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NBA Playoffs 2021: Can Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday lift Milwaukee Bucks to NBA Finals? – NBA CA

Published

3 years ago

July 1, 2021

Just as they were in 2019, the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves a mere two wins away from a drought-breaking NBA Finals appearance.

Unlike that failed run, this time they face the prospect of advancing without their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup.

The Bucks announced Antetokounmpo escaped ligament damage in his gruesome hyperextension of his left knee during Game 4 in Atlanta, though he is listed as doubtful for Game 5, with his status for the rest of the postseason unknown.

Giannis underwent an MRI and subsequent examination today by team physician Dr. Carole Vetter of the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network. The MRI confirmed the earlier diagnosis.https://t.co/6vyMEweLvn

– Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) June 30, 2021

Seemingly shell shocked by the injury during the third quarter of Game 4, the Bucks crumbled from that moment on, allowing Atlanta to tie the series at 2-2 in a blowout win.

The series now returns to Milwaukee, with the Bucks duo of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday expected to carry a significant load in the absence of Antetokounmpo.

“You don’t want to see anybody, especially your teammate get hurt, but you kind of have to shift to somebody has to step up,” Holiday said after the Game 4 loss.

“I’ve been around the game long enough to know guys are going to get hurt. You never want to see somebody get hurt, but again … somebody else has to turn up, and that’s kind of what it is.”

After a strong start to the series shooting the ball, Holiday managed just 25 points on 28 shots across Game 3 and 4, including a 2-for-10 mark from beyond the arc.

Those struggles were similarly felt in Game 4 by Middleton, who finished just 6-for-17 from the field and 0-for-7 from deep. Outside of his fourth quarter heroics in Game 3, Middleton is a brutal 4-for-29 from long range in the series.

“It will be great if [Giannis] plays, but if not we still have a capable team,” said Middleton.

“Every year you’re hoping all your guys stay healthy. We’ve already had one guy go down for the season, it’s a part of the game. A lot of it is being healthy, some of it is luck and it’s a part of being a great team.”

Playing without Antetokounmpo in the postseason is a familiar proposition for Middleton, with the MVP going down with a severe ankle sprain in the first round against Miami last season, forcing him out in the first half of Game 4. On that night, Middleton carried the Bucks to a win, finishing with 36 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Playing without Giannis

The Bucks were 6-5 with Antetokounmpo out of the lineup during the 2020-21 regular season, going 0-2 against playoff opponents with losses to the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

**Holiday and Middleton without Giannis on the floor (via Cleaning the Glass)**
	Possessions	Ortg	Drtg	Net
Regular season	1040	119.0	118.8	+0.2
Postseason	191	108.9	114.1	-5.2

When looking at the numbers with Middleton and Holiday on the floor without Giannis, one side of the ball stands out from the other. Dominant on the defensive end for much of the postseason, the Bucks defence has cratered without the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year on the floor.

Overall, Milwaukee is giving up 104.3 points per 100 possessions with Antetokounmpo on the floor in the postseason, while leaking 114.3 when he is on the bench.

Complicating matters further is the season-ending injury to starting guard Donte DiVincenzo, with the energetic defender a feature in the Bucks’ two most used lineups alongside Middleton and Holiday when Antetokounmpo was on the bench during the regular season. While the DiVincenzo injury has been overlooked by many, Milwaukee now finds itself down two starters in a disastrous blow at this time of the year.

Additionally, the Bucks offence has struggled in the playoffs without their star, as Milwaukee have shot an ice cold 30.6 percent from three across 15 playoff games, well down on its 38.9 percent mark from the regular season.

Middleton and Holiday are more than adequate creators in the halfcourt, capable of both scoring and facilitating to acquire good looks at the basket. But without the paint dominance of Antetokounmpo on the floor, the pair are going to have to find the range from the outside to help the Milwaukee offence come unglued.

Perhaps the biggest question that lingers for head coach Mike Budenholzer will be the rotation, with Milwaukee finding recent success with its preferred small ball lineup.

In 104 possessions this postseason, the lineup of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, P.J. Tucker and Pat Connaughton is posting a whopping offensive rating of 135.6 while only giving up 105.8 down the other end.

**Who starts for the Bucks without Giannis?**
	Possessions	Ortg	Drtg	Net
Core four with Connaughton	25	64.0	133.3	-69.3
Core four with Portis	12	91.7	100.0	-8.3

Much maligned in the past for not leaning on his stars enough, Budenholzer has essentially cut his rotation to seven men with a little bit of a Bryn Forbes heat check mixed in. Despite Connaughton and Portis playing key roles off the bench against Atlanta, the above table shows that Milwaukee is about to enter unchartered territory.

Ignore the advanced numbers, just simply focus on the total possessions. With Connaughton and Portis being the obvious options to replace Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are going to run out a lineup that has barely played together during the postseason.

While the Bucks have availability concerns of their own, the Hawks are in a similar boat with Trae Young (foot) and Clint Capela (eye) both listed as questionable for Game 5.

Young has torched the Bucks at times in the pick-and-roll this series, frequently taking advantage of a back-peddling Lopez to hit difficult midrange floaters. In fact, the Hawks have feasted in the midrange as a group this series, connecting on 57.1 percent of their 63 attempts.

Unlike earlier in the series, the Bucks won’t have the small ball safety blanket to ramp up the perimeter defence by switching at all positions.

In a postseason that has produced devastating injuries with cruel frequency, the fact a drought-breaking finals appearance hinges on the health of star players is no surprise. The Bucks have the individual talent to win this series, but losing Antetokounmpo has robbed them of arguably the most versatile defender in the league, and therein lies the problem.

If Middleton, Holiday and the Bucks finally find the range from the outside, it might be enough. If not, they’ll have to figure it out on the defensive end, which is easier said than done without Antetokounmpo.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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