3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions

Milwaukee Bucks have been playing great basketball as of late, and they are 7-2 in the month of March. They are getting hit at the right time to make a serious playoff push.</p> <p>Giannis Antetokounmpo is having yet another MVP-caliber season and will likely finish top-three in the voting once again. While Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid will likely finish above him, he’d probably be the top choice in every other season.</p> <h2>3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions</h2> <p>And despite dealing with a multitude of injuries to their top players, they’re still a top team in the Eastern Conference.</p> <p>Milwaukee has gotten solid contributions from a few unlikely faces, too. Both Grayson Allen and Bobby Portis have stepped up their games, and Jordan Nwora has played pretty well, too.</p> <p>At the time of writing this, the Bucks are 44-27 on the season, which is good for second in the Eastern Conference. However, the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are hot on their tail.</p> <p>The Celtics have been hot ever since the start of the new year, and the Sixers have a shiny new dynamic duo that looked primed and ready to storm through the playoffs.</p> <p>After winning a title last season, it looks as though the Bucks will be right in the mix to head back to the Finals again this season. However, in a league as talented as the NBA, nothing is ever guaranteed.</p> <p>So while the Bucks definitely have a shot at repeating as NBA champions, they are also just as likely to flop. Here are three reasons why Milwaukee won’t be willing it all again this year.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #1 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_419633" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-419633" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1293783199.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1293783199.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1293783199-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Jrue Holiday #21 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks talk during a free throw against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at American Airlines Arena on December 29, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions: Defense</h2> <p>For the past few seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks have rode the wave of an elite NBA defense. Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks were one of the top defenses in the entire league. That’s been a consistent fact.</p> <p>Last season they were a top-ten defense in the regular season (first in the playoffs), the number-one defense in 2019-20, and the number-one defense in the 2018-19 season.</p> <p>This year? They rank 15th in the NBA, just barely cracking the top half of the league. To put that into perspective, the New York Knicks have a better defensive rating than the Bucks.</p> <p>Now, this obviously doesn’t mean everything. The Bucks have been dealing with a ton of injuries this season which very easily could be affecting the level of their defense.</p> <p>But (for the most part), numbers never lie. The fact is, Milwaukee’s defense just isn’t as good this year, which could easily come into play come playoff time, especially with all the talent around the league.</p> <p>In the Eastern Conference, almost every top team not only has an elite offensive player – Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant- but also an elite secondary option – Jaylen Brown, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Kyrie Irving. So while the Bucks have elite defenders on their team, the fact that their defense as a whole isn’t as good should definitely be cause for concern.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_443333" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-443333" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1322943856.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1322943856.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1322943856-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JUNE 10: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets and P.J. Tucker #17 of the Milwaukee Bucks exchange words during the second half of Game Three of the Eastern Conference second round playoff series at the Fiserv Forum on June 10, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions: PJ Tucker</h2> <p>Okay, this may sound a bit crazy, but this is going to end up being a huge factor come playoff time. In the NBA playoffs last year, PJ Tucker was a crucial part of Milwaukee’s playoff run.</p> <p>In terms of defensive players, Tucker was the single-most important person on the floor for the Bucks in the playoffs last year. Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the best overall defender on the team, but Tucker was the most important.</p> <p>He was tasked with guarding some of the best players in the NBA, not only as the primary matchup, but for extended minutes. The two most notable players he guarded in the playoffs were Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.</p> <p>Tucker guarded Booker for 28:56 of total game time. But that number doesn’t hold a candle to Durant, as Tucker guarded him for 70:44 of game time throughout a seven-game series.</p> <p>Now, when you look at Booker and Durant’s shooting numbers, you may not be all that impressed. But it’s important to take a different perspective when looking at it.</p> <p>With players as talented as Booker and Durant, it’s going to be nearly impossible to consistently stop them – you need to focus on slowing them down. Tucker not only did that, but he also <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/kevin-durant-pj-tucker-bucks-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took a ton of defensive pressure off</a> of guys like Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.</p> <p>With Tucker gone, Antetokounmpo and Holiday are going to have to exert that much more energy on defense, which could be a real problem for extended periods of time.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_442398" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-442398" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1371769316.jpeg" alt="Milwaukee Bucks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1371769316.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1371769316-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during a game at Fiserv Forum on February 17, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Philadelphia defeated Milwaukee 123-120. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions: Competition</h2> <p>The Milwaukee Bucks earned their title last season. They played amazing basketball, went on an incredible run, and won their city a championship.</p> <p>But at the same time, we can be honest – a big part of why they made it that far was because of how big Kevin Durant’s feet are. Two inches was all that was between them and an early exit.</p> <p>They then got to take on the Atlanta Hawks, who were on a Cinderella run of their own. And this season, it’s become clear that’s probably all it was – a Cinderella run.</p> <p>Well unfortunately for the Bucks, there don’t seem to be any weak links this season. Just take a look down the standings – Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets.</p> <p>All of those teams are perfectly capable of putting opponents through hell in a playoff series, just like the Nets did to the Bucks last season. That’s going to make life a lot tougher.</p> <p>None of this is meant to discredit the Bucks’ championship run last season, but anyone you ask will admit that every title run takes a little bit of luck. With the way the standings are shaping up, that luck might not be there for Milwaukee.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="NBA MVP Ladder Week 22" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/16/nba-mvp-ladder-week-22/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/21/milwaukee-bucks-wont-nba-champions/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/03/16/nba-mvp-ladder-week-22/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> NBA MVP Ladder Week 22 </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">