Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons the Bucks are championship favorites

Despite absences from some of their core players, the Milwaukee Bucks sit at 22-13, fresh off a come from behind Christmas victory over the Boston Celtics. The defending champions are currently third in the Eastern Conference, only behind the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls.

While teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and Phoenix Suns garner all the media attention due to their championship potential, the Milwaukee Bucks are the league’s most recent champions. Defeating the Suns in the NBA Finals just last year, Milwaukee should still be the title favorite.

Some may lower their chances due to their 13 losses on the year, double that of both the Warriors and Suns, but more context can be had. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday, the Bucks’ defacto ‘big three’ have each missed at least eight games this season. Additionally, starting center Brook Lopez hasn’t played since opening night, undergoing back surgery early in December.

The Bucks have seemingly got past their health problems, with everyone except Lopez being available to suit up on Christmas. Even Donte DiVincenzo made his season debut this Saturday, a player who will likely make his way into the starting lineup in due time.

Milwaukee is a playoff-tested team that’s ready to go back-to-back. Let’s look at three reasons they’re going to accomplish that goal.