The Milwaukee Bucks started the 2024-2025 NBA season with a 2-8 record and many wondered if they were going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. One of the surprising things about this team is that they dug themselves out of this hole and are now 12-11 this season.
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Dec 8, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) disagrees with a call made by referee Ed Malloy (14) during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Milwaukee is the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference this season. It will be interesting to see if they can stay above .500 for the remainder of the 2024-2025 NBA season. It is also not out of the question that the Milwaukee Bucks could be sellers at the NBA trade deadline.
CBS Sports Gives the Milwaukee Bucks a C+ For the First Quarter Of the 2024-2025 NBA Season
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Dec 8, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts to a call made by referee Nick Buchert (3) during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
NBA writers on CBS Sports gave a grade for each Eastern Conference team for the first quarter of the 2024-2025 NBA season. The grade that the Milwaukee Bucks received was a C+. This was very generous because they had a very bad start to the season. Jack Maloney of CBS Sports said:
“The first few weeks of the season were a disaster, but even then some of the more extreme Bucks doomerism felt like a little much. There were serious discussions about the organization possibly blowing it up and trading Antetokounmpo. That was never going to happen, certainly not at this juncture. Fast forward to now and the Bucks are not only back in the playoff picture, but in striking distance of a top-four seed.
Antetokounmpo, who is leading the league in scoring, looks as good as he ever has, and there’s more cohesion between him and Damian Lillard. Khris Middleton appears to finally be on the verge of a return, and Taurean Prince and AJ Green — the best development story for the team in a few years — are leading a dynamite 3-point attack. As good as the Bucks have looked during this seven-game winning streak, though, they only have one victory against a team with a winning record all season. There’s still more for them to prove.”
One of the reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks have been playing a lot better is because of the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level right now for them. Without him, they would be as good as the Washington Wizards this season.
Teams Ahead Of the Milwaukee Bucks
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Dec 8, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) and Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) fight for a loose ball during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
The teams ahead of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Standings for now are the Cleveland Cavaliers (21-4), the Boston Celtics (19-5), Orlando Magic (17-9), the New York Knicks (14-9), and the Miami Heat (12-10). Milwaukee would face Orlando in a first-round series if the NBA playoffs started today.
However, there is a lot of time left in the NBA season for either the Milwaukee Bucks to improve or fall out of the playoff picture entirely. Milwaukee could be sellers at the NBA trade deadline if they are out of it by February. Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to try and will his team to the playoffs this season, but the Milwaukee Bucks might think long-term and not short-term.
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