Already, the regular NBA season is halfway completed, with 80 days of the regular season played. Two and a half months into the 2022-23 season, a few title contenders are becoming apparent. One of these are the Milwaukee Bucks, who sit top of the Central Division and third overall in the Eastern Conference. We look at why the Milwaukee Bucks are genuine title contenders in 2023, and what is coming up for them over the next few months.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Season So Far
To date, the Milwaukee Bucks are having a strong season, and look good to back up their title in last year’s NBA.
After playing 39 matches in the 2022-23 season, the Bucks have accrued 25 wins so far. With 14 losses to their name, this means that the Bucks have a 64.1% win rate, putting them third in the Eastern Conference, behind the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics who have 26 and 28 wins respectively. The season started incredibly for the Bucks, who raced out to be leading the competition early, winning their first nine games in a row. The Atlanta Hawks broke this streak with a humbling 117-98 win, which they followed up a week later through another solid win, 121-106.
Since having their early streak broken the Bucks haven’t managed to be quite as invincible. However, they have gone on several three and four-game streaks, and ultimately are sitting in an excellent position heading into the second half of the season.
Keys to the Bucks’ Success
For the Bucks, there have been several keys to success over the season so far. One of these has been Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has proven that he still has the magic touch necessary to propel the Bucks forward this year. The ‘Greek freak’ has some fantastic stats this season, with 32.0 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game, and a 53% field goal percentage after 39 games.
The defense has also been a big area of success for the Milwaukee Bucks so far this season. While they have leaked a few larger score lines in recent weeks, the start of the 2022-23 season saw the Bucks lead the league in terms of defensive numbers. Having been found wanting by the Celtics last season, the Bucks revamped their defensive approach to concede far fewer three-pointers, an approach that has reaped dividends.
What the Rest of 2023 Looks Like for the Bucks
Heading into the second half of the regular season, the Bucks are looking like solid favorites to make the postseason and be a genuine title threat.
Those wanting to bet that the Bucks will finish top of the Central Division can find the best betting sites here, where they are currently favorites to do so. However, they’ll first need to navigate some tough upcoming fixtures. This week the Bucks play the Atlanta Hawks again, a team which is quickly becoming a menace to their season.
In mid-February, they’ll also play the Celtics, with the Nets in early March. Both of these teams are above the Bucks on the overall NBA table currently and will be big opportunities to move up the ranking and prove they’re a real threat this year.