As the Milwaukee Bucks prepare for another title run, several key X-factors will play into their success throughout the 2020-21 season.
Following two devastating postseason trips, the Milwaukee Bucks are back with a reshaped roster ahead of the 2020-21 season.
This team is stockpiled with talent from top to bottom, but they face an uphill battle in trying to make it out of the Eastern Conference, perhaps even more difficult than in the past two seasons. With the conference loaded with an abundance of talent but with no one true lock to make it out of the East, it is going to be a free-for-all trying to make it to the NBA Finals for any team.
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That poses a fair amount of difficulty for the Milwaukee Bucks and here are three X-factors that could help them reach their goal of making the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.
X-factor No. 3 – Consistency from Donte DiVincenzo
Before the NBA’s restart this past season, many pegged Donte DiVincenzo as the X-factor for the Bucks as they geared up for their pursuit of a championship.
The guard had been having a fantastic sophomore season, ascending into a promising piece two-way piece. However, DiVincenzo was never able to reclaim the pre-hiatus momentum that made him a regular in Milwaukee’s rotation, and it hindered the team significantly before their eventual playoff exit in the second round.
Reflecting on his bubble performance during his Media Day appearance, DiVincenzo made it clear that there were no excuses for why he was unable to recapture that momentum:
"“There are no excuses. I was hitting my stride towards the latter half of the season and no matter what it was, the offseason or the bubble, there are no excuses. I got to be better, especially when we’re trying to make a run at a title. So I took that and had been working out with a chip on my shoulder just to get better. And then coming into this year, just mentally being able to handle ups and downs. It’s going to be an interesting season, so being able to stay level-headed, mentally focused and just keep getting better everyday, that’s my main goal.”"
Entering his third season, consistency is the key for DiVincenzo. There were games last year that the Villanova product would check-in and make an immediate positive impact, but other nights where he was virtually unplayable.
Now, they are banking on him to take another step in the right direction as he gets promoted into the starting lineup. With a more prominent role on a team right in the thick of title contenders, a strong season from DiVincenzo is going to be crucial. If the 23-year-old can consistently knock down shots from behind the arc and pick up where he left off defensively, it would be substantial for the Bucks.
With an eventful past few months behind him, which nearly saw him dealt to the Sacramento Kings as part of the failed Bogdan Bogdanovic deal, DiVincenzo does not lack any motivation heading into the 2020-21 season. With redemption on his mind, consistency from Donte DiVincenzo will be vital to Milwaukee’s title chances this coming season.