A few days before the start of the regular season, DNA of Sports is approaching the end of its traditional presentation, franchise by franchise, of the upcoming NBA season. Like every year, this takes the form of a countdown, from the teams expected at the bottom of the ranking to our favorite for the champion title.
Today, we continue to get closer to the top with the Buckswho shook up their group after the elimination in the first round of the last playoffs against the Heat. Exit first Mike Budenholzerreplaced by Adrian Griffin, former assistant to Nick Nurse who landed his first position as head coach there. Exit then Jrue Holidaywho nevertheless saw himself ending his career in Wisconsin, replaced by Damian Lillard…
Milwaukee of course heard the pressure from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who multiplied the warning signals about his future at the club, by shaking up a solid group. During Mike Budenholzer’s five seasons at the helm of the team, the Bucks were easily the most successful regular season team in the entire NBA, with 271 wins, ahead of the Sixers (248), the Nuggets (248). ), the Celtics (241) or the Jazz (240).
The Lillard/Giannis duo shakes the NBA
Above all, there was the title of 2021, fifty years after that of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. Despite everything, the other failures in the playoffs (conference final in 2019, conference semi-final in 2020 and 2022, first round in 2023) convinced management to change course, to maximize the best years of the “Greek Freak” and convince him to extend the adventure in the long term.
Will Damian Lillard allow the Bucks to regain a second title in four years? This is obviously the whole question, the former leader of the Blazers bringing his offensive strike powerto form a scary duo on the pick-and-roll with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He who always dreamed of an impact relay, capable of taking advantage of two-man holds which offered numerical advantages to his weak side team, seems to find the ideal partner. And we obviously understand his enthusiasm, which quickly erased the disappointment of not being able to join Miami, as he wanted.
SUMMER MOVEMENTS
Arrivals: Adrian Griffin (coach), Damian Lillard (Blazers), Cameron Payne (Suns), Robin Lopez (Cavaliers), Malik Beasley (Lakers), Andre Jackson Jr, Chris Livingston
Departures: Jrue Holiday (Celtics), Grayson Allen (Suns), Jevon Carter (Bulls), Wes Matthews (Hawks)
THE PLAYER TO FOLLOW: DAMIAN LILLARD
The choice is very simple. After so many years of trying to take the Blazers to the title, Damian Lillard will finally play with the superstar he’s been waiting for. And not just any superstar since we are talking about a double MVP (2019, 2020), Finals MVP (2021), champion (2021) and seven-time All-Star (2017–2023).
The leader finally has the relay he was waiting for inside, and on the pick-and-roll, with Giannis Antetokounmpo. A doublet which will be the basis of the Bucks’ gameand which is already giving the entire NBA nightmares…
“Good luck to everyone, and to the other 28 teams behind us who are going to have to find a way to stop this. I’m just happy that we only meet them twice in the regular season.”blurted Darvin Ham.
With the threat posed by Damian Lillard behind the 3-point line, Giannis Antetokounmpo can now expect to have more space in the paint as a screen setter. Enough to improve Milwaukee’s attack, which had a tendency to stagnate ? What, above all, will bring the team back to the throne?
Average age: 28.3 years
Payroll: $189.6 million (7th)
THE IDEAL SCENARIO
As expected, the Damian Lillard – Giannis Antetokounmpo duo, particularly on the pick-and-roll, is an insoluble puzzle for opponents. Should we give the leader a little freedom to prioritize the interior? Should we take it as a pair even if it means letting the “Greek Freak” take advantage of space behind the first line? Everyone asks themselves the same questions but ultimately no one manages to find the right answers…
In the wake of this double engine, it is the entire Milwaukee attack which finds color, and above all unpredictability, with Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Malik Beasley, Bobby Portis or even Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton who can take advantage of mismatches and punish all opposing defensive strategies.
And as Adrian Griffin also pushes his team on defense, again with less rigid schemes than those of Mike Budenholzer, the Bucks are in the lead in the East, and attack the playoffs from a position of strength. Enough to seek a new title, and convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to extend long-term in Milwaukee.
THE WORST SCENARIO
While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are slowly recovering from their injuries, the technical performance of the Lillard – Giannis association is much less impressive than expected.
Certainly, the Bucks still remain in the good pack in the East, thanks to their intrinsic talent and the density of their squad, but the surprise departure of Terry Stotts hurt, with an attack that is struggling to get into place, and which relies on the individual exploits of stars to dominate opponents.
More worrying, what the team gained on offense with the departure of Jrue Holiday and the arrival of Damian Lillard, it lost on defense. The Lillard/Beasley duo is a big weak point on this side of the field, too easy to attack, and the Bucks pay the price heavily in the playoffs. Still ingloriously eliminated from the “postseason”, the leaders of Wisconsin missed their bet, and Giannis Antetokounmpo no longer really wants to linger in Milwaukee…
