Why the Milwaukee Bucks are going surprise the NBA this season
By Franco Luna
Milwaukee has already given us evidence of their dominance
The Milwaukee Bucks' preseason record is what it is, but hear us out.
In the first quarter minutes their starters played together, the Bucks ranked fifth in the league in both offensive rating (94.7) and net rating (net plus-16.5), according to NBA.com/stats. That's been without Khris Middleton in the starting lineup and Giannis missing a few games. For this writer, that statistic shows a bench unit that is still very much gelling together but a starting five that is ready to contend.
Even on a basketball level, the reality is that their newest acquisitions in the postseason make this arguably the most balanced Milwaukee Bucks roster so far in the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. With the arrival of Delon Wright and Taurean Prince, they finally have dogged defenders to wreak havoc on the perimeter. With Gary Trent Jr. starting at shooting guard, they finally have another reliable three-level scorer to make tough shots next to the Big 3.
Their bench depth leaves much to be desired at the moment, but their starting lineup still very clearly delivers a lethal punch that not many in the association can withstand. Assuming Milwaukee's starters stay healthy, they should be set for the season.