The Milwaukee Bucks took one on the chin Saturday evening in prime time towards the Golden State Warriors, falling in defeat 122-109. What’s much more regarding than the loss is that Warriors celebrity Stephen Curry scored simply eight factors. Curry was on the ground for a complete of 35 minutes. That statistic ought to fear Bucks followers heading into their final 14 regular-season video games.
Milwaukee has been up and down a lot of the 12 months, scrolling by means of the Jap Convention standings like a Twitter feed. At one level earlier this season, they’d fallen into the play-in vary of the standings however clawed their method all the best way as much as first place within the east briefly. They at present sit in second place behind the Miami Warmth by 2.5 video games with a couple of month remaining till the postseason.
Whereas many followers and speaking heads are calling for a Bucks repeat, I don’t assume it’s fairly that straightforward. The breaks the Bucks obtained final 12 months don’t often occur in consecutive seasons. Milwaukee took benefit of dealing with a wounded Miami squad final 12 months who, within the prior postseason, took care of the Bucks in 5 video games when at full power. Positive, Jrue Vacation wasn’t with the Bucks for that 2020 playoff (Orlando bubble) sequence, however neither was Victor Oladipo, who not too long ago made his long-awaited return for Miami. If the Bucks and Warmth matchup within the playoffs this 12 months each at full power, it’ll be night-night time for Milwaukee.
Then everybody remembers final 12 months’s sequence towards the Brooklyn Nets the place Kevin Durant nearly single-handedly defeated the Bucks in seven video games. That massive toe of Durant’s turned out to be the Nets’ undoing, however that wasn’t even a sequence till Kyrie Irving went down with an ankle harm. James Harden additionally tweaked his hamstring within the first sport of the sequence a couple of minute into that sport. Milwaukee even had bother with Atlanta till a referee obtained in the best way, and Trae Younger twisted his ankle in sport three of the jap convention finals. I doubt this 12 months’s path to Finals can be paved in gold once more for the Bucks.
However there’s assistance on the best way for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez is predicted to make his return within the subsequent few days. Lopez has been out just about all 12 months with a again harm that required surgical procedure in December. They’ve missed his presence inside, which was evident towards Golden State Saturday as Milwaukee misplaced the factors within the paint battle 36-32. Brook’s return can’t come quickly sufficient, though I’m undecided how a lot to count on out of him coming again simply 4 months after again surgical procedure. George Hill can also be anticipated again together with Lopez, which can undoubtedly assist spherical out their playoff roster.
Even with that luck, don’t count on one other miracle postseason run from these Bucks based mostly solely on these additions to the lineup. This non-big three cashed of their chips final summer season, and their luck is because of run out by the top of Might. There isn’t any repeat in the way forward for the Bucks, and you’ll refer again to this when these phrases materialize. It’s alright, Bucks followers, you bought your one, and that’s all you get. This isn’t an enormous three, nor are they a dynasty in ready.