The Milwaukee Bucks stunned the basketball world last season when they won the NBA Finals.
Some people discredited the Bucks after their win because they made it through a playoffs filled with teams impacted by multiple injuries.
However, there is no doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of his squad played unbelievable basketball and earned their trophy fair and square.
It looks like they might be doing it again.
Some analysts thought another Finals run for the Bucks this year was unlikely but they are proving that they are still a supremely powerful team who could very well win back-to-back championships.
In fact, right now another ring seems very likely for the Bucks.
Giannis Is Better Than Ever
It’s crazy to say this because he is always so good but Antetokounmpo is playing the best basketball of his career right now.
The MVP is putting up an average of 32.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists a game this season, all of which constitute slight improvements from last year.
He’s shooting 53 percent from the floor and is commanding his team with fierce determination.
For a few years, some have said that Antetokounmpo was too young and too inexperienced to lead a team but he’s proving that sentiment wrong lately.
GIANNIS WINS IT FOR THE @Bucks!
The wild finish to a thriller in Milwaukee! pic.twitter.com/rEf4NDXlqB
— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2021
The Bucks are definitely Antetokounmpo’s team and he is handily taking control of them.
His basketball IQ and his leadership skills have all improved along with his statistics.
In other words, Antetokounmpo’s heart seems to be in the game more than ever before and it’s resulting in him being one of the best players alive.
Everyone Else is Stepping Up
It’s not just Antetokounmpo who is doing such a terrific job this season and making another championship likely.
The entire Bucks team has upped their games.
Bobby Portis is a great example of just how much the team has grown and strengthened recently.
Portis has exploded this year, earning 15 points and 9.2 rebounds a game – nearly a double-double every night.
Since becoming a starter, Portis has also enhanced his three-point stats: he’s now 40.7 percent from downtown.
Bobby Portis had a huge night in Milwaukee.
19 PTS
16 REB
3 AST
2 STL
2 BLK
52.7 FPTS pic.twitter.com/u8pRA6QOI7— NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) December 5, 2021
Khris Middleton is also hitting new heights.
With 17.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game, Middleton has become a very reliable right-hand man for Antetokounmpo.
The entire starting lineup for the Bucks has poured their hearts and souls into improving their output and it shows.
The team is currently number one in the league for rebounds, third in three-points made, and eighth in total points.
Competition?
The Eastern Conference is tough this year but the Bucks are still proving they have what it takes.
Yes, they have to battle their way through the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and others, but that doesn’t seem to be as tall a task as it would have been in the past.
The truth is that the Bucks were the best team in the league last year and they have only gotten better.
Making their way to the Finals will have its challenges and there is a chance they will be dethroned but, right now, the Bucks are better positioned to win than they were at this time last season – and that says a lot about the reigning NBA champs.
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