Now that it matters, will the Milwaukee Bucks prove capable of standing up to the heightened stakes yet again?
If the Bucks are to win another title, it will, by necessity, be more of a team effort than the first go-around. Khris Middleton may not have ripped his knee in half, yet his injury right before the post-season means an already so-so secondary star will probably return as cautiously as he can manage. That predicted decline in production demands someone step in as ballast — whether it be Giannis Antetokounmpo pushing himself ever further (and perhaps hamstringing the team along the way), Jrue Holiday being a consistent plus on the offensive end throughout an entire series and not two or three times, or one of the Other Guys rising to the moment rather than deflating as we’re used to seeing.