The Fearless Deer: The 2021–22 Milwaukee Bucks
Fear the deer! Fear the deer! Fear the deer! To call it just another chant would be a horrible oversimplification. You see ‘Fear the Deer’ is more than just a fun sing along at games. It means something to us. It’s a call for attention, a demand for respect so to speak. It’s the culmination of years of being overlooked, ridiculed, and dismissed, by opposing fans and media alike. What it really means is ‘we are here’. We may not be considered a large market team, but we deserve just as much respect as any of them. We have consistently fielded a good team for years. The Bucks have never been known for having long playoff droughts. We’ve even had quite a few free agents choose our city over other, larger markets, but somehow the narrative around our team never changes. That needs to stop.
It couldn’t be more glaring coming into this past season. Giannis, the reigning, two-time MVP, was projected to have a bad year and go out early in the playoffs. Huh? Even after finishing with the 3rd seed, most sports personalities would argue that the Bucks were only good, not great. They didn’t strike any fear into anybody. Even after winning the NBA championship, many people just said they got lucky due to injuries. What!? They seemingly never get the credit they deserve. That all ends today. I’m here to tell you that the championship run we just saw was no fluke. In fact, it was years in the making and may be the start of something bigger. After finishing with the 1st seed overall the previous two season, the Bucks came into this year with nothing to show for it. They had pressure from outside and within to not only reach, but also win the NBA Finals. It led to some tense moments and tightness throughout the season. The Milwaukee Bucks are now sitting on the proverbial mountain top. They’ve overcome their past failures and mistakes to accomplish their ultimate goal. With most of the core returning for next season and none of the added pressure coming with them, I think we may be yet to see the best iteration of these Bucks after all.
Many players had career years with the Bucks last season. Seven different players all shot career highs from 3-point range. We finished first in points per game at 120.1 per game. We also finished first in field goals made and attempted, defensive rebounds per game, and opponents free throws per game. We played the second fastest pace and we were 6th in offensive rating and 9th in defensive rating, making us one of just four teams to finish in the top ten of both. With Giannis Antetokoumpo, Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday all under contract for the next 5 years, why should we believe any of that is going to change any time soon? The return of veteran point guard George Hill, along with the additions of Grayson Allen, Semi Ojeleye, and Rodney Hood will only bolster the Bucks roster and improve their depth. Not to mention Rodion Kurucs and starter Donte Divincenzo are both set to return from injury next year. The future is now for the Milwaukee Bucks, and it’s looking very bright. The Bucks are going to show the league why you build a complete team and not mortgage your future for a superteam. 2021–2022 Bucks are going to make the entire league not only respect but most satisfyingly, fear the them. They will be the fearless deer.
