The Bucks have hit their stride — and the rest of the league should be worried

If the Bucks hype train didn’t pick up enough steam during the offseason following the Damian Lillard trade, the team’s recent stretch has given glimpses of just how impressive their upside may be. 

Milwaukee has won seven games in a row and nine of their last 10. They also have yet to lose back-to-back games since Nov. 11, and following that loss, they’ve gone 17-3.

That dominant stretch and impressive 22-7 start to the season has mainly been thanks to impressive play from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard, along with the likes of Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Malik Beasley all stepping up at various times while also playing consistent basketball.

Lillard praised the Bucks after their win over the Knicks for the “different” ways they’ve been able to win games recently, as ESPN’s Jamal Collier detailed. And considering the Bucks had five players score 19 or more points on Saturday, it’s hard to argue with Lillard’s point.

“You put a lot of really good players together, it takes time to jell, get to know each other and make things work for everybody,” Lillard said. “Now you’re starting to see us win in a different type of way because we’re starting to get to know each other better.”

As impressive as Milwaukee has been, the fact that they appear to just now be hitting their stride, yet sit just a half-game back of the Boston Celtics for the No. 1 seed in the East, can’t be a great feeling for the rest of the conference. 

The Bucks look as dangerous as ever, and by the time the playoffs roll around, it’s tough to envision a team that could push Milwaukee to the brink in a seven-game series.