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Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking potential first round opponents

By Brian Sampson

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 06: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sitting on a gatorade cooler looks on prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 06, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 06: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks sitting on a gatorade cooler looks on prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 06, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in an unusual position this season after tearing through the regular season the past two years with very little drama when it came to playoff seeding. With just about a month to go before the playoffs start, they are in third place in the Eastern Conference–just close enough to think they have an outside shot at getting one of the top seeds but far enough way to potentially begin planning for a first-round matchup.

As we wake up on April 16, the Bucks are three games behind the first-place Philadelphia 76ers and two games behind the Brooklyn Nets. They’re also 5.5 games ahead of the fourth-place Atlanta Hawks and that cluster of teams that are only separated by three games from eighth to 11th.

The Bucks still have two games remaining against each of the 76ers and Nets that will go a long way in determining where they finish in the standings. Regardless of how that turns out, let’s rank the potential first-round opponents from most desirable for Milwaukee to least desirable.

Let’s rank the teams the Milwaukee Bucks could play in the first round of the playoffs from most to least desirable.

6. New York Knicks

The Knicks currently sit in sixth place in the East–one game behind the Hawks and Boston Celtics and half a game ahead of the Miami Heat. Despite their standing, Milwaukee would love this matchup against an overachieving New York squad.

Julius Randle has been a positive emergence the past couple of seasons, but Giannis Antetokounmpo’s presence would go a long way to shut him down in a series. They also lack the talent the other teams (besides the Hornets) have on this list and wouldn’t have the firepower on either end of the court to win anything more than one game against Milwaukee in a seven-game series.

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