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Gilbert Arenas thinks the Milwaukee Bucks can reach the ECF: "I wouldn't be surprised"
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- Gilbert Arenas thinks the Milwaukee Bucks can reach the ECF: "I wouldn't be surprised"
There is no denying that the level of competition within the Eastern and Western Conferences heading into the 2025-26 season is vastly different. While fans won't be shocked to see even a Play-In team upset the No. 1 seed in the West, the same can't be said for the East, where only a handful of teams are considered genuine contenders. However, despite not being the most popular among many analysts, the Milwaukee Bucks seem to be Gilbert Arenas' pick as the ultimate underdog in the East.
Not only does the former NBA star believe that the uniqueness of the Bucks' roster is vastly underrated, but Gil also feels that they possess well-rounded talent, which can enable them to make a deep run in the playoffs without solely relying on Giannis Antetokounmpo .
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Arenas believes in the Bucks' potential
Most fans believe that Milwaukee's success begins and ends with Giannis. Put simply, if the two-time MVP can register triple-doubles and game-high points on a nightly basis, the Bucks can then only win games. However, for Arenas, the Bucks have quietly built one of the most complete rosters in the East. However, the fact that those players may not have registered as many individual accolades as one would hope is the only reason why it isn't getting highlighted enough.
From tenuous two-way guards like Cole Anthony and Kevin Porter Jr. , who can not only create their own shots but can easily guard the opposition's best scorer to having an experienced big man in Myles Turner , who can easily handle his way around the rim and in the paint, to quality 3-and-D shooters like Taurean Prince , Gary Trent Jr . and Gary Harris , Arenas clearly feels the optimistic vibe.
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Speaking on his show, Gil boldly emphasized how the Bucks finally seem like a team that can make a deep playoff run without solely relying on Giannis's heroics and break their five-year streak of not reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
"You have Knicks and Cleveland going to be the top dogs right now. I'm not sold on Orlando...but the Bucks, with the lineup, with the roster, that they have with veterans, young guys, 1v1 players, flat-out shooters, Sixth Man...they have a full team of guys that can put the ball in the basket and defend." Arenas said on his show.
" I wouldn't be surprised if they're in the Eastern Conference (Finals). I mean, the way the landscape is...Miami, they're not there like that. Boston? They're not there like that. The team that ran them out of the building, Indiana? They're not healthy...on paper, they (Bucks) should be Top Three."
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The Bucks have a different approach this season
This offseason, the Bucks' front office also seems to have shifted its strategy. Instead of chasing another superstar to pair with "The Greek Freak," as they did in their short-lived experiment with Damian Lillard , the focus was clearly on building a balanced roster.
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The idea was to form a lineup filled with players who can address every void on the court, rather than relying on two All-NBA-caliber talents to carry the entire load. Thus, for Arenas, this approach could be the most sustainable way forward for Milwaukee, especially in the Eastern Conference, where no team, not even the New York Knicks or the Cleveland Cavaliers , appears completely unbeatable.
Suppose the Bucks can stay healthy, maintain their chemistry, and allow Giannis to thrive without being overworked. In that case, this might be the new method to achieve greatness in today's NBA: prioritizing quality role players over superstars.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
