Last year, the Bucks started the season strong and were among the title favorites. This year, they started the season with one of the worst record in the league, and there was even speculation about the future of the team’s biggest star, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yet, it seems like this year’s team couls be better. Looking at the NBA Cup, the Bucks are in a familiar situation, but there are clear differences.
NBA Cup Shows Difference Between Last Year and This Year’s Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks went 4-0 in the NBA Cup group stage both last year and this year. In both years, they had the biggest point differential in the conference. This year, at +50, they had the best point differential in the league. However, there are more differences that show that this year’s Bucks are a better team.
No More Drama
Last year, the Bucks started the season with Adrian Griffin as a first-time head coach. They made a trade for Damian Lillard shortly before the season began. Their two stars, Dame and Giannis, never got fully on the same page. Even before they got to the NBA Cup, there were rumblings of Giannis not being comfortable with Adrian Griffin. The most obvious moment was during a game against the Boston Celtics, in which Giannis argued with Griffin after being taken out of the game. Less than 30 seconds later, he checked in himself.
After their loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Cup, Giannis talked how the team was not prepared. Griffin survived for several more games. And despite the team being 30-13, tied for the second-best record in the league, the Bucks fired Griffin.
This year, there is no such drama. Even when the team was starting slow, the players showed support for Doc Rivers. The team looks more cohesive, and the chemistry is up a notch compared to last season. But the most important aspect is there is no drama, leaving the players free to play. They are showing the seriousness we often see in title contenders.
Stars Complementing Each Other
When the season started, Giannis and Dame acknowledged they didn’t practice together during the summer, but they kept in touch. As the team’s two biggest stars, they had to find a way to work together. Dame kept saying this is Giannis’ team, and the Greek Freak always talked about how they needed Dame to be aggressive. Yet, it turns out, somebody had to sacrifice a bit for them to be successful.
The change came from Dame, who is having his second-best year in terms of playmaking and assists. Through the first nearly two months of the season, Dame is averaging 7.6 assists per game, his highest since 2019-20, when he averaged eight. This year, Lillard has had six games of 10+ assists, and the Bucks are 6-0. When he is setting up players with passes in addition to being aggressive, the Bucks are much more dangerous. Lillard can definitely continue being a solid playmaker, and it will only make the Bucks better.
Bucks in a Familiar Situation
The Bucks face a familiar foe on their way to a title, the Atlanta Hawks. While this is not the playoffs, the last time they played, Giannis was dominant. He missed the last two games of their playoff series in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, and yet the Bucks won.
If they beat the Hawks, they will play a team similar to the one they played in the 2021 Finals, an up-and-coming young team. On the West side of the bracket, we have the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. Both are up-and-coming young teams that are here to stay, similar to the position the Phoenix Suns were in 2021.
If they win the NBA Cup, this might be the edge they need to continue their resurgence. After starting the season with one of the worst records, they are now the sixth-seed in the East. Winning the NBA Cup can continue giving them momentum. Giannis is again playing out of his mind, getting more and more MVP chatter.
The Darvin Ham Element
Darvin Ham is 12-0 in NBA Cup games, going back to his Lakers year as a head coach. He went 7-0 with the Lakers, beating teams on the defensive side of the ball. We will wait and see whether he will be able to repeat as an NBA Cup champion, this time with a different team. He is currently an assistant coach with Milwaukee under Rivers.
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