The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be in the thick of things during the 2022-2023 season. With good players, good coaching and lots of experience this team should surpass 50 wins in the regular season after finishing 51-31 last year. (The Bucks lost to the eventual Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics.) It has been a pretty good regular season run for the Bucks with records in 2020-2021 of 46-26, in 2019-2020 of 56-17 and in 2018-2019 of 60-22.
Even GM’s across the league agree: the Bucks are a favorite to win it all. But does that mean they will?
The Oldest Team in the NBA?
The veteran team (4th oldest in the NBA) has a solid core (Giannis, Middleton, Holiday) and some new players to root for in 22 year old rookie MarJon Beauchamp. But the team has gotten older. They are not the oldest, but they are older. Khris Middleton is now 31, Holiday is 32 and Brook Lopez is 34. It almost makes you wonder if this team will all rally around “coaching up” the three young players in Beauchamp, AJ Green, and Jordan Nwora like a group of Dads in game three of their open-gym game, running out of gas but still happy to yell and scream at the young guys. The prevailing thought is experience helps and will help this team.
While the increasing age of the Bucks might not help, the Eastern Conference has gotten stronger. That’s not good either.
The Bucks have some legitimate competition in the younger Cleveland Cavaliers who added Donovan Mitchel in the offseason. Those games at the Fiserv on Nov. 16th and Nov. 25th will be great early indicators of how this team could actually be. The Chicago Bulls will be better, as will the Detroit Pistons. In what had been a relatively easy path through the Central Division, the Bucks now have some tougher games.
Vegas Odds etc.
According to Vegas the Bucks are +800 while the Warriors and Celtics are +600 by comparison.
According to five thirty eight the Bucks have an 82% shot to make the playoffs.
And according to the four letter network the Bucks are a “top-ten must watch team”.
But will age impact this team? The NBA season is a grind. Avoiding injuries, especially early, will most likely be a better predictor of how this season goes that any statistic. Keep your eyes here for up to date Bucks news and perspectives. It already has the feel of a “championship or bust” season.
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