In one of the greatest seasons in Milwaukee Bucks history, this team can set a most unusual record.
The 2017 Golden State Warriors hold the current NBA record for earliest clinch ever: February 25. But the Bucks are in striking distance at 47-8.
Right now, by our count, the Bucks have a magic number of three to clinch an NBA playoff spot. Eight teams make the playoffs, and the Washington Wizards (20-33) are the current 9 seed, and the Bucks have already surpassed what the 10 seeds and below can do in terms of win totals.
Their schedules:
- Friday: Cleveland at Washington
- Saturday: Philadelphia at Milwaukee (7 p.m. on WTMJ)
- Sunday: Washington at Chicago
- Monday: Milwaukee at Washington (5:30 p.m. on WTMJ)
That means if the Wizards lose Friday and Sunday and the Bucks win Saturday, the Bucks will have knocked out the Wizards from any mathematical possibility of overtaking them, and the Bucks will clinch a playoff berth on February 23.
If only one of three games goes their way, the Bucks still can clinch by beating Washington in the nation’s capital on Monday night.