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Bucks are trending toward NBA's scariest play-in team with Giannis originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Milwaukee Bucks are still waiting for Giannis Antetokounmpo to return from injury.
Except they're not waiting passively. Instead, they find themselves on an immense roll that could shake up the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Milwaukee has now won 8 of its last 10 games after narrowly defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Even more notable, four of those eight wins have been over playoff teams.
The Bucks have raised their record to 26-31, which is 11th in the East.
The Hornets are 28-31, and the Hawks are 29-31. Milwaukee is certainly in striking distance.
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The 7-10 seeds go to the play-in tournament, which for most teams isn't ideal, but it could be exactly the right recipe for the Bucks.
Because the Bucks have the ultimate trump card. At some point, their superstar leader Giannis is expected to return.
So picture a scenario where this Milwaukee team stays hot, and then it gets to add Antetokounmpo, like he's the ultimate trade acquisition late in the season.
Is there anyone that'll want to play a Bucks team that has discovered its identity and added Giannis to the mix? Heck no.
The Bucks chose not to trade Antetokounmpo before the deadline likely more because of the offers available to them than because of any kind of playoff dreams.
Now, though, they really can reach the playoffs, and if they can just get into the dance with a healthy Giannis, they can make noise.