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We’re here. I don’t know how we got here, but we’re here: the dawn of a new season. That means new stories, new possibilities, new debates, and new opportunities for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Well, in a couple of weeks it means that. For now, it’s preseason NBA basketball against the Memphis Grizzlies, which means nothing close to what we just mentioned. Oh well, here goes nothing!
Where We’re At
Seriously, how is it preseason already? The parade was basically yesterday, and it appears that some players are still feeling it.
It's a busy injury report for the Bucks preseason opener.
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) October 5, 2021
Giannis - Out, left knee soreness
Middleton - Out, Bilateral hamstring soreness
Portis - Out, left hamstring strain
Ojeleye - Out, left calf strain
Hood - Out, right midfoot soreness
DiVincenzo - Out, left ankle
Giannis’ continued absence from training camp is notable, considering the injury he sustained in the Eastern Conference Finals but continued playing on that knee anyway and took the Bucks all the way to the championship. We knew the Bucks would be cautious with him, so there’s no real cause for concern, not yet. Ditto for Donte DiVincenzo, who remains sidelined with his ankle rehab. Bobby Portis tweaked his hamstring a few days ago, and given the team’s lack of front court depth, they’ll treat his injury with the same level of care and attention as Giannis to ensure he’s ready to go when the games count.
Player To Watch
Let’s go with Grayson Allen, why not? Allen was a Grizzly last season but found his way to Milwaukee in exchange for Sam Merrill and some draft picks. Allen figures to vie for the starting 2-guard position, rounding out the starting lineup with his steady shooting and high-effort defense. Will he hang onto the spot over the course of the regular season? Who knows, but tonight is our first chance to see the new arrival, and both Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye are missing this contest anyway so there’s no one else to keep tabs on (besides two-way big Sandro Mamukelashvili, who continues to fascinate with his weird collection of skills).
Lastly, it’s a notable achievement for friend of the site Eric Nehm of The Athletic (and formerly of Brew Hoop), who will be on the radio call tonight for the Bucks. Congrats, Eric!
While the Bucks and WTMJ will soon announce the permanent radio play by play announcer, we are pleased that @ESPNMilwaukee's Gabe Neitzel (@gneitzel16) and The Athletic’s Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) will handle preseason broadcasts on @620wtmj and the Bucks Radio Network.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 4, 2021
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Poll
Preseason Game 1: Against Memphis, the Bucks will...
This poll is closed
-
10%
Win big (by 10 or more points)
(18 votes) -
22%
Win close (by 9 or fewer points)
(38 votes) -
38%
Lose close (by 9 or fewer points)
(66 votes) -
29%
Lose big (by 10 or more points)
(50 votes)
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