After a long withdrawal period (aka summer break), we finally get our fix—the Milwaukee Bucks are set to take on the Miami Heat in preseason action tonight at the Kaseya Center. While this will be the Bucks’ first preseason game, the Heat lost to the Orlando Magic 118—126 on Saturday.
Where We’re At
These are not your father’s Bucks. Five years removed, they certainly aren’t your NBA Championship Bucks. They aren’t even your pencil-in 50-win, guaranteed playoffs Bucks—or your “let’s just get everyone healthy and
we have a shot” Bucks. But, as Eric B. & Rakim attested, it ain’t where you’re from, it’s where ya at.
With Kevin Porter Jr. recently named starting point guard, the Bucks will likely lean into the group and style that gelled down the stretch last season—Porter, Giannis, Gary Trent Jr., and AJ Green, with Myles Turner taking over for Bobby Portis—and posted an outrageous +56 net rating (+9.5 in the Playoffs). However, the team has remained mum about who will be the fifth starter. If it’s not Green, will the Kyle Kuzma small forward experiment resurface? Let’s hope not. Or, perhaps media day podium surprise Amir Coffey has done enough in training camp to warrant the spot? Either way, with a younger and more athletic roster than they’ve had in recent years, the Bucks should push the tempo this season, increasing their middle-of-the-pack pace and being more aggressive on both offence and defence.
The Miami Heat are also a much different team, having made a number of personnel changes. Most notably, Norman Powell was acquired as part of a three-team trade that sent Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson to the Utah Jazz and John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers. They also traded seven-year staple Duncan Robinson to the Detroit Pistons for Simone Fontecchio, moved Hayward Highsmith to the Brooklyn Nets to get under the tax line, and signed free agent Precious Achiuwa. Through the draft, they used the 20th pick on Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis out of Illinois. Looking ahead, Miami will aim to improve upon a disappointing 2024-25 season, during which they finished 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 37-45 record. They then advanced through the Play-In Tournament but were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Giannis (illness), Cole Anthony (undisclosed), Mark Sears (calf), and Jamaree Bouyea (rest/thigh) are all questionable.
For the Heat, Jakucionis (wrist), Terry Rozier (hamstring), Davion Mitchell (calf), and Pelle Larson (quadriceps) all remain questionable after missing their preseason opener, while Tyler Herro is out after undergoing offseason surgery on his left ankle.
Player To Watch
A number of players have a case here, but as the biggest free agent signing of the offseason—and in Milwaukee since Brook Lopez signed in 2018—Myles Turner rightly deserves the spotlight. Fresh off an NBA Finals trip with the Indiana Pacers and with a new four-year $108.8m deal under his belt, Turner will finally don the Good Land green and show us what all the hype is about.
Coming in at second in our Ranking The Roster series, Turner is primed for a career year with the Bucks. Twice leading the league in blocks per game, Turner has made a name for himself on defence and will look to anchor a squad that absolutely must excel on that end of the court—think, top 10 in the league—to make noise at the pointy end of the season. It will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers and defensive coordinator Greg Buckner utilise Turner this season, given he theoretically mirrors Lopez’s skillset with additional versatility thanks to his greater athleticism and mobility—as he said during his Media Day press conference, he’s “a little more aggressive at the point of attack” and, at times, “able switch out and defend the perimeter as well.” This bodes well against the likely pick-and-roll duo of Bam Adebayo and long-time Bucks killer Powell, who will presumably take on more ball-handling responsibilities in the absence of Herro.
Offensively, Turner’s outlook is just as interesting. As arguably the second option on a team for just the second time in his career, Turner has a very real shot at besting his per-game career highs in field goal attempts (11.8) and points (18.0). But, as someone who’s been heavily dependent on others for buckets—90% of his made shots last season were assisted (5th percentile in the league)—this is no sure thing, especially as the Bucks don’t have a playmaker in the same caliber as Tyrese Haliburton. Last year, Turner feasted against the Heat, averaging 21.5 PPG (including 3.3 made threes per game), shooting 56% from the field and 50% from three. He also chipped in 5.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SGP, and 1.3 BPG. So, tonight’s matchup should provide at least a partial answer to that question.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 6:30 p.m. CDT.
