After taking down the Magic in a closely contested rock-fight on Tuesday evening, the Milwaukee Bucks will be returning to Las Vegas for their second consecutive appearance in the NBA Cup Semifinals. While the trip to Vegas is probably a welcome reward, the Bucks’ recent play is certainly more gratifying.
After a dreadful 2-8 start to the season, Milwaukee has found their footing, winning 11 of their last 14 games. Taking advantage of a rather weak schedule, they have quickly moved back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Even if the inferior opponents have contributed to this recent turnaround, the Bucks deserve some real credit. Here’s why, and how the Bucks gotten their season back on track.
The biggest catalyst for Milwaukee’s resurgence has been the all-world play of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak looks as unstoppable as ever, and is giving the Bucks MVP level production on a nightly basis. He’s attacking the rim with his typical ferocity while displaying an improved mid-range jumper. He’s seemingly abandoned his hopes of becoming a credible three-point shooter, taking just seven threes in his last ten games.
It might have taken him a while to figure it out, but this has always been the recipe for Giannis. He’s one of the few players in modern NBA history who can dominate the game without even thinking about taking a three. There’s no need for him to spend less time doing what he does better than anyone in the league, which is getting to the rim. This version of Giannis gives Milwaukee a chance come playoff time no matter what.
Dame-Dolla
Acting as Giannis’ co-star, Damian Lillard has had a considerably better start to the season than last year. Thanks to an uptick in efficiency and increase in consistency, Lillard is putting together a surefire All-Star season. His synergy with Giannis is still far from perfect, but is improving with each game. In order for the Bucks to reach their ceiling, Milwaukee needs Lillard to be a reliable second option, just like he’s been so far this season. Dame is averaging nearly 26 points and 8 assists per night.
Outside of the convincing efforts from their star duo, the rest of the Bucks squad has shown some real flashes of being a championship-level supporting cast. Five of Milwaukee’s rotational pieces are shooting over 40% from three over the past 14 games (Trent Jr., Green, Portis, Lopez, Prince), something that is essential to the Bucks’ success.
This group will likely never be an elite defensive unit, but they’re holding their own on that side of the floor. Milwaukee boasts a 110.9 defensive rating over the past 14 games, good enough for 12th in the NBA. A top-15 defense is good enough for them to have a real shot at success. AJ Green has been a revelation for the franchise, injecting the lineup with some elite shot-making and floor-spacing.
Bobby Portis is trending in the right direction after an imperfect start to the year, and Gary Trent Jr. is starting to look like the knockdown shooter he was brought in to be. This supporting cast won’t ever be considered one of the elite in the NBA, but they’re showing just enough to provide some real optimism.
Contenders?
Milwaukee’s chances of contention likely boil down to the availability and production of Khris Middleton. He has long been the “X-factor” for the Bucks, operating as one of the best tertiary scorers in the league when healthy. The issue? We haven’t seen a sustained, healthy Khris Middleton in quite some time. If he still looks like the guy that helped Milwaukee win the Finals in 2021, the Bucks’ championship aspirations get a little more real. If Middleton fails to establish himself as a consistent, high-level offensive weapon, Milwaukee will be facing an uphill battle.
To be honest, I think it’s unlikely that the 33-year old Middleton comes back and has as much of an impact on this team as many expect. It’s uncommon for someone at that age to go through so many injuries and come out as the same player on the other side. A healthy, productive Middleton feels like a bonus for the Bucks at this point, and I’m not sure they can count on it.
Conclusion
I’m not ready to declare the Bucks real title contenders yet, but they are quickly working their way up the list. I still need to see them win some more high-leverage games against better teams, and I think the NBA Cup gives them a great chance to do so. A potential championship matchup with the Thunder should get anyone excited, and gives the Bucks a great chance to gauge where they’re at. If Milwaukee can continue to progress on the defensive end while getting meaningful contributions from their role players, I’d give them a fighting chance against the Celtics come playoff time.
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