Bucks' Opening Slate: Good and Bad of Milwaukee's First 10-game Stretch

The Milwaukee Bucks open the 2024-25 regular season with a hard stretch of tough opponents. Here's a list of the first 10 games and the positives and negatives that come along with the opening slate.

Cody Smith | Aug 21, 2024

Apr 9, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks for a shot against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A new season means a fresh start for all 30 teams across the NBA. No matter if you won the NBA championship like the Boston Celtics or finished dead last like the Detroit Pistons, every team gets to begin the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a clean slate.

As for the Milwaukee Bucks, they will certainly be one of the teams with lofty expectations this upcoming season.

Having won the NBA championship just a few seasons ago in 2021, the Bucks enter this year with hopes of lifting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy for the second time since the turn of the new decade.

Last September’s blockbuster addition of trading for Damian Lillard prior to the start of last season heightened the championship-or-bust expectations before Milwaukee’s season ended at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in large part due to the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed the entire first-round postseason series with a left calf strain injury.

With Antetokounmpo now healthy again and fresh off a stellar campaign in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as part of team Greece, the Bucks are gearing up to get back to 2021 form.

But before Antetokounmpo and the rest of his teammates can look ahead towards the postseason, they will have to position themselves well in a stacked Eastern Conference alongside the likes of the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics and other formidable contenders such as the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers this regular season.

With that said, based on the first 10 games on their schedule, the Bucks look like they will have their work cut out for them early and often as they will have to face all of the opponents listed above outside of the Pacers.

OCTOBER

Wednesday, Oct. 23 – at Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. (CT) TV: ESPN

Friday, Oct. 25 – home vs. Chicago Bulls (7 p.m. (CT)

Sunday, Oct. 27 – at Brooklyn Nets, (6 p.m. (CT)

Monday, Oct. 28 – at Boston, (7:30 p.m. (CT) TV: NBATV

Thursday, Oct. 31 – at Memphis (7 p.m. (CT) TV: NBATV

NOVEMBER

Sat, Nov. 2 – home vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m. (CT)

Mon, Nov. 4 – at Cleveland Cavaliers (6 p.m. (CT) TV: NBATV

Thu, Nov. 7 – home vs. Utah Jazz (7 p.m. (CT)

Fri, Nov. 8 – at New York Knicks, (6:30 p.m. (CT)

Sun, Nov. 10 – home vs. Boston Celtics (2:30 p.m. (CT)

The Good

1. Entering the season healthy

If there’s anything all NBA fans know, it’s that health will always be the biggest factor when it comes to a team potentially succeeding for a deep playoff run.

Despite Antetokounmpo and Lillard’s ability to each play 73 regular season games, Milwaukee’s other top scorer, three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton, only played 55 regular season games last season, some of which included opening up last year on a minutes restriction.

It's no secret Milwaukee caught the injury bug at the wrong time last year, but fear no longer as the dynamic trio are all set to enter the season at full strength, which could easily help the Bucks get off to a hot start.

2. Chance to see how they stack up against top teams in the East

Since Milwaukee is expected to be one of the top contenders in the East, they will get a chance early on to see where they stack up against some of the other top teams in its conference. With two games against both the Cavaliers and Celtics as well as a game against the 76ers and Knicks all landing within its first 10 games of the schedule, the Bucks will be able to gauge early on exactly where they stack up.

The quick chance to test their skills against most of the East’s top threats will be an early indicator on just how far this team can go once the playoffs come around.

3. Plenty of primetime television

As Antetokounmpo’s incredible talent has helped grow the Milwaukee Bucks' brand since he was drafted back in 2013, his team's fan base has drastically grown past state lines as well as globally. Therefore many fans outside of The Cheese State of Wisconsin don’t have the luxury of being able to cheer for the deer on a nightly basis on national television.

Thankfully for its fan base, Milwaukee will have four nationally televised games, with its season opener against the 76ers airing on ESPN and matchups against the Celtics (Oct. 28), Memphis Grizzlies (Oct. 31) and Cleveland (Nov. 4) all airing on NBATV.

The Bad

4. Facing the champs twice

Boston is arguably Milwaukee’s biggest threat in getting out of the Eastern Conference and so while it is nice to get a chance to see them early on it’s not ideal to play two of its three total regular season matchups against one another so early into the season.

Over the past two seasons, both squads have earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference, with the Celtics taking the top spot last year and the Bucks earning it the year prior.

Playoff positioning could very well come down to head-to-head records and both teams could certainly find themselves needing to win the season series against one another to earn the higher seed.

5. Long road ahead to start

It’s always nice when a team can open the season on its home floor, but unfortunately for the Bucks that won’t be the case.

Having to travel to Philadelphia for its season opener for the second straight season on Oct. 23, Milwaukee will have to get used to playing on the road right away. After the clash with the 76ers, the Bucks will remain on the road for five of its next eight games, giving them six total road games out of their first nine games.

Being that the Bucks finished last season below .500% on the road (18-22) last season, it will be important to see if they can turn a new leaf and start the season strong playing primarily as the visitors.