The Milwaukee Bucks spent the entire offseason praying. Giannis Antetokounmpo felt ready to leave. But loyalty and a few strategic moves from the franchise won the Greek Freak over. What was a desire to leave is now Antetokounmpo being ‘locked in’ for the Bucks. And as they prepare to open their regular season against the Washington Wizards, all eyes are on Antetokounmpo.

Right before preseason started, Antetokounmpo suffered from an illness. It prevented him from participating actively during the preseason. He could only return to play the last two games, fully cured from his illness. And there’s no doubt the ruthless forward will be fully fit to play against the Wizards tonight.

Giannis Antetokounmpo carries a lot of responsibilities for the Bucks this season. He’s their leader. And although slightly unsettled a few months ago, Antetokounmpo is committed to finding success with the Bucks. There isn’t the allure of many stars besides him, but still the two-time MVP believes the Bucks can be “dangerous”.

Much of that danger comes with the Greek Freak. He has averaged 30+ points per game in three consecutive seasons now. Furthermore, with Myles Turner replacing Brook Lopez, the Bucks only lost one game during preseason. It’s not necessarily a team that captivates fans on paper. But in terms of their product, the Bucks seem to have a blueprint.

They were one of the most efficient three-point shooting teams last season. That’s the identity Doc Rivers is looking to grow this season. And their first test will be against a team that’s still going through a rebuild.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks can start strong

The Washington Wizards are starting fresh once again. Heading to Milwaukee, the crowd will pour love for Khris Middleton, a former Bucks star who aided Antetokounmpo in winning a championship. Aside from that, the Wizards lost their scoring engine with Jordan Poole moving the Pelicans. So it’s mainly just a team of youngsters looking to develop this season.

The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t had troubles facing them. Last season, they didn’t lose any of their three games against them. An added positive is that they claimed one win in December without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Barring that absence, the Greek Freak posted a 42-point triple-double in his first game against the Wizards last season.

There’s a great chance another monstrous performance is due from Antetokounmpo. He spent preseason trying to heal from a COVID 19 related illness. And with the frustrations of not having won a playoff series in three years, Antetokounmpo is a ticking time bomb. The Bucks are also itching for a chance to blow off some steam.

Since their haywire summer, the NBA community has laughed at the team’s lack of support around Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, Bobby Portis and others in the locker room feel undermining them is the worst mistake. “We are going to surprise a lot of teams this season and when we fast forward a couple of months from now, they going to be talking different about us,” he said on a podcast appearance.

How do you think the Bucks will do this season? Let us know your views in the comments below.