The 2023-24 NBA regular season concluded on Sunday, April 14. The Bucks, who entered the campaign as title favorites after the Damian Lillard trade, had a relatively underwhelming season, finishing as the third seed in the East.
While the third seed doesn’t sound shabby (Milwaukee won the 2021 title as the third seed), those who’ve followed the Bucks have tempered their expectations about the team. Between the midseason coaching change and the post-All-Star break record of 14-12, the Bucks have given analysts legitimate reasons to question their title chances.
By losing their season finale to the Magic on April 14, the Bucks set up a first-round playoff series against the Pacers.
While the Bucks start as favorites on paper, many analysts expect Tyrese Haliburton’s squad to upset the applecart — citing their 4-1 record against the Bucks in the regular season series.
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith is among those analysts, but he expects the first-round upset loss to have severe ramifications. On the April 14 episode of “NBA Countdown” on ESPN, Smith predicted that the Bucks would lose to Indiana with or without the services of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who suffered a lower leg injury on April 9. Smith also urged the Bucks to cut bait with Lillard in the 2024-25 offseason.
“With or without Giannis, Indiana is winning this series,” Smith predicted. “When that happens, I think the Bucks should take a strong look at using the asset i.e. Damian Lillard, and moving him from Milwaukee this summer.”
“I don’t think he wants to be there,” Smith said of Lillard’s mindset. “I don’t think his play looks like he wants to be there.”
Smith then brought up Lillard’s limitations as a perimeter defender and why his game hasn’t meshed well in Milwaukee.
“What we anticipated about the Bucks never existed,” Smith added. “I think it shows itself in this first-round series [against Indiana].
Has Damian Lillard Regressed?
To Smith’s point, Lillard’s production has dropped significantly since his arrival in Milwaukee. The 8-time All-Star is averaging his fewest points (24.3) in a full season (not including 2021-22) since his third year in the league when he averaged 21. Lillard is also shooting his worst percentage from three (35%) since the 2014-15 campaign.
Despite his and his team’s palpable struggles, Lillard is confident going into the first-round series against the Pacers. After Milwaukee’s 113-88 loss to Orlando on April 14, Lillard sounded upbeat about his team’s postseason chances.
“I think the one thing about the playoffs, especially this season, everybody can beat everybody,” Lillard said, via Oregon Live. “That’s really how I feel about it. Happy we have home court. It’s a team that we’re familiar with. We know that they like to play fast. They score a lot of points.”
Milwaukee Wasn’t the Preferred Destination
It’s no secret that Lillard preferred a move to the Miami Heat when he first requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023.
In an interview with Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports on Oct. 23, 2023, Lillard confirmed the veracity of those reports, revealing that he and Heat star Jimmy Butler wanted to link up as teammates.
“We’ve [Butler and I] always been in some form of contact with each other,” Lillard said. “And I said it, initially I was like, ‘I want to go to Miami.’ He was a big part of that. It didn’t happen. I’m here now. But our relationship will be the same. The same respect. It’s just something that didn’t happen. It was out of his control and mine.”
Perhaps if the Bucks suffer an early flameout in the 2024 postseason, the Lillard could get his wish of going to Miami, albeit a year later.
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