The Milwaukee Bucks have a target on their back, and they better learn to deal with it

Being the best team in the NBA doesn't come without a target on your back.

Matthew Dugandzic | Dec 10, 2022

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Milwaukee Bucks

With a quarter of the season done, we are seeing a pattern regarding how teams match up against the Milwaukee Bucks. No matter the personnel or how outmatched they are, every team brings their A-Game against the 2021 NBA champions. The Bucks being one of the best teams in the NBA is the reason for it.

The Bucks are becoming the team to beat

Many think that Milwaukee would have entered the season as defending champions if Khris Middleton hadn't gotten injured. The Bucks dominated the 2021/2022 regular season and had what it takes to go all the way. However, they fell to the Boston Celtics in a hard-fought seven-game series in Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Bucks currently have the second-best record in the NBA. They have been one of the best teams in basketball, despite missing Khris Middleton for most of the season. Now, the Bucks have their three-time All-Star back and are in the process of integrating him back into the lineup. Once that happens, the team will become even more dangerous.

This could also turn into a disadvantage for Milwaukee—being the best team in the NBA doesn't come without a target on your back. And the Bucks better learn to deal with it.

Balancing star players' minutes

Core players playing heavy minutes throughout the regular season will undoubtedly take its toll. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the crew could be fatigued come playoff time and be more prone to injuries once the most important part of the season arrives.

The Bucks cannot afford to lose any of their stars, or they will have a repeat of last season.

The coaching staff will need to give adequate rest to their stars in between games, so they don't overwork themselves. That means the supporting cast will have to deliver and help the stars keep up this impressive start to the season.

The Bucks may be on top of the food chain in the NBA, but being the best also comes at a cost, as every single opponent will give 100% to take you down and upset you on a nightly basis.

With that in mind, it's important for Milwaukee to find the right balance between doing enough to win and not overplaying their superstars in the process. Because no matter how dominant they are, one injury can change the Bucks' fortunes.

It happened last season. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

Published Dec 10, 2022

MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.