The Milwaukee Bucks are not where they want to be. 21-30, 12th in the East, 2.5 games behind the red-hot Hornets in 10th. Even clawing their way into the Play-in will be an uphill battle.
Nonetheless, the team has indicated no plans to do anything but compete over the next several weeks, sacrificing draft potential position for a shot at a Play-in bid. If that’s the plan, squinting hard enough reveals a few positives to be found.
The sum total of factors amounts to a two-spot bump in ESPN’s latest NBA power rankings, from 24th up to 22nd.
Bucks trending up from the abyss, but turning the season around will require sustained 2nd-half surge
Obviously, that is a half-glass full outlook. The update still pins them outside the Play-in. Clocking in at No. 22, the last spot ahead of the shamelessly tanking tier of teams, isn’t an outcome anyone in Milwaukee was hoping for on the cusp of the second half. It’s where things stand, however, and there’s a reason to believe the Bucks’ outlook could improve.
They are, after all, on the heels of a three-game win streak. The teams they beat: Chicago (24-30), New Orleans (15-40), and Indiana (14-40). Okay, so that’s not especially impressive and it was just their first three-game streak all year. Admittedly, optimism requires some blurry vision.
There are, though, real reasons for at least the illusion of hope. Most significantly, Giannis Antetokounmpo is nearing a return from the calf strain that has kept him out since January 23. Could he be back in time for Milwaukee’s first game after the All-Star break, on February 20?
The Bucks also took a buy-low swing on upside by signing ex-Nets guard Cam Thomas in the buyout market. If he gets back to looking like the 23-PPG scorer of the past two seasons, the offense could be in for a boost.
With Giannis and Kevin Porter Jr. both healthy – not a common concurrence this season – and a potential low-risk, high-reward wild card in Thomas, perhaps this team can right the ship and rattle off some wins in the second half.
Wednesday night in Orlando (28-24), the Bucks hit the break on a high note by pulling off the upset as 10.5-point underdogs. They travel to Oklahoma City on Thursday for their final game of the first half.
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
