Expect the unexpected. If there were an unofficial theme to the 2020-21 NBA season, those three words would’ve been fitting, particularly during the playoffs, when a series of upsets and dramatic finishes culminated with Milwaukee winning its first NBA championship in 50 years. The Bucks went from getting knocked out of the 2020 bubble in the second round to earning a ring in July 2021, while their Finals opponent Phoenix captured the Western Conference crown after missing the playoffs for 10 straight years.
Meanwhile, the previous year’s NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, got eliminated in the postseason’s first round in 2021.