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As the Milwaukee Bucks get ready to enter into the 2022 NBA playoffs, their journey to repeat as NBA Champions has not been an easy one, but with players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday, they have been able to persevere.
After winning the Central division for the fourth consecutive season, the Bucks have their eyes set on the playoffs. While their regular season was not as strong as that of the Miami Heat, the Bucks continue to hover around the #3 seed, jockeying for position with both the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
There are, at most, six different teams that the Bucks could end up facing in the first round this year – four of which are going to be facing off in the play-in round of the postseason. The Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Charlotte Hornets all are locked into the play-in but still can fight for position within the remaining few games of the regular season.
The following teams are listed in order of how uneager to eager the Bucks would be looking forward to facing them in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Most Favorable First-Round Matchups for the Bucks in the 2022 NBA Playoffs
3. Brooklyn Nets
With how the end-of-season schedules are set up between the 76ers, Bucks, and Celtics, it is a real possibility that the seeding comes down to the final game of the year. The 76ers (Raptors, Pacers, Pistons) have the easiest remaining slate, while the Celtics (Bulls, Bucks, Grizzlies) still have a gauntlet to run through.
If the Bucks were to finish the regular season strong, they could very well jump the Celtics and move into the #2 seed, meaning they would play the winner of the #7 and #8 seeds from their play-in game. As the standings currently are, the Nets look to be the strongest of those four teams, making them a likely winner of the 7-seed.
No one wants to face the Nets this year, especially with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving hitting their strides in the second half. Plus, thinking back to how much of a grind that seven-game brawl of a series was in the ECF and you have the makings of a series the Bucks want nothing to do with.
After having won all four games against the Chicago Bulls this year, the Bucks have repeatedly beaten up their southern rivals. Facing them in the postseason with Lonzo Ball shut down for the remainder of the year certainly can be seen as a benefit for opponents as well.
The only reason to be a bit wary of facing Chicago is due to DeMar DeRozan, especially after his 40-point outburst against the Bucks on April 5. With DeRozan capable of exploding at any point, the Bucks would certainly be fine with facing this team, but still would be a bit worried.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
As Jarrett Allen faces a fractured finger and with both Collin Sexton and Dean Wade being out for the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers enter the postseason on a low note, exactly the kind of opponent that the Bucks would prefer to face.
The Bucks actually have gone 1-2 against the Cavs so far this season (with their regular-season finale in Cleveland), but this team is hitting their spot exactly at the right time. With Brook Lopez looking close to being back in full form, Antetokounmpo earning some key rest down the stretch, and both Holiday and Khris Middleton picking up some slack, this Bucks team really shouldn’t fear anyone in the 2022 NBA playoffs.
