While their new-look roster looked promising on paper, the Milwaukee Bucks quickly found out that the group they had assembled had a litany of problems early this season.
One of the major flaws was that with so many seasoned veterans in tow, it made it more difficult for the Bucks to keep up with younger, more athletic teams. The losses against those squads started piling up, making it clear this team needed some change. That led to several trade deadline deals, bringing in a trio of younger, more agile players to help the Milwaukee Bucks combat this issue.
Since the moves, the Bucks have indeed shown more fight against these teams, but the ultimate test will now come in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Pacers have the attributes that could give Bucks trouble
Top to bottom, the Indiana Pacers are loaded with athletes. Tyrese Haliburton, Andre Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith are the type of guards who can cause havoc on the perimeter, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner are certainly quicker on their feet than Milwaukee's Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. That could be troublesome in a seven-game series.
Now, even though the Bucks are 3-1 against the Pacers this season, including two wins before their trade deadline tweaks, the NBA Playoffs are a different animal. The Bucks, who are already without a crucial piece in Damian Lillard - at least for the time being - could be in even more trouble if they find themselves struggling to overcome an old flaw.
That's where the mid-season retooling comes in. Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims have all helped the Milwaukee Bucks in various ways this season, and they can certainly be of use against this uber-athletic Pacers team. All of them were brought in to make this team more formidable when facing these types of teams. Now, it's time to see if it pays off.
The Bucks will need Kuzma attacking on offense while staying attached defensively, where he may be one of the primary defenders on Tyrese Haliburton. Kevin Porter Jr. will need to remain alert when it comes to jumping passing lanes and creating turnovers for transition opportunities. Sims, if he does indeed return for round one, could give Milwaukee a mobile and athletic big man next to Giannis.
If all three can play their roles, it will undoubtedly boost Milwaukee's chances.
There's been plenty of talk surrounding whether or not the Milwaukee Bucks made the right moves at the NBA Trade Deadline, but if they can go on a deep run here, that chatter will settle. It all starts with a first-round rematch against the Pacers.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.