After the Nets formed the "Durant + Harden + Irving" super big three last season, some people may think that they may not win the championship, but almost no one thinks that they will not even rush out of the East.
But in fact, when the Nets met the Bucks in the second round of the playoffs, although they once took a 2-0 lead, G4 Irving's injury became a turning point in the series, resulting in the Nets being forced into a seven-game game. In the end, with Durant's failure to kill, the Nets, who had high hopes, lost 3-4 to the Bucks, and only reached the second round.
The Bucks didn't stop chasing the championship after beating the Nets in the second round. Instead, he defeated the Eagles and suns in the series and successfully won the championship trophy. But even after winning the championship trophy, The Alphabet Brother and the Bucks have been questioned a lot - the "Stepping Irving" incident has always made people feel that they are invincible...
21-22 season: The Nets and Lakers have become title hits, but the winning Bucks have no sense of existence?
This offseason, the Nets took "Durant + Harden + Irving" as the absolute core, and introduced Mills, Aldridge and other powerful players, which has been greatly enhanced compared with the overall strength of the team last season. More importantly, the reason why the Nets did not perform well last season is mainly because Harden and Irving have suffered injuries;
So after the lineup is strengthened, the Nets, which have the blessing of the healthy big three, are still in the eyes of the media and fans - one of the teams most likely to rush out of the East and win the championship in the new season.
Although the Lakers only achieved the seventh + first round of the western region last season, under the premise of retaining the "Zhan Mei combination" in the new season, the Lakers management used Kuzma, Pop, etc. as chips to introduce the "three double kings" Wei Shao and forcibly formed the "Zhan Wei Mei" super three giants. If you look at the superstar color alone, the only one who can be equal to the Nets is actually the Lakers' big three.
And in 20 years, the Lakers have successfully won the championship with James + thick eyebrows. So after getting Westbrook, the Lakers are also regarded as one of the teams most likely to rush out of the West and win the championship.
The New Season Nets and Lakers have become the biggest champions of the East and West, while the Suns and Bucks, who reached the Finals last season, are no longer optimistic about being able to rush to the Finals again. Especially the Bucks, the new season neither the Nets, lakers superstar lineup, nor the Warriors, the Suns super high winning rate, as the small ball city's defending champions, the Bucks have always been somewhat obscure, appear to have no sense of existence...
In fact, compared with the Nets and Lakers, the Bucks are the most likely team to win the championship
After playing nearly halfway through the new season, the rankings of the regular season have gradually become clear. The Bulls, Bucks, Heat, and Nets in the East; the Warriors, Suns, and [Lakers] in the West all have a chance to reach the Finals. Although the Bucks' superstar lineup in the new season is not as gorgeous as the Nets and Lakers, the record is not as good as that of the Warriors, Nets and other teams. But compared to the Nets, Lakers and other teams, in fact, the Bucks are the most likely team to win the championship in the new season...
1. The overall lineup is relatively reasonable, and it can achieve the integration of attack and defense. Although the Nets introduced Aldridge, Mills and others in the new season, their personal performance did not meet expectations, resulting in the Nets wanting to win, most of which had to rely on durant and Harden's play. The Lakers, because of the introduction of Wei Shao, completely led to the deformity of the lineup and the imbalance of attack and defense, which is the main reason why they have not been able to play dominance in the new season.
In contrast, the Bucks' core lineup in the new season has not changed much, with Holliday, Connaughton, Grayson Allen, etc. on the guard line, and two superstars on the front line, such as Alphabet Brother and Middleton; and the center position has Lopez and Cousins (playing well). It can be said that no one can beat the lakers and nets in terms of the luxury of superstars alone, but if it is reasonable, the Bucks should be second to none.
And this is actually the basis of the Bucks' winning, judging from last season's game, they actually rely on the rationality of the lineup + defensive oppression, which is the end.
2. Chemical reaction and health level. Compared with the Lakers' lineup in the new season, the Bucks have made drastic changes, not only retaining the core lineup of "Alphabet Brother + Holliday + Middleton", but even the main rotation of the team has not changed much.
So even if the Bucks were not very good at the time in the new season, as Middleton + Holliday's status recovered, the Bucks naturally played the chemistry, regained the state they were in when they were fighting for the championship last year, and easily played a wave of 6 consecutive wins.
At the same time, with a record of 25 wins and 13 losses, they are squeezed into the third place in the East; from the current record and state of the Bucks, even in the second half of the schedule, they have a very large possibility to surpass the Bulls and Nets and officially reach the top of the East.
And compared with the nets and Lakers core lineup injuries continue to affect, the bucks' core lineup in the new season is relatively healthier. You know, last season, the Bucks beat the Nets in the second round of the playoffs with a relatively healthy lineup. If the Nets' big three giants are still "three missing one" or "three missing two" in this year's playoffs, then when they encounter the Bucks, don't say revenge, they are still difficult to advance.
3. After winning the championship, the alphabet brother still has some progress. The new season's alphabet brother 28.1 points, 11.6 boards, 5.7 assists, 54.1% shooting rate + 28.6% three-point shooting rate of the individual performance, although compared to recent seasons have not shown much progress. But in fact, Brother Alphabet's style of play is more mature than in previous seasons - he is more adept at using the advantages of his teammates to cover up his own shortcomings, and he is becoming more and more super-powerful.
Especially in the case of the implementation of the league's new rules and the sharp decline in the average score of stars per game, the offensive end of the alphabet brother still maintains a rare performance of 28.1 points; in addition, so far in the new season, the alphabet brother has almost played the performance of the best defensive player in the league.
It can be said that after "Leonard's injury, Durant's physical decline, and James's peak is no longer", the player who combines the offensive and defensive ends of the league is now the digital mother brother.
In summary, the new season of the Nets, Lakers, Warriors, Suns and other teams, although more popular, are more optimistic about winning the championship. But in fact, the defending champion who has been ignored, the Bucks, is not weaker than any team in the league, no matter from the perspective of "lineup rationality, chemistry + health, and progress of the alphabet brother".
Especially in the case of the Warriors, the Suns lack a tough front, the Nets coach is not good + too dependent on superstars, the Lakers' direct lineup is deformed, I believe that as long as the Bucks core lineup remains healthy, they still have a great chance to complete the defending title in this year's playoffs.