Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks eliminate Kyrie Irving and the Celtics in Game 5 | Bleacher's report

The discussions on Milwaukee's title chances begin with the obvious: Giannis.

The series was in the balance after the two teams split the first two games, but Antetokounmpo showed up against adversity. He had 32 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and two steals in the third game. He followed with 39 points and 16 boards in the fourth game.

Just like that, the Bucks had total control and their MVP candidate was playing as the best player in the world.

However, it takes more than one player to be championship favorite, and Milwaukee also has a formidable support team. Middleton resumed the second game with 28 points and seven three points and proved to be the perfect complement for the Antetokounmpo playoff season. He can drill three times when the defenders collapse and create his own shot so that all the pressure is not on the shoulders of # 34.

Elsewhere, Bledsoe's trio, George Hill and Pat Connaughton held up well against Irving in this series and should be ready for Kyle Lowry or Ben Simmons in the final of the conference after passing this test.

Milwaukee also has many long-awaited three-point shooting points around Antetokounmpo in Mike Budenholzer's system, which was at its best when Nikola Mirotic and Malcolm Brogdon increased the double-digit lead with last-minute triple-shots. the first half of Wednesday.

That alone is enough to reach the finals of the NBA as the seed of the Eastern Conference with the advantage of the field, but the return of Brogdon raises the Bucks to another level. Wednesday was his first match since March 15 due to a foot injury, and he is providing another secondary marker (15.6 points per game) alongside the pair of stars and a formidable defense for the leaders to come.

The Bucks have a championship formula with an elite superstar, a secondary All-Star option, talented players and a stifling defense. They also played just nine games in two sets and did not have to tax their starters. All of their winnings, except one, were recorded in double digits before entering the fifth match. As a result, this team seems ready to bring Larry home. O Trophy Brien.

This light workload separates them even more from the remaining teams.

The Philadelphia 76ers are on the verge of forcing a 7 game against the Toronto Raptors, but Joel Embiid's health remains a concern. Toronto's players have been at best inconsistent around Kawhi Leonard, and Milwaukee is as well prepared as any team to slow down the most valuable player of the 2014 NBA Finals with his strong defense and ability to put Antetokounmpo during difficult times.

In the West, the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets have traded home wins and seem destined for a seventh game in their physically grueling streak. If one or the other would be a potentially huge obstacle for any team coming from the East, this series also required a price.

Whichever team wins, it will surely have something to lose, before a clash between the teams of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers .

Add to that the Bucks advantage on the national court for the rest of the playoffs, and they look like the title favorites at this point.

And after?

The Bucks turn their attention to the finals of the Easian Conference, where they will face the winner of the series between the Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston is entering a dead season that could involve Irving leaving after declining his player option for 2019-20.