The Milwaukee Bucks now have a team with the potential of winning back-to-back championships. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard playing for them, the Bucks have a solid squad who have the power to dominate and wreak havoc on all the other NBA teams.
Needless to say, fans are excited to see the Milwaukee Bucks in action during the regular season. Many believe that the Dame-Giannis duo will emerge as the most powerful duo in the NBA and overshadow the other pairs. However, there is one scout who believes that the Bucks will struggle against the East’s tough competition despite the presence of the dream duo.
Chris Mannix shockingly predicts Bucks as potential strugglers
The Central Division enters the 2023–24 season with two top reinforced squads in the Bucks and Cavs. It seems that the Milwaukee-based franchise will have to face tough competition in the regular season.
In a recent report, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix cited a scout who said the Bucks’ “lack of athleticism will be a problem in the playoffs.”
“They would probably match up poorly versus Cleveland,” he told Mannix. “I think they match up poorly versus Boston. I also could see Milwaukee struggling more with the Detroits of the world. The Pacers are going to be a real thorn in that team’s side.”
Although the Bucks lack athleticism Giannis’ freakish strength and Damian Lillard’s offensive versatility make up for that. The other players like Khris Middleton and Malik Beasley may not have elite athletic abilities too but are nevertheless good role players.
The Bucks might face a stiff competition against the Boston Celtics this season. The scout said that the Celtics have athletic players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who will cause trouble for their opponents.
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo played their first preseason game together on October 15 against the LA Lakers. The Bucks won and after the game, Lillard gave his thoughts on his new MVP-caliber running mate and the difference it makes being on the court with another dominant superstar.
“Having another guy out there that’s just dominant,” Lillard said. “He can dominate a game and win you a game. … First couple plays, they blitz me, they trap me, and the guy that I’m releasing the ball to is Giannis. So I’m just like, ‘Uh, we can do this all night.’ You know what I mean?”, he said.
Bucks having tough preseason with defeats vs Grizzlies, Thunder
The Bucks have won two of their 4 preseason games. They lost against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the preseason campaign.
The losses revealed one thing which is that the Bucks will be in full power mode only when the Duo of Giannis and Dame is present. The two stars must be playing in the game to secure a good victory. The absence of even one of them will make the team weak and leave them struggling.
What are your thoughts about the Bucks struggling in the East? Feel free to share with us in the comments below.
