According to the oddsmakers, the Milwaukee Bucks are tied with the Boston Celtics to win the NBA championship this coming season. This comes as no surprise at all considering how both teams upgraded their respective rosters significantly this summer.
The Bucks, in particular, added Damian Lillard, making them one of the most dangerous squads in the entire league.
Are the Milwaukee Bucks Overrated?
Not so fast, though. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recently curated a list of his Top 4 most overrated teams in the NBA entering the 2023-24 season. Milwaukee fans won’t be happy with the fact that their Bucks came in at second on the four-team list.
Above Milwaukee are the Cleveland Cavaliers and the new-look Phoenix Suns. However, as Bailey points out, one of the biggest reasons as to why the Bucks ranked so highly on his list is because of the fact that they are an aging squad with a questionable injury history:
“There are also legitimate questions about Milwaukee’s age and durability. Lillard is 33 and has struggled defensively throughout his prime. Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 63.5 appearances per season over the last four years. Khris Middleton is 32 and averaged 57.3 appearances per year over the same stretch. And Brook Lopez is 35 and had back surgery two years ago,” Bailey wrote.
Bailey believes that the defending champs Denver Nuggets are still the team to beat this year. He argues that unlike the Nuggets who are entering the new campaign with pretty much the same team, Milwaukee will still need to figure out the intricacies of their newly formed roster:
“Even in this era packed with player movement and roster turnover, continuity is important. In fact, it’s increasing rarity may make it even more important, and the Denver Nuggets have it,” Bailey wrote.
Lakers are No. 1
The silver lining for Milwaukee supporters is that at least they’re not No. 1 on the list. This dishonor belongs to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
LA will have to go through a handful of legitimate title contenders in the West, which of course, includes Denver. The Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies, to name a few, will have a thing or two to say about this as well.
“The point is that the West is stacked. Several teams have reasonable title hopes. Several more can expect to at least finish in the play-in range. The chances of a purple and gold carpet being rolled out to the Finals are slim,” Bailey pointed out.
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