Five Milwaukee Bucks Impressions Five Games In

Five games in, and the Bucks (2-3) are better than the Cavs (1-3)! If the season ended today, we’d have the 8th seed locked up! Whoo-hoo!

Obviously it’s too early to analyze stats or draw conclusions about the 2014-15 season. But five games ain’t nothing. Here are five early impressions.

Nov 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 108-97. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Phew! Jabari can actually ball

Sure, Jabari looked good in preseason and was touted as NBA-ready. But I held my breath the first couple games. I worried he’d look too slow, too gun-shy or just get run over by the big, bad power forwards the Association has by the dozens.

But Jabari’s got game. A couple double-doubles in the first three games is scant proof that he’s star material, but he passes the “eye-test.” Better yet, he looks like a guy who will make the right play rather than pad stats. That, as much as his jump shot and crowd-pleasing dunks, will help the team gel.

Oct 29, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson (25) drives to the basket as he is defended by Milwaukee Bucks forward John Henson (31) during the second half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win in overtime 108-106. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Could we get these guys some milkshakes?

The Bucks are tall, long, young and fast – four great things in the NBA.

But jeez, they can get pushed around.

Against the Wizards, the 6-11, 250-pound Nene and 6-11, 240-pound Marcin Gortat combined for 42 points on 19 of 26 shooting and grabbed 15 boards. And it looked easy. Last night, Taj Gibson/Pau Gasol combined for 45 and 24. Yikes.

But those guys are good.

The Sixers supposedly are not. But in the Bucks’ home opener, Philly scored 31 of their first 37 points in the paint. That’s ridiculous. Just way too many put-back dunks or backdoor layups.

Larry Sanders and John Henson are listed at 6-11 and 230 pounds, but they seem thinner. Khris Middleton and Giannis are rail thin, too. Only Zaza Pachulia has the girth to knock big bodies around. The Bucks need to pack on some pounds.

I want calories, and I want them now.

Oct 31, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd talks with forward Khris Middleton (22) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Kidd has some work to do

That Wizards game. Ouch. The Bucks had something like 25 turnovers in the first three quarters, and even that doesn’t describe the offense’s ineptitude.

I love the way the Spurs play, with the ball flying side to side, inside and out, until it lands in the hands of some spot-up three-point shooter who drains it from the short corner. You know it’s coming, but they do it over and over and over again.

There was a point in the Wizards game when the Bucks’ one-on-one dribble fests and lack of ball movement almost made me want to watch the Knicks instead.

But by the game four against the Pacers, things looked better. Even Larry hit some back-door cutters with crisp bounce passes.

This is where Jason Kidd has to prove that the second all-time leader in assists can teach passing as a coach. The Bucks have the athleticism to compete every night. Sprinkle in some Spurs fairy dust, and they could start racking up wins.

Oh, and blowing a 24-point lead to the Hornets in the season opener? That stung. Fix those late-game collapses, too, Mr. Kidd.

Nov 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless (19) dribbles the ball past Washington Wizards guard Andre Miller (24) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 108-97. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ain’t no shame Jerryd Bayless!

It doesn’t matter what level you’re at – high school, pros, or the local YMCA – no one wants to be humiliated like Jerryd Bayless was by the Wizards’ John Wall in the second half of an already ugly game.

Showing some wicked one-on-one D, Wall first poked the ball away from Bayless a couple times, forcing a rushed jumper at the shot clock. It ended like this:

That play that could make a lesser man tuck his tail between his legs and turn passive. But Bayless kept shooting, got hot, and ended with 20 points in 21 minutes. Wall? He scored 19 in 38. Take THAT, John Wall!

Bayless’ showed cojones there. It makes me believe he could be what Patty Mills or Gary Neal have been for the Spurs in recent years (did I mention I love the Spurs?), an unafraid bench guy who can light it up when the team needs him to. Keep shooting Jay Bay!

Nov 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) leaps over Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) to pass the ball to Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (00) in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 108-97. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Giannis (and kinda sorta O.J. Mayo) holds the key

Sure, Brandon Knight’s averaging nearly 20 points, but the Bucks don’t have a star. What they have is good depth with a lot of good-to-average guys. Except for Giannis. The numbers still aren’t there, and he’s not even a starter, but can’t you just feel it? The breakout game is coming!

The alley-oop in the first half against the Bulls was beautiful, but I’m still shocked when Antetokounmpo lopes down court and underhand flings a pass to a wide-open O.J. Mayo for a corner three. So smooth. If he doesn’t get a triple-double this year, I’ll weep.

Speaking of Mayo – holy boy, what a difference a year makes! Yes, his hot start (42 points in the first two games) cooled off (21 points since), but the dude looks locked in. He reminds me of Wes Matthews in Portland – a “glue” guy who can knock down threes and add toughness on both ends of the court. Other than Giannis and, OK, Jabari, O.J. is the Buck I’m most intrigued by. Will he go “all-in” and become a veteran leader on this team? Most likely, he’ll be traded in a few months, but until then, color me impressed.

Bonus Round

Underrated moment: In that ugly Wizards game, John Wall tossed a pretty alley -oop to Otto Porter, Jr. with eight minutes to go in the third. I’m thinking, “Where’s ours? Can’t we just get one freaking alley-oop or easy dunk?”

Seconds later, Jabari caught the ball above the left elbow, swung his arms up and over Nene and did a one-dribble-to-the-basket lefty throwdown. Thank you, Jabari. Before that play, I felt some of the old we’ll-never-win cynicism welling up.

Blocktopus alert: Larry Sanders’ swat on Taj Gibson last night was sweet, but I liked his block of Pacer Solomon Hill’s dunk attempt with 4 minutes to go in the fourth even better. Get that @#$& outta here!

Did he say emus?

When Zaza went baseline for an uncontested fourth-quarter dunk against the Pacers, local radio announcer Ted Davis went ape. I’m pretty sure I heard him yell, “Emus CAN fly!” Totally bizarre. Is this a thing he does? I love it. Keep it up, Ted.