The Milwaukee Bucks will play their third preseason game tonight against the Chicago Bulls, as they build towards the start of the regular season. Giannis is playing, which means fans will finally get to see this revamped roster in action with GA as the head of the snake.
Where We’re At
Somewhat surprisingly, the Bucks are 2-0 in preseason action after beating the Heat and Pistons over the past seven days. Like I mentioned in the intro, tonight will be the first chance to see Giannis play with all the new pieces
GM Jon Horst brought in this offseason. Of course, Antetokounmpo playing should also definitively answer the question of what the starting lineup will be to open the season. But above all else, I want to see what the balance is on both ends with this team. The goal of waiving Damian Lillard and bringing in Myles Turner was that the defence would improve, but can the offence stay steady as well? Let’s see.
As for the Bulls, they are also 2-0 in the preseason after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers twice in a home-and-away series. Chicago is running it back with much of their same core after reaching an agreement with Josh Giddey on a four-year contract in the offseason. The team looks to be aiming once again at finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference, where they will inevitably lose to the Miami Heat in the first play-in game, as is tradition. Godspeed, Bulls.
Injury Report
Kyle Kuzma was a late scratch for Milwaukee in their last game against the Pistons with a hip complaint; whether he plays tonight is a question. Other than that, the squad seems ready to go, including Giannis.
For the Bulls, Coby White (calf) is out, while Kevin Huerter (groin), Julian Phillips (knee), and Nikola Vucevic (rest) missed Chicago’s last game but are all classed as day-to-day.
Player To Watch
Since Giannis is playing, Myles Turner is a player to keep an eye on. There aren’t many better theoretical fits with Giannis than Turner. One micro-problem the Bucks had with Brook Lopez was that he could catch the ball off penetration and be open, but his shot was too slow, allowing opponents to recover—not with Myles Turner. Turner can get that thing off quickly, and I’m excited to see how he enhances the Bucks in other ways as well. Can they play more aggressively on defence, with Myles picking up higher in pick-and-roll actions? How can the former Texas Longhorn impact as an off-ball player with flare screens and pindowns?
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 6:00 p.m. CDT.
