Milwaukee Bucks’ Season Opener: Likes And Dislikes

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.