The regular season has come to an end, and it is officially playoff time. The Milwaukee Bucks have had their share of obstacles this season - from injuries to suspensions to losing streaks - but they still find themselves with a puncher's chance to make a run in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks finished the season fifth in the Eastern Conference and now have a rematch with the Indiana Pacers in the first round.
The playoffs are a completely different beast from the regular season, as Bucks fans have come to know very well over recent years. Players who were great regular season players can fall apart in the playoffs, and vice versa.
With that being said, let's dive into this writer's confidence level for each Bucks player going into the 2025 playoffs.
I have put my confidence levels into a zero-to-ten scale, with ten being complete confidence and zero being absolutely no confidence. This is based on confidence that they can play their role well and be effective when it matters.
Note that this is my confidence level if they are on the court (injuries not taken into account).
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Confidence Level: 9.8
Giannis is probably the most consistent player of this generation, and we've seen him have an all-time championship run already. If you don't have confidence in him when he's on the court, you will never have confidence in anybody.
There is basically no other player in NBA history who you can pencil in for around 30 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on good efficiency. Giannis is about to have his SEVENTH straight season finishing in the top three of MVP voting.
The only thing keeping Giannis from being a complete 10 here are his free throws. He is shooting a career-low 61.7 percent from the line this season, which could be a problem in some playoff games.
Giannis is, hands down, the number one reason why the Milwaukee Bucks have a shot to make a run in the playoffs, and it will take another monster playoff run from him to do so.
Damian Lillard
Confidence Level: 9
Damian Lillard is dealing with a blood clot that has sidelined him indefinitely, but there is optimism that he will return. If he does return, he shouldn't get the same confidence level as Giannis, but he deserves to be pretty close.
Lillard is a known playoff riser and one of the most clutch and best point guards in recent memory. In his last 30 playoff games, Lillard has averaged 28.6 points and 6.8 assists on 60 percent true shooting and 40 percent from three. Last year, he averaged 31 points on 42 percent from three in the playoff series against the Pacers.
Don't overthink it, Damian Lillard is Damian Lillard. He had a really good 2024-25 season and should be counted on to step up when it matters... if he is healthy.
Gary Trent Jr.
Confidence Level: 7.5
Gary Trent Jr has been one of the bright spots for Milwaukee this season. After a very slow start to the year, he has shot 44 percent from three since November 12 and has been the player Bucks fans were hoping for when he was acquired in the offseason.
Trent is a more dynamic shooter and player than some of the more stand-still shooters like Taurean Prince, so he should be better suited in the playoffs. He shoots 42.7 percent on threes off the dribble, which is second in the league among 107 players with at least 75 attempts.
Trent's offense has been a pretty big X-Factor for the Bucks all season, as they are 17-4 when he scores 15 or more points. He also can be a pesky defender with his aggressiveness and ability to generate steals, and he has 24 games with multiple steals this season.
Gary Trent is probably the most trustworthy role player for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he seems primed to be a key piece for their playoff run.
AJ Green
Confidence Level: 6.5
AJ Green started the season tremendously, shooting 45.5 percent from three in his first 33 games. Then he had a cold stretch, shooting just 35.7 percent in his next 31 games, but he has found his stroke again lately. In his last nine games, he made 24 out of 44 threes.
He shows good defensive ability at times but is inconsistent and can foul too much. It's hard to totally count on him on that end of the floor, though he is still better defensively than most of the Bucks' role players.
Green doesn't have much experience in big moments and shot just 2-for-11 from three in last year's playoffs. Despite his streakiness and inexperience, he is a nice shooting threat and role guy to have alongside Giannis and Lillard.
His quick release, ability to shoot off movement and screens and decent defense make him more trustworthy than most other role players.
Kevin Porter Jr.
Confidence Level: 6
Kevin Porter Jr. has been a surprising steal from the trade deadline, and he has had some fantastic performances that have turned losses into wins for the Bucks down the stretch of the season.
His efficiency is much improved so far with the Bucks (49 percent from the field and 41 percent from three) compared to where it was with the Clippers (42 percent from the field and 25 percent from three). He has been a much-needed offensive presence with the loss of Khris Middleton.
Porter's ability to create for both himself and others is something that is always valuable, especially in the playoffs. He also shows some great flashes on defense, jumping into passing lanes to force steals and using his athleticism to get out in transition.
Porter does have some inconsistency, turnover issues and questionable decision-making at times that make him difficult to totally trust in the playoffs, but he has a higher offensive ceiling than most players on the roster. That offensive ceiling becomes even more important for Milwaukee if Damian Lillard continues to miss time.
Ryan Rollins
Confidence Level: 6
Ryan Rollins has grown into a very solid piece for the Bucks. He has basically identical shooting percentages to Kevin Porter Jr. (49 percent from the field and 41 percent from three), but the two have been very different from one another.
While Porter is much flashier with a higher ceiling and better overall scoring ability, Rollins has the higher floor and is better at limiting mistakes and consistently playing within his role.
It's difficult to completely trust him due to his inexperience and how unproven he is, but Rollins is shooting 48 percent on corner threes, doesn't turn the ball over a lot, plays solid defense and has some nice athleticism. Put all that together, and he seems like he could be a competent backup guard for the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs.
Brook Lopez
Confidence Level: 5
Brook Lopez can be a shaky playoff guy with his limitations and ability to be exposed. Offensively, he has been great lately, averaging 15.4 points on 60 percent from the field and 41 percent from three in his last 18 games.
In his last two playoff series, he has averaged 18.3 points per game on 59 percent from the field and 43 percent from three.
The concern with Lopez largely comes on defense, where faster teams have been able to expose him and limit his impact. He is still nice to have as a rim protector with his size to deter shots around the basket, but there is reason to be concerned about how he'll hold up defensively in the playoffs, particularly against a fast Pacers team.
Bobby Portis
Confidence Level: 4.5
Portis has only played in eight games since January 24 due to personal reasons and then a suspension, but he is back now for the playoffs. He brings rebounding, energy, and bench scoring that always have value in the playoffs, but he also has areas of concern.
Defensively, Portis is hard to hide in the playoffs, as he struggles in pretty much all schemes. Offensively, he has always dropped in the playoffs throughout his Milwaukee Bucks tenure, going from 40 percent from three in the regular season to 31 percent in the playoffs.
Portis does bring some valuable things and has been missed during his absence, but he has always been more of a regular season player, and his playoff concerns still exist. Until we see him have a consistent impact when it matters, it's hard to have a lot of confidence in him.
Kyle Kuzma
Confidence Level: 4
Kuzma is a wild card who hasn't played in a playoff game since his days with the Lakers. He showed the ability to be a solid playoff role player when he helped the Lakers win a title in 2020, but he will need to do more offensively with the Milwaukee Bucks than he did with those Lakers teams.
Kuzma has shown flashes of being a positive player for the Bucks, particularly with his defense and rebounding. If he can cut out the bad stuff from his game and find a little more efficiency and consistency, he can be a nice piece in the playoffs.
But that has always been the hope with Kuzma, yet he still has never been able to do that throughout his career. With the Bucks, he is shooting just 34.1 percent on all shots outside of eight feet.
He also has really struggled against most of the good teams he has faced since coming to Milwaukee, which raises playoff concerns.
Jericho Sims
Confidence Level: 4
The Bucks acquired Sims at the trade deadline, and he saw an increased role after Bobby Portis was suspended 25 games. He played 15 minutes per game in the 14 games after the All-Star break, and he played pretty well, showcasing athleticism that the Milwaukee Bucks have wanted from a big man.
He then had surgery on his thumb in March but is expected to be back for the playoffs. It's hard to see him having a very big role in the playoffs with his very limited offensive game, but he still could be a competent backup big who provides a change of pace from the other Bucks centers.
Pat Connaughton
Confidence Level: 3.5
Connaughton essentially lost his spot in the rotation this season. He is shooting just 32 percent from three this season and has not been the same great role player he used to be.
However, he has started to see some minutes again lately due to injuries and players resting, and he has looked pretty solid. In the last game of the season, he shocked everyone and went off for a career-high 43 points.
Connaughton still deserves a little bit of confidence due to his playoff history. He is a career 38 percent playoff 3-point shooter for the Bucks, and he has played in way more big games than any other Milwaukee Bucks guard besides Damian Lillard.
When the team is near full strength, Connaughton likely doesn't have too much of a role, but there could be times he earns minutes due to his playoff experience.
Taurean Prince
Confidence Level: 3.5
Prince has been a terrific shooter for the Bucks this season, and he sits among the league leaders with a 43.9 3-point percentage. He has been particularly great in catch-and-shoot scenarios, where he shoots nearly 50 percent on threes.
However, Prince has been a below-average defender and has shown little ability to do anything other than hit open catch-and-shoot threes. He is shooting just 24.7 percent on all shots off the dribble this season and only 49 percent on twos. He also shoots 31.8 percent on his career postseason triples.
Prince deserves some trust with his elite shooting this season, but we have seen players like him drop off in the playoffs when their open catch-and-shoot looks become harder to come by and they aren't good defenders.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Confidence Level: 3
It's been an interesting season for Andre Jackson Jr. He went from not playing to begin the season, to then being a starter for around three months, to now completely losing his spot in the rotation again.
Jackson certainly has a defensive ceiling that most players on Milwaukee's roster do not have, but he lacks consistency, fouls too much, and is a very limited player offensively. All of this is what has led to him being stuck on the bench again.
He could be thrown into playoff games in a pinch when the Bucks just need energy and some point-of-attack defense, but he is difficult to trust in a playoff setting with his offensive limitations and foul issues.