The Bucks Should Have an Improved Record

It’s crucial for MVP candidates to be on a team that ranks highly within their conference. The only recent exception was Russell Westbrook, but he was indeed an exception and not the rule. Westbrook averaged 31.6 points (led the NBA), 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists and had the narrative on his side because of Kevin Durant’s departure to the Golden State Warriors.

The Bucks finished with a 44-38 record last season, and that earned them the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference last season. With the additions of Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova, and Donte DiVincenzo, the Bucks should be able to finish with a better record during the upcoming season. It goes beyond just adding new pieces to their team, though.

The departure of Jabari Parker should help the Bucks too. He has never been a net positive during his career, and it has never been close. I don’t believe that he was a good fit. He is not a proficient perimeter shooter, he needs the ball to be an effective offensive player, and he is a defensive liability that lacks sufficient lateral quickness. His skill-set just wasn’t a match.

Another factor is that the Bucks will have more continuity with their core players. They did not start the season with Eric Bledsoe as their starting point guard last season. Being able to go through training camp and the preseason with a team helps because both the player and the team are prepared from the beginning and aren’t adjusting on the fly.

The Eastern Conference appears to have a relatively straightforward hierarchy at the moment. You have the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers likely making up the top tier with the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Washington Wizards making up the second tier. With a better supporting cast and greater continuity, perhaps Giannis could lead them to that top tier?

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