The Bucks haven’t won a postseason series since 2001, but general manager Jon Horst believes this is the year the team breaks that streak, and potentially makes a much deeper playoff run, as he tells Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“This is a time for us to take a step forward and to win a playoff series,” Horst said. “Even though people are sleeping on the Bucks, I think if we bowed out in the first round, everybody would be like, ‘What in the hell happened?’ Me included. That would be a disappointment.
“But it would be a significant thing for us to advance, because we haven’t done it in so long and it would be a big step for this group. But I think the metrics line up where if we can do that and stay healthy, and stay together, have some lucky breaks along the way, I think the talent and the performance thus far would show you that we should be playing into June, hopefully.”
As Amick explores in his deep dive on the Bucks, the team has enjoyed the sort of camaraderie and chemistry this season that Horst believes can play a significant part in a club’s success. In Horst’s view, that sort of enthusiasm to come into work extends to all aspects of the organization in Milwaukee, rather than just the 15 players on the NBA roster.
“Quite honestly, I’ve fired people in our organization because they can’t get excited about working for a franchise that has a brand new arena, a brand new practice facility, Giannis Antetokounmpo as a superstar, Mike Budenholzer as a head coach, and the ownership that we have,” Horst said. “And I say, ‘If you can’t get excited, and wake up in the morning to be part of that, then you don’t belong.’ That’s from a staffing perspective, and a player perspective, on down. That’s the culture. That’s the filter that we’ve tried to establish.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Nikola Mirotic, who arrived in Milwaukee just a few weeks before Pau Gasol did, played a key role in ensuring his fellow Spaniard ended up with the Bucks, as Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details. When Gasol was presented with the opportunity to leave the Spurs via buyout and was considering joining the Bucks, he asked Mirotic for his impressions of the organization. “I said, ‘Listen, man, I really feel this team is special and if you want to be part of something special you should join this team,'” Mirotic said, per Velazquez. “That’s all I told him and I really felt that way.”
- During the Cavaliers‘ four-year run as Eastern champs, they ultimately gave up on Joe Harris, who has since evolved into an important contributor in Brooklyn. Now that they’re in the midst of a rebuild themselves, the Cavs are looking to find “value in the margins” by identifying players like Harris, who may slip through the cracks elsewhere, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
- Count Sixers head coach Brett Brown among those who believe in Jim Boylen‘s ability to lead the Bulls. Before his 76ers fell to Boylen’s squad on Wednesday night, Brown praised the Bulls’ head coach for getting the most out of his players, calling him the right person to “help steer this program” through its rebuild (link via Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago). While Boylen took over for Fred Hoiberg during the season, he’s expected to return as Chicago’s coach next season.
Joe Harris didn’t slip through the cracks though. The cavs were not wanting to develop talent and energy into undeveloped players.
Have to agree. Harris, even early on, displayed a very solid shooting touch, but instead the Cavs chose to give roles to LeBron’s handpicked guys and aging forder teammates…They’re loss is definitely Brooklyn’s gain, and I’m happy for Harris that he’s finally received the opportunity he’s worked so hard for.
I guess you would replace JR Smith in 2016 to develop a guy a with a PER of about 5. Brilliant.
“Loss”?– The Cavs gained. The Bulls experienced loss. The Magic dropped him too. The Nets have been killin’it developing & growing players. How many teams have lately had a streak of developing players like they have? The Cavs did that in the late 80s but not since. Good on Harris to wind up there.
Yep a championship team really doesn’t have time/energy to develop young players who don’t make immediate impacts like Harris at the time. That is no way a fault to the Cavs. Even the Lakers this season traded Svi for a more established Bullock. I’d look more at Detroit, who was not considered a contender, giving up so early on Dinwiddie for Ish Smith. But like you said, there’s really no team that develops young players like Kenny and his staff in BKN.
Not sure who the Nets might want from the Cavs for Harris.
Wizards for instance could save about $12mil cash & capspace by trading Mahinmi for JRSmith & a 1st and waiving Smith. But, Smith & Harris is not a match, and the Nets would be reluctant to give up 1sts.
I don’t think they’re targeting Harris specifically — he was just an example of a player who blossomed on a lottery team rather than a championship team, and now that they’re a lottery team themselves, the Cavs want to find similar players who might not get a shot elsewhere.
For the last time, Mrotic is not a Spaniard despite having played in Spain. He is Croatian.