To say the 2023-24 NBA season has been topsy-turvy for the Milwaukee Bucks would be an understatement. They began the year 30-13, but still felt compelled to fire first-year coach Adrian Griffin. The Bucks have gone 16-13 since that decision, with Doc Rivers being the man in charge for the majority of those games.

Milwaukee have some signature wins under their belt, including resounding wins over the Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves. But they also have questionable losses to the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz, and just blew a 19-point lead at home against a Los Angeles Lakers team without LeBron James.

This season has been turbulent for the Bucks, but everything they want remains attainable. Milwaukee is still second in the Eastern Conference, sporting a two-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. An Eastern Conference Finals berth could even be expected for Milwaukee if matchups prove optimal in the postseason.

As the last two weeks of the regular season dawn, let's dive into the Bucks' dream playoff seeding scenario.

First round: Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers and former NBA MVP Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are currently tied for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks better be praying they see the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs. No one in Milwaukee wants to see Jimmy Butler's face again after what he did to them last year.

The Sixers represent the lesser of those two particular evils—if Joel Embiid does not return before the playoffs, at least. He suffered a knee injury in Philadelphia's January 30th matchup against the Golden State Warriors and has not played since. Before that game, the Sixers were 29-17 with a +6.5 net rating, which ranked third in the NBA at the time.

But since Philly lost the reigning MVP, it has been an absolute slog. The Sixers' net rating has slipped from +6.5 to -5.8 after losing Embiid to injury. The only teams with a worse mark in that time are all teams who don't seem to mind losing games at the moment: The Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors. That's not the company any playoff team wants to keep.

That isn't to say the Sixers won't go out quietly. Tyrese Maxey was an All-Star this year and has done all he can to keep this ship afloat. They're a deep team with plenty of experience. They absolutely have enough to win a single-elimination play-in game against the Heat.

However, they're going to need the big guy in order to take down the Bucks, and there's no indication Embiid is going to be back in time for the playoffs. It's unfortunate for Philadelphia, who looked like legitimate title contenders with a healthy Embiid. But one man's pain is another man's pleasure. The Bucks could really benefit from this situation if they were to get the Sixers in the first round.

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Second Round: Cleveland Cavaliers

Normally, a team would want to see the lowest seed in the postseason. But if the Cavaliers play the Indiana Pacers in the first round and the Bucks were lucky to survive their first matchup, they should want Cleveland to win. Indiana has beaten the Bucks four times in five tries this season and haven't shown they have any good answer for Tyrese Haliburton.

Milwaukee is just 2-2 against Cleveland, but one of those games was without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks don't have many answers for Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland, either, but both of those players have missed time this season. Evan Mobley has, too. Cleveland has played 72 games this season, but none of those three have played more than 50 games so far.

It could take a while for Cleveland to hit top gear, a dynamic that would work in the Bucks' favor. That is, if they're able to get to the second round and get the Cavs once they arrive there. If this is the road for Milwaukee to make the Conference Finals, they'd have no one to blame but themselves if they fall short.