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After a great season that saw the Milwaukee Bucks jump from dark horse contender to championship contender in 2018-2019, the team is set to hit the court for this year’s regular season in about a week. Milwaukee won a league best 60 games last year, and they will look to repeat that this season. A tough schedule stands in the way once again, but it is one that is full of big games and intriguing matchups.
When the schedule was released in August, there were definitely some games that Bucks fans had circled on their calendar; and now that we are just days away from the regular season, it is time to take a closer look at those matchups. Here are the top ten games for the Milwaukee Bucks this season:
10 – Monday, January 20th vs. Chicago
Although the Bulls have not played at quite as high of a level in recent years, the I-94 rivalry is always a fun one. It will be the fourth and final matchup between the two teams in the season series, as they will see each other quite often in the first half of the season. What makes this game even more special is that it will be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The NBA always does an exceptional job celebrating the life of Dr. King, and to have this rivalry renewed on MLK day is a treat for each teams’ fans.
9 – Wednesday, February 12th at Indiana
This will be the third matchup between the teams in their season series, but it will likely be a pivotal one. It will be the final game for both squads before the all-star break, and the race in the Central Division could still be tight. Victor Oladipo is expected to be back at this point, and the Bucks do often have trouble in Indiana. It will be an important game to take momentum into the second half for both teams.
8 – Saturday, December 21st at New York
The Bucks only play one game in Madison Square Garden this season, and it is always a treat when you get to play at the mecca of basketball arenas. Although the Knicks have been down the last few years, the two teams have played some good contests recently. Oh, and Giannis has maybe had a few highlights there in the past:
7 – Saturday, February 22nd vs. Philadelphia
The Bucks will host Philly twice in the month of February, and this will be the latter of the two meetings. For fans that have gotten to see their team play very few nationally televised games over the past 15 years, this one will be aired on ABC’s Saturday Primetime broadcast, the first time the Bucks will be seen on this stage. And the matchup will not disappoint as we will see what likely will be the two best teams in the East face off, and quite possibly the two biggest stars in the conference with Giannis and Joel Embiid.
6 – Wednesday, January 8th at Golden State
Another nationally televised game will see the Bucks make their first trip to the brand new Chase Center. Last year the Bucks dominated the Warriors at Oracle, and don’t think Steph Curry or Draymond Green have forgotten about that. While Klay Thompson won’t be back for this game and Kevin Durant is obviously gone, the matchup still holds intrigue as two of the league’s most powerful offenses do battle.
5 – Thursday, December 19th vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Fans can’t ask for a much better TNT Thursday game than this one as arguably the two best players in the league face off in Giannis and LeBron….oh and don’t forget about Anthony Davis. There was talk that maybe the Bucks would have interest in pairing Davis with Giannis in Milwaukee at one point last season, but now the team and the Milwaukee fans will see firsthand how good the new duo in L.A. really is. There is no doubt this one will be a sellout, and we should have a playoff like atmosphere in December in Milwaukee.
4 – Friday, April 3rd at Toronto
The Bucks return to the scene of the crime where their season ended in heartbreak last year in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, the Bucks will play a game in Toronto in late February, but this game will be much more important due to where it lies on the schedule. It will be the second half of a home and home, as the Bucks will host the Raptors on April 1st. Then, after this game on the 3rd, the Bucks go play in Boston and in Philly over a five day stretch. It will be a pivotal time with games that will likely affect playoff seeding amongst these Eastern Conference heavyweights. Let’s also remember Giannis and the Bucks will probably get to see the Raptors “#1 fan” again in this one.
3 – Wednesday, November 6th at Los Angeles Clippers
The Bucks will face a stiff test in just their eighth game of the season, as they travel to Staples Center to face off against the fresh look Clippers. It will be an important game for Bucks fans as Kawhi Leonard was the main player who ripped their hearts out last season. Long time Pacer Paul George has had some big-time games against the team in the past too, but the Bucks might catch a break if he is still sidelined with his shoulder issues. Nonetheless, a win at Staples Center would go a long way in Milwaukee.
2 – Thursday, October 24th at Houston
The season opener is always exciting, but can it get much better than a TNT Thursday game pitting the last two MVP winners against each other? Giannis and Harden were in a neck and neck battle for the award all throughout last year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were again this season. Russell Westbrook also makes his much-anticipated debut in Houston, while the Bucks will get their first look at their new acquisitions like Wes Matthews, Kyle Korver, and Robin Lopez. What a great matchup that will lead to an early statement win for one of these teams.
1 – Wednesday, December 25th at Philadelphia
The NBA just knows how to do Christmas Day right, and this year will be no exception. If you’re a Bucks fan who grew up watching them in the 2000s like myself, the team playing on Christmas always seemed like a pipe dream. But it is now a reality as the team will be playing on the holiday for the second year in a row, in one of the day’s marquee games. It will be the first time the Bucks do battle with Embiid, Simmons, and the 76ers on the year, and as mentioned earlier, these may be the two best teams in the East. The games importance, abundance of talent, and pageantry of the holiday make it the highlight of the team’s schedule.