Milwaukee Bucks looking to clean up unfinished business

The Milwaukee Bucks are largely running back the team that won 60 games last year. In 2019-20 can they make the NBA Finals or will they fall short?

The Milwaukee Bucks jumped out on the entire league last season, parlaying a new head coach and a few veteran additions into the league’s best record. Superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo brought home the MVP award, head coach Mike Budenholzer won Coach of the Year and general manager Jon Horst won Executive of the Year in the successful-team trifecta.

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Their season went further than it had in two decades, yet shorter than they had hoped based on a dominant regular season, with a loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Raptors subsequently winning the title served as the killing blow for the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty and opened up the title picture wide enough for a third of the league to at least dip a toe into.

Milwaukee has reason to believe they can do more than simply play at being a title contender. They bring back almost the entire core of last year’s 60-win team, including their 24-year old reigning MVP. Every other contender (sans the Denver Nuggets) made significant roster moves, which could pay off but will also put those teams at a disadvantage in terms of continuity as the season begins.

An offseason of mostly tinkering around the edges sets the Bucks up as an early favorite to win the Eastern Conference and among the top options to bring home the title. Antetokounmpo is the odds-on favorite to repeat as MVP and none of his key teammates look in line for serious regression.

What key questions lie before a Bucks team with its eyes on a single prize? While some teams may have questions about winning games in October and November, or how to change their team, the Bucks’ question all land in May and June.

When they are again in the crucible of the postseason, can this team withstand the heat and reach their first NBA Finals since the days of Lew Alcindor?