Milwaukee Bucks 2021-2022 Season Preview
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The 2021 season ended with Giannis Antetokounmpo hoisting the Larry O'brien trophy along with the Bill Russell Finals MVP. However, the Bucks star has made it clear that he isn’t satisfied. His only focus now is trying to do it all over again. With that said, let’s look ahead to the 2021-2022 season and preview the Milwaukee Bucks.
Key Loses
PJ Tucker: Tucker is a big loss for the Bucks. While his stats aren’t eye popping, his leadership and aggressive defense helped the Bucks get over the hump in the playoffs. He seems to be that key defensive puzzle piece a lot of teams look for to get them to the next level. While it is certainly disappointing to see him go, it is understandable that at this stage in his career he went for the bigger paycheck in Miami. He will definitely always be appreciated by Bucks fans.
Key Acquisitions
George Hill: Hill spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers where he shot 44% from the field and 39% from three. He adds shooting and defense off the bench as a solid backup for Jrue Holiday. While Hill didn’t have the best 2021 season, in his stint with the Bucks the year prior he was among the best 3pt shooters in the league. This is reason for optimism as he seems to fit well with the current personnel and feels comfortable in Mike Budenholzer’s offense.
Rodney Hood: Hood adds more depth, size, and scoring at the guard position. Along with George Hill, Hood should give some much needed rest to Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. Coming off of the delayed covid season, this was one of the shortest off-seasons in NBA history. Middleton and Holiday both went on to represent team USA in the Olympics Immediately after the Finals. Considering that Middleton led the Bucks in minutes played last year, and Holiday had to play nearly every minute in the playoffs to hold the opposition’s best scorers at bay, the Bucks saw that they needed to take some pressure off their stellar back court. Although Hood’s averages were very low in 2021, it was his first year back from a serious Achilles injury. With his catch and shoot ability and tendency to score in bunches, he could thrive in a Milwaukee offense where Giannis draws crowds and finds shooters wide open on the perimeter.
Grayson Allen: While Grayson Allen can certainly be the topic of some controversy, he could play a solid role on the Bucks bench this season. When Donte Divincenzo got hurt last season, they lost a big-time perimeter defender. While Donte is back and getting healthy, Grayson Allen can help supplement that area by giving some much needed defense off the bench. In addition, he averaged close to 10 ppg last year for the Memphis Grizzlies. He is another player that may thrive in the Bucks system with his shooting and athleticism.
Keys to success
Staying healthy & rested: This is a very quick turnaround given the late start of last season and the Bucks used every ounce of their effort to win the Finals. Giannis played through injury and the starters logged a ton of minutes. It will be key to keep players healthy and rested even if it means losing a few regular season games.
Good bench play: We know that Giannis will be Giannis and the starting line up will do their part. Bobby Portis, and the new additions need to make shots off the bench.
Ball movement: Last season, specifically in the playoffs, the Bucks struggled the most when they took rushed shots. Milwaukee is at their best when they play up-tempo, and move the ball around. With the Greek Freak’s ability to attack, even a few passes can open up driving lanes for easy baskets and kick out threes.
Competition Outlook/ Goals
Similarly to last year, many believe the Finals match-up is a forgone conclusion with the Nets being the favorite in the East, and the Lakers in the West. However, as we saw last year, the entire complexion of a season can change with injuries or team drama. This off-season has already given reason to believe that some of the top teams are already pretty fragile. The Nets are likely going to be without Kyrie Irving, as his vaccination status has been their main talking point this off-season. Also, while you always want to see every player remain healthy, Durant and Harden have both struggled with nagging injuries over the last couple seasons. Staying in the East, The 76ers seem to be a ticking time bomb. While Ben Simmons finally did report to the team, it seems as though it’s only a matter of time before “the process” falls apart. In the West, the Lakers are looking like the Montstars, but only time will tell. AD has struggled to stay healthy in recent history, and while the Lakers may have the most talented roster, they have almost a completely different look from last year. Sometimes these Lebron led teams look great on paper, but they can struggle to find a groove in their first season together. All this being said, the goal for the Bucks this season should be nothing short of a repeat. They may not be considered the favorite now, but as the season goes on and takes shape, Milwaukee’s consistency and stability may prove advantageous for another deep playoff run.