Coming into the 2021 season, there weren’t many who picked the Milwaukee Bucks to win the NBA Championship.
Following a disappointing run the season before, there was plenty of reason to doubt that they were capable of making a deep run in the East.
But once the season was all said and done, it was Milwaukee who stood atop the basketball world, hoisting the Larry O’Brien as Champions for the first time in decades.
This upcoming season, they will be working to defend their title, and nobody can count them out completely. In a recent episode of ‘The Jump’, however, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst shared some concerns he had about the Bucks’ chances at completing a repeat.
“I’m not expecting them (Bucks) to repeat. Talking to the folks in the Bucks organization, they realize that to have a chance to repeat, they’re gonna have to get a good seed. They know that the Nets are going to be better and healthier.
So, I’m not expecting them to come flying out of their gates but I am expecting them to have the gas pedal down for a lot of this season.”
With a core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday, the Bucks certainly have enough to stay relevant in the title race this upcoming season. Many have praised the Bucks for the team they’ve assembled, including Kevin Durant, who went so far as to refer to the franchise as a “dynasty.”
“And then Milwaukee forming somewhat of a dynasty with that team. I know it’s the first chip and a lot of people call you a dynasty after a few, but the continuity of that team is something that’s impressive and how they continue to build and add and now they’re champions, and you can appreciate that.”
But to beat a healthy and re-stocked Nets team is a big ask. With Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving all healthy and ready to go, they’re going to be close to impossible to beat.
Still, stranger things have happened. And so long as the Bucks have Giannis, they have a way.
It will be interesting to see if they can prove everyone wrong once again.
