Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have established themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA. However, it appears that ESPN’s NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith doesn’t believe the Bucks are one of the title favorites. Smith was recently booed by Bucks fans for overlooking the team as a championship contender this season.
Recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo joined his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo on his podcast “Thanalysis.” Thanasis asked Giannis to watch a video of Smith blatantly ignoring the Bucks as title contenders. When Smith was asked if he wanted to be in Milwaukee for the NBA Finals, he responded:
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so supportive of Atlanta in my life. I don’t think I did.
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In the video, Giannis remarked:
“Basically he said we couldn’t win?
Before Thanasis could respond, to everyone’s surprise, Smith appeared from backstage and was greeted by boos from the crowd.
Given the Bucks’ late-season dominance, it would be remiss to exclude them from the title race. When the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard, they immediately became favorites to win the title; however, the team lost the title very quickly to the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets.
However, we cannot ignore that the Deer are the second-best team in the Eastern Conference with a 45-25 record. They also improved their defensive and offensive ratings.
Can Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks win the title this season?
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks can make their case to be one of the title contenders this season. However, the answer is not as simple as it seems. The Bucks are ranked number two in the East; however, they have many areas where they need to make many improvements.
Yes, the Bucks are one of the best teams in the league in terms of offensive rating. However, they are ranked 17th in the league in defensive rating, which is certainly not the best character on a title contending team.
Additionally, when Doc Rivers joined the Bucks as head coach, being a defensive-minded coach, the team was expected to take a big step forward. However, it seems like they haven’t been able to replace Jrue Holiday since he left for Boston.
Come playoff time, one would expect the Bucks to elevate their defense, which doesn’t seem so simple. Below Doc Riversthey have lost 11 of their 24 games.
Before putting the Bucks in the list of title contenders, teams like the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, and OKC Thunder should also be considered.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been in the MVP conversation this season; However, that doesn’t make things any easier for the Bucks as they fight for the title.
