East preview: Bucks have the title, 76ers, Nets have drama

Published October 13, 2021 11:58 AM

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

The Brooklyn Nets look like such a title favorite that James Harden felt the need for a reminder they aren’t a title team. It’s easy to forget about the Milwaukee Bucks. They have the NBA crown, but none of the drama of some other top contenders in the Eastern Conference, where the situations with Ben Simmons in Philadelphia and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn were the biggest stories leading into the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first title in 50 years. Now they are back together again, quietly working toward a repeat amid all the noise around them.