Milwaukee Bucks looking to clean up unfinished business

Best-case scenario

This is a team that won 60 games a year ago and not on the back of inordinately lucky outcomes. This was a team that deserved its final landing spot and it is firmly within its range of outcomes to not only repeat but exceed that total.

Giannis Antetokounmpo could be back every bit as dominant inside, yet armed now with a passable outside shot that keeps defenses honest and opens up countless opportunities for himself and teammates. Young players such as Sterling Brown, D.J. Wilson and Donte DiVincenzo have a track to grow.

This Milwaukee Bucks group has the same core as a year ago and it’s not insane to say they got better in the veteran additions this summer. Growth from the young players (including Antetokounmpo, still just 24 years old) and steady play from the veterans and this team will cruise to the best record in the league again.

Does doubling the number of Lopez twins on the roster double their impact?

In the postseason this team has the best player on the court no matter the opponent in the Eastern Conference, and their strong defense can stifle a Philadelphia offense with significant question marks. Offensively Antetokounmpo is unstoppable and Eric Bledsoe finally plays to his talent level in the playoffs. They win the title, Milwaukee’s first since Lew Alcindor brought one home in 1971.

63-19, Best record in the league, NBA Championship

Worst-case scenario

Last season this team was relatively healthy, with only Malcolm Brogdon missing significant time due to injury. Now Brogdon is gone, let loose to Indiana just to save money. Nikola Mirotic had an inconsistent postseason, but has the upside none of the current bench players do.

Add in a little more injury bad luck, a lack of an outside shot from Antetokounmpo and a regular season slump from Eric Bledsoe and this team could struggle to stay ahead of a stacked Philadelphia 76ers lineup. None of the young players are guaranteed to take a step forward.

This team likely is too talented to fall short of the second seed barring a truly debilitating injury to Antetokounmpo. They could for the second straight season find themselves unable to score on a stout interior defense and fall to the 76ers shy of the NBA Finals again.

50-32, 2nd seed in the East, lose in Eastern Conference Finals