At this point, it comes as no surprise that more than a few people consider the Milwaukee Bucks as the odds-on favorite to win it all this season. After all, the arrival of Damian Lillard makes this team a whole lot tougher to beat.
Dame would have likely made whichever team he ended up joining a legitimate title contender, but now that he’s paired up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are certainly capable of going all the way this year.
Milwaukee Bucks Ranked No. 2 Overall
Bleacher Report has come up with its updated power rankings for all 30 teams in the NBA. This comes after the Dame blockbuster trade, which is why writer Andy Bailey believes that Milwaukee deserves the No. 2 spot on the list.
“At least on the offensive side of the floor, it’s hard to imagine how this won’t work. Lillard is one of the most dynamic pick-and-roll ball-handlers and way-downtown shooters in NBA history. Giannis is one of the most dynamic slashers and finishers we’ve ever seen.
“Both command tons of attention from defenses. Whichever one gets less is almost certainly going to go off.
“And having floor spacing from Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to flank those two should make Milwaukee’s offense about as close to unguardable as offenses get,” Bailey wrote.
Bailey did not overlook Lillard’s deficiencies as a defender, though. This is easily the biggest shortcoming in the seven-time All-Star’s game, but Bailey believes Milwaukee has the answer to this dilemma:
“On the other end, Lillard’s career-long struggles on defense aren’t just going to disappear as a Buck, but this roster is better equipped than most to cover for him,” Bailey wrote.
Denver Nuggets Still Reign Supreme
The Bucks will need to settle for second fiddle, though. The No. 1 spot belongs to the Denver Nuggets, who are coming off a majestic run to an NBA title.
Denver did not do too much in the offseason in terms of fortifying their roster. In fact, they even lost Bruce Brown in free agency. Be that as it may, Bailey just wants to remind everyone out there of what this group recently achieved:
“We’re only a few months removed from the Denver Nuggets going 16-4 on the way to a championship. They swept LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. They won Game 5 and a series-clinching Game 6 against Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns by a combined 41 points,” Bailey wrote.
If there was one team Milwaukee would have to go through to get that chip, it would probably be the Nuggets.
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