With the 2019-2020 NBA season fast approaching, Our First Draft is providing team previews for all 30 NBA teams. These are intended to inform the reader about important roster changes for all teams, as well as summarizing the outlook of the team ahead. This includes the Vegas Over/Under line, OFD’s recommendation on which side to take, as well as a projected record for the team.
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
Conference: Eastern
Wins O/U: 57.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Last Year’s Record: 60-25
Projected Roster (Projected Starters marked with asterisks): G. Antetokounmpo*, T. Antetokounmpo, D. Bender, E. Bledsoe*, S. Brown*, P. Connaughton, D. DiVincenzo, G. Hill, E. Ilyasova, K. Korver, B. Lopez*, R. Lopez, W. Matthews, K. Middleton*, D. Wilson
Key Offseason Moves: Lost M. Brogdon, Lost N. Mirotic, Signed R. Lopez, Signed W. Matthews, Signed K. Korver
Overall Summary: Giannis may not want you to call him MVP, but OFD sees no signs of regression from his dominant season last year – in fact, signs point to a better 3 point shot – which would make Giannis an unfathomable offensive weapon who also might be the best defensive player in the league. You’ll hear far more about him in the companion article, so I would like to focus on the Bucks’ supporting cast, which fits perfectly around their all-world superstar. At center, the Bucks start Brook Lopez, or more affectionately, Splash Mountain. Last year, the funky big man shot the most 3 point attempts by someone over 7 feet in league history – and won’t slow down this year – especially with his twin brother as his backup. Khris Middleton comes off an all-star appearance, and his solid shooting and wing defense complement Giannis excellently. Look for him to repeat as an All-Star, especially as he will probably use some of the possessions that the now-departed Malcolm Brogdon did last season. While I’m not a huge Bledsoe fan, he is a serviceable starting point guard who is good about knowing his role, and the rest of the roster is made up of similar players. The Bucks have the reigning MVP (who is still getting better), an excellent supporting cast, and a great coach in Mike Budenholzer – there is no reason to think they won’t repeat having the best regular season record in the NBA.
Verdict: This is a pretty fair line, as the Bucks could win 57 games, have the best record in the league, and still be under. However, I think Giannis is only getting better, and that they will likely have a similar record as last season. The loss of Brogdon slightly depletes the talent in Milwaukee, but the significant weakening of the East should propel them to the over. I project a record of 59-23.
