LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers bested the Milwaukee Bucks in what could be a potential NBA Finals preview. The Lakers' loss comes after a defeat to one of their top threats in the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets.

Bucks star Khris Middleton was asked if they saw the game against the defending champs as a proving ground for their status as legitimate contenders, especially after already flaming out in two consecutive postseasons. The multi-faceted wing didn't look too much into the loss and emphasized that the playoffs is all that matters for them.

Via Andrew Wagner of La Crosse Tribune:

“There's nothing to prove really in the regular season,” Khris Middleton said when he asked if the Bucks had something to prove against the Lakers. “For us, it's all about the postseason.”

It's easy to see where Middleton coming from with this one. For a team that wants to cement itself as a championship team, the regular season shouldn't mean as much. The Bucks have been the best regular-season team in the league over the last couple of years. They may have finished with the top record over the last two regular seasons, but they have yet to prove that they can perform under the bright lights of the playoffs.

Two years ago, after going up 2-0 against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks lost four straight to end a disappointing campaign. In the 2020 playoffs, the Bucks flamed out again, losing 4-1 to the no. 5 seed Miami Heat in the East semis.

Nevertheless, at some point, considering the way they've been eliminated in the postseason over the past two years, The Bucks still have some proving to do. These regular-season games may mean nothing down the line, but they should give them a litmus test of where they truly stand among the NBA's elite.