3 Teams the Orlando Magic must leapfrog in the standings to take the next step

2. Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are an aging team with uncertainty surrounding the roster. Damian Lillard (34), Giannis Antetokounmpo (29), Pat Connaughton (31), Brook Lopez (36), and Khris Middleton (33) are all high-contribution players who are either aging or facing injury concerns going into the new season.

The hope is everyone is healthy, but understanding what the Bucks have been facing the last several seasons may cause the team to lay off the regular season to be healthy for the playoffs. Middleton is coming off two ankle surgeries this summer, and Antetokounmpo missed the majority of the last two playoffs, resulting in two first-round exits.

The Bucks also have to continue to mesh as a roster with their semi-new coaching staff. The Bucks finished 18-20 after hiring Doc Rivers and still need to figure out their identity and a way to play.

In this new Eastern Conference, there is less room for error for these teams to manage parts for the season to remain healthy. The last two seasons have not given the Bucks a shoo-in to finish the top 4 in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks have to find a way to manage their season in a way that can see the team finishing the regular season healthy while still developing and building a team that can compete when the playoffs begin.