All the talk surrounding the state of the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers is all the noise right now. There is no surprise there, though, considering where each team presently sits in the standings. However, there is another state at play here, and it’s actually in both teams’ favor. Of course, this would have to follow the Bucks and Sixers picking themselves up and getting their respective seasons in order.
State of the East Provides Hope for Bucks and 76ers
Underwhelming East Aids Milwaukee Bucks & Philadelphia 76ers Recovery
Injuries have overtaken the NBA like a zombie-infested virus, and it’s having a colossal effect on the league. However, another strange occurrence is taking place that deserves attention. That strange occurrence is the underwhelming state of the Eastern Conference. Shockingly, the only undefeated team in the entire league happens to be the Cleveland Cavaliers. What else? The Milwaukee Bucks are four games under .500 (5-9), the 76ers are tied with the Washington Wizards for last place, and the Orlando Magic sans Paolo Banchero are 9-6, sitting in third. Then you have the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, who seem unable to string together consecutive wins with below .500 records. To top it off, it took the New York Knicks 27 days to get above .500 for the first time this season. As for the Boston Celtics, if not undefeated, they’re probably right around the spot most would have expected.
The East is bound to open up at some point, and several of these times should begin to separate themselves from one another, if by only a few games at the very least. The looming element here is the overall inconsistency. The Heat are a perfect example of this inconsistent theme. They have won consecutive games (two) just once and lost three consecutive games. Outside of that, it’s been a win-lose-win-lose-win-lose type of season. In general, the East collectively is off to a slow and strange start. This is where Milwaukee and Philadelphia come in, though, and their hopes for a season turnaround.
While the Conference Slugs Along, There’s Always a Chance
On ESPN’s NBA Today, Brian Windhorst alluded to the Sixers’ upcoming schedule, which affords them the opportunity to climb back up in the standings. Tyrese Maxey‘s eventual return also plays into their efforts.
“…in the standings, yes. If you look at their schedule coming up, its not undoable, and with where the East is, they could basically have two good weeks and be in sixth place. So, yeah they can recover.”
While Windhorst and the panel were focused on the Sixers here, the same can be said for the Bucks. The East is simply not very good right now. That should drive some added motivation for the Bucks and Sixers to start playing basketball that reflects their roster. Health and availability are main characters in each case; let’s not forget that. While Philly awaits Maxey’s return, the Bucks await Khris Middleton‘s. While the other teams lallygag from game to game, this is a prime window of opportunity for the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers to make up ground in the East.
