This week, we will learn a lot about the Bucks

It won't take long to find out what the Milwaukee Bucks are still about.

Prior to the All-Star break, the Bucks finally started to look like a cohesive group, even with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sidelines with a calf injury, They won five of six, and did so with unexpected contributions from newcomers. Now the question is how it carries over, as Milwaukee enters an interesting stretch of schedule that should tell them whether it's better to push forward or pull back, whether it's preferable to prioritize the play-in (and possibly playoffs) or the lottery.

It starts in New Orleans against a Pelicans team that isn't actively tanking, because it doesn't have its own selection in the upcoming draft, but should be an underdog against Milwaukee.

After that, however, the Bucks will have an uphill battle if Antetokounmpo isn't active, against the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks to close out February. All four of those teams are ahead of Milwaukee in the East at the moment. The Bulls, Celtics and Hawks -- also all ahead of the Bucks in their conference -- are next as March starts.

Time to learn their own upside

Kevin Porter Jr. — Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

So there won't be much mystery.

Not only will the Bucks know after that next stretch how far they need to go to get into a play-in spot, if they're not in it already, but they'll also know what's needed to seriously push any of those teams in a possible playoff series.

The key is to do this while continuing to work in the younger acquisitions who have made an impact lately, from Ousmane Dieng to Cam Thomas. This is about them now, and seeing if they -- along with Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. -- can be supporting pieces for Giannis going forward.

If they show they can, that could energize Giannis and cement his desire to stay. If they can't, and the team slips back into the funk it was in for the first three months of the season, all the talk again will be about where he goes when the season ends.

A video came out of someone asking Giannis in the tunnel after the All-star game...

"Are we going to see you in miami?"

and Giannis replied
"For Vacation maybe"

Yeahhh, this is never happening pic.twitter.com/yiG9jBqoNS
— Heat Lead 🔥 (@HeatLead) February 16, 2026

No one is saying this is an elite Bucks roster. Giannis still needs a legitimate second star.

But the Hawks, Bulls, Heat and Magic don't have elite talent across the board either. Everyone has holes. Milwaukee can make some squads sweat if they get off to a good start after the All-Star break.

Back to work on Friday.