Bucks Week Ahead: Bucks at the Break

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Giannis Antetokounmpo & Khris Middleton 2022 All Star Game

Play has paused in the NBA for the 2022 All-Star break, and for the Milwaukee Bucks, things are looking largely positive. As it currently stands, the Bucks are in a three-way tie in the Eastern Conference, alongside the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers at two and a half games off of the top position. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls lead the conference at the break, both with a 38-21 record. As we’ve seen in a race this tight, though, all it takes is a winning streak for things to flip entirely on their head.

If the season were to end right now, the Bucks would hold the fifth playoff spot, and would play the fourth seed, currently occupied by the Cavaliers. That will most likely change between now and April 10, however, with 22 games remaining on the schedule, and half of those games being matchups worthy of nationally televised spotlights. The playoff situation in the East is far more volatile than in the Western Conference, where the Phoenix Suns are holding the first playoff spot with a six and a half game lead on their closest competitor in the Golden State Warriors. Anything can happen, but Milwaukee will look to avoid any slides into the NBA’s play-in tournament, and will most likely do so.

Milwaukee’s all stars have been a highlight of the season so far, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the team in points, rebounds, and blocks, proving his superstar status on both ends of the floor. Khris Middleton follows Giannis in terms of points per game, but the third component of Milwaukee’s big three was certainly snubbed from All-Star status. Jrue Holiday has been the workhorse for the Bucks this year, leading the team in assists and steals, as well as averaging the most minutes played per game. While only one team, Golden State, had three representatives in the All-Star Game, Holiday certainly had made a case to be honored this year.

On the injury front, Pat Connaughton will be out for a month with a fractured right hand that required surgery, and George Hill recently missed time due to a neck issue. The biggest story, though, will be Brook Lopez, who traveled with the team on their west coast road trip, and received a checkup on his back, after undergoing surgery earlier in the year. There hasn’t been a definite timetable for his return, but getting him back into the rotation along with newly acquired center Serge Ibaka and Giannis before the end of the season would be crucial to a playoff run.

Just one game is on Milwaukee’s docket for the week ahead, as the league will be on the All-Star break until Thursday, and the Bucks won’t actually play again until the weekend. That gives the team some much needed recovery time in a tight race, and a chance to reset while looking towards the home stretch of the season. Let’s look ahead to Brooklyn.

Saturday, February 26 vs. Brooklyn (7:30 p.m., ABC)

Just as the Bucks started the season, they’ll return from the All-Star break with a home game against the Brooklyn Nets. The game is very much a tale of two different teams, however, as the trade between the Nets and Philadelphia 76ers has shaken up the direction of the Nets’ season. Since trading the superstar guard, Brooklyn has won two of their last three, but is still reeling from an 11-game losing streak that dropped the Nets into the play-in positions in recent weeks. While losing Harden has made an impact, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the Nets still have superstars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, as well as the newly acquired Ben Simmons in their offensive arsenal. Both teams want to come out of the break on the right foot, but Brooklyn is certainly in more dire need of bouncing back after the week off. Things will certainly be tight, but we’ll see if the Bucks can win the season series with the Nets in the third of their four meetings this season.