Milwaukee Bucks

The Suns and Warriors are getting all the attention in the Western Conference this season and in the Eastern Conference, the Nets and the 76ers are on everyone’s minds, as well as the 1-seeded Miami Heat. What people tend to forget though is that the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks still exist and that Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the best player in the world. 

Currently second in the league in scoring, Giannis Antetokounmpo is making a very strong case to win his third MVP award in the last four seasons and he currently has the Bucks tied with the Bulls and Cavaliers just 1.5 games back from the 1-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. 

Brook Lopez being out since the first game of the season with a back injury has left the Milwaukee Bucks’ frontcourt a little vulnerable at times, but Giannis has stepped up defensively, Bobby Portis has stepped up offensively and the Bucks are getting a big boost with the addition of veteran Serge Ibaka. 

While he is half the player he used to be, Ibaka is a proven champion and gives Milwaukee more depth to play around with, especially since he can make an impact shooting from the perimeter. 

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For his career, Serge Ibaka has averaged 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and has shot 36% from three-point range, giving the Bucks everything that they have been missing with Brook Lopez out. 

Having three open roster spots after making trades at the deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks have plenty of opportunities to add more talent to their roster in the buyout market. 

Milwaukee is only going to get better with their new additions and with more scoring depth than they had a season ago, the Bucks should once again be the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, setting them up for a possible rematch in the NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns.