The Milwaukee Bucks haven't had the kind of season they were hoping for after winning an NBA championship the previous season. It doesn't appear to bother this Bucks team, since they didn't have the number one seed last season and still won the championship. They were the number one seed in seasons before that, but they didn't have much luck in the playoffs, falling short of an NBA title.

One of the biggest reasons why this team isn't playing the sort of basketball that everyone expects them to is because probably their most important defensive player, Brook Lopez, has been out since the beginning of the season. Lopez has only appeared in one game for this Milwaukee team, against the Brooklyn Nets, and he is a big reason why they haven't been able to execute the things they typically do on defense.

Milwaukee hasn't played the sort of basketball that most people expect from them, but there's little doubt that this team doesn't have a good chance of repeating as NBA champions. There are several reasons why this team can win an NBA championship, but at the end of the day, Giannis Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly the best player in the world, and if he can continue to be the best player in the world, the Bucks have a strong chance of repeating and winning another championship.

Let's look at three reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks are the top team in the Eastern Conference following the NBA trade deadline.

Winning an NBA title is never easy. As we have seen with the past 20 champions, every team is going to need something significant to go their way. Whether that is an unfortunate injury to someone, or having guys on the roster step up more than they ever have. There is a reason why winning a championship is so hard, and a reason why we have seen crazy upsets in the past. If a team is going to win a title, they're going to need everyone on their roster to be playing the best basketball they possibly can, and even sometimes that isn't enough to get the job done.

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Bucks Eastern Conference

3. Got the center they need

The most pressing worry for this Milwaukee Bucks team heading into the NBA trade deadline was their obvious need for a rim-defender and just adding some size to the roster. When Brook Lopez returns, they're going to be loaded at the center position.

Serge Ibaka was a fantastic addition to this Milwaukee Bucks team, and while he may not be the starting center when Lopez returns, he will still play 15 to 20 minutes per night in the playoffs, and he will not only be serviceable, but he will be an elite option for this Bucks team.

2. Roster is built for the postseason

This Milwaukee Bucks roster will be reduced to a 7-8 man rotation for the playoffs. It will be fascinating to watch what they do with George Hill, but he will most likely be the eighth or ninth guy in the rotation. When it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks roster, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis, Grayson Allen, Brook Lopez, Wesley Matthews, Pat Connaughton, and Serge Ibaka will all be in various lineups.

All of those guys are not only high-level players, but they also all defend well. Milwaukee is one of the top defensive teams in the NBA, and if these players can continue to defend at a high level while also scoring at an exceptional level like they did last season in the playoffs, there's a good chance that they can win another title.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the world

It's difficult to argue that anyone is better than Giannis Antetokounmpo. Most believe that he or Kevin Durant are the two best players in the world, and saying otherwise doesn't make much sense. However, what Giannis Antetokounmpo accomplishes on the defensive end of the court might give him a significant advantage against Durant. Durant isn't a horrible defender by any stretch of the imagination, but he can't do all that Antetokounmpo can.

Last season, the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA championship because they had players step up, and Giannis Antetokounmpo finally discovered a way to replicate his regular-season performance in the postseason. Last year's playoffs showed everyone he's the best player in the world, and there's a case to be made that he's been the top player in the world for the previous three seasons. He has two MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA title, and a Finals MVP in the previous three seasons.

It's difficult to picture anybody beating this Milwaukee Bucks squad if Giannis Antetokounmpo can repeat his performance as the best player in the world throughout the playoffs.