Milwaukee Bucks

51-31, lost in conference semifinals

Overview: Giannis Antetokounmpo has virtually the same set of teammates as last season. The Milwaukee Bucks’ goal is also the same: a second NBA championship. The Bucks return everyone who played meaningful minutes in their unsuccessful title defense, which ended in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Boston Celtics. “I love playing with people that I’ve played with before. I know where they want to get the ball, how they operate, what kind of people they are,”Antetokounmpo said.“I think in the NBA some years you’re always building new relationships, and once you’re in the peak of that relationship and you figure out how to play with that guy, maybe he moves to a different team.” Not in this case. Milwaukee made few changes to its roster and believes the return of a healthy Khris Middleton could help produce a repeat of the 2020-21 season, when the Bucks won their first title in a halfcentury.

Quote: “That is, I think by a decent number, a record for me in my almost 30 years of the NBA, to bring 16 guys back,” coach Mike Budenholzer said.“I think it speaks mostly to the belief and to the quality of the players. Hopefully it speaks to them wanting to stay and wanting to be a part of what we’re doing.”