One season ago, the Milwaukee Bucks owned a record of 24-4 after 28 games. The team was gliding atop the eastern conference standings and flirting with a 70-win pace.
The season ended with a round-2 loss to the Miami Heat in the Orlando BubbleÂ
This season, through 28 games, the Bucks are 16-12.Â
Fans are being asked to trust the process.Â
The Bucks are preaching patience.Â
With 50-percent roster turnover, lack of training camp, and tweaks to Mike Budenholzer’s systems, bumps in the road are expected.Â
Exhibit A: The team’s current four-game losing streak. A slide never seen during the regular season in Budenholzer’s tenure.Â
Regular season success does not guarantee a trip to the NBA finals. Just ask the Bucks.Â
A less than stellar regular season does not guarantee a first round playoff loss. Just ask last year’s Miami Heat. A 5-seed that advanced to the finals.Â
Lose your mind in the day-to-day all you want, but Budenholzer and the Bucks are no longer measured by what happens during the regular season.Â
Success will be defined by what happens in the second season.Â
Around that time is when the Bucks need to be playing its best ball.Â