The Brandon Era begins anew

Game 67: Brandon Jennings tallies 16 points, 12 assists, and eight boards in his return to the NBA as the Bucks win at Memphis, 121-103.

Game 68: The Bucks lose 126-117 to an Orlando team that is actively trying to lose games. This was probably always true, but I don't see Prunty holding onto this job long term absent a playoff series win.

Game 69: The Bucks hold off Atlanta at home, 122-117. Jennings has tailed off after his spectacular debut, scoring only 2 in 17 minutes of action against the Hawks. His 10-day contract expires on Tuesday.

Game 70: The Bucks give the Cavs a much-needed boost of confidence, allowing 124 points in a seven-point loss in Ohio.

Game 71: The Bucks continue to struggle, dropping a 127-120 decision at home versus the Clippers. Meanwhile Brandon Jennings signs a second 10-day deal and GM Jon Horst calls a local radio show from Turkey to dispute reports that the Bucks were close to trading Jabari this season and that the Bucks have a list of coaching candidates that includes Kevin McHale, Rick Pitino, Jeff Van Gundy, and others.

Game 72: Playing without Giannis (ankle), the Bucks get the best game from their bench this year and beat the Bulls in Chicago. Snell hits all six of his shots off the bench, and recent pickup Shabazz Muhammad leads the team with 21 points.

Game 73: Giannis returns to the lineup and the Bucks top the Spurs 106-103, sweeping San Antonio for the first time in nine years.

Game 74: In the first game of a West Coast trip, the opposing Clippers hit their first seven 3-pointers. While the Bucks make it a close game at times, they eventually fall 105-98.

Game 75: The Bucks take advantage of an injury-plagued Warriors team, beating the defending champs 116-107.

Game 76: The Bucks choke up every bit of a 21-point third quarter lead, but luckily not a point more. Eric Bledsoe scores 11 of the team's 12 during OT and Milwaukee squeaks by the Lakers 124-122.

Game 77: Bucks choke up another big lead, this one a 16-point margin with 5:31 left in the fourth, and eventually lose in overtime to the Nuggets to end their West Coast trip with a 2-2 record.

Game 78: The Bucks return home to more winter-like weather, and they manage to hold off the Celtics' fourth-quarter rally to win 106-102.

Game 79: The Bucks find another way to lose to a tanking team, allowing 19 threes in a home loss to the Nets. Yikes.

Game 80: Milwaukee tops the Knicks in New York, 115-102. With two games left, the Bucks are tied with Miami for the 6th-best record in the East, but Miami has the tiebreaker. Washington is one game behind. Seventh seed might be good for the Bucks, as they would face Boston without Kyrie. Better than facing Toronto, anyway.

Game 81: Playing without Giannis (ankle) for the second straight game, the Bucks get a triple double from Bledsoe and a team leading 22 from Shabazz to beat the Magic 102 -86 in the final regular season game at the Bradley Center.

Game 82: The Bucks close out the season with their biggest loss of the season, 130-95 at Philly. The tactic works, as Orlando beats Washington and the Bucks land in the #7 spot, facing the Kyrie-less Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Not that it matters much in their chances of winning a series.

Um, Denver is not on the west coast, you silly frog!

Everything beyond the Missip is west coast to us civilized folk.