It is a strange phenomenon, not exclusive to basketball, where the defending champ gets lost. Most people think that the fatigue from a playoff run the previous season is too much to overcome. The Milwaukee Bucks have had a month less than normal to recover because their Finals run didn't end until the middle of July. Unless a team proves to be something truly special, it may be fatigue from fans and media alike. Maybe it's the Lakers fault, because they've been choking on their own vomit ever since they won the trophy. It's assumed that it's normal in our world.
The title defense of the Bucks didn't start out well. They puttered around at Thanksgiving. The return of the Warriors, the return of the Bulls, and the dominance of the Suns were some of the better stories in the league. The Bucks haven't been able to return to the top of the league. A couple six-game win streaks, but more of a steady climb, as they know what it takes to win. Get healthy and tune up at the right time.
We are a couple weeks away from the playoffs, and now the Bucks seem to be the Death Star they were last spring. They beat the Nets on the road in overtime last night after beating the 76ers on the road. Antetokounmpo went for 44 after putting up 40. The two wins have the Bucks a half-game behind the Heat for the top spot in the East.
Sometimes, the NBA comes down to a razor to figure out who is the favorite. The Heat are yelling at themselves. The project is still being assembled. One of their most important players is not with the Celtics. You spend five months looking for someone other than the team that is the most obvious, and then the very team makes it clear that all that searching and all those reasons everyone kept digging for look silly. There are too many weapons on the floor for Milwaukee, and they have the best player in the East.
We have made it, but this is easier. They spent this week proving that it is unlikely that they will win. The NBA has better eras than any other league. We should assume the latest champion is going to claim an era until they prove they won, unlike the other way around, as we do for the other sports.
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