Giannis Antetokounmpo’s near-triple double in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night stopped the bloodletting after a three-game losing streak. However, as the season winds down, there are a few more pressure points on the schedule left to be pressed. Despite the vibes within the organization plateauing, there’s something to be fought for.
Despite the three-seed slipping out of their reach, the Milwaukee Bucks have been lost at sea all year long. The final stretch is their chance to prove they’ve docked and are on an ascending trajectory. Here are five games on the Bucks' schedule that will dictate their postseason.
5. Denver Nuggets
Any time two of the three best players in basketball, it’s an entertaining term. Denver is gaining steam in the West at just the right time and Nikola Jokić is on pace to steal the MVP from Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Both bigs are trying to get back to the summit, but Jokić’s climb has been less grueling. Antetokounmpo gets it done using his Edwin Moses-inspired gait to gallop into the paint, using his muscle to pound it inside to finish at the rim and converting from the midrange. Jokic has drifted further into James Harden’s shot profile territory.
4. Golden State Warriors
Butler and Curry vs Dame and Giannis have the ingredients for a network TV crossover episode storyline of yesteryear. Jimmy Butler has made it a habit of tormenting Milwaukee over the years and reportedly named the Bucks as a team he was unwilling to sign an extension with. In Golden State, his ability and high defensive IQ have been vital to greasing the wheels of the rusted Curry-Kerr machine. Antetoekounmpo typically devours the Warriors and the defensive combos they throw at him.
There’s also the long-brewing rivalry between the preeminent logo shooters. Curry just became the NBA’s Mr. 4000 and Lillard has never managed to beat the allegations that he’s Diet Coke Steph. Sparks and long balls are almost guaranteed to fly when they face off. Lillard’s highest career scoring average against a team are the 28.7 points per game he's averaged against the Warriors.
3. New York Knicks
The Knicks have the Bucks number. As I noted earlier this week, they’re essentially the inverse of each other. Tom Thibodeau, Doc Rivers’ top assistant on his championship Celtics team has churned every ounce of fuel from his starters. Tom Thibodeau Rick Moranis'd the rotation, shrinking it down to five or six players taking up the bulk of New York's minutes. Jalen Brunson may not be back in the lineup by the time they play. If he isn't, it will be interesting to see what type of movement Milwaukee can make in the standings. They're currently gour games back of the Knicks but haven't made up any ground this week. Regardless of whether they have a shot at a higher seed, Milwaukee must beat New York once heading into the postseason to imbue themselves with confidence.
2 - 1. Detroit Pistons
Since 2025 began, the Detroit Pistons have been the NBA’s hottest team. Cade Cunningham is evolving before our very eyes. Their lackluster shooters and a true number two option who can ignite the offense when Cunningham’s plate is full are some of the last obstacles toward them being a serious Eastern Conference contender. However, they’re particularly interesting to the Bucks because they end the season against Detroit on April 11 and April 13 and both teams are in a three-way knot with Indiana for seeds four through six.