In what was certainly one of the last things to generate any level of excitement this offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks The 2024-2025 calendar was unveiled a week ago. Be amazed by the clever video made by the marketing team that made everyone who watched it hungry.
But at MMMR HQ, we have to squeeze every last drop of content out of even partially interesting information. When a thirsty man stuck in a desert spots an oasis, he doesn’t question its relevance. He simply drags himself in that direction in hopes of temporary salvation. So without further ado and in no particular order, here are five games I’m looking forward to in the upcoming regular season:
- @ Boston CelticsOctober 28, 2024 — As the season opener against the Sixers This is the final edition of the Mega Fraud Franchise Bowl and therefore holds a special place in my heart. I’m putting all my “we have to win this or people are going to ridicule the team all season” eggs into the Celtics’ first basket of the game. Hopefully both teams will come in healthy, both teams will have had a few games under their belts to iron out any early kinks, and of course the Bucks will be on a back-to-back, which means Khris Middleton might not play. This should be fascinating.
- vs. Indiana Pacers, November 22, 2024 — It should be pretty obvious on this one. An opportunity to redeem himself early and a chance to start the season on a better footing than last year. Plus, this is an NBA Cup group game, so there are in-season implications that go with it.
- @ Portland Trail BlazersJanuary 28, 2024 — Homecoming, Part 2. The season will be well underway when Damian Lillard gets another chance to win on his old turf. The Blazers should be terrible again this season, though that didn’t stop the Bucks from collapsing headfirst in the Rose Garden last year. If the game is on the line again, will it be Brook Lopez calling his own number in disconcerting fashion again?
- @ Minnesota TimberwolvesFebruary 12, 2024 —A very obvious choice for me personally, since this is the only time I’ll get to see the team in person all year. I’ll be a few rows from the court, yelling at players who I know for a fact can hear me. No, I’m not swearing. Go Bucks.
- n. Phoenix SunsApril 1, 2024 — Mike Budenholzer’s return to Milwaukee will have to wait until the end of the season, but not so late that the games won’t matter at that point. If recent years are any indication, we’ll see some tight seeding races down to the final week of games. The tribute video will be glorious, and I hope the media team somehow incorporates the fact that KD is on the line in the series against the Nets.
I hope you enjoyed this list and I encourage you to share the games you’re most looking forward to this season. It’ll be interesting to see how much the team values this regular season after last year’s lackluster season. I’d say they’d be better off going as close to full speed as possible for as long as they can for cohesion and lineup selection purposes, but I’m just a guy on the internet.
Let’s take stock!
Milwaukee Bucks Links
The Nike Giannis Freak 6 helps players dominate every aspect of the game (Nike)
I’m a little late on this as the release date was late July, but it’s worth talking about now as the launch date was last Friday, August 16th. All the design and marketing jargon means next to nothing to me, but I have to give a shout out to whoever pulled off this pink color. It looks fantastic without being over the top and you could potentially wear it on the go. Sneakers that can have another life as statement pieces have staying power; this is a nice step in that direction.
Damian Lillard: “I’m not a player in decline” (NBC Sports (via JS))
Dame shouldn’t be criticized for wanting to “silence the critics” or “send a stern warning to the haters” (as our internet clickbait brethren have titled their articles on the subject). However, it also takes a certain level of bravado to declare that he can do the same things he did three years ago at any time. Age catches up with us all. Coming in much more physically prepared than he was a year ago will help, but let’s see how things play out on the pitch before we take everything at face value.
Basketball camp with Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks point guard (The keeper of the register)
But if he plans to use his kids’ basketball camps as a way to stay in shape, he may be in for a nasty surprise this fall (/s).
Quick and sweet interview with him here in a local Oregon newspaper. Considering the distances these guys travel for their day jobs, it’s nice that Lillard apparently finds time to make stops in Oakland (his hometown), Utah (where he played college football), and Oregon as well.
Bucks legend Marques Johnson strengthens his legacy in Milwaukee by fighting drug addiction in the community (WTMJ4)
Marques and Vin Baker have both spoken openly about their journeys recovering from addiction issues and are also involved in programs helping others in the Milwaukee area. They are great ambassadors for the organization, of course, but they are also great people trying to help others overcome something so difficult.
Bucks’ theoretical lineup of the week
Tyler Smith Masterclass
Damian Lillard / Gary Trent Jr. / Khris Middleton / Tyler Smith / Brook Lopez
- Use case: Bobby is injured or taking the night off, Giannis needs a breather, and by god we don’t have any other big men on the roster
- Highlights: NBA equivalent of practice wheels for a rookie, spacing, chance to showcase Smith’s skills
- Weaknesses: Attacking the basket, perimeter defense (probably), Smith gets timid and has no impact
One of the interesting subplots of last season was Adrian Griffin’s consistent distribution of at least some rotation minutes to his young players. Andre Jackson Jr. led the way in that regard, though MarJon Beauchamp and AJ Green also got some carries. It made for some interesting possessions and a change of pace from the older veterans and sparked ongoing debates about where the youngsters fit into the rotation.
While all three players will have to convince Doc Rivers to play, there will be reasons to let AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith play (assuming Rivers had more influence over their selections and therefore has some level of confidence in their abilities). Rather than putting the youngsters in groups with a high concentration of young players, why not use the veterans’ occasional off nights at their positions as a chance to introduce them to the small world of the NBA?
The group I propose is essentially the projected starters plus Smith in place of Giannis Antetokounmpo. It would require very little of Smith’s own shot creation, relying instead on his ability to move off the ball or off screens to set up for a pass from Lillard or Middleton. Given the number of outside and mid-range shots that would occur, he would also have the opportunity to get to work looking for loose balls and putbacks. Basically, a very simple system in which he could play and get his hands dirty.
Defense would be a big question mark, as would the ability to attack the paint if Brook Lopez doesn’t step up there. Smith has length, but often looked out of position in Summer League. The Lillard-Trent Jr. perimeter pairing in 2024-25 has yet to be tested. If this turns into another Lopez airstrike, that lineup will be quickly retired. Still, it would force more role-oriented players to step up for minutes — a demand that’s perfectly suited to the long regular season. While Smith may not crack the rotation as a rookie, it would be a good idea to get him into the mix early to assess and shape his development.
The Social Media section
Khris Middleton’s Extremely Rare Social Media Post
This video makes me laugh out loud. What the hell is going on?
Some people are able to make it all work. Taurus is one of those people.
Dame’s signature shoes look awful compared to Giannis’s. Adidas is doing this guy a terrible disservice (except for the big checks they’re writing him)
The best comment on this one is crazy
Post-Olympics Message from Thanasis (with bonus commentary from Malik Beasley)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25577837/Screenshot_2024_08_18_at_12.52.08_PM.png)
I almost spat out my coffee when I saw Bossmann
MarJon stays for the community no matter how much I criticize him
The summer doldrums continue apace. At this point, all that’s left is for training camp to open and the preseason to begin, both of which are nearly two months away. It’s times like these that having only Thanasis as an active podcaster on the roster really hurts. Time to buy a Yeti microphone, Bobby. Now is your time.
Happy Monday!
