The Milwaukee Bucks clinched the first seed in the NBA Playoffs with a win over the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. The team currently has a 57-22 record with two games remaining and has maintained a decisive lead over the rest of the Eastern Conference since late February.
Milwaukee’s conference-clinching victory against Chicago came in typically commanding fashion, a 105-92 win in which Giannis Antetokounmpo and sharpshooter Khris Middleton were hardly required. Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez dominated the floor with 27 and 26 points, respectively, while Jrue Holiday was a highly effective distributor with 15 assists and 20 points of his own.
“I like shooting the ball,” Portis said after making six of nine shots from beyond the arc. “Couple guys out, that’s a lot more shots out there so I can be a little bit more aggressive.”
Antetokounmpo was listed as probable to start despite a minor injury but was instead rested while Middleton left early with soreness from a nagging knee injury. Both of these players are expected to play a significant role for the team in the playoffs and straining them at the end of the regular season was not necessary.
“We got a lot of guys that can play,” Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said. “A lot of guys that will step up to the occasion. The NBA is kind of a blessing in disguise. It’s an 82-game season. It’s a grind. Unfortunately, this game has injuries and guys have been in and out of the lineup. I don’t know how many rotations, how many starting lineups we’ve had over the course of this season.”
While Middleton’s re-aggravated injury could be cause for concern as the postseason approaches, Antetokounmpo seems to be well on his way to taking the floor in the first round. Behind the Greek Freak, Milwaukee is expected to make a deep run in the playoffs on the way to potentially earning its second championship in three years.
Though upsets are always a possibility, the only two teams expected to challenge the Bucks in the Eastern Conference are the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers are similar to the Bucks in that they run through a single star in MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has improved on his stellar form in previous seasons to propel Philadelphia to a 52-27 season with three games remaining. The Celtics also have its fair share of stars, namely Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but also feature a more balanced offensive attack. These two teams will likely have to face off before they ever reach the Bucks, a distinct advantage for the top seed if they manage to reach the conference finals.
