Five Through Eight in the East
Milwaukee has been one of the hottest teams in the league, having gone 12-6 since the All-Star break. Malcolm Brogdon is putting together a good enough resume to at least make a case for Rookie of the Year. Khris Middleton looks to be back to full strength since returning from injury, and Giannis is an absolute stud. Still, the Bucks feel a year or two away from being a true contender. Jabari Parker’s injury history is extremely worrisome. However, the potential of Thon Maker as a stretch five paired with Giannis should have Milwaukee fans salivating. As for this year, however, the Bucks and their stingy defense can be problematic for any team in the East.
The Pacers are rather perplexing, as Paul George’s future with the franchise is extremely unclear. Even on the court, I don’t know exactly what to make of the Pacers. At times, they seem like a serious contender (as evidenced by their top-5 defense since the All-Star break). At other times, it seems like they can’t stand being around each other.
Player Analysis: Doug McDermott is a step in the Thunder’s reshaping process
The eighth and final seed currently belongs to the Miami Heat, who have defied every expectation after starting the season 11-30. They’ve lost a meager 8 games since January 17. Currently at 35-38, the Heat have a half-game lead over the Chicago Bulls for the 8th seed. The Bulls are a total disaster despite Jimmy Butler playing very well lately. However, the Bulls have a significantly easier schedule than the Heat over the remainder of the season. Regardless, I don’t see either team making much noise in the playoffs, but the Heat with the 5th best defense in the league, figure to be a much harder out than the Bulls.