SPORTS LINE

Doc Rivers has made his debut with the Milwaukee Bucks. This are off to a rocky start with one win and three losses. We’re back to trying to find a rhythm and flow that makes the Bucks work together as a team and not rely on only its big star names. Are they too reliant upon the stars/starters to carry productivity for the full 48 minutes? Name an NBA team that isn’t to some extent. Much of the bench crew may be lacking when it comes to anything resembling shot creation outside of occasional catch-and-shoot opportunities. Are they a bad defensive team? Yes, they still need to work on their defense and there remain mistakes and the need to figure out the puzzle not so much of preventing any perimeter penetration by guards, but how to navigate the court once opposing guards’ step inside the three-point line.

There are roughly five “gimme” games left this year: Three against Charlotte, one against Washington, and one against Toronto. It is a good test to see if the Bucks can come together when it counts, or if the wishy-washy sense of the team will continue to be the norm into the post-season.

Meanwhile, the Super Bowl is about to take place in Las Vegas, a town that is formed and run on gambling as a tourist attraction.  The NFL is not in favor of sports gambling but loves the money it all generates, and hence the choice of Vegas for the big game.  The Chiefs will go against the San Francisco team and, with Taylor Swift there to cheer them on, should prove to be quite successful, politically, if not athletically!

Maybe the game results will serve as a precursor to the outcome of the coming presidential elections in November.