When looking back on the last decade of NBA basketball, you may think of the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers battling in four NBA Finals, or the Boston Celtics turning into one of the NBA’s scariest teams. There have been many great teams throughout the past decade that have turned heads and completed the ultimate goal of winning the NBA Finals and becoming champions; however, some teams’ success is forgotten about, and this is the case with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020-2021 NBA season.
The 2021 NBA season was shortened to 72 games due to COVID-19 extending the 2020 season. This season saw many storylines, from breakout seasons to unexpected playoff runs. The 2021 NBA season was a special season, and it became the most important season of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise. After nearly 50 years without an NBA Finals championship, superstar and franchise legend Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to an entertaining NBA Championship, winning Finals MVP for the first time in his career.
However, this team is much more than just Giannis Antetokounmpo, and it went through trial and error to win its first championship in almost 50 years.
Let’s dive into the franchise-altering 2021 Milwaukee Bucks’ season.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Prior Trial and Error
The Milwaukee Bucks have become a powerhouse in the NBA, making the postseason every year since Giannis’s breakout season in 2017. However, they have been disappointing come playoff time, losing in the first round in 2018 and in 2019, losing the Eastern Conference Finals after leading the series 2-0 over the Toronto Raptors. In 2020, the playoff lows fell to lows people could not imagine.
Before the COVID-19 breakout, the Milwaukee Bucks were sitting in first place in the East and were comfortably making the postseason yet again. Led by All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, this team looked better than ever. Eric Bledsoe was in the midst of his second full season in Milwaukee, and the rest of the supporting cast looked better than ever, including Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, and Bobby Portis. But with the season coming to a halt, things changed once the season started back up in “The Bubble”.
Milwaukee would struggle to find the same success prior to “The Bubble” and would fall to the underdog Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. With this series loss, sports media and fans were concerned with Giannis’s ability to perform in the playoffs. Trade rumors were swirling, and things could not get worse for Milwaukee.
In the following off-season, Milwaukee would acquire the missing piece for its championship team, fixing all of its issues.
Jrue Holiday’s Arrival Sparked the Bucks’ Championship Mindset
Jrue Holiday was drafted in 2009 by the Philadelphia 76ers and would spend eleven years with the 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans. He would make his first All-Star team in the 2012-2013 season and would become one of the best perimeter defenders in the sport.
After the 2019-2020 season, the Milwaukee Bucks felt they needed to make a big splash after their post-season collapse, and this would become the biggest addition for the upcoming season. Jrue Holiday was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Eric Bledsoe, two first-round picks, and two more first-round pick swaps. This seemed to be a haul for a player of Holiday’s caliber, but it would turn out to be one of the most important trades in the franchise’s history.
Holiday would be joining a well-built squad, but he would quickly realize he may be the third-best player on the team. The best player on the Milwaukee Bucks, arguably the franchise’s best player, was and still is Giannis Antetokounmpo, and everyone knows his incredible story. However, the second-best player on this championship team is one of the most underrated players of the past decade and has an incredible underdog story as well.
Khris Middleton’s Rise as Milwaukee Reliable Star
Khris Middleton was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and would have to fight for a spot in the NBA. After spending one season in Detroit, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, and he seemed like an “extra piece” in a trade that had Milwaukee receiving point guard Brandon Knight. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal to receive Middleton in this trade, but with a change in scenery and more opportunity, Middleton would shine and become one of the franchise’s best players.
He would become an All-Star for the first time in the 2018-2019 season, and from then on, would consistently shine next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Middleton would become a great three-level scorer and was considered the “perfect” player for Giannis and his skill set.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton would shine throughout the 2021 playoffs, proving they were worthy of becoming champions. But how did they do it?
The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks Playoff Journey Begins
Milwaukee would finish the regular season as the No. 3 seed with a 46-26 record. Their first round matchup had fans worried, as they would be taking on the same team that had embarrassed them in last year’s postseason, the Miami Heat. However, this was a different Milwaukee Bucks team, and they would sweep the Miami Heat in dominant fashion, showing improvement from last season.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets: The Defining Semi-Final Battle
Considered one of the best playoff series in the past decade, the Milwaukee Bucks would take on the No. 2 seed Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Taking on one of the most talented teams in NBA history had fans and the Milwaukee Bucks worried, and this series went down to the wire.
With Kyrie injured for the series, it was up to James Harden and Kevin Durant to lead the Nets to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they did everything they could. In Game Seven, they would each play 53 minutes, with Kevin Durant making the game-tying 2-point basket in regulation. This shot became infamous due to how close Kevin Durant’s foot was to being behind the three-point line, and with a three-pointer, the Nets would have advanced.
Milwaukee held strong, with another outstanding Giannis performance, playing the entire game and ending with 40 to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. This series was an incredible, back-and-forth series, and this would be their toughest match on their way to the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee Bucks Overcome the Hawks to Reach the NBA Finals
The Atlanta Hawks were underdogs throughout the 2021 playoffs, and they were led on an improbable run by star point guard Trae Young. After demolishing the New York Knicks in five games, they would go back-and-forth against the Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid-led Philadelphia 76ers. This series was the downfall of the “Trust the Process” squad, and the Atlanta Hawks had made it to the Eastern Conference Finals to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.
The series was kept close, but Milwaukee stayed strong throughout the series. The main takeaway from this series was a Giannis Antetokounmpo injury that many feared would sideline him for the rest of the playoffs. He left Game Four with a hyperextended left knee and would be sidelined the rest of the Eastern Conference Finals; however, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday would rally the team and make it to their first NBA Finals appearance since winning it all in 1972.
The 2021 NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks Complete Their Redemption Story
The 2021 NBA Finals have become notorious for being one of the best NBA Finals in recent memory. With many great moments and two teams with incredibly fun play-styles, this series would become an instant classic.
The Phoenix Suns went undefeated throughout the Bubble in 2020, but they would fall short of the playoffs. However, their success from late in the season would prove to be real. After acquiring Chris Paul prior to the 2021 season, the Phoenix Suns would finish with a 51-21 record, and they finished as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, Phoenix would win in six games against the defending champs, the Los Angeles Lakers. They would then sweep Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets and then defeat the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee would start the 2021 NBA Finals cold, losing the first two games in Phoenix by double digits. However, with another 40-point Giannis performance, Milwaukee would snatch Game Three, and this would set up a three-game stretch of memorable NBA Finals basketball.
Game Four was Devin Booker v. Khris Middleton. While both stars scored at least 40 points themselves, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to come out with the six-point victory in Phoenix, tying the series up at 2-2. Games Five and Six would become legacy-building games for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks.
In Game Five, the Milwaukee “Big Three” would show out. Antetokounmpo finished with 32-9-6, Middleton with 29-7-5, and Holiday with 27-4-13. This would be the most entertaining game of the series, coming down to the last seconds of the game. In the closing seconds, up 101-99, Antetokounmpo would show off his athleticism and defensive ability, blocking DeAndre Ayton’s dunk attempt to secure a victory and give Milwaukee a 3-2 series lead.
Game Seven would be controlled by the Milwaukee Bucks, even with Phoenix keeping the game close, and Milwaukee would win 105-98, bringing a championship to Milwaukee for the first time since 1972. This game would cement Giannis’ legacy as one of the best players of our generation, finishing with 50 points and 14 rebounds. To this day, this is considered to be one of the best close-out performances by a player in NBA history.
Conclusion: The Legacy of the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks
There are more pieces to the story that were not mentioned, such as hiring Mike Budenholzer in 2018, or role players such as Brook Lopez and PJ Tucker giving Milwaukee a terrifying defensive presence. However, this team was built on the back of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. This team will go down as one of the best Milwaukee sports teams ever, and each player’s presence is still felt today, even if it is not with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still in Milwaukee, trying to achieve greatness again. He is statistically one of the best players of our generation and should continue to dominate the league for years to come.
Khris Middleton was traded to the Washington Wizards at the 2024 trade deadline, but his career has started regressing due to injury. He is still a shifty scorer, however, not the same player he once was for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Jrue Holiday would be included in the infamous Damien Lillard trade, and Holiday would be sent to the Boston Celtics. He would help lead Boston to an NBA Championship in 2023; however, he was traded before the 2025 season to the Portland Trail Blazers. He is still a great defender and terrific three-point shooter.
This team is an overlooked team when looking back at NBA history and could soon be forgotten. However, for the city of Milwaukee, this team brought joy back to Bucks basketball and will forever be remembered throughout all of Milwaukee.
If you are interested in other Milwaukee sports, check out our recent article about Brandon Woodruff and his improbable return to the mound.
