The journey to a title starts tonight.
The 2024–25 Milwaukee Bucks season begins tonight on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams hope to improve their previous season and rely on their core to make a deep run in the playoffs. The Bucks will hope to prove that results > process.
Where We’re At
Here we are, a new season, but the total remains. The Bucks would like to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the title in 2021. Since that glorious moment, the Bucks have seen injuries play a factor in their playoff exits. Khris Middleton in 2022, Giannis in the last two years, and a little bit of Damian Lillard last year prevented Milwaukee from reaching its full potential. The Bucks need to rectify consecutive first-round exits, and everyone believes that that can be achieved with a little bit of good health.
There isn’t too much change in the roster regarding the core. All but one player (Malik Beasley) who played significant minutes has returned. There was some shuffling with the veterans on the team as Patrick Beverly (Israel and NBA Suspension), Beasley (Detroit Pistons), and Jae Crowder (waste of space) left the team. To replace them, Milwaukee brought in Gary Trent Jr, Delon Wright, and Taureen Prince. They did draft AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith in the 2024 NBA Draft, and it will be intriguing to see how much they factor in the rotation. The organization and fans will hope the veterans do what’s expected, but it would be nice for one of the younger players on the team (Johnson, Smith, AJ Green, Andre Jackson Jr, and Chris Livingston) to take a leap in their development. The Bucks will have the luxury of having head coach Doc Rivers for an entire season after he replaced Adrian Griffin midway through last season.
Meanwhile, the Sixers had a typical Sixers season. They looked promising at points with Joel Embiid playing well when healthy, Tyrese Maxey taking a big step that earned him Most Improved Player, and Philly looking like a team that could finish in the top four in the East. But then the usual happened: Embiid could not stay healthy, Tobias Harris was just there, and the Sixers crashed out in Round One of the playoffs, losing to the New York Knicks in six games. Seeing that their supporting cast would not help, the Sixers made a big move by signing Paul George during free agency. The hope is that George’s two-way ability can give Embiid the second star he needs and relieve the pressure on Maxey. The Sixers added Andre Drummond (again) to be the backup for Embiid and Reggie Jackson to backup Maxey. Philadelphia drafted Jared McCain from Duke in the first round, who looks to be a solid player who can provide shooting off the bench for Philly. Will it be enough for Philly to make a deep playoff run? Probably not, to be honest, because it depends entirely on Embiid to be healthy when it matters. It’s already off to a bad start.
Injury Report
The Bucks will not have Khris Middleton tonight as he recovers from ankle surgery. Giannis Antetokounmpo (right patella tendinitis) is listed as probable for this game.
The Bucks have submitted their first injury report for the season opener on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
Out: Khris Middleton (bilateral ankle surgery)
Probable: Giannis Antetokounmpo (right patella tendinitis)
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) October 22, 2024
The Sixers will not have Paul George (left knee bone bruise) or Joel Embiid (load management) for tonight.
Player To Watch
After an inconsistent and somewhat underwhelming first season in Milwaukee, Damian Lillard will want to start making amends and show that last season was more of a fluke. Dame had an excellent game in last season’s opener against the Sixers, so we’ll hope for a repeat performance.
How To Watch
ESPN at 6:30 PM CDT.
Playback Streaming
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