First Week Finals: Way too early picks for the NBA’s next Eastern Conference champ
1. Milwaukee Bucks
The NBA’s number-one seed coming out of the East for the last two seasons hasn’t started as fast as they have in recent years, but with the new additions to the roster that were enough to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign a supermax contract to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks; they look to be the favorite until proven otherwise. They were in need of a shake-up to show Giannis that they are serious about doing whatever it takes in order to compete for titles after the past iterations have come up increasingly short. Although they lost some real pieces that would still be beneficial to the team; none more so than George Hill with his presence, professionalism and 3-point shooting, the Bucks have gained some back that may position them even better for their ultimate goals.
The most important is Jrue Holiday, who replaces Eric Bledsoe with similar defense, but gives the Milwaukee Bucks so much more offensively. Although he too is not a great 3-point shooter, at a career 35.5 percent, his value may be more in his willingness to take those shots and look for his offense in general as it alleviates some of the pressure on Giannis and his Quixotic struggles against NBA walls instead of windmills. Holiday is coming off his three best seasons, averaging 20-4-5 with 1.6 steals a game, while being the healthiest and most available since early in his 12-year NBA career. He is unselfish, charitable with his time and money, and has won awards for being a great teammate; all traits that hold extra value to Giannis and almost ensure Jrue will fit in nicely to what the Milwaukee Bucks want to do as an organization on and off the court.
Though the Bucks lost established shooting and defense, they brought back enough 3-point threats with Bryn Forbes topping the list, but also more versatility and play-making with DJ Augustin — an under-the-radar pick-up coming off a solid stint with the Orlando Magic averaging double digits and almost five assists per game. Bobby Portis adds toughness and stretch big man potential while rookie Jordan Nwora is going off for eight points in just under ten minutes of action on 44 percent from 3 in the smallest of sample sizes.
Still, the possibilities look good once roles and proper chemistry are established. The biggest question facing the Milwaukee Bucks could be the way they play and the increasingly-apparent stubbornness of head coach Mike Budenholzer to play his rotations/players with regular minutes in spite of the circumstances. Already the Bucks have had the same starting line-up in their first eight games and despite the proclamations of getting more movement and Giannis into the post, they seem intent on having him attack the full force of NBA defenses walled off to stop him like in seasons past.
As with all the teams, much more basketball is to be played and the Milwaukee Bucks look to be a safe bet to figure it out. This is especially true with the opportunities that the new players could provide for innovations offensively that get Giannis and Bucks easier chances when it matters most. None of the above even mentions Khris Middleton, who continues to get better every year, turning into a consistent All-Star and one of the most efficient, and least-appreciated, players in the league. He is off to an even better start this season with an increased focus on play-making, increasing his assists per game average by almost two while scoring more points on fewer shots. The Milwaukee Bucks’ faith in him has been rewarded thus far, and they can only hope he meshes with their other two ALL-NBA awarded players in bringing the only NBA award they actually want back in Cream City.