The Milwaukee Bucks have seen a boost since Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup. Over the past eight games, his presence has noticeably lifted the team’s performance and consistency.
NBA.com writer John Schuhmann’s power rankings reflect that improvement, slotting the Bucks at 21st, up one spot from last week.
“The Bucks are 5-3 since Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup, and they handed the Lakers their first clutch loss of the season on Friday. But they’re still not looking like anything better than a SoFi Play-In Tournament team in the East,” Schuhmann wrote.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return signals an upward trend for the Bucks
NBA analyst Zach Lowe also noted on an episode of The Zach Lowe Show that while he still has reservations about the Bucks overall, the team plays far more competitively whenever Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the floor.
“They’re plus 10 with Giannis on the floor. They’re a straight up dominant team with Giannis on the floor. Their starting five which is relatively new of (Kevin) Porter (AJ) Green, Giannis, (Ryan) Rollins, (Myles) Turner, +59 in 114 minutes. This is the case for the Bucks, to be above in the power rankings and go in the playoffs with a semi-not delusional belief is we have the best player. And when that guy’s on the floor, we’re pretty goddamn good,” Lowe commented on his show.
Trailing the Bucks in the power rankings are the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings. Milwaukee’s improvement is largely credited to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the team has clearly benefited from having him back on the court.
“Overall, Antetokounmpo has more points, 731, than minutes played (730), but his 2.12 steals + blocks per 36 minutes would be the second-lowest rate of his career,” Schuhmann added.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks return to the court on Tuesday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7 p.m. CT.
