The NBA is back! Just like your favorite superhero story, the league brings fun, entertainment, and a lot of uncanny subplots to unpack. That’s why NBA.com Philippines decided to preview the new season comic-book style. We pick out fantastic characters that will take the stage and new amazing arcs to watch out for. Bang! Pow! Boom! Let’s go!
What’s their superpower?
Giannis Antetounmpo has been the Bucks’ superpower on the court for years now. Nothing new there. In this offseason, Giannis harnessed a new power that we didn’t know he had: the power of suggestion.
The Freak’s recruitment of Damian Lillard, which apparently peaked at the 2023 All-Star Game, became a success. Giannis now adds a superstar second option ahead of Khris Middleton, who’s a superstar in his own right.
But at what cost? Losing Jrue Holiday, a vital member of the 2021 championship team.
What’s their kryptonite?
With Holiday gone, Milwaukee loses their top backcourt defender. In his place though is a group of bench players that will carry the load of answering the question: do the Bucks have depth or not?
With Jae Crowder, Malik Beasley, Pat Connaughton, Cameron Payne, and Bobby Portis providing the Bucks’ core support, there’s no definitive answer to that. That will highly depend on how they can contribute efficiently and jive cohesively. For now, it’s safe to assume that this is Milwaukee’s weakness heading into the season. They lucked out in winning the Dame sweepstakes - now they have to figure out how the other pieces will fit.
Who is their biggest hero?
It feels like a while back since the Bucks were in the finals. Securing the biggest deal in the offseason could bring them back there. Damian Lillard, who has spent his entire career in Portland, will now have a fresh start in the East. Putting on a superhero cape and doing superhero things is nothing new to Dame, but this time, the whole dynamic of playing with an equally heroic player like Giannis changes everything.
Who is their biggest villain?
For all the right and obvious reasons, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are the Bucks’ biggest villains this season. After teasing us for months about a Butler-Lillard combo, Dame eventually landed in Milwaukee instead to partner him up with Giannis. Butler, needless to say, wasn’t happy about it.
This sets up an entertaining matchup throughout the season. We already had bad blood between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses even without Lillard in the equation, thanks to the recent first-round playoffs exit handed to Milwaukee by Miami. The Heat went all the way to the finals while Milwaukee scrambled to regain their championship form.
They have it now with Lillard and a healthy Giannis. Standing in their way is the defending East champs Miami Heat.
How does their story play out?
A lot of pressure is on new Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin to deliver in Year 1. The Giannis-Dame pairing was completed with the expectation of nothing short of a finals appearance, which is simultaneously fair and unfair.
Fair because Giannis has been there before, putting the Bucks on his broad shoulders and bringing Milwaukee the elusive championship. It’s quite unfair because–as all superteams can attest to–the first year is always the hardest. Lillard is not a young player jumping ship to start his winning journey. That window won’t be open for too long at this point, which means that Dame Time is about time.
