Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks’ Season Opener: Likes And Dislikes

Published

4 days ago

October 24, 2024

Milwaukee Bucks’ Season Opener: Likes And Dislikes

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 23: Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against … [+] the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at the Wells Fargo Center on October 23, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks defeated the 76ers 124-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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The Milwaukee Bucks tipped off the 2024-25 NBA season on the right foot, dispatching the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers 124-109 on Wednesday night. It was a promising start, but not without a few things to keep an eye on.

Let’s dive into what stood out—for better or worse—from Milwaukee’s first game of the season.

Like: Bucks’ Off-Ball Movement

The days of Bucks players camping out on the perimeter, waiting for something to happen, are over. Doc Rivers is preaching movement off the ball, and Milwaukee’s players have clearly bought in.

It’s especially apparent when Giannis Antetokounmpo or Damian Lilalrd have the rock—everyone else knows it’s time to start moving. Even Bobby Portis is keeping his eyes up, passing up his usual mid-range looks in favor of hitting cutters like Taurean Prince on backdoor slashes.

Prince’s two cuts in particular embody the shift in Milwaukee’s offense. In the first clip, Portis catches the ball in the mid-corner, and instead of sizing up his man, he finds Prince cutting from the weakside wing as the defense ball-watches. Easy bucket.

In the second clip, Prince again moves from the opposite wing on the floor, slicing into the heart of the defense at just the right moment. Antetokounmpo rewards him with a slick pass, leading to another layup.

This is what the new five-out offense looks like: constant motion, space to attack, and opportunities for role players to feast.

Like: The Lillard-Lopez Two-Man Game

Much has been made of the Antetokounmpo-Lillard duo, but it was Dame and Brook Lopez who stole the show in the opener. Their pick-and-roll synergy carried over from last season, and it’s already opening up shots for everyone.

Take the first play: Lillard threads a perfect pocket pass to a rolling Lopez at the free throw line, drawing help from the weakside corner. Lopez calmly dishes it out to Prince for a clean corner three. Simple, effective, devastating.

On the next possession, Lopez sets a high screen for Lillard. The defense fails to step out, and Dame punishes them with a pull-up three that finds the bottom of the net.

Later in the same half, they connect on a gorgeous pick-and-roll from half-court. Lillard shakes the screen defender with a hesitation move nearing the three-point line, blows by Lopez’s man, and finishes with a silky left-handed layup.

If Antetokounmpo and Lillard take time to develop chemistry, this duo will be more than enough to keep the offense humming.

Like: Gary Trent Jr. is Bucks Defensive Stopper

With Paul George and Joel Embiid out, the Sixers leaned heavily on Tyrese Maxey, who took 31 shots (yes, 31). Gary Trent Jr. took that assignment personally—and made sure it wasn’t going to be an easy night for Philly’s go-to scorer.

Maxey finished with 25 points on those 31 attempts, a testament to how well Trent Jr. made him work.

The first possession in the clip above stands out: Maxey dribbled 19 times, used five screens, and burned 16 seconds off the clock—all just to get a contested jumper over Trent Jr. the Bucks will take that effort every time.

Trent Jr. also showcased his ability to fight over screens, sliding through traffic and staying glued to his man. This kind of perimeter defense is something Milwaukee lacked from their two-guard spot last year, and it’ll be essential as the Bucks navigate the long season.

Dislike: Bucks’ Defensive Rebounding

Milwaukee gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Sixers—a concerning number that put a damper on what was otherwise a strong defensive effort. The defensive possession isn’t over until the rebound is secured, and the Bucks struggled to finish the job.

Antetokounmpo was one of the biggest offenders, relying too much on his athleticism instead of boxing out. Too often, he watched the ball rather than putting a body on his man.

The Bucks have the personnel to clean this up, but it’s going to take more discipline and attention to detail—especially when it comes to helping the helper on dribble penetration.

This needs to be addressed quickly if Milwaukee wants to limit second-chance points.

Dislike: Giannis’ Kryptonite—Free Throws

It’s hard to say who enjoyed Giannis’ struggles at the line more—the Sixers or their fans. Each pair of missed free throws earned the crowd free chicken nuggets, and Antetokounmpo obliged with two sets of bricks.

He finished the night 9-for-16 from the stripe, good for just 56.3 percent. He has hovered in the mid-60s for the last two seasons, but if Milwaukee hopes to avoid “Hack-a-Giannis” situations late in games, he’ll need to push that number into the low 70s. It’s only one game, but this is something to monitor as the season unfolds.

Overall, there was plenty to like about the Bucks’ first game—and a few areas that need work. It’s a long season, but the very first signs are encouraging.

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Milwaukee, WI

Home Again Fabric and Furnishings

Published

1 hour ago

October 28, 2024

Press Room

Home Again Fabric and Furnishings is a workroom and retail space where curated vintage treasures, furniture, and houseplants get a new life and new home. Brian Kramp is at their recently-opened Riverwest location with the owner who started the business simply by painting furniture.

Posted October 28, 2024 7:19am CDT

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Milwaukee, WI

How to watch today's Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time | Goal.com US

Published

9 hours ago

October 28, 2024

Press Room

How to watch today's Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time | Goal.com US

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Celtics vs Bucks NBA game, livestream, TV channel and plenty more

The Boston Celtics (3-0) aim to keep their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 NBA season intact as they face off against the Milwaukee Bucks (1-1) at TD Garden on Monday night.

Though it’s still early in the season to draw firm conclusions, the Boston Celtics have quickly emerged as the squad to watch, following three commanding victories.

The Celtics kicked off their campaign with a 132-109 rout over the Knicks, then secured a 122-102 win against the Wizards on Friday, and capped the weekend by edging the Detroit Pistons 124-118 on the road.

On the other hand, the Milwaukee Bucks have had a mixed start to the NBA season. They cruised past the 76ers in their opener but were brought back down to earth after a high-scoring defeat to the Bulls on Saturday.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA game, plus plenty more.

Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks: Date and tip-off time

The Boston Celtics will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a highly anticipated NBA game on Monday, October 28, 2024, at 7:30 pm ET/ 5:30 pm PT, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

How to watch Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks on TV & stream live online

Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Miami Heat live on:

National TV: NBA TV
Local TV channel: FDSN WI, NBCSB
Streaming service: FuboTV

Streaming the game with a VPN

Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.

When it comes to streaming live sports, NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN service in 2024. You can even try NordVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you aren’t sure how to use a VPN, check out our guide on how to set up and stream sports from any country with a VPN.

How to listen to Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks play-by-play commentary on radio

Fans wanting to listen to the action live can do so via SiriusXM.

SiriusXM offers play-by-play commentary from games in all major US sports. It also brings you closer to the action with exclusive interviews and expert analysis from league insiders and experts.

You can try SiriusXM for free with their 3-month trial. After that, the All Access plan costs $9.99 a month.

Boston Celtics team news & key performers

The Celtics emerged from their last outing without any new injuries, but coach Joe Mazzulla might contemplate inserting Payton Pritchard into the starting lineup, possibly at the expense of Jrue Holiday, who struggled offensively, scoring just seven points in 36 minutes against the Pistons.

In terms of injuries, Sam Hauser is currently listed as day-to-day due to a back issue, while Kristaps Porzingis remains the only confirmed absentee as he continues to recover from a foot injury. Jayson Tatum put up another stellar showing on Sunday, where he racked up 37 points, including a crucial six points in the final 65 seconds to seal the win.

Milwaukee Bucks team news & key performers

Andre Jackson Jr. was involved in a car accident after their loss to the Bulls, but reports indicate he escaped unscathed and is likely to be available on Tuesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a slight question mark with a knee concern, while AJ Green is day-to-day dealing with a toe problem. Khris Middleton is set to miss several weeks due to an ankle injury.

In their previous match, Antetokounmpo stood out with a dominant 38 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, while Damian Lillard added 28 points and eight assists in the defeat.

Head-to-Head Record

Bucks coach Doc Rivers narrates new ad for Kamala Harris aimed at Milwaukee voters

Published

20 hours ago

October 27, 2024

Press Room

Bucks coach Doc Rivers narrates new ad for Kamala Harris aimed at Milwaukee voters

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers narrates a new television advertisement for Vice President Kamala Harris that will play during sporting events in Wisconsin, the campaign announced Sunday.

“In this town, we’ve seen our share of hard times, heard our share of big promises,” Rivers, who is not seen in the ad, says in a voiceover. “But empty promises don’t build cities. We do — with grit, sweat and cold beer.”

The ad refers to the Foxconn deal championed by Trump, which was billed to create up to 13,000 jobs in Mount Pleasant, about 30 miles south of Milwaukee. A video played at the Democratic National Convention also took aim at Trump over the unfulfilled promises of Foxconn.

The ad also focuses on former President Donald Trump’s comment earlier this year calling Milwaukee a “horrible city” ahead of the Republican National Convention, hosted at Fiserv Forum.

Trump praised Milwaukee while campaigning at Discovery World earlier this month and plans to hold a rally at Fiserv Forum later this week.

In the final 10 days of the presidential race, Trump is also expected to roll out a Wisconsin sports figure: Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre will be a special guest speaker at Trump’s rally in Green Bay on Wednesday.

Rivers campaigned with second gentleman Doug Emhoff last week, where he shared a story of meeting Harris when she was the California attorney general and he coached the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Harris campaign says the new ad will target sports fans on channels like Fox Sports, CBS Sports and Sling. A similar ad is airing in Philadelphia.

The Trump campaign also announced a two-minute ad that will air during the Philadelphia Eagles-Cincinnati Bengals game Sunday, featuring UFC CEO Dana White’s remarks at the RNC.

Contact Hope Karnopp at HKarnopp@gannett.com or on X at @hopekarnopp.

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