It’s incredible to think of how far the Bucks have climbed from their worst season in franchise history.
It was five years ago when the Bucks had only won 15 games, the 2013-14 season. Now, they have the NBA’s best record and a chance to go much farther than any Bucks team in at least a generation.
Milwaukee brings an NBA-leading 48-15 record into the week and will be eyeing its first 50-win season in 18 years.
The Bucks visit Phoenix on Monday, then return home for games against Indiana and Charlotte before wrapping up with a visit to San Antonio on Sunday. (Every game will air on WTMJ, your Bucks flagship.station.)
Five years ago, three current Bucks were on the roster, including the core of the team’s two current All-Stars: then-rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, who was in his second year.
Back then, Antetokounmpo was playing 24.6 minutes per contest and averaging 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest while learning the NBA game as a teenager.
Middleton was showing his outside stroke at a 41.4 percent clip, but scoring 12.1 points per contest on a team trying to find itself, being led in scoring by Brandon Knight and Ramon Sessions. However, they were 28th in overall scoring and 25th in points allowed.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton are now leaders in their prime, combining for 44.7 points, 18.6 rebounds and 10.3 assists per contest – but even more, they’re leading a team with six scorers averaging double figures. That’s even more than their 1970-71 NBA Championship team led by Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscer Robertson.
Now, for what this team has in front of them – a lot of territory they have not traveled as a franchise in a very long time:
Milwaukee hasn’t won 50 games since going 52-30 in the 2000-01 season.
The Bucks will have a shot to win 60 for the first time in nearly 40 years, having gone 60-22 in 1980-81.
Twice, Milwaukee has finished the season with the NBA’s best record, 1970-71 and 1973-74. Each time, they made the NBA Finals.
They currently are on pace for a 62-win season, which would be the third-highest win total in franchise history.