SAISON NBA 2023-2024 – It’s already the end of the regular season in the NBA. While the Finals arrive in a few days, most teams have been on vacation for several weeks. The time has therefore come to take stock of the season for these franchises. Today, it’s time for a team that was good without really reassuring, the Milwaukee Bucks.
What to remember from the Bucks season
He arrived in June 2023 to replace Mike Budenholzer. More Adrian Griffin will not even have lasted an entire regular season. The fault lies with a coaching which was not in phase with the leaders of Milwaukee. It is therefore Doc Rivers who replaced him at the end of January. The former coach of Los Angeles Clippers however, failed to really reverse the trend among the 2022 champions. Throughout the season, the Bucks never inspired confidence. In any case, not the confidence of their great years. The regularity of their executives as well: only 42 matches played together for the trio Middleton-Lillard-Antetokounmpo. Their defensive ease – notably thanks to Brook Lopez et Giannis Antetokounmpo – from previous seasons, was not found this year.
Yet, Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to shine and carry his team. But next to him, it was more complicated. Damian Lillard took time to acclimatize to his new franchise, after 11 seasons at Portland. Chris Middleton only participated in 55 matches, the fault of a painful knee and ankle. And the weight of the years seems to reach Brook Lopez. At 36 years old, the pivot has significantly declined this season. And after a regular season finished in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, these are the Pacers who presented themselves for the first round of the Playoffs. Without Giannis, injured against the Celtics four games from the end of the regular season, the Bucks did not resist the offensive fury of Tyrese Haliburton and his own.
Our prediction at the start of the season: 1st / Final ranking: 3rd
Le MVP : Giannis Antetokounmpo
30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks and 73 games played. Still an ultra-complete season for Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the standards of an MVP. Named in the All-NBA First Team (for the 6th consecutive time), 4th in the MVP ranking, the Greek continues to leave his mark on all NBA floors, notably those ofIndiana (42 points and 13 rebounds on average in five games). Faced with a somewhat porous Pacers defense this season, Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved extraordinary performances: 64 points – 14 rebondsor 54 points – 12 rebonds. He will have carried out the attack of the Bucks (6th attack), where Damian Lillard took a while to find its place and adjust the sight to 3 points (35%).
More Giannis Antetokounmpo was injured at the worst time, just before the first round of the Playoffs against the Pacers, with a left calf injury. He will not have managed to return in time. He saw his franchise get eliminated in the first round of the Playoffs, a failure for Milwaukee and its star. And a second in two years, after the defeat against the Heat last year, already in the 1st round, with the Greek already injured.
Giannis is the 9th player since the merger (1976) to be named First Team All-NBA six years in a row.
The list:
– Giannis Antetokounmpo
– LeBron James
– Kobe Bryant
– Shaquille O’Neal
– Tim Duncan
– Karl Malone
– Michael Jordan
– Larry Bird
– Magic Johnson pic.twitter.com/vnyWWWft5a— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) May 23, 2024
Le MIP : Malik Beasley
Difficult to extract progression within the Bucks squad. Blame it on a season where no one really progressed. Enough to see a team with a more than satisfactory record but without real team cohesion or ease on the floor. But out of all the Milwaukee players, Malik Beasley had a rather satisfactory first season in Wisconsin. Often positioned at the back next to Damian Lillard, he has the best 3-point percentage on his team: 41.3% while attempting 7 long-distance shots per game. Only his friend backcourt tried more.
Free agent this summer, Malik Beasley is already attracting desire. Orlando, Golden State or Houston would try to lure the 27-year-old into their nets. After a season on a minimum contract with the Bucks, Malik Beasley should even increase his salary. And this even if his defensive limitations cost him his starting place in the last few matches.
The DPOY : Giannis Antetokounmpo
Offensive weapon yes, but also one defensive deterrent weapon as there are few in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again one of the best defenders in the League this season. His versatility and long arms allow him to defend wingers, power forwards and even pivots. Without his presence, the Bucks’ defensive numbers would be much more alarming than they already are. Second defensive blade par excellence, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a few votes in the ranking of defender of the year, despite a team with a very poor defensive record (19th out of 30). And this while their successes have each time been based on defensive standards in the top 5 of the League.
Not helped by the transfer of one of the very best outside defenders (Jrue Holiday) against a player not attracted to defense (Damian Lillard), Giannis Antetokounmpo will have tried to fill in a number of holes. But with an elderly workforce (nearly 29 years old on average, 2nd oldest team of the league), the Bucks conceded too many points on the counterattack.
Disappointment: Brook Lopez
A loss of speed which weighed heavily on Milwaukee. Brook Lopez2nd in the ranking of defender of the year last year, has greatly reduced his performance this season, even if he still counters just as much (2,4 blocks per match). Coupled with the absences of Giannis, Milwaukee’s defense suffered collectively. At 36 years old, Brook Lopez is coming off his 16th NBA season. He suffered this season from attempts toAdrian Griffin, in particular the coach’s desire to take him out of the racket to put pressure on the opposing outside players. The pivot no longer has his former legs, and these ideas seem to have displeased the Bucks locker room, which would have collectively pushed for the coach’s departure Griffin.
MYLES TURNER OH MY ???? pic.twitter.com/OQszzW08D0
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 29, 2024
What future for the Bucks?
Will the team remain in the same state as at the end of the season? Giannis Antetokounmpo is 29 years old, and he’s looking for a second ring. He asked for reinforcement last season, he got it with the trade to recover Damian Lillard. But the duo who were predicted great things did not really know how to showcase themselves. Damian Lillard took a while to get into his season and no longer has all the balls in attack, Giannis oblige.
– Able to score on all 3 levels!
– Able to create your own shot!
– Able to carry the ball!
– Capable of defending!
– Capable of being clutch!He’s often injured and we often forget him, but let’s have a little more respect for Khris Middleton ???? pic.twitter.com/5GXv7Pm40X
— 50 Nuances ???????????? (@50NuancesDeNBA) May 1, 2024
For his part, Chris Middleton is no longer the offensive safety he once was. He is coming off two seasons averaging just 15 points. We saw it in the Playoffs, the winger is still capable of hot shots (42 points against Indiana). But can he do it over an entire season? How many high-level seasons does Brook Lopez have left in his legs? The finances of the Wisconsin franchise are in the red, and it is difficult to see Jon Horstthe general managerdo nothing this summer.
2024-06-06 16:29:07
#Milwaukee #youre #missing #Greek #depopulated
