Photo via Twitter / Bucks
Part of the appeal of the NBA in recent years has been the emergence of superstars in markets of all sizes. This has also led to the creation of veritable “superteams,” with every franchise engaging in an arms race of sorts to build contenders. The Bucks are building around Giannis Antetokoumpo, who recently signed a supermax deal insuring his stay in Milwaukee for at least four years, and Khris Middleton, who signed a contract extension last year. This week, however, the Bucks will face off against some of the NBA’s toughest opposition on paper. We’ll see what this team is truly made of through this stretch of games.
Monday, Jan. 18 at Brooklyn (6:30 p.m., TNT)
Last week, we saw the latest instance of going all-in to build a can’t-lose roster, with a blockbuster trade sending James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets to join top-tier players Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That core lineup faces Milwaukee at the Barclays Center, and the timing should hopefully be the biggest advantage to the Bucks. Harden, a notably controversial figure off the court as of this offseason, will still be getting settled in by Monday with his new team and system. The Bucks are coming into Brooklyn with two days of rest, and riding a four-game winning streak. Harden, like Durant and Kyrie, is a natural scorer, so watch for an offensive showcase to take place on the national spotlight.
Wednesday, Jan. 20 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (6:30 p.m., TNT)
If Monday’s test wasn’t enough in Brooklyn, the Bucks will return home to face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Another nationally televised game for Milwaukee will see a battle of superstars, which has long been discussed as a potential NBA final at some point. While the Bucks obviously have not gotten there yet, the Lakers are the defending champions, and off to another great start this season. Interestingly enough, this is Milwaukee’s only meeting with the Lakers in the first half of the 2020-21 slate, with the second half of the schedule being released at a later date to allot for any possible postponed or rescheduled games.
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Friday, Jan. 22 vs. Washington (7 p.m., Fox Sports Wisconsin)
If there’s any sort of reprieve for the Bucks this week, it will be facing the Washington Wizards on Friday at home. The Wizards are off to a rough 3-8 start, and have had their last four games postponed due to COVID-19 related issues. Furthermore, point guard Russell Westbrook is out for an expected 3-4 weeks with a setback to a quadriceps injury, leaving Washington to rely on veteran guard Bradley Beal, center Thomas Bryant, and a shaky core group. If Friday’s game happens, the Bucks can either use it to lighten the load of some of their starters, or possibly get back on the right track.
Sunday, Jan. 24 vs. Atlanta (6:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Sunday night will see the end of another home stand for Milwaukee, with the Atlanta Hawks coming to town. With a lineup built around center Clint Capela, shooters Danilo Gallinari, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who the Bucks attempted to trade for and ultimately botched weeks before the season began. The Hawks started the year strong, but things have been trending downward as of late, losing six of their last seven going into this week. Stamina will be important, but things look favorable in this matchup for Milwaukee as well.
