Behind the Bucks Pass
Fansided

Milwaukee Bucks: 49 years in 49 days – 2016-17 season

By Ti Windisch

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 15: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors on April 15, 2017 during Game One of Round One of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 15: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors on April 15, 2017 during Game One of Round One of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Milwaukee Bucks bounced back thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo making a huge leap during the 2016-17 NBA season.

The season: 2016-17

The record: 42-40

The postseason: 2-4, lost in first round

The story:

The 2016-17 NBA season was one of the most riveting in league history thanks to some individual players having incredible seasons. One of those players was Giannis Antetokounmpo. From the Milwaukee Bucks’ point of view, there can be no doubt 2016-17 was the year of Giannis.

More from Bucks History

The Greek Freak ascended to the top of the NBA’s hierarchy and cashed in on the potential associated with his name since he was taken in the 2013 NBA Draft. Giannis averaged 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.9 blocks per game in his first All-Star season.

Jabari Parker took a leap of his own next to Giannis, and the Bucks needed it. Khris Middleton tore his hamstring and missed the first portion of the season, leaving a huge production hole in Milwaukee’s rotation.

Jabari took on that challenge and nailed it, averaging 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from deep. When Middleton returned from his injury and joined Jabari and Giannis, it seemed as though Milwaukee would truly be unstoppable.

Until, for the second time, Jabari Parker tore an ACL. Gut-wrenchingly, it happened in the game that Middleton made his season debut in. Those three all showed great flashes that season, but it was probably Greg Monroe who was the overall second-best Buck on the year due to those damn injuries.

Monroe completely re-made himself as a defender before the season started, and he seemingly embraced the bench role Bucks head coach Jason Kidd relegated him to for the entire season. Moose averaged 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game while winning over Bucks fans who panned his signing after the poor first season he had in Milwaukee.

The other three starters on the Bucks (beside Giannis and one of Jabari/Middleton) were all newcomers. Tony Snell had been acquired before the year began in a straight-up swap for Michael Carter-Williams, and he made Milwaukee look very smart for making that deal by averaging 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 40.6 percent from deep and playing stifling defense.

Malcolm Brogdon, the Bucks’ second-round pick that season, became the team’s starting point guard after Matthew Dellavedova missed a few games due to injury. Brogdon was so good that he maintained the job even after Delly returned to the lineup, averaging 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals on his way to a Rookie of the Year award.

Thon Maker, who the Bucks took tenth overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, ended up as the fifth starter. Thon certainly took some rookie lumps, but despite low per game averages he added interesting dimensions to Milwaukee through his shooting and versatility on defense.

The parts came together to form a strong team in the Eastern Conference, even without one of Jabari Parker or Khris Middleton for virtually all season. Those Bucks weren’t great at either offense or defense, but they were good enough at both to win 42 games and claim the sixth seed in the East.

Their first-round opponent would be the Toronto Raptors, and in a departure from Milwaukee’s recent postseason history the Bucks started off strong in the series. Milwaukee stole Game 1 in Toronto and defended homecourt in Game 3, giving the team a 2-1 lead. Simply winning out at home would get the Bucks to the second round.

More from Behind the Buck Pass

Unfortunately, winning those home games wasn’t as simple as it may have seemed. Thanks to an offensive eruption from DeMar DeRozan the Raps won by 11 in Game 4, tying up the series. Despite Giannis’ best efforts, Toronto blew out the Bucks in Game 5 and took hold of the series for the first time.

Game 6 would end up being one for the ages, despite it being just a first round matchup. The Raptors came out like the better team and carried a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter. The series seemed over.

The Bucks refused to quit though, in large part thanks to Giannis putting the entire team on his back and making it a one possession game. That one possession made the difference, though, and DeRozan slammed home a key dunk late in the action that would end up sealing the deal.

Next: Win In 6 Podcast #151: Making sense of roster cuts, preseason finale

Even though the Bucks had lost out in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, Giannis again became the story. The Greek Freak averaged 24.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks in one hell of a postseason coming out party. The league had been put on notice.

Home/Bucks History