The full NBA schedule for the 2024-25 season is expected to be announced in the coming days.

But high-visibility matchups are starting to leak out.

It’s already been reported that the Milwaukee Bucks won’t be part of the NBA’s Christmas slate of games. But the Bucks will reportedly play a big matchup in their first game of the season.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bucks will start the season Oct. 23 against the 76ers in Philadelphia.

The league’s opening night is Oct. 22 and Charania reported those games will be the New York Knicks at the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics, and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bucks-76ers will be opener for third straight season

If the Bucks’ matchup sounds familiar, it is because they have played the 76ers in the first game in each of the past two seasons. Both of them were dramatic.

To kick off the 2022-23 season, the Bucks grinded their way to a 90-88 victory in Philadelphia. Then last season under new coach Adrian Griffin and newly acquired superstar Damian Lillard, Milwaukee earned a 118-117 victory at Fiserv Forum.

This season will be Doc Rivers’ first full season as head coach of the Bucks after replacing Griffin in February. Rivers was previously the coach of the 76ers.

Paul George adds firepower to 76ers alongside Joel Embiid

The 76ers and Bucks are expected to challenge the Celtics in the Eastern Conference next season. Philadelphia had a splashy off-season, signing star forward Paul George to play alongside Joel Embiid.

Milwaukee’s moves didn’t generate as many headlines, but the additions of Gary Trent Jr., Delon Wright and Taurean Prince bolstered the Bucks depth.

With Olympic basketball in the rearview mirror, we have a brief lull before the Milwaukee Bucks hit the hardwood again. It’s the perfect time to dissect the Bucks’ offseason moves, position by position.

Using Cleaning the Glass’s positional breakdowns—point guard, combo guard, wing, forward, and big—we’ll evaluate how Milwaukee’s roster is shaping up as we head into August. (Quick note: These categories don’t always align with traditional basketball positions. For instance, Patrick Beverley and A.J. Johnson are slotted as combo guards, so they won’t be part of this segment.)

Let’s kick things off by diving into the point guard position and see how it has transformed since last season’s finale.

Depth Chart at end of 2023-24 Season:

1. Damian Lillard
2. TyTy Washington Jr. (two-way)
3. Ryan Rollins (two-way)

Departures:

TyTy Washington Jr: Washington Jr. signed a two-way contract with the Bucks last August, but his time on the NBA court was limited. In 11 appearances, he logged an average of 5.1 minutes, contributing 1.3 points and 0.5 assists per game. Despite showing some flashes, Milwaukee opted not to bring him back. Instead, Washington Jr. found a new opportunity, inking another two-way deal with the Phoenix Suns on August 2nd.

New Additions:

None: Several players could be considered point guards but will fall under the combo guards for this exercise: AJ Johnson and Delon Wright.

Retained:

Damian Lillard: Lillard is set to shoulder the bulk of the point guard duties this season, but his first year in Milwaukee didn’t go as planned. Amidst a whirlwind of coaching changes, a rash of injuries, and the personal challenges of being away from his family, Lillard struggled to find his rhythm. Despite the setbacks, he’s made it clear that he’s determined to bounce back stronger than ever.

Ryan Rollins: When the Bucks brought Rollins on board with a two-way contract in February 2024, they locked him in for two years. This move ensures he’ll be with the Wisconsin Herd through the end of this season—barring any unexpected cuts, of course.

New Depth Chart:

1. Lillard
2. Rollins (two-way)

Overview:

The Bucks’ roster has an undeniable imbalance. While they boast a surplus of bigger wings and forwards, they’re glaringly thin at the point guard position—something that haunted them last year, particularly in the postseason. The Indiana Pacers exposed this vulnerability by applying relentless full-court pressure throughout their entire first-round series.

Lillard, the lone true point guard, logged 35.3 minutes per game last season—a workload virtually unheard of in the Mike Budenholzer era, but the lowest of Lillard’s career. With the current roster construction, it’s unlikely that number will drop, even though Milwaukee would ideally like to keep him fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

Rather than securing a traditional backup, the Bucks seem poised to replace Lillard by committee when he needs a breather. Expect Wright, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and possibly even Andre Jackson Jr. to handle playmaking duties in his absence. The front office appears confident that this collective approach can effectively supplement Lillard’s ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Tanner Brown struck out ten opposing batters for the second consecutive outing but Milwaukee used a pair of two-run homeruns to top the Canaries 4-0 on Sunday.

The Milkmen smacked roundtrippers in the second and sixth innings and limited the Birds to three hits for the contest. The Canaries (46-35) are now tied with Winnipeg for the top spot in the West Division and will visit the Goldeyes for a three-game series beginning Tuesday at 6:30pm.

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