Milwaukee Bucks: 3 observations from second half of 2020-21 schedule
As the Milwaukee Bucks are a week away from finishing up the first half of their 2020-21 campaign, we finally know just how the second half of the season will go.
Wednesday afternoon saw the NBA release the post All-Star break portion of this season’s schedule for all 30 NBA teams, including the Bucks. Milwaukee will open the second half of the season March 11 when they host the New York Knicks at Fiserv Forum.
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Now at 19-13 going into their nationally televised clash with the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday night, the Bucks will look to better their pace moving forward as they stand third in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.
There’s no question that the second half of the season will challenge the Bucks in numerous ways, both by level of opponents at times they will face as well as the physical grind that is sure to come with closing out this regular season on a high note.
So without further ado, let’s look at the three biggest observations to gleam from the Milwaukee Bucks’ second half of the 2020-21 season.
The Milwaukee Bucks will face a tougher half to close out the 2020-21 season.
For the Bucks fans that are wanting an easier close to the season, no such luck will be given to the Bucks in the second half of their 2020-21 campaign.
Entering Wednesday night’s game, the Bucks’ opponents for the latter half of the year have a combined 50.1 winning percentage. Per ESPN’s RPI rankings, the Bucks have had the second-easiest strength of schedule to this point in the year, trailing only the 13-19 Orlando Magic in that regard.
Of course, that combined opponent win percentage certainly reflects the muddled nature of this season as well as the parity that has come about by injury and COVID-19-related absences. With so many teams residing in the middle of both conferences, there are only a rare few that have separated themselves from the pack, so to speak.
Save for the absence of Jrue Holiday, the Bucks have been one of the luckier teams to this point in the season. Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes noted earlier this month that Milwaukee is among the top-5 teams to have had the fewest players lost for games and given the circumstances to which this season is being held, that is a feat in of itself.