The NBA Playoffs tip-off on April 13th. The marathon postseason will run until mid-June when the new NBA champion is crowned. Two teams currently stand out in the season as NBA title contenders. The Golden State Warriors, winners of three of the last four NBA Finals, are largely seen as the team to beat. The Warriors may not have the best record in the NBA currently, but they are the favorites to win a fourth championship in five years. Basketball fans that want to see future NBA stars can use the final 4 betting to wager on the teams playing in March Madness and predict the outcome of each game.

Golden State is the favourite to win the title, but they are not the NBA’s best team. At least, they are not the NBA’s best team in terms of wins and losses. That distinction goes to the Milwaukee Bucks. Led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee is a complete team that plays together on both ends. Perhaps their only knock is the lack of a superstar outside of Antetokounmpo. Regardless, the Bucks are sportsbooks’ second favourite as the playoffs loom.

But the big question is, can the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Finals?

Are the Bucks really the league’s best team?

Regardless of their 50-plus win season, Milwaukee isn’t necessarily the NBA’s best team. The Eastern Conference is the weaker of the two conferences in the NBA and the preseason favourite Boston Celtics have fallen away and into mediocrity.

For much of the season, the Toronto Raptors were sportsbooks’ favourite team in the Eastern Conference. However, Milwaukee’s rise to an elite NBA team since January 1st has seen the team leapfrog Toronto.
Although Milwaukee has the NBA’s best record, it is difficult to look past Golden State as the Association’s top team.

How important is Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Bucks have been fortunate. Injuries have not derailed their season and forward Antetokounmpo has been fit for the entire season. Antetokounmpo is eighth in the NBA in points per game with 27. He adds 12.6 rebounds a game.

Milwaukee doesn’t have another player in the top 20 of either category. Either Milwaukee is a balanced team or Antetokounmpo is relied on too heavily, right? The answer to that question is a little bit of both.

Antetokounmpo is having his best season statistically having played 63 games while averaging 32.9 minutes so far. In his previous five NBA seasons, Antetokounmpo has never played fewer than 75 games in the NBA’s 82 game regular season.

The Bucks are currently the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs. Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer may err on the side of caution and rest his superstar as the playoffs approach. In a recent Bucks win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Antetokounmpo played 26 minutes while scoring 24 points.

Is the NBA’s best record important?

Last season, the Houston Rockets posted the NBA’s best record in the regular season. Yet, the Rockets fell flat in the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Having the best record in the regular season does matter as much as many feel it does. The NBA Playoffs are structured to favour the league’s best teams and stronger sides typically prevail in seven-game series.

As it stands, Milwaukee will play the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It is then that the NBA season gets real. Can the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Finals? Yes, but they will most likely have to beat a Golden State in the midst of a dynasty to do it.