Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets Preview: Milwaukee Looks to Keep the Good Times Rolling

Two games in and I feel confident in saying that the Milwaukee Bucks are the best team in basketball. Game three will be on the national stage as the Bucks will welcome the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum hoping to move up to 3-0 for the season. This will continue the battle of the best player in the world (Giannis Antetokounmpo) against someone that is looking for that crown (Kevin Durant).

Where We’re At

Ok, ok, I hear you...yes there are points where the offense struggles, yes the injuries to key players isn’t ideal, and yes Milwaukee has played two bad teams. But the saying is defense wins championships and this team looks like a pain in the ass to play against. The Bucks are putting more pressure on the perimeter to limit a team’s open looks from three and if you get near the rim, you have two seven footers ready to block whatever weak sauce you put out there. The Bucks seem to truly be back to their peak ways on the defensive side and that will create great transitions opportunities now that the take foul has been thankfully eliminated.

The Bucks will play a team that seems as though they are one timeout away from being in crisis. The Brooklyn Nets looked like the biggest s***show in the league before Robert Sarver and Ime Udoka decided to force their way into the discussion. It’s hard not to see why the Nets are a mess either; your best player wants the coach and GM fired while demanding a trade. Your other key piece hasn’t played basketball in almost two years and is STILL afraid to shoot a basketball; and then Kyrie.....exists. The Nets started the season with a blowout loss to the New Orleans Pelicans before squeaking by the Toronto Raptors and this past Monday allowed 45 points in the third quarter in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Nets have the worst defensive rating this season so far, while Milwaukee has the best.

Player to Watch

The key to Milwaukee’s defensive success has a lot to do with Brook Lopez. He seems to be as close to his normal standards as we can ask someone who had back surgery could provide. He had five blocked shots last Saturday against the Houston Rockets but he will have a different assignment than Joel Embiid and Jabari Smith Jr. Lopez might have to pay attention to Nic Claxton who has averaged 16.0 points per game shooting 75% from the field so his rim rolling in a two-man game will be something to watch.