The Milwaukee Bucks are approaching the last month of the regular season, and facing a pivotal final stretch that will be crucial to their success.
As of Mar. 11, they sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, 4.5 games behind the third-place Knicks. Behind them, the Pacers and Pistons are knocking on the door, both within one game of Milwaukee.
The season has been a complete rollercoaster for the team, and they clawed back to contention. Compared to the disastrous 2-8 beginning, it’s hard not to be satisfied with being a top-four team in the East again.
Although the Bucks have exceeded expectations from that point, the stakes have been raised since. Winning the NBA Cup and returning to a top team gives them the expectations they’ve been used to.
Even after Khris Middleton’s departure, the expectation remains to compete for another championship. Their current record puts them in a situation to compete, but Milwaukee has consistently failed to rise against top teams.
Against the best
For a supposed contender, they’ve accumulated an 0-9 record against the top three teams in the East (Cavaliers, Celtics, Knicks).
The Bucks have fared better against the Western Conference, securing a 5-5 record against the top eight, counting their NBA Cup win against the Thunder.
Their inability to secure wins against top teams is a glaring issue for a contender, and it’s an issue they can’t avoid for long.
Their most impressive win was their NBA Cup championship over the Thunder, nearly three months ago. Since then, their best was a win over the Nuggets, just six games ago.
After the Khris Middleton trade, the Bucks hoped to have found the answer to this question. Gaining Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims gave them a new breath of youth and offensive fluidity.
Many speculated about Kuzma’s arrival to the team, but his 14 games with the team resulted in a 9-5 record. They’ve faced tough competition, battled injury, and are enduring Bobby Portis‘ suspension.
The Bucks remain an oddity. Nobody can truly say where they stand among contenders, or whether they can compete with top teams.
The final stretch
This rest of the season will be their ultimate test before the playoffs begin. They will have no choice but to remove the mask and show the league who they can compete with.
In their final 19 games of this season, Milwaukee will play 12 against the top eight teams of either conference. They’ll see the Pacers, Lakers, Pistons, Timberwolves, Hawks, Knicks, Nuggets, Warriors, and Thunder, along with the Heat and Kings, who are fighting for playoff seeding.
This chunk of games lands Milwaukee with one of the hardest remaining schedules. On Feb. 28, John Schuhmann ranked the Bucks at the seventh hardest schedule remaining.
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The final 19 will make or break Milwaukee and, more importantly, determine their true standing among the contenders.
Unpredictable, but promising
It’s still difficult to judge how this team can compete, as we still haven’t seen a substantial amount of play from the “new look” Bucks, but they’ve looked promising with wins over the Nuggets, Hawks, Clippers, and Timberwolves.
This is a different team than we saw when they were 2-8. However, it’s also a different team that beat the Thunder in the NBA Cup. There’s no clear-cut way to determine how this season will end for Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard assure that a championship run can’t be ruled out, but it can be unlikely from their previous record.
Milwaukee’s new core brings them more depth than expected this season, and the team anticipates Portis’ return near the end of the season.
The Bucks have one last chance against the Knicks, and four games against the Pacers and Pistons below them. With such a stark amount of competition, there’s no better time to flip the switch.
If you haven’t been, now is the time to tune in. This final leg of the NBA season has opportunity written all over it, and the time is now for the Bucks to beat the top teams.
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