The Milwaukee Bucks have clinched the earliest playoff berth in at least 15 years, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. The NBA postseason is not set to begin for another 55 days.
The Bucks clinched Sunday despite not playing because the Washington Wizards lost to the Chicago Bulls.
Milwaukee is 48-8 and on pace to win 70 games — a feat accomplished only by the 1995-96 Bulls (72 wins) and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (73 wins).
The Bucks’ success this season has been buoyed by what is shaping up to be another MVP season from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak is averaging 30 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in just 30.9 minutes per game. His 32.49 player efficiency rating (PER) is the highest in history, according to Basketball-Reference.com data.