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The Milwaukee Bucks will be looking to make it to the Promised Land in 2025 after a disappointing 2023-24 season where they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.
While injuries certainly played their part, the reality is the Bucks weren't good enough all season. When asked about the team's title aspirations at Media Day on Monday after adding pieces this summer, Giannis Antetokounmpo kept it real — they must first focus on simply getting past the conference quarterfinals.
Via Eric Nehm:
“Conference Finals? Finals? We gotta get out of the first round first. Let's start there.”
The Bucks added Gary Trent Jr, Delon Wright, and Taurean Prince in the offseason, who should prove to be solid secondary pieces for head coach Doc Rivers. But, Milwaukee's ultimate success will come down to just how well Giannis and Damian Lillard play together. Rivers took over in the middle of the season last year, which isn't an easy thing to do for a coach. It's also an adjustment for players.
The Greek Freak said he never worked out with Dame this summer but they were regularly in contact. That could be a bit of a concern for Bucks fans, but that's what training camp and preseason are for.
Milwaukee lost in the opening round earlier this year to the Indiana Pacers in six games, but it's important to note that Antetokounmpo and Lillard both missed time in the series with ailments. If both superstars were healthy, it's hard to imagine they wouldn't have advanced. The Bucks certainly have something to prove though because it's now back-to-back seasons of first-round exits. Going out trading for Lillard was supposed to give them the missing piece to another title run.
Needless to say, expectations are high heading into '24-25. However, it won't be easy, with the Boston Celtics just as strong while the Philadelphia 76ers also improved. The Eastern Conference is no pushover.
