Milwaukee Bucks: Fan perspective on the big talking points
As part of a new series of articles produced exclusively for Sky Sports by NBA superfans from across the UK and Ireland, we look at the state of play for every franchise with preseason set to get under way at the end of this week
Tuesday 18 October 2022 08:13, UK
Bucks superfan Sean Foley assesses the 2021-22 season for his team, and then casts an eye ahead to the 2022-23 campaign for Milwaukee.
Where my love for the NBA and the Bucks came from...
You're probably wondering how a nearly 30-year-old bloke from Edinburgh ended up following a team 3,600 miles away. Simply put, I follow the Green Bay Packers in the NFL and it made sense to follow the NBA franchise in the same state.
I've followed the NBA for around 15 years, however I never followed a team for the most part. I've only been to one NBA game in my life and Milwaukee weren't involved. It was the Nets and Lakers at the Barclays Center in 2013. I was buzzing. I was going to watch Kobe play… of course, he was injured for the game. That said, I loved everything about the experience - the atmosphere, the arena and the game itself.
I've followed the Bucks for around five years now and I run the UK Bucks fan group on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@UK_Bucks). I also host the Don't Give A Buck podcast (@DontGiveA_Buck) with my co-host Matt Votta.
My favourite player
It won't really come as a surprise. He's one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA right now - Giannis Antetokounmpo.
I could watch him play all day. He dominates the court when he's on the floor and can single-handedly win a game on his own on any given night. The fact that he is one of the most humble and loveable men in all of sports certainly helps. His work ethic is second to none and quite honestly, the man is inspirational.
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I can't move on without giving a mention to Giannis' brother, Thanasis. Whilst he may not have the same basketball skills, the energy he gives is unmatched. He manages to energise his teammates and the crowd in one go be it on the court or from the bench. He is the ultimate hype man.
Grade for last season: B
I had high hopes going into it. We were the defending champions and I was hoping we were going to go back-to-back. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
We were missing our starting center, Brook Lopez, for the majority of the season which was a huge loss (no pun intended). We were in an incredibly tight Eastern Conference in which we finished as the third seed but only two games behind the Heat who were at the top. It was so tight, the 2-4 seeds all finished with the same record.
Of course I would have liked to have won the Conference, however third seed isn't a bad spot to finish. Overall, I would say we had a good regular season.
The Playoffs started well. We beat the Chicago Bulls in five games and we looked like a team that would go deep into the postseason. We looked dangerous and exciting and looked to be clicking at the right time.
Unfortunately, during this series we lost Khris Middleton to injury. Grayson Allen stepped in and was the surprise package of round one having a great series despite being public enemy number one in Chicago.
We took on a very impressive Boston team in round two and I was a big believer that the winner of this series would win the East - I was right but sadly it wasn't to be for the Bucks. It was a great series and the better team won in the end. We had our opportunities to win it in Milwaukee when we held a 3-2 series lead but we couldn't get it done.
I could use the common "If we had Khris Middleton" excuse to say we would have won but at the end of the day, injuries are part of the game and you have to get on with it.
If there was one thing I'd improve, it would be our perimeter defending. Too often we were punished from beyond the 3-point line and games often got away from us due to this.
Giannis stood out as our best player on the roster… unsurprisingly. He averaged 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. I'm biased but I still think he should have won MVP. I do believe that two other players deserve recognition for their performances - Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton. Portis stepped into the starting five with Lopez injured and had a career year; Connaughton proved himself as the most reliable man on the Bucks' bench with hugely increased shooting percentages compared to previous years.
Assessing the offseason and 2022 NBA Draft for the Bucks
Going into the offseason and free agency, the biggest thing to be addressed was the future of both Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton. Both players had a player option and there was concern we'd struggle to keep hold of both.
Although it was expected, panic set in when Portis rejected his option. It was a low-value option and quite frankly he deserved more, which he got - $49m over four years.
Connaughton accepted his player option and then signed a three-year extension worth $28m. Again, a fully deserved contract for a player who has improved year-on-year and has become integral to the Bucks' bench.
We also re-signed Wesley Matthews, Serge Ibaka and Jevon Carter. The latter going down incredibly well with fans after his first season as a Bucks player where he showed he has plenty of potential.
We brought in a new face in Joe Ingles on a one-year deal. He's currently injured and won't be available until late 2022 so it could be seen as a bit of a risk. That said, he was a good player prior to his ACL injury and will be wanting to prove he still has what it takes to play in the NBA. A player with something to prove is worth the risk in my opinion.
The Bucks drafted Marjon Beauchamp with the 24th overall pick and for the first time in a while, Bucks fans were excited at who we drafted. I'm excited, he has experience playing against pro's due to his time playing in the G League Ignite. He looked promising in the Summer League both offensively and defensively. Topped off with the fact he has the chance to learn from a great group of players and role models, we could have ourselves a cracking player here.
Overall, an 'A-' offseason for me. We've re-signed some vital players and kept the core of the team together whilst adding an exciting rookie.
The Bucks' aims for next season
Looking towards the 2022/23 season, I think it's a fair expectation for the Bucks to make the Eastern Conference Finals. We have a strong big three with some brilliant role players and we have shown that we can take on anyone on our day.
I'm expecting Giannis to continue his domination and I'd like to think Bobby Portis will be pushing to become a starter this season.
Three predictions for the season ahead...
- We will win the NBA Championship for the second time in three years
- Giannis will be named NBA Most Valuable Player for a third time
- Pat Connaughton will win the Sixth Man of the Year award
Why should people watch the Bucks?
If you follow the NBA but are still looking for a team to follow, look no further than the Milwaukee Bucks. We're fun to watch, we have the best player in the league and you'll get to enjoy my patter on Twitter (Ed: I can vouch for this latter statement). Why would you look anywhere else?
