With a full offseason to prepare and a healthy squad ready to play, there’s every reason for the Milwaukee Bucks to exceed expectations this year. However, an NBA analysis has projected otherwise for the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led team.
The Bucks are poised for a bounce-back season in 2024-25 after a disappointing end to the previous campaign. With Damian Lillard joining forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team’s championship aspirations remain high, but there are still questions surrounding their ability to fully integrate the two superstars.
The Bucks’ season opener will be against the Philadelphia 76ers, a potential Eastern Conference contender, setting the tone for what promises to be a challenging schedule. Key matchups include several meetings with the defending champion Boston Celtics, whose talented roster and versatile lineup pose a tough challenge for the Bucks.
The Bucks’ championship odds are currently set at +1300, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding their potential success. While the team’s core of Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and Khris Middleton is undeniably formidable, health concerns and coaching adjustments could hamper their progress.
Milwaukee Bucks Projected To Do Poorly Instead Of Doing Better For the 2024-25 NBA Season
Heading into the new season, the Bucks are mostly running the same core centered on the duo of Antetkounmpo and Lillard. According to a report by ESPN, the team is projected to take more of a tumble during the 2024-25 campaign than finding a way to turn their fortunes in the months to come.
“1. Los Angeles Lakers: 53 points (43% of first-place votes)
2. LA Clippers: 25 points
T3. Atlanta Hawks: 19 points
T3. Chicago Bulls: 19 points
T5. Denver Nuggets: 12 points
T5. Milwaukee Bucks: 12 points”
As seen in the ranking above, the Bucks garnered sufficient votes to place them in the Team Turmoil list. This means, there’s a chance Milwaukee can implode next season due to a variety of reasons, like an aging core or Doc Rivers disappointing once again as a head coach. The thing is, the same NBA report by ESPN place the team in fifth place among teams that can turn their fortunes around soon.
Meanwhile, in another NBA analysis by Bleacher Report, the team is projected to win around 52 games, which would likely secure them a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the race for the top seed could be fierce, with the Sixers and the revamped New York Knicks also vying for position.
The Bucks’ success will largely depend on their ability to find the right balance and chemistry between their star players, as well as the continued development of their supporting cast. With Rivers at the helm, the team will look to capitalize on his proven regular-season success, while also hoping to avoid the kind of late-season collapse that plagued them in the previous year.
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