NBA Power Rankings: Preview the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest
By Corey Rausch
Milwaukee Bucks. 2. team. 89. . .
Dearly Departed: Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, Wes Matthews, Marvin Williams, Sterling Brown, Ersan Ilyasova, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez
New Additions: D.J. Augustin, Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis, Nik Stauskas, Bryn Forbes, Torrey Craig, Jordan Nwora
Win Projection/Prediction: 43/Over
The hurdle in question is the Milwaukee Bucks. They have been the best regular-season team two years running and there is no reason to expect any different here. They will have the best record in the Eastern Conference because that is what Mike Budenholzer’s teams do. Somehow the team might be even better than what they were last season.
The season feels like a win even before it starts with Giannis Antetokounmpo agreeing to the supermax extension. The grey cloud hanging over the future of the team has been removed and now they can focus on capitalizing on the court. Adding Jrue Holiday does just that, forming the most impressive trio in the league on both sides of the ball.
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The Bucks should be impossible to score on, much as they were last season. They have at least four elite defensive players with more capable of fitting well into the scheme. D.J. Augustin is a great creator, something the teams sorely lacked in crunch time in the playoffs. Bobby Portis fits the Marvin Williams role well.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, nothing ultimately matters until the postseason. It is truly championship or bust for this team as they have gone all-in on the present. Skepticism is rightly still surrounding the coaching strategy in place getting them over the hump but the talent is there. They may be the most talented roster in the league. But they are not the title favorites.