Has the NBA title window closed for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks?

Starting the season 1-3 isn’t the end of the world, but for a team with championship aspirations like the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s an uneasy beginning.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard still haven’t found their groove, and it’s clear this partnership needs more time — and help. Khris Middleton is still sidelined. The core is aging, the bench is weak, and the prospect pool is almost nonexistent. To make matters worse, the Bucks don’t control a single draft pick until 2031. And, oh yeah — Doc Rivers is the coach. Has the title window in Milwaukee quietly creaked shut?

I’d bet on yes, the Giannis Era Bucks will go down as one-and-done champions. And there’s nothing wrong with that by any means. Their 2021 title run was one for the ages with Giannis looking like he was going to be sidelined by a major injury only to return, dominate, and drop 50 points in the clincher.

Of course, there are no certainties in the NBA. Trades and surprises happen. Injuries occur. Just ask the 2019 Raptors.

(Stefan Milic/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Giannis-Dame duo still has a chance to flourish. Statistically, they still rank highly when Giannis screens for Lillard. This is despite the fact that Giannis is a mediocre screener. He’ll often step into the defender and make light contact before slipping toward the rim, whereas Brook Lopez will make hard contact at an angle that gives Lillard a runway to the rim or space to get into his jumper. For now, Lopez sets almost double the number of screens for Lillard that Giannis does. So, Giannis must improve in this department and should prioritize this even if it means receiving fewer shots himself.

Milwaukee acquired Lillard for good reason. And after a down year, he now looks just as spry as he did during the 2022-23 season in Portland when he averaged career-highs with 32.2 points on 64.5% true shooting. At some point, the Bucks will probably get over .500, Giannis and Dame will have some standout performances, and Middleton will return. There will be a sense of optimism in Milwaukee, at least for a while.

The issue is just about everyone else on the roster. Without…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/has-the-nba-title-window-closed-for-giannis-antetokounmpo-and-the-milwaukee-bucks-155628980.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-31 15:56:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.