Bucks Week Ahead: Crazy Eight

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Photo via Twitter / Bucks

Pat Connaughton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and George Hill

There are just eight games left on the Milwaukee Bucks’ regular season schedule. After a loss on Saturday night at Memphis, they’ll need to win the majority of them to keep pace at the top of a very tight Eastern Conference standings race, determining all-too-important playoff seeding. Within the final games of the year, Milwaukee will see three of the four teams that they’re currently jostling with for position. One of those teams kick off the week in a big matchup against Philadelphia, and then games with the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics will be part of a crucial final week of the regular season.

These final weeks of the year also feel like a dress rehearsal for the postseason, with the chance for the Bucks to utilize their full rotation, giving Milwaukee’s big three some rest before it becomes win or go home. This past Thursday was a prime example of that, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton both sitting out against the Washington Wizards. Jrue Holiday led Milwaukee to a win that night, before sitting on Saturday against Memphis. Giannis was in fine form despite the loss on Saturday, with a 30-point effort, despite being questionable before gametime due to knee soreness.

Now is not the time for Milwaukee’s stars to be injured, but having the big three sit out of games down the stretch can also prove useful if the Bucks’ bench can find their momentum and play up to their highest potential heading into the postseason. As we have seen in recent years, it takes much more than five players to win a championship, and Milwaukee's reserves certainly have the potential to elevate the team when it counts most. They'll get a taste of playoff-like atmospheres beginning with this week. Here is what's in store:

Tuesday, March 29 at Philadelphia (6 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)

Arguably the biggest game for the Bucks begins the week, with a very important road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia is currently sitting on top of the Eastern Conference, and Milwaukee will want to make a statement inside Wells Fargo Arena before possibly meeting them deep into the postseason. Milwaukee’s centers in Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Serge Ibaka will all look to contain Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who is having a major season and seems to only get stronger, now aided by guard James Harden. With the season series split at one game apiece and plenty of playoff implications, Tuesday's final matchup with Philadelphia is not one to be missed.

Thursday, March 31 at Brooklyn (6:30 p.m., TNT)

The Bucks will continue on the road Thursday night, when they face a familiar foe in the Brooklyn Nets. Milwaukee and Brooklyn were slated before the season to finish atop the Eastern Conference, but it Brooklyn are currently scrapping to avoid the league’s play-in tournament for places seven through 10 before the playoffs begin. Much of this stems from the lack of Kyrie Irving, who has been unable to play home games in Brooklyn, due to a city-wide vaccination mandate for workers in New York. Kyrie first returned to full-time status on Sunday. The Nets will also be without Ben Simmons, who they acquired in a blockbuster trade for James Harden before Simmons ultimately suffered from a flareup of a herniated disk in his back. While there are plenty of issues off the court, superstar Kevin Durant and Brooklyn's deep bench can prove to be a foil for the Bucks. Standings aside, Milwaukee will have to play at a high level if they want to sneak away from Brooklyn with an important conference win. 

Friday, April 1 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (7 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)

The Bucks will return home on Friday night, when they'll begin a pair of games against Western Conference opponents at Fiserv Forum. First up are the Los Angeles Clippers, who also find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture. Injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have rendered the Clippers in a tough spot as of late, as well as the recently acquired Norman Powell, who is steadily making his way back to the court. Like Brooklyn, the Clippers will be motivated to take a win from the defending champions, as they’ll need just about every game ahead of them as well to get into a guaranteed playoff position. Milwaukee easily won the previous outing, 137-113 in Los Angeles on February 6.

Sunday, April 3 vs. Dallas Mavericks (12 p.m., ABC)

A busy week of games for the Bucks will finish at home for a matinee contest against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon. The main storyline to grab the national attention for this game is the showdown between Giannis and Luka Doncic, two of the game’s biggest international stars. Both stars sat due to COVID-19 protocols in their last game on December 23, in which Khris Middleton stepped up to lead the Bucks to a 102-95 victory. Barring any further injury to Giannis’ knee, we should get the superstar matchup that we were promised months ago on Sunday afternoon. Dallas is still dealing with a host of injuries, however, so look for Milwaukee's bench to be the difference maker beyond the all-stars at the helm for both sides. Depending on how the week shakes out in the Eastern Conference, the nationally televised game could determine where Milwaukee ultimately finishes in the season.