Milwaukee, WI
Vote in the Brew Hoop Tuesday Tracker: NBA Cup Finals edition
I’ve already written ad nauseam about the NBA Cup in concept and in practice, so I’ll avoid that here and talk about what getting here actually means for this Bucks team. We all know that Milwaukee was pretty much left for dead by the national media after their 2-8 start. Rather than celebrate their return to contention following their 12-3 stretch that followed, the response outside Milwaukee has mostly been just to stop the Giannis trade speculation or takes about the team being cooked. That’s definitely good.
Will tonight’s game, though not counting in the standings, improve their perception around the league even more? A decisive win over the West-leading Thunder probably would do that. It needn’t be wire-to-wire, but they’d have to hold a double-digit lead for most, if not all, of the second half for many to think the Bucks controlled this game.
That’s a tall order against the league’s top defensive unit, who has been near the top of the league for the entire year to this point. So let’s say it’s a W in a close game. I’ll be surprised if Milwaukee is being heralded as “back” or once again regarded as a true title contender by the consensus. A close loss probably won’t change anyone’s opinion of the team, whereas a decisive defeat or blowout will give a lot of fuel to the naysayers.
As long as the margin is within 10 and the game remains close throughout, the outcome of this game probably won’t change many people’s opinions about the Bucks. Maybe we glean some things from how they match up with OKC specifically, but this is a team lacking Chet Holmgren. I don’t necessarily think this game tells us any more about how Milwaukee fares against the current best teams in the league than a matchup with Boston, Cleveland, or New York would. They’re chasing those teams in the standings, after all, so there’s plenty of juice for those games too, just not the same type of juice tonight has.
In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, we get your thoughts on the title game and what it means for your personal perspective on the Bucks. We also revisit two areas of the team where the numbers continue to improve from their early season nadirs: Bobby Portis and the defense.
Poll
Does this 83rd game mean anything to you as a fan?
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0%
Yes, because the winner gets a trophy
(0 votes)
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0%
Yes, because it’s a competitive basketball game
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
Poll
How does the Bucks’ performance in the NBA Cup knockout stage impact your outlook for the rest of the season?
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0%
More optimistic that they could win the NBA title
(0 votes)
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0%
More optimistic that they’ll win multiple playoff series, but still won’t win it all
(0 votes)
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0%
No more or less optimistic
(0 votes)
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0%
Less optimistic
(0 votes)
0 votes total
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Poll
Do you want the title game to count in the standings?
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0%
Yes, win or lose
(0 votes)
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0%
Only an extra win for the victor and not an extra loss for the loser
(0 votes)
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0%
No, keep it as is
(0 votes)
0 votes total
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Poll
Over his last four games, Bobby Portis is averaging 16.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG on .587/.467/.600 shooting. Is he currently in your good graces?
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0%
Yes, and he never left
(0 votes)
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Yes, though he wasn’t until recent games
(0 votes)
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Yes, but he should still be traded this season or in the offseason
(0 votes)
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No, and he should be traded this season
(0 votes)
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0%
No, but he should remain on the team at least through the playoffs
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
Poll
The Bucks’ defense ranks 13th in defensive rating (0.1 above league average) per Basketball-Reference and 17th (1.1 below league average) per Cleaning The Glass, which filters out garbage time and heaves. Describe their defense:
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A strong unit that will finish top ten
(0 votes)
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0%
Undoubtedly above average
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Average or close to it
(0 votes)
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0%
Undoubtedly below average
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
Poll
Do you approve of the job Doc Rivers is doing as the Bucks’ head coach?
Poll
Do you approve of the job Jon Horst is doing as the Bucks’ general manager?
Poll
Do you think this Bucks team can win the title as currently constructed?
As always, this poll will be open until midnight Central on Friday, and we’ll post the results later that day. Thanks for voting!
Milwaukee, WI
Same name keeps coming up in mock drafts as possible Bucks selection
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam talks greater involvement, Giannis future
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says that he will have a greater involvement with the team and that includes the decision on if to re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks know their placement in the 2026 NBA Draft, slotted No. 10 for their first lottery pick in a decade. Who are some of the possible selections at that spot when June 23 rolls around?
Check out what the first post-lottery wave of mock drafts has to say, most of them pointing to same prospect, that being Nate Ament of Tennessee, a 6-10 freshman small forward.
Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
From Spencer Woo of ESPN: “While Ament’s stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around Ament in the lottery. As a tall skill player with shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Antetokounmpo future, a malleable upside swing such as Ament could be a fit.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports: “The Bucks should take a swing to jump-start their new era, whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is part of it. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament. Bucks general manager Jon Horst has never been afraid to take risks though. If Ament pans out, it could look like a stroke of genius.”
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports: “Ament had an up-and-down freshman season for the Vols – but the upside isn’t hard to spot. Less than a year ago, the 2025 McDonald’s All-American was considered a possible top-five pick. So getting Ament here would be nice for a Bucks franchise that seems on the verge of rebuilding after presumably trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.”
The Ringer: “Barring some transactional magic, this could be Milwaukee’s best bite at the talent apple in the draft for a while. The Bucks don’t currently have control over a first-round pick until 2031. If Giannis Antetokounmpo decides it’s time to move on, this roster will be rudderless and talent-deprived. If Giannis decides not to move on, it’ll have a rudder but still won’t go anywhere. Less than ideal, but that makes this a ‘best player available’ scenario, or rather ‘best wager available.’ There are definitely more stable options in this range, but Ament’s higher possible outcomes justify this pick. Ament fell short of expectations this past season, and he slid from top-five consideration as a result, but the jumbo-sized, smooth-moving ball handler is still a worthy bet here. Handling the ball at 6-foot-10 is an intriguing enough skill to instill some belief that he could develop into a quality asset. And the Bucks can take the risk given their circumstances.
Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports: “Ament is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of outcomes on draft night. A late-blooming 6-foot-10 combo-forward who is fluid, has touch, and skill, he’s also inconsistent and needs to get stronger. While his freshman year was up and down, Ament’s overall arc has been linear, and there’s still glaring potential. That upside makes him a logical choice for a Milwaukee team that has a very uncertain future ahead of them.”
Brian Lewis of New York Post: “After the run on guards, taking an upside swing on a gifted developmental player here seems like a worthy gamble for a Bucks team that could be in full-on rebuild in a post-Giannis era.”
Two other names mentioned
From Eric Nehm of The Athletic: “This was an incredibly difficult pick to make without knowing what the Bucks are going to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the 10-time All-Star forward remains in Milwaukee, it might make more sense to look at someone like Yaxel Lendeborg, who could make an impact right away and give the Bucks more size and skill. Instead, though, I went with Philon, who has a lot of offensive upside and could be protected on the defensive end by Ryan Rollins. Philon is an electrifying offensive player who shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 while averaging 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game last season.”
From Kurt Helin of NBC Sports: “The Bucks need all the backcourt help they can get, and Burries may not be flashy, but he does a lot of things well — he can play on and off the ball, can knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers but also attack closeouts, and he gets downhill off screens and has a midrange pull-up game.”
Milwaukee, WI
Brad Paisley to perform at BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4
Brad Paisley (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE – Brad Paisley is scheduled to perform at the BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4.
Ticket information
What we know:
The ticket pre-sale for Brad’s fan club members, Paisley Nation, begins on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 am. All tickets available at BradPaisley.com.
The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Packages vary but include premium seats, a guided backstage tour, VIP-exclusive gift item, early entry & more. VIP package contents vary depending on the selected offer. For more information, visit VIPnation.com.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Live Nation.
Milwaukee, WI
WSJ: Billionaire Milwaukee Bucks co-owner targeted in extortion scheme – UPI.com
Billionaire Wes Edens, co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA club, is shown at Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 9, 2015. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday identified Edens as the victim of a billion-dollar extortion plot allegedly hatched by an ex-lover. File Photo by Andrew Gombert/EPA
May 10 (UPI) — Wes Edens, the billionaire co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and an owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, was the target of a billion-dollar extortion scheme allegedly perpetrated by an ex-lover, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
A spokesman for Edens, 64, confirmed to the newspaper that the financier is the unnamed alleged victim in a federal indictment brought against Changli “Sophia” Luo of New York City.
Edens, one of world’s most successful global investment management firm leaders with Fortress, has developed and owned businesses in real estate, transportation, infrastructure, health care, financial services, media and entertainment.
He is also a high-profile sports team owner, including the Bucks and soccer club Aston Villa of the English Premier League. He is credited turning the Bucks from a perennial cellar dweller into a champion squad over a five-year span, culminating in the 2021 NBA championship.
But he also fell victim to a lurid alleged “sextortion” scheme, his spokesman confirmed to the WSJ, admitting the Edens is the unnamed “Victim 1” cited an indictment filed last year in Manhattan federal court against Luo.
The indictment reportedly accuses her of trying to extort Victim 1 of more than $1 billion by threatening to release videos and photos of them engaged in sex. Prosecutors alleged Luo also threatened to contact the victim’s family members and business partners in a threat to destroy his fortune if he did not pay up.
According to the indictment, Luo was arrested June 14 at JFK International Airport as she tried to board a flight to China, the New York Post reported.
“Mr. Edens will be making no comment on the case as the indictment speaks for itself with respect to the charges against the defendant,” his spokesman told the Journal. “Mr. Edens expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”
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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for May 11, 2026