At this point, it would be safe to say that the Milwaukee Bucks have been rolling of late. The fact that they logged their fourth straight victory on Thursday night via a 111-99 blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets is a clear testament to this fact.
The Bucks are currently one of just three teams — along with the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets — who have yet to taste defeat since the All-Star Break.
Milwaukee Bucks Take Big Leap in Power Rankings
The basketball analysts are taking notice, too. Andy Bailey recently published Bleacher Report’s latest NBA power rankings, and Bucks fans will be glad to know that it’s their team that has climbed the most number of spots in this most recent iteration. The Bucks leaped no less than seven spots from the previous list and are now considered the No. 5 ranked team in the league.
Bailey points out that the arrival of Doc Rivers has played a significant role in Milwaukee’s rise, particularly with the improvements they’ve had on the defensive end of late:
“And while the Bucks are still just 7-7 with Doc Rivers at the helm, it’s hard to deny they’re moving in the right direction.
“Defense was undoubtedly the team’s biggest concern under Adrian Griffin, and it’s fourth in the league during this stretch of 14 games under Rivers,” wrote Bailey.
Bailey did acknowledge, though, that the Bucks have had some issues on offense recently. However, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard at the helm, this shouldn’t be a concern for very long:
“The offense has slipped over the same span, but there’s no reason to panic on that front. Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. To the extent scoring is an issue, it won’t be for long,” Bailey noted.
For what it’s worth, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Celtics are ranked fourth to first, respectively.
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