As the Milwaukee Bucks await their first round opponent, here's how we rank the most favorable potential opponents.
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The Milwaukee Bucks finished their 2022-23 regular season campaign with an impressive 58-24 record and sit as the current betting favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at +240. They won’t find out until Friday who they’ll face in the opening round of the playoffs, but here is how we rank the four Play-In teams in terms of the challenge they bring to the Bucks.4- Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks-Bucks season series sits at 2-2, but the Hawks’ two victories came very early in the season. Atlanta, as currently constructed, is nothing like that team. They are the definition of mediocrity, and everything is falling apart seemingly around franchise cornerstone Trae Young, who now has trade rumors circulating. A crazy shooting night from Young could steal a game, but the Bucks are too forceful, where this should be an easy sweep.
3- Chicago BullsChicago and Milwaukee also tied their season series, but what’s a little more concerning from the Bucks’ standpoint is that the Bulls overcame 36 and 45-point performances from Giannis in their victories. DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine are a very formidable duo that will put up a fight, but in the end, they don’t have enough to truly compete in this series.
2- Toronto RaptorsLet’s rewind to last postseason’s Sixers-Raptors series. Toronto was overmatched, but their tenacious play style was essentially to attack Joel Embiid whenever he touched the ball. It ultimately fell short despite stealing two games. Still, in the end, Embiid fractured his face and received a concussion from an elbow from Pascal Siakam, hampering his second-round abilities. I would expect a similar style in defending Giannis. Regardless, this core of players has playoff experience with a championship coach. They are always a tough out.
1- Miami HeatNo one ever wants to play the Heat in the first round. Yes, this isn’t the same iteration from last season, which was a Jimmy Butler three away from being in the NBA Finals. Still, they are a very unideal first-round draw. Miami should beat Atlanta to earn the seven seed still, but in the event they settle for the eighth seed, Milwaukee would be in for a very tough opening round. A series with the Heat will take a toll on them and present itself in the later rounds. Miami has playoff experience, a championship coach, and Jimmy Butler, who has shown the postseason ability to will his team to victory.
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