Where Things Stood: When the clock ran out on the National Basketball Association on March 12th, the Milwaukee Bucks looked unstoppable at 53-12, best record in the league, and this was no fluke. They had genuinely been the NBA’s best team all season long … and with 17 games left on their 2019-20 schedule, it looked like all they needed to do was fine tune and cruise through the playoffs. Last year’s Most Valuable Player is third in NBA scoring and third in rebounding, while the Bucks had a 66 rebound game and a 41 assist game. They’d split their season series with the Los Angeles Lakers – their most likely opponent in the NBA Finals – each winning on their own home court, handled the Los Angeles Clippers twice, split a couple games against the Celtics, and had the advantage on the on-again, off-again Philadelphia 76ers, a team that doesn’t seem to like each other very much. Concerning should have been the surprise losses to the San Antonio Spurs (on the second night of a home-and-home, back-to-back) and the three game skid against the Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets in the first week of March/last week of the shortened season. Hopefully, head coach Mike Budenholzer used the COVID-19 restriction period to have his men watch a lot of tape.
What’s Coming Up: Huge, huge expectations. Not only to win the NBA Championship outright, but to win it so convincingly that they kick it in the asterisk, so firmly that there is no asterisk. Giannis Antetokuonmpo and Co. were on a mission and that mission needs to continue with a laser-like focus so intense, like they never had four-plus months off from the game. Anything less will be a huge disappointment and the Golden State Warriors are waiting in the wings to make Antetokuonmpo the next Kevin Durant.
Game 1: Boston Celtics – So unless the Toronto Raptors are still as for real as they were through 64 games and looking like they may ably defend their lone NBA title sans Kawhi Leonard, the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals will be on Friday, July 31st at 6:30 p.m. EDT. The Celtics look to be the Bucks’ biggest road block on the way to the NBA Finals, though it’s been reported that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown hardly touched a basketball during COVID-19 (I doubt that), but they seem to be spending their time in Orlando honing their golf game(s), so who knows? We’ll find out in this tip, as the Bucks win by six or less.
Game 2: Houston Rockets – This could have been good. Still might be if Russell Westbrook bounces back from his positive test for the CoronaVirus. Westbrook has been good for the Rockets, despite early season skepticism and cynicism about whether he and James Harden could share the ball. Actually, they complement one another … but not as well as Antetokuonmpo and Khris Middleton. This should be an easy win for Milwaukee, especially if Harden shoots under 36 percent from the field.
Game 3: Brooklyn Nets – Another opponent whose star athlete has tested positive for COVID-19. No, not Uncle Drew – he’s out pushing activism. And not KD – he was never really expected to play this season and pushing it out 140+ days hasn’t changed that. No, I’m talking about Spencer Dinwiddie, who – if he plays – would keep this from being a bloodbath. Either way, Bucks win.
Game 4: Miami Heat – The sleeper of the Eastern Conference, even though they have coach killer and penultimate disruptor Jimmy Butler on the roster. Butler has been rather well-behaved this season, but the Heat would be just as hot if he weren’t, because of the depth and talent on this roster. Chalk one up for Pat Riley, who put together this team of two teams – one veteran savvy, and the other packed with hungry young guns. Not only could the Heat upset Milwaukee’s bid to waltz through this eight-game dance, but they could wreck shop against other teams they play, as well.
Game 5: Dallas Mavericks – Dallas’ height may pose challenges and make the Bucks a perimeter team, but I see Antetokuonmpo, Middleton and Eric Bledsoe letting Luka Doncic get his while giving the rest of the Mavericks’ roster the treatment in retaliation for the December 16th hiccup at FiServ. (Milwaukee beat Dallas in Dallas back in October).
Game 6: Toronto Raptors – The defending NBA champs will play their tails off to avoid being swept by the Bucks. Milwaukee took two in the regular part of the season and looked to be the pebble in Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry’s sneakers with 17 games to go. The Bubble games and tournament may just be the reset button the Raptors needed to get past the skill sets of the NBA’s best team. I’m guessing this will be Milwaukee’s only loss of the eight.
Game 7: Washington Wizards – You think the NBA wanted New Orleans in the playoff picture? I’m thinking they wanted the feel-good story of a small market team leading the league all year and capping it off with an NBA Championship parade down Halyard and McKinley and into Veterans Park … in late summer. And end Scott Brooks’ run in Washington while you’re at it. This is a gimme game if I ever saw one. I don’t care how many points Bradley Beal scores and how much better Rui Hachimura has gotten. Though the Wizards did take the Bucks to overtime in late February … but the Bucks dropped 151 on those same Wizards a month earlier.
Game 8: Memphis Grizzlies – Okay, another gimme game. The Bucks handled Memphis easily back in December, putting up 127 points on Beale Street that night, but with COVID-19 disrupting the schedule, the Grizzlies never got their second game of the season series against Milwaukee. Well, here’s your chance, boys. Another double digit loss and a confidence booster for the Bucks heading into the playoff round in the Happiest Place on Earth.
Prediction: Miami, Boston, and Toronto will certainly test Milwaukee’s mettle, but I think the deer come through with flying colors en route to the playoffs and a clean shot at the NBA Championship, if everything goes off without a hitch as we hope. A 140-day layoff should prove to be the largest focus for the Bucks, and any one of the 22 teams that has an NBA Championship in its sights. Drop or be dropped is the name of the game … just wish this last ditch chance at an NBA playoff and championship wasn’t so close to hunting season.
Tracy Graven is a Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com.
He has written the NBA, and done NBA radio, for the last two decades for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, and HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show and NBARadioShow.com, and is also tackling the NFL, NCAA, and will be pinch-hitting on some Major League Baseball coverage for BackSportsPage.
He’s spent 20 years in locker rooms in
- Orlando
- Boise (G League)
- San Antonio
- Phoenix
- Denver
- Oklahoma City
- Atlanta
A corporate trainer by day, he currently resides in SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia
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