Here are my thoughts on this.
when you are the #8 seed, and get knocked off by the #1 seed, that is understandable and not a failure.
When you are the #1 seed and get whipped by a team that had to win by play in game just to make the playoffs, that's a failure in my opinion.
The Bucks won 58 of 82 games, the best in all the NBA. The expectations are much higher. You don't know how many more seasons that they can do that. Home field advantage through the playoffs, and it meant nothing. A wasted season.
WHen your team stinks, you don't have high expectations and it's not a shock if they don't go far. That's not the case with the current Bucks team.