Episode 17 of the Sports Betting Tips podcast, featuring veteran NBA journalist Chris Sheridan, is now available on several podcast platforms. This episode features guests Jim McIlvain and John Scott Lewinski of the men’s lifestyle podcast “Marq’d Men.” McIlvaine, a 7-foot-1 center, had a seven-year NBA career after excelling at Marquette in the early ’90s, and Lewinski is an accomplished freelance writer and journalist.
In this episode, our host and guests talk about the Milwaukee Bucks’ offseason, NBA title contenders, Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo, and more. Listen to the full episode below.
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Bucks’ Offseason
The Bucks elected to move on this summer from former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker. McIlvain said he sensed a chemistry problem with the Bucks.
“When you look at the chemistry of a team from a player’s standpoint, if a guy’s on a team and he doesn’t want to be there, it kind of drags everybody else down,” McIlvain shared.
On the contrary, he said championship teams have “atmosphere” and a “feeling of family.” Giannis Antetokounmpo’s emergence undoubtedly stole some of Parker’s shine.
“Just in terms of relationships on the team, I’m sure a young guy like Jabari Parker came along thinking he was going to be the man in Milwaukee … he could not have foreseen they’d get this kid from Greece,” Lewinski explained. “The Bucks got him, and now he’s a superstar in the league, on the cover of video games and everything else.”
Additions
Milwaukee also added some pieces this summer. The Bucks scooped Ersan Ilyasova and Brook Lopez in free agency and Donte DiVincenzo in the draft. DiVincenzo currently has 45-1 odds to win Rookie of the Year, per BetDSI.
“I think he’s going to be a solid pro for a long time,” McIlvain said of the former Villanova Wildcat.
But former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was perhaps the Bucks’ biggest addition.
Small-Market Struggle
The Marq’d Men explained the Bucks’ struggles with playing in a small, less-heralded market. Lewinski said he believes Khris Middleton will miss out on the All-Star Game because “he’s not going to get the attention he should.”
McIlvain took it a step further.
“In the current NBA culture, I don’t see the Milwaukee Bucks winning an NBA title in my lifetime,” he said. “It’s hard for me to look at the NBA and look at sleeper teams … and say those franchises have a legitimate shot in any year. I guess the one that might be somewhat on the outside of that would be the Sixers.”
Later in the episode, our host and guests discuss Marquette hoops (they’re all alumni), Jimmy Butler’s upcoming free agency, 2020 presidential election hopefuls, and more.
Listen to the full episode by hitting play above, and be sure to subscribe on your podcast platform of choice.
