Historical Odds Stacked Against Bucks After 1-6 Start

The Milwaukee Bucks will have to go up against historical odds the rest of the season.

Eva Geitheim | Nov 5, 2024

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Milwaukee Bucks

With the Milwaukee Bucks' 116-114 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, the Bucks have fallen to 1-6 on the season as their losing streak extends to six straight games. Though the Bucks are still in the infancy of their season, this start already gives them historically tough odds to make the playoffs.

Since 1970, there have been 150 teams that started the season 1-6 or 0-7, and only 12 of them made the playoffs, just 0.08 percent of teams. None of those teams won more than 47 games the same season, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

Since 1970, 150 NBA teams have started 1-6 or worse. Just 12 of those teams made the playoffs that season, and five of those did that with a losing record. None won more than 47 games. Bucks have a steep hill to climb. https://t.co/CnAtPGh072
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) November 5, 2024

The Bucks went into their matchup against the Cavaliers in a tough position, missing star Giannis Antetokounmpo to injury. The Cavaliers came into the game as one of the best teams in the NBA early in the season at 7-0. With the odds stacked against them, the Bucks nearly pulled off the upset but ultimately lost 116-114. They have lost their last two games by two points or less.

Though Milwaukee might have won the gave with Antetokounmpo available, they still drop to 1-6 and will now have to fight the odds the rest of the season if they want to return to the postseason.

The Bucks have become a playoff mainstay, making the postseason every year since the 2016-17 season, when Antetokounmpo won the NBA Most Improved Player award. The Bucks came into this season looking to make another deep run in the postseason after losing in the first round of the tournament each of the last two seasons. Now, they already are in jeopardy of missing out on the playoffs altogether.

In their first full season under Doc Rivers as head coach, the Bucks have not shown improvement from when he took over last season, while they also deal with the absence to Khris Middleton because of injury. At this point, the question already looks to be less about making the playoffs and more on if the Bucks can avoid their worst season in a decade.

All the Bucks can do is to try to win each game ahead of them. They return home on Thursday to take on the Utah Jazz. The status of Antetokounmpo for that game has yet to be determined.