If the Orlando bubble was the Milwaukee Bucks ailment, this first round series against the Miami Heat is its medicine.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March of last year the Bucks were on their way to the best regular season record in the NBA for a second straight season.
Point your finger wherever you’d like, but when the team headed to Orlando to finish the season and win an NBA title, nothing was working.
They went 3-5 before losing in 5 games to these Miami Heat in the first round.
Two years with the NBA’s best record. Two disappointing exits from the NBA Playoffs.
Sure, they went to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019, but they were the favorites in that series. Not only that, but a dominant performance in game two gave them a 2-0 series lead heading to Toronto. We all know what happened after that. They wouldn’t win another game.
But this team, feels different. Best record in the NBA? Nope. They had the third best record in just the eastern conference. And yet, somehow, they’re better, and I’ll prove it to you.
Jrue Holiday is a massive upgrade over Eric Bledsoe. Gone are the likes of George Hill, Kyle Korver and Robin Lopez. Insert PJ Tucker, Bryn Forbes, and Bobby Portis. Upgrades.
For teams this good, the regular season means nothing.
It’s time to put up or shut up. As PJ Tucker says, it’s time to be dogs.
Through the first three games of this year’s NBA Playoffs, their bite has equaled their bark.