4 Tweaks to improve the Milwaukee Bucks before 2024 NBA Playoffs
By Franco Luna
The Milwaukee Bucks are cruising toward the playoffs, sitting comfortably in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 46-27.
For a championship hopeful, their on-court performances of late have not looked as polished as their impressive record would suggest. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to be a force of nature, averaging monster numbers and bullying his way to the rim with reckless yet calibrated abandon en route to what should be a strong case for league MVP.
What's up with the Milwaukee Bucks?
A mid-season slump in January saw them lose seven out of ten games and exposed the Bucks' vulnerabilities for a time. Their once-dominant defense sputtered, and outside of Giannis, scoring became inconsistent.
The resurgence of Dame Lillard’s efficient offense package post-All Star break addressed some of those concerns; his scoring prowess immediately bolstered the offense once his shots started falling, taking pressure off Giannis and creating a much-needed secondary scoring option. But with the losses starting to come again, integrating Lillard seamlessly and maximizing his fit with the existing core remains a work in progress for the new coach.
With the playoffs looming, the Bucks are in a race against time to find their identity and peak at the right moment. The reality as it currently stands is that there are questions lingering about the Bucks' overall balance and ability to compete with the league's elite. With a recent coaching change and some key players struggling to find their rhythm, the Bucks find themselves at a crossroads. How they address these issues will determine their fate in the upcoming postseason.
Here are a few player and coaching tweaks the Milwaukee Bucks could explore going forward to put themselves — and their title aspirations — in better position ahead of the 2023-24 NBA Playoffs.