By almost any measure, the Bucks are …

By almost any measure, the Bucks are the best team in the NBA, yet they still crush opponents when Antetokounmpo is on the bench, posting a net rating of plus-7.9. That would still rank No. 1 overall in the NBA. Make no mistake, that’s an impressive mark for Milwaukee’s title chances. And, no, it’s not Giannis’ fault his team is awesome when he sits. But in a weird way it could hurt Antetokounmpo’s MVP case — and it’s vastly different from what’s happening in Lakerland. Even though they have Anthony Davis, the Lakers without James are a negative team. They post a net rating of -1.6, which would rank 18th in the NBA — in between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls. Folks, the Pistons and Bulls aren’t very good.