The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a frustrating 2023-24 NBA season. Many expected them to make a deep run in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, especially since they acquired future Hall of Famer Damian Lillard and paired him up with another future Hall of Famer in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Instead, the Bucks won nine fewer games than what they had a season before.
A midseason head-coaching switch appeared to be a contributing factor to Milwaukee’s regression, as the Bucks went 49-33 and struck out of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report acknowledged the deep talent of the Bucks, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard still in the fold, but he also raised a concern about whether the two superstars truly have the chemistry to lead the Bucks to an NBA championship.
But there are still questions about the fit between Antetokounmpo and Lillard. Middleton has struggled to stay on the court in the past two seasons. Lopez is 36 years old. Rivers did not acquit himself well in his 42 total games between the regular season and playoffs. The Bucks don’t have the sort of talented wings needed to match what teams like the Celtics, Sixers and Knicks offer in that department.
The Bucks have the offseason to smoothen out any wrinkles involving Antetokounmpo and Lillard. At the end of the day, Milwaukee will go as far as where that combo takes it.
Last season, the Bucks had a 9.56 net rating, 123.95 offensive rating, and 114.38 defensive rating when both Antetokounmpo and Lillard were on the floor.
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