Question: Where can we learn from preseason results?
Answer: In Milwaukee, of late.*
The pre-Bucks are 0-2, true, but like they say, it's only the preseason. And while there is much to be gleaned from exhibition pro hoops, obsessing over wins and losses is nonsense. Or so we're taught.
Last preseason, the eventual champion Celtics posted a pedestrian 4-3 record, nestling them cozily between a fearsome outdoors one-two and tame on-court duo: the Grizz and Bucks. The C's won more regular season games than Memphis and Milwaukee combined last season...by March 8.
Not much in the way of preseason predictive power there.
Take a closer look at recent Bucks' history though, and you'll find a distinct pattern emerge. The Bucks haven't had a winning preseason since 2002-03. That happens also to be the last season the Bucks had a winning regular season.
Indeed, the Bucks are coming off five straight preseasons without a winning record, and five straight regular seasons with the same.
| Year | Preseason | Regular Season |
| 2008-09 | ? | ? |
| 2007-08 | 3-5 | 26-56 |
| 2006-07 | 3-5 | 28-54 |
| 2005-06 | 3-5 | 40-42 |
| 2004-05 | 4-4 | 30-52 |
| 2003-04 | 4-4 | 41-41 |
| 2002-03 | 4-3 | 42-40 |
With nine total games on the preseason slate, the Bucks won't go 3-5 again. But a winning record will require a 5-2 finish. The party starts tomorrow night in LaCrosse.
*Logic dictates that this trend is mostly a coincidence... A trend, nonetheless.