Bucks to christen new arena on Oct. 19
The Milwaukee Bucks’ first regularseason game in the new Fiserv Forum will be Friday, Oct. 19, against the Indiana Pacers.
That was one of many highlights Friday when the NBA released its schedule for the 2018-’19 season.
The opener at the new arena will not be featured on a national telecast, although the Bucks will get a fair amount of national love during the season, appearing nine times on ESPN and eight more on TNT.
Milwaukee will open the season Oct. 17 in Charlotte, taking on former University of Wisconsin standout Frank Kaminsky and the Hornets.
Then the Bucks open a three-game home stand by playing the Pacers, who finished fifth in the Eastern Conference last season, four games ahead of the Bucks.
The Bucks host the New York Knicks on Oct. 22 and the Phildelphia 76ers on Oct. 24 in a nationally televised game on ESPN.
The Bucks already knew they would be playing their first game on Christmas Day since 1977 after Wednesday’s announcement of the league’s holiday schedules.
This time, the Bucks will travel to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The arena’s grand opening will take place much earlier, when The Killers and Violent Femmes play a concert Sept. 4. The venue will welcome Kevin Hart, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake and Jim Gaffigan in September, as well.
The Bucks also play two exhibition exhibition games at the new arena, Oct. 3 against Chicago and Oct. 12 vs. Minnesota.
Other schedule notes
Reigning NBA champion Golden State will make its trip to the Fiserv Forum on Nov. 8.
Former Bucks star Jabari Parker and the Bulls will be back for a more meaningful encounter Nov. 16.
LeBron James pays only one visit to Milwaukee this year now that he’s moved to the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers will pay a visit March 19 in a game featured on NBA TV.
James’ old team, the Cavaliers, may not have the same star power it once did, but the Cavs will be in town with recent acquisition Sam Dekker, a former high school and college star in Wisconsin, on Dec. 14.
The Boston Celtics, who defeated the Bucks in seven games in the first round of last year’s NBA playoffs, won’t come to town until Feb. 21. The teams will meet first in Boston on Dec. 5.
The Bucks will get an early look at one of the favorites in the East, Toronto, when the Raptors and newly acquired star Kawhi Leonard visit Oct. 29.
Two later games between the Raptors and Bucks will appear on NBA TV, accounting for a third of the six games in which Milwaukee is on NBA TV.
The Bucks will host the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17 as the NBA Sunday Showcase game on ABC.