Milwaukee Bucks: What clinching home-court means for the playoffs
2. The Bucks are matched up against easier opponents
The NBA is rather tepid in rewarding its best teams, with no first round byes and no reseeding after the first round. Yet the reality is still that the top seed in a conference gets an easier path moving forward, especially when looking at the team in this year’s Eastern Conference field.
The first round matchup is largely a wash, as the Bucks could have finished anywhere in the top three records and faced a subpar opponent. This year’s Eastern Conference has a clear delineation between their top-five teams and the next group. Whether the Bucks play the Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets or Miami Heat, they will be a heavy favorite to advance quickly.
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It’s in the second round where the benefit truly comes to roost. Milwaukee will be playing the winner of the Boston Celtics-Indiana Pacers first round matchup. While the Celtics were a preseason favorite, they have not been playing like one all season, and the Pacers are without their star 2-guard in Victor Oladipo. Either team that wins would have to pull a major upset to take down the Bucks, although the Celtics will probably be a trendy pick to do so.
Having the top seed is also about who you do not have to play. This year’s Toronto Raptors team is perhaps underrated by the metrics due to resting Kawhi Leonard, but as ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst likes to say, there are no back-to-backs in the postseason. The Claw is the leader of the most terrifying defensive combination to reach the playoffs in recent years.
Toronto will likely play Philadelphia in the second round, a team loaded with star talent. If the 76ers hit their ceiling they will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs, boasting a starting five no other team can touch as far as talent. The Bucks get the reward of letting those two teams fight it out before taking on the winner in the Eastern Conference Finals. The benefits may not be massive, but having the best record is a nice perk in that scenario.