2. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks sit atop the Eastern Standings, boast a legitimate MVP contender in Giannis Antetokounmpo, and made a strategic deal at the trade deadline for stretch forward Nikola Mirotic.
Simply put, the Bucks have the makings of a team that could very well come out of the Eastern Conference for an NBA Finals series in June.
The Bucks’ greatest strength is their length, and in today’s league where players that play both ends of the floor are highly coveted, this makes Milwaukee so dangerous not in the East but within the league as a whole. They’ve played the defending champs tough in recent years, but this season they have surely taken it to another level.
Part of the reason is the evolution of the Greek Freak, who is a worthy matchup against the likes of Kevin Durant, and can defend well against Stephen Curry. In addition, the front office has made impressive signings/acquisitions like Brook Lopez and the aforementioned Mirotic at the deadline.
The final piece of the puzzle was Mike Budenholzer’s reign at the helm, as it looks like he’s cracked the code of finding this team’s true potential. Halfway through the season, that potential looks like an NBA Finals appearance.