The Milwaukee Bucks head into the All-Star break having lost three of their last four games. The defending NBA champions currently sit at fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 36-24 record. The East is incredibly loaded this season. Only two-and-a-half games separate Milwaukee from the top-seeded Miami Heat and seventh-place Toronto Raptors in the standings.
This final stretch of the regular season should turn into mayhem in the East as the race for playoff positioning heats up. Milwaukee made a key move at the trade deadline, acquiring Serge Ibaka from the Los Angeles Clippers. To bring the veteran in, they dealt away Donte DiVincenzo to the Sacramento Kings, while Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye went to the Clips.
As the Bucks get ready for this last stretch of the 2021-22 campaign, here are three burning questions for them after the All-Star break.
Bucks burning questions after 2022 All-Star break
3. Will Brook Lopez return?
Lopez has missed all but the opening game of the regular season due to a back injury. After dealing with the back issue for over a month, Lopez finally underwent back surgery in early December and still has no timetable for a return.
The Bucks have not yet ruled out Lopez for the season. They remain optimistic that he can return for the playoffs. But with 22 games remaining on the schedule, the big man will need to gain some progress so he can get a few games in to re-acclimate himself ahead for their title defense.
Lopez was a huge part of Milwaukee's championship run last season. He served as a steady last line of defense at the rim. He has also been a capable floor-spacer for Giannis Antetokounmpo to do his damage in the paint.
Bobby Portis has stepped in admirably in Lopez's spot. In 51 games (46 starts), Portis is averaging a career-best 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds, while shooting 40.2 percent from beyond the arc.
With Lopez's season outlook still murky, the Bucks acquired Ibaka as an insurance policy in case the seven-footer doesn't return. Ibaka brings the same skillset that Lopez brought to the table for this Milwaukee squad. He is a great rim protector and has developed a reliable outside shot for himself. But like Lopez, Ibaka has also been dealing with his own injuries over the last couple of seasons.
If Lopez can't return, Portis will need to step up big time in the postseason if the Bucks want to repeat as champs.
2. Can Milwaukee land Goran Dragic?
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Bucks are in “aggressive” pursuit of Dragic. According to Woj, Milwaukee's selling point to Dragic is that he would play a huge role in their bid to win back-to-back championships.
The Slovenian star has received significant interest from around the NBA following his recent buyout with the San Antonio Spurs. Woj mentioned that other title hopefuls such as the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers as teams looking to sign the veteran. In addition, the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat are also keeping tabs on Dragic.
The Bucks have a lot of roster issues, one of which is guard depth. Bringing in a proven scorer who can provide a spark off the bench would be huge for their chances to defend the crown. Milwaukee knows first-hand what Dragic can bring to the table after he helped the Heat take them down during the 2020 playoffs. For sure, the Bucks would want to get him on their side this time around.
1. Can the Bucks Big Three all stay healthy throughout the postseason?
Milwaukee is 24-7 on the season when their Big Three of Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are all available. That's good for an impressive 63-win pace for an 82-game season, but also means the Bucks are just 12-17 when one of them is out.
Milwaukee has bigger issues to worry about, especially regarding depth in the backcourt and on the wing, problems the front office could address on the buyout market. And as earlier mentioned, getting Lopez back is important as they have suffered defensively due to his absence.
But ensuring the trio of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Holiday stays healthy the rest of the way is inarguably their top priority. The Bucks' Big Three has proven that as long as they are available, this team is going to be tough to dethrone in the playoffs.
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