The defending Champion Milwaukee Bucks, coming off their first championship in 50 years have responded by somehow getting even better this season. Despite dealing with the adversity that many defending champs face the following season, the Bucks have shown great resolve. Reigning finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has once again put together an MVP caliber season. 3-time all star Khris Middleton is playing arguably the best basketball of his career. The veteran point guard Jrue Holiday has been one of the best 2-way players in the league. The Bucks currently sit at 2nd in the East with a record of 47-28. Still, going back to back will be a daunting feat as the Eastern Conference is as strong as its ever been in recent years. I will give my perspective on the Bucks chances to make another championship run and what could stand in their way.
In order for Milwaukee to go as far as they believe they can go, they will need their superstar to continue to play at the historic level he has this season. Giannis currently averages 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists along with the 2nd best player efficiency rating in the league. With Giannis playing at such an elite level not only does it have him in the thick of MVP talks but, it is a huge reason as to why they are the biggest threat to come out of the East. Khris Middleton has not only been the second best player for the Bucks as he has also thrived as the closer in clutch time. Middleton had arguably his best performance of the season against the Phoenix Suns, dropping a season high 44 points and hitting several clutch shots in a 132-122 win on March 6th. Jrue Holiday has also helped to form a dominant big 3 when healthy and continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Holiday is a player I see as a major X-factor for the Bucks because when he plays, best the Bucks are nearly unstoppable. The contributions do not stop there for the Bucks, as Bobby Portis has been a major bright spot off the bench. Portis re-signed with the Bucks in the offseason and has responded by averaging a career high 14.6 points per game. If Portis is able to continue his same level of play in the playoffs, it could be a huge advantage for the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the Eastern Conference having so many quality teams this season, the Bucks will have several vying to knock them off their throne. The teams I feel that are most likely to get in the way of the Bucks making another run to the finals are the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. The Celtics have been on a tear in recent weeks with Tatum and Brown looking like a dominant duo on both sides of the floor. Their improved level of play specifically post All-Star break has them in a battle with the Bucks and Heat for the #1 seed in the NBA. With the Celtics clicking on all cylinders they could be a great challenge for Milwaukee especially if they are able to secure the #1 seed. It likely could come down to which star can execute better with Tatum playing at an MVP level. An important matchup to watch in a possible Celtics-Bucks playoff matchup could be Jrue Holiday versus Marcus Smart. Both are tough defensive minded guards that do a lot of the dirty work to make their teams look so good. As for the Heat, they already have a familiarity with Bucks matching up back to back years in the playoffs. The Miami Heat would likely be highly motivated in a playoff matchup with the Bucks as they would look to avenge their disappointing defeat last year when they were swept in the first round. Milwaukee would be facing a much better team this go around as Miami has added great pieces such as Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker. They've also benefitted from the improved play of 6th man of the year candidate Tyler Herro, who has arguably been their most consistent player all season. A key difference maker for a potential Heat-Bucks playoff series I feel wouldn't necessarily be the stars but key bench players. If players like a Herro or Victor Oladipo can outplay Bobby Portis or Grayson Allen in the post season it could make all the difference for a series.
The Milwaukee Bucks will be an incredibly tough matchup for anyone they face in the playoffs as they are a team full of battle tested players that still play like they have a lot to prove. They also have what a lot of teams in the East lack which is several players with championship experience. Along with having arguably the best player in the league in Giannis who looks determined as ever to etch his name with the all time great by adding another ring to his impressive resume. If the Milwaukee Bucks are able to live up to their talent and potential we could be looking at the NBA's next dynasty.
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