In a perfect world, predictions would be so easy to make. If injuries don't happen and if everyone stays on the team, the Milwaukee Bucks are likely to win the most NBA championships in the 2020s. While they're certainly not yet in the same sentence as the recently concluded Warriors dynasty, they have the personnel and potential to dominate the next decade. Here's why:
1. Time is on their side
If you put things into perspective, the Bucks don't have to win right now as much as the Lakers and the Clippers do. That's because they have time on their side with regards to their players. First, they don't have any pressing contract concerns as Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the books until the conclusion of the 2020-21 season. Khris Middleton also signed a 5-year extension just last year. Majority of the roster is still under contract for the 2020-21 season and their starters would still be intact for the 2021-22 season as well. This definitely makes it easier for the front office to simply retain their talent and to just possibly improve on it, rather than having to rebuild every single year. Time is clearly on the Bucks' side as they are well leveraged for the years to come. Expect the front office to build upon the roster and for the players to continue to develop.
2. Experience is already factored in
If you're not aware, the Bucks have made the playoffs for the past three years now. Granted that they lost to Kawhi Leonard's Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, it seemed like the Bucks actually had a decent shot as they edged it out to 6 games. Moreover, they are also ranked 3rd in the league in average seasons of NBA experience trailing only the Rockets and Lakers. This means that as every year passes by, they only accumulate more experience as well. This definitely puts them at a significant advantage over any up-and-coming teams that would try and compete against them in the future.
3. They are already dominating the league
Last year, the Bucks notched a league best 60 wins. Now, the Bucks are also sitting at a league best 53-12 record. There were even talks that the team could make 70 wins before the regular season was postponed due to COVID-19. The Lakers are the only team that's relatively close with a record of 49-14. At this point, it's clear that they keep getting better as the years go by. If you want to talk about stats, Milwaukee is the best rebounding team, they lead the NBA in effective field-goal percentage, they lead the league in defensive efficiency, and are also third in offensive efficiency. Moreover, you may be thinking that those numbers are only like that because of Giannis. Apparently, they're not so Giannis-centric too as Milwaukee is actually 5-1 in games he’s missed this NBA season. Add it altogether and you have a team that's ultimately destined for success.
4. Giannis is only getting better in the NBA
Remember back then when Giannis Antetokounmpo was just a skinny kid who mostly blocked shots? Well, he's seen one of the biggest improvements in NBA history as he now averages 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. In comparison to his MVP season last year, his stats were 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. Therefore, it's clear that he's only getting better and as he's outdoing himself compared to last year. But that's not even the scariest part. Believe it or not, Giannis is only 25 years old and he hasn't even reached his prime. If you have been watching him closely, you can tell that his biggest improvement this season was his three-point shot with a career-high 4.8 attempts per game. However, he's still not knocking it down consistently enough for teams to respect him with multiple opponents seen sagging on defense. But if you think about it, it's absolutely terrifying to think how much more he can impact the game if he starts becoming a knockdown shooter from deep. Remember when LeBron James developed his three-point shot? It was game over for the league. It's safe to say that Giannis is also on the same track.
As of right now, there are a handful of dominant teams that you can put over the Bucks such as the Lakers and the Clippers. However, their time frame to win a championship is more focused on the immediate future, while the Bucks still have a big window to do so. Superstars in the likes of LeBron James (35 years old) and Kawhi Leonard (29 years old) are only getting older as time passes by and father time has yet to be defeated. Moreover, durability will become a bigger concern for the aging superstars as time flies. None of these issues are a concern to the Bucks as they can potentially be the next big dynasty for the foreseeable future. Don't say that that you weren't warned.
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