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Milwaukee Bucks’ Season Opener: Likes And Dislikes

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Jewish community to honor those killed in Australia terror attack at Hanukkah event

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Milwaukee Jewish community to honor those killed in Australia terror attack at Hanukkah event


MILWAUKEE — To honor those who were killed on Sunday in Sydney, Australia during a Hanukkah event, Chabad of Milwaukee will be honoring the memory of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed, and all those affected at the Hanukkah Festival and Gelt Drop event at Bayshore Mall in Glendale on Sunday evening, according to Rabbi Levi Stein.

“Acts of hate and violence are meant to spread darkness and fear,” Stein said in a statement. “Tonight we are choosing to respond with more light.”

Rabbi Schlanger was among the 16 victims killed during the terrorist attack that occurred at the “Hanukkah by the Sea” event held at Bondi Beach in Australia.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

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A Star of David is visible among the ornamentation at the Brodyer Synagogue at the ordination of new Rabbis Shlomo Afanasev and Moshe Baumel on August 30, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany.

To honor the memory of Rabbi Schlanger and those affected, Chabad of Milwaukee will be handing out electric tea lights to those in attendance, giving out coins for Tzedakah (Charity), as well as encouraging everyone to do additional good deeds throughout the evening.

CEO of Chabad Lubavitch of Wisconsin, Rabbi Mendel Shmotkin, urged the Milwaukee community, Jewish and not, in a statement, “to come together tonight, not only as an act of solidarity with the Jewish people, but as a declaration that all good people stand on the front lines of this moral struggle.”

“This is a moment for Jews and non-Jews alike to recognize that we are on the same side of history,” he said. “History has also shown that when good people stand together, evil loses.”

Chabad will also be increasing security, Stein said, and will also be working closely with local law enforcement to ensure that everyone remains safe and warm during the event.

Rabbi Schlanger’s wife, who was also shot but survived, was the roommate and classmate of Stein’s wife, Leah. “This tragedy hits painfully close to home,” Stein said.

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“Tonight, we gather not just to celebrate Chanukah – but to reaffirm that light, goodness, and humanity will always outshine the darkness,” Stein added.

Southeast Wisconsin communities speak out

In a statement sent to TMJ4, Forward Latino, a local non-profit, non-partisan, service and advocacy organization in Franklin, called out to everyone to “join us in a moment of remembrance and prayer for those whose lives were lost, and then to recommit ourselves to standing against hate and bigotry in all their forms.”

“We are confronted with the painful reality that hate and antisemitism continue to be actively and passively promoted, while too few speak out with the urgency such moments demand,” the statement continued. “During this holiday season, a time of faith, reflection, and renewal, we must each look inward and ask ourselves, ‘What can I do to help eliminate hate?’”

The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Whitefish Bay posted a statement on social media thanking the Wisconsin Jewish Security Network, local law enforcement and everyone who works to keep the Jewish communities safe.

“Hanukkah is a holiday rooted in resilience – a reminder that even in moments of darkness, light endures,” the JCC wrote. “At the JCC, we believe the antidote to antisemitism is Jewish Joy, Connection, and Community, and we will not allow hate to silence our traditions or our plans to celebrate Hanukkah with our community today and for all eight nights.”

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“Tonight, as we light our candles, we do so with broken hearts and in defiance of hate everywhere,” Co-Chair of the WisDems Jewish Caucus said in a statement sent to TMJ4. “We are resilient, and our community has never, and will never, hide away in response to this sort of violence.”


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Milwaukee Admirals fall to Wolves, losing streak now 5 games

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Milwaukee Admirals fall to Wolves, losing streak now 5 games


(Courtesy: Milwaukee Admirals)

Ryan Ufko and David Edstrom scored goals for the Admirals, but they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at historic Panther Arena.

Big picture view:

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The loss extended the Ads losing streak to five games.

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By the numbers:

The Wolves grabbed an early lead when Bradley Nadeau potted his ninth goal of the season 8:21 into the game.

David Edstrom and the Admirals league-leading power-play knotted the score at one with just under seven minutes to play in the frame. With the penalty winding down, Cole Hara’s shot from between the wheels was deflected in by Edstrom for his fifth tally of the year.

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However, the Wolves would score two more to close out the frame, including one by Domonic Fensore with just 0.7 seconds left in the first.

Milwaukee would get one back during the second period courtesy of a Ryan Ufko power-play marker. Stationed in the high slot, Ufko took a feed from Daniel Carr and ripped a one-timer over the shoulder of Chicago netminder Amir Miftakhov.  

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The Ads pressed for the tying goal and had a 6-on-4 advantage late in the third period, but Chicago’s Justin Robidas scored an empty-netter to seal the deal for the Wolves.  

What’s next:

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The Admirals will hit the road for their final three games before the Christmas break, beginning Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. against the Wolves. The Ads’ next home contest will be on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Source: The Milwaukee Admirals provided this report.

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Downtown Milwaukee temporary steam outage, We Energies restoring service

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Downtown Milwaukee temporary steam outage, We Energies restoring service


An issue at the Valley Power Plant caused a temporary steam outage for downtown Milwaukee buildings on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Steam service interrupted

What we know:

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According to We Energies, the gas supply to the Valley Power Plant was interrupted on Saturday morning, causing it to go offline. The plant produces steam for downtown buildings for heating.

We Energies says it has restored service to the steam system and is bringing steam back to customers, but the restoration process requires steam pressure to build back up in the steam system. Once pressure reaches safe levels, steam service can be delivered to customers.

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Customers should begin to see service return over the next few hours, and some are already restored.

We Energies says it does not anticipate any more steam outages, and that this issue is not affecting electric or natural gas service.

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Show canceled

What we know:

The Marcus Performing Arts Center says its building has been impacted by the steam outage and, as a result, had to cancel its 1 p.m. matinée performance of The Pigeon Gets A Big Time Holiday Extravaganza!

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Ticket holders will be contacted directly to get further information about next steps.

All other shows at the Marcus Performing Arts Center will go on as scheduled.

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The Source: We Energies and The Marcus Performing Arts Center sent FOX6 the information.

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