It’s reasonable to say that the Milwaukee Bucks have been playing well lately at this point. They proved their point on Thursday night as they defeated the Charlotte Hornets 111-99 to record their fourth straight victory.
The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and the Milwaukee Bucks are the only three teams that have not experienced a loss since the All-Star Break.
Big Gain for the Milwaukee Bucks in the Power Rankings
Analysts covering basketball are also paying attention. In the most current edition of Bleacher Report’s NBA power rankings, which Andy Bailey recently released, Bucks supporters will be happy to learn that their team has moved up the most ranks. The Bucks jumped up to the No. 5 slot in the league, moving up a minimum of seven spots from the previous ranking.
Bailey notes that the emergence of Doc Rivers has been crucial to Milwaukee’s success, especially in light of their recent defensive improvements:
And even if the Bucks are still only 7-7 under Doc Rivers, it’s difficult to argue they’re not making progress.
“During this run of 14 games under Rivers, defence has been the team’s biggest concern under Adrian Griffin, and it’s fourth in the league,” wrote Bailey.
However, Bailey acknowledged that the Bucks’ offence has been struggling lately. But with Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, this shouldn’t be an issue for very long:
“Over the same period, the offence has declined, but there’s no need for concern on that front. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo play for Milwaukee. If scoring is a problem, Bailey said, it won’t last long.
In any case, the ranking of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics is fourth to first, respectively.
