Last season, when Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton shared the court, the Milwaukee Bucks showed their ability to compete at the highest level. With a net rating of +17.5, the team established itself as one of the NBA’s elite on both ends of the floor. However, that chemistry never quite flowed, and injuries limited their time together to just 42 games, unable to share the court in the playoffs. Damian Lillard’s performance took a hit this season. While it was expected that his raw scoring numbers would decline playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, the surprising aspect was the decline in his efficiency. His three-point field goal percentage dropped to 35.4%, and his true field goal percentage dropped to .590, still above league average but far from elite. In an appearance on the Club 520 podcast with Jeff Teague, Lillard admitted how difficult that first season was: “It was harder than I thought it would be, really, like I said, because of my life [moving cities, getting a divorce]but also adapting to playing with another great player [Antetokounmpo] and also with Khris. Khris is a great player too, but he plays a certain way, so I have to get used to playing with two players and I don’t want to stop them from doing what they do, but I have to find a way to be the best version of myself in that environment as well, so there were a lot of, a lot of moving parts, it was harder than I thought it would be.” The situation has become even more complicated with the coaching changes throughout the season. They started with a rookie coach and midway through the season, they made a switch to Doc Rivers, preventing the Bucks from finding a consistent rhythm. **Will things change this season?** The big question is can the Bucks find that rhythm this season. With all the key players healthy and Rivers at the helm since the start of training camp, Milwaukee seems better set up for success. But in a competitive Eastern Conference that includes the likes of the Celtics, Knicks and 76ers, the road to the NBA Finals will be tough. Milwaukee has little margin for error, which presents a daunting challenge: Can Lillard, Middleton and Brook Lopez stay healthy throughout the season? And what about Antetokounmpo, who has struggled with injuries in the last two playoff series? Plus, there’s the question of whether the team has enough depth to withstand the marathon regular season.
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