After coming out of nowhere to swipe Damian Lillard from the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks now all the eyes squarely set upon them. News of this blockbuster trade continues to generate buzz around the NBA world, at the expense of heartbroken Heat fans.
Expectations are skyrocketing for the Bucks now. So much so that they are now favored to not only win the Eastern Conference, but also win the whole thing! That said, we’ve seen plenty of notable duos around the NBA last season come up short when the lights were brightest. Kevin Durant & Chris Paul, Luka Dončić & Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid and James Harden just to name a few. So, what makes this new tandem so different from the others?
TMSPN provides shares their insights on the potential of this duo:
“The union of Antetokounmpo and Lillard fulfills a long-discussed dream, and it’s now a reality. Antetokounmpo’s immense presence in the paint will undoubtedly create more scoring opportunities for Lillard, who boasted a remarkable 45% success rate on catch-and-shoot threes last season.
Both players excel in isolation, and Antetokounmpo’s capacity to handle the ball as a point forward may occasionally free up Lillard to play off the ball.
Additionally, Lillard and Antetokounmpo are poised to wreak havoc in the pick-and-roll. Lillard’s proficiency as a ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations, averaging 1.13 points per possession, ranked in the 93rd percentile last season.”
Fanduel Sportsbook is inclined to agree with this assessment, as they now have the Bucks as the new favorites to win it all this season. Here’s how the odds currently look:
- Milwaukee Bucks+360
- Boston Celtics+500
- Phoenix Suns+550
- Denver Nuggets+650
- Los Angeles Lakers+1200
- Golden State Warriors+1700
- Cleveland Cavaliers+1800
- Memphis Grizzlies+2000
- Los Angeles Clippers+2100
- Philadelphia 76ers+2400
- Miami Heat+2500
- Dallas Mavericks+2500
- New Orleans Pelicans+4200
- New York Knicks+4600
- Sacramento Kings+5000
- Minnesota Timberwolves+5500
- Oklahoma City Thunder+8500
- Chicago Bulls+13000
- Toronto Raptors+13000
- Brooklyn Nets+13000
- Atlanta Hawks+13000
- Indiana Pacers+26000
- Washington Wizards+50000
- Portland Trail Blazers+50000
- Charlotte Hornets+50000
- Utah Jazz+50000
- Orlando Magic+50000
- San Antonio Spurs+50000
- Houston Rockets+50000
- Detroit Pistons+50000Lillard reportedly expressed interest in playing with Giannis some time ago, back when X was still known as Twitter & a fan tweeted at him asking who he would like to play for before his career is over. He now gets his wish, but will that mean he finally gets a ring? Only time will tell.
