Rebuilds: they’re all the rage in the NBA these days. If you aren’t at the top of the league, best to be as close to the bottom as possible to boost your lottery odds.
Not every team does rebuilds right, though. Some wind up mired in mediocrity for years. Some wind up much worse. (Hello, Knicks.)
The Milwaukee Bucks are a shining example of how to do it right.
Since bottoming out in 2013-14 with a 15-67 record, the Bucks have been on an (almost constant) upward trajectory, culminating in the franchise’s first 60-win season since 1981 this year.
Under first-year coach Mike Budenholzer, the team went from good to great, with this 60-win campaign coming on the heels of a 44-38 record a year ago under the combination of Jason Kidd and Joe Prunty.
And make no mistake, coach Bud deserves a great deal of credit. Neither Kidd nor interim replacement Prunty had the team operating at its full potential.
With Giannis Antentokounmpo making the leap from All-Star to MVP level this year, Milwaukee posted an NBA-best +9.1 point difference, 2.4 points better than the Warriors (+6.7). It took oddsmakers a while to buy into Milwaukee as a true powerhouse, and it was only around the middle of March that they became the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, but every major sports book at mytopsportsbooks.com now has the Bucks as sizable chalk to reach the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee is around +175 to win the East, slightly ahead of Toronto (+230), Philadelphia (+350), and Boston (+375).
The Bucks are the only team in the league that ranks in the top four in both offensive and defensive rating, sitting fourth on offense (114.32) and first on defense (105.62).
Budenholzer’s systems – at both ends – are playing to Milwaukee’s strengths. Giannis is able to operate as almost a rover on the defensive end, maximizing his length and athleticism. On offense, he’s generally flanked by multiple three-point threats, giving him the floor-space he needs to be most effective.
Credit also has to go to GM Jon Horst, of course, who’s subtle roster tweaks have made the Bucks arguably the deepest team in the league.
Eleven players on the team have averaged at least 17.6 minutes per game while playing at least 47 games. Despite battling a host of injuries — four of the team’s top-five scorers (Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, and Malcolm Brogdon) have missed a combined 34 games — the Bucks have only lost back-to-back games once all year, a testament to their depth.
Budenholzer wouldn’t have this team operating as efficiently as it is, especially on offense, if Giannis wasn’t surrounded by a host of above-average three-point shooters. The addition of Brook Lopez, in particular, has helped on that front. The seven-footer is taking a team-high 6.3 three-point attempts per game and hitting at a career-best 36.5%. His ability to draw opposing bigs away from the basket is massive.
Milwaukee finished the 2017-18 season 25th in three-point attempts and 21st in three-point percentage. This year, they rank 2nd and 14th, respectively.
If the Bucks play in the postseason the way they have played during the regular season, they will be a tremendously tough matchup for anyone, including Golden State. Their 60-win season guarantees them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, and they are 33-7 at home this season, including a 30-5 mark with Giannis in the lineup.