Milwaukee Bucks: Which players are in contention for NBA awards?

The Milwaukee Bucks had a number of players win awards last season, but as the 2017-18 season closes they may be left out in the cold during NBA awards season.

Last season the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the league’s most engaging stories, with a talented group of young players coming together around a rising star in Giannis Antetokounmpo. That excitement spilled over into the awards season, with multiple Bucks players appearing on award ballots.

Antetokounmpo was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player, defeating Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. For the fourth straight season, he increased his per-game averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

Malcolm Brogdon also joined the celebration, winning Rookie of the Year over Philadelphia 76ers candidates Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. The point guard out of Virginia averaged a pedestrian 10.2 points and 4.2 assists in 26.4 minutes per game, but his role starting on a playoff team beat out the short-term excellence of Embiid.

This season, the Bucks were expected to take another step forward, pushing up into the top-half of the Eastern Conference. Theoretically, this would then result in more accolades for the team’s players, a repeat of the two-trophy haul from last season. Multiple players were in line to push for awards.

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That has not happened, as Milwaukee is stuck again at the bottom of the Conference standings. Rather than presenting a number of favorites for league awards, Milwaukee will struggle to present candidates for any of the awards. With one notable exception, do the Bucks have any players worth discussing for a major year-end award?

Starting with the exception, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been absolutely brilliant for the Bucks this season, taking yet another step forward. He has increased his scoring by 4.4 points per game one year after making a 6.0 point increase, raising his usage to 31.3 percent — seventh in the league — and effective field goal percentage to 55.3 percent, both career highs.

Zoomed in, Antetokounmpo has a strong MVP case. His current averages — 27.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game — have been matched by just two players in NBA history: Hall of Fame centers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and David Robinson. For all of their disappointment and inconsistency this season, the Bucks are projected to win 44 games, two more than last season. Milwaukee will make the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2004.

But zoom out, and his case loses out to the strength of those around him. Anthony Davis is replicating Antetokounmpo’s feat in putting up historic numbers to lead his team, but he has arguably less talent around him — especially after the loss of DeMarcus Cousins. The Pelicans are also projected to finish with 46 wins — two more than the Bucks in a harder conference.

Above both of them is James Harden, the best player on the best team putting up incredible numbers of his own. He is dropping 30.7 points, 8.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 3-pointers per game. If Antetokounmpo’s numbers have been matched just twice in league history, Harden’s have never been replicated. He is charting a new course for NBA superstars, and barring scandal he will be the MVP.

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Therefore we can safely rule out Giannis Antetokounmpo winning the MVP award, just as we can rule out LeBron James (no matter the level of his self-promotion), DeMar DeRozan, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid. This is Harden’s award. Antetokounmpo will make an All-NBA team, and should be in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year. But is there any other player on the roster in play for a major award?

Rookie of the Year is well out of reach of both D.J. Wilson, who has barely played this season, and Sterling Brown, who has played a key reserve role for the team. Neither will sniff the All-Rookie teams either, barring the completely unexpected.

Khris Middleton has been up-and-down this season, not the type of standout explosion the Most Improved Player award is looking for. They will most likely turn their gaze to Victor Oladipo, who has become an All-NBA level guard for the Indiana Pacers. Similarly, Coach of the Year will go to a coach living the dream of success, not to an interim coach unable to rescue his roster from the mire of the last regime.

Last season, Sixth Man of the Year was an area where Milwaukee could submit an entry in offensive hub Greg Monroe. But with Monroe in Boston by way of Phoenix, the Bucks struggle mightily when their best players leave the court. There is no other candidate to arise for that award in Milwaukee, even if there was hope that Jabari Parker could step up into a sixth man role.

Eric Bledsoe, Brogdon, Middleton — these are all talented players, and with each under contract for next season the Bucks are hoping they can contribute toward winning in ways worthy of celebration. But none deserve to be recognized in awards season, as no player other than Antetokounmpo has exceeded expectations.

Ultimately this season will be about other things, about when Giannis Antetokounmpo became a true star, and about the recognition that a new atmosphere needed to be put into place. They are building toward a better future, but for those trying to praise the present, they will be hard-pressed to find anyone worthy. To answer the question presented in the title, which players are in contention for NBA awards? The answer is the same as it is for so many questions regarding this team: only Giannis.

Next: 2017-18 Week 24 NBA Power Rankings

The disappointing season for the Bucks has trickled down to the players, and everyone but perhaps Joe Prunty is ready for that chapter to close.