The Milwaukee Bucks’ title defense fell short as they couldn’t get by the Boston Celtics. They may look at Khris Middleton’s absence due to a knee sprain as the difference between winning or losing this series, especially since it went to Game 7. It’s tough to see if they would’ve repeated if fully healthy, especially since their defense fell off from last year and they didn’t replace PJ Tucker who was vital in their title run.
The Bucks are still in a great place and should remain contenders as long as they have Giannis Antetokounmpo who proclaimed his spot as the best player in the world. They are heading into the 2022 offseason with very limited flexibility and avenues to upgrade the roster. Due to a lack of tradeable assets, spending power, and a high projected luxury tax payment, any improvement they make could be incremental. There is a strong possibility that the roster is very similar to last season’s.