Insider Reveals Bucks Standing in Eastern Conference After NBA Cup Championship

Now that the Bucks have won the NBA Cup and now experts think the Bucks have a new season.

Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the Emirates NBA Cup championship game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have already had a roller-coaster season, and it's only December. They started the season 2-8 and looked like one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Their transition defense was killing them every single game. Quite frankly, they looked lost.

Since that horrid start, the Bucks have been on an absolute tear. They are 12-3 and look like one of the best teams in the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard look like they have figured out the chemistry issues that plagued them last season when it was Lillard's first in Milwaukee.

They have capped off that big run with a run in the NBA Cup. They were champions, beating Oklahoma City in the finals in Las Vegas. Now, they can continue their run as one of the hottest teams in the NBA and keep their climb atop the Eastern Conference standings.

One NBA insider believes that the Bucks have a new ceiling after their recent run to an NBA Cup championship. While speaking on NBA Today, ESPN's Brian Windhorst thinks that there is a new contender for the NBA Championship; the Milwaukee Bucks.

"There's another contender in the East ... and that's the Milwaukee Bucks." 👀 @WindhorstESPN and @LegsESPN on what they learned from Giannis and the Bucks' NBA Cup run 📈 pic.twitter.com/bNDX0Pyh4x

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 18, 2024

When you look at what the Bucks have done recently, it's hard to argue. They haven't even had a fully healthy Khris Middleton yet this season, either. He has started slowly after having offseason surgery on both of his ankles. He has only played in four games so far this season.

Getting Middleton healthy is going to be key for this team to truly contend for an NBA title. They have already shown that they don't need him to win regular-season games. At this point, the focus should be on getting him healthy for April when the playoffs start.

Lillard and Antetokounmpo have proven that they can carry the load until then. They are two of the best players in the league. Antetokounmpo might be the best player in the league. It's clear that the rest of the league can't stop this version of him because they can't bait him into taking threes anymore.

The Bucks are still looking up at a few teams in the East. They still have to catch Cleveland, Boston, and the Knicks. They still have a move or two they can make at the trade deadline to improve their roster as well. They can make a move to further improve the defense.

More Bucks news: Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Worked Out With Former NBA Star to Improve His Game