Milwaukee will make the playoffs ... easily
The Bucks won 28 games last season and are 17-19 so far this season, plus they play in a small market and lack a superstar. So they don't occupy a prominent spot on most people's radars.
But watch them, because they're good. Their record so far is misleading because they've played a difficult schedule with several tough road games. In fact, the Bucks have only eight more road games against teams with winning records. Eight.
Of their other 38 remaining games, each one is a good shot for a W, if not an outright cinch -- such as home games against Oklahoma City, Memphis, Golden State, Washington, New York, Minnesota and Sacramento.
The Playoff Odds project the Bucks to finish with a 28-18 flourish, and that sounds about right, looking at the schedule and their recent performances. They probably won't have home-court advantage in a playoff series and probably don't have enough star power to stick around long once they get to the postseason, but they're a playoff team, and nobody's talking about them.
So, we got:
1. Cleveland
2. Boston
3. Orlando
4. Atlanta
5. Detroit
6. Milwaukee
7. Miami
8. ???
Right now, New Jersey has the lead, with Chicago, Philadephia, Toronto, New York, Charlotte and Indiana fighting them for that last spot. Every game should be considered life and death for these squads.