Former NBA All-Star Has Shocking Explanation For Bucks Season Turnaround

Milwaukee has climbed all the way back to respectability after a miserable season start.

Nov 22, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11), guard Damian Lillard (0) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrate near the end of the game against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

After starting their 2024-25 season with a disastrous 2-8 record, the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in the midst of an encouraging November turnaround. Milwaukee has now won seven of its last eight games, and now stands at a semi-respectable 9-9 record on the year.

That's good for the No. 5 seed in a pretty open Eastern Conference. Beyond a clear top three comprising the 17-2 Cleveland Cavaliers, the 15-3 Boston Celtics, and the 13-7 Orlando Magic (who will be without their lone All-Star, power forward Paolo Banchero, for several more weeks), the rest of the conference seems pretty beatable. If All-NBA Bucks superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo can stay healthy, Milwaukee at least has a shot at the fourth seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the East playoffs this year.

The 11-8 New York Knicks are currently the East's No. 4 seed, but head coach Tom Thibodeau, a former assistant under now-Bucks head coach Doc Rivers when both were with the Boston Celtics, has a tendency to run his top players into the ground to rack up regular season wins. Oftentimes, that strategy can backfire, leading to early injuries.

Conversely, the 8-8 Miami Heat, plus the 9-10 Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets, are all nipping at Milwaukee's heels, so the club can ill afford another slide.

Former All-Rookie Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings, now a perennial guest on former three-time Washington Wizards All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas' aptly named podcast "Gil's Arena," praised Arenas for his staunch belief in Milwaukee's ability to pull itself up from its miserable start to the year.

The Bucks have to keep winning to turn it around 🔄 pic.twitter.com/e0PCSvvl02

— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) November 28, 2024

"You know who deserves a lot of credit?"Jennings said. "Gilbert Arenas. "I'm [going to] tell y'all why... Actually, you really like Milwaukee. You're a fan of Giannis."

Arenas refuted this claim somewhat, instead pointing to another key contributor the Bucks' turnaround.

"Don't thank me," Arenas deflected. "It's the schedule!"

Five of the seven clubs Milwaukee has beaten during this run currently have sub-.500 records stretch. Another, the Heat, was dropped to .500 after falling to Milwaukee sans an injured Antetokounmpo. The other club the Bucks beat in this run, however, was the Western Conference's current No. 2 seed, the 14-6 Houston Rockets.

The Bucks will next face off against three straight sub-.500 squads, so the good vibes could continue for at least the next week. On Saturday, Milwaukee will play the 2-15 Washington Wizards. Milwaukee plays the 8-12 Detroit Pistons in an NBA Cup clash on Tuesday, and follows that up the very next night against the 8-11 Atlanta Hawks.

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