Bucks set for game-heavy preseason schedule
The Milwaukee Bucks are only a few days removed from the start of training camp, but they’re already set to jump into a rather intense schedule of public preseason competition.
It all starts at 2 p.m. Sunday when this edition of the Bucks takes center stage at Fiserv Forum for their annual open scrimmage. The following day, the Bucks head to Chicago to play the Bulls to begin a stretch of four games in seven days. They’ll play games every other day with three on the road.
Milwaukee’s five-game preseason slate is the team’s most robust since playing six games in 2016. Each of the past two years the Bucks have played just four preseason games.
The challenge for coach Mike Budenholzer will be how to manage his roster, especially considering that five players – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova and Thanasis Antetokounmpo – spent significant time playing for their national teams this summer.
“We’ll kind of probably strategically or logically ramp guys up as we get closer to the season,” Budenholzer said. “There may be a game where some of the guys don’t play – some of the heavyminute guys or guys that have done things in the summer. But we’ll talk about it over the next couple days as we go into the Chicago game. … You’ve just got to be smart how you use the preseason.”
The strategic absences could start Sunday. Last year, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Sterling Brown sat out the open scrimmage nursing minor injuries. There were no disclosed injuries following the Bucks' three-day training camp in Madison this week, but that doesn't preclude the potential for players to sit out if needed.
When it comes to the players who played for their national teams this summer, including Pat Connaughton who was a member of the U.S. Select Team, there was no sitting out during training camp. They'll almost certainly get some rest time during the upcoming allotment of games, but practice time in Madison was no time for that.
“I know guys are ready,” Middleton said Thursday in Madison. “Me, Giannis, Brook, Ers, Pat, we didn't take any days off. We were here live going with the team in all drills because we know how important it is for us to be out here knowing how much time we missed over the summer with our team.”
Fifth starter
Given the nature of Sunday's scrimmage, Budenholzer probably won't offer much insight into his decision on the team's fifth starter. Starters will likely be split up and over the course of the afternoon, players will swap teams multiple times as was the case last year.
However, the team does have some idea of who they plan to have in that lineup along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, Middleton and Brook Lopez. They're just not ready to share it yet.
“We probably played 70-80% of the time with kind of the starting group together (in camp) but we mix it up some,” Budenholzer said. “We don't know who the starter is with that group. We'll mix it up. I think there's some competition for that and opportunity. Our wings, the depth on the wing between Wes (Matthews) and Pat and Sterling and Donte (DiVincenzo), Kyle (Korver) – I think Khris is still going to start – it's a great group to work with.”
While Budenholzer has kept the competition open, there have been some early indications that Matthews could be in line for that last starting spot at shooting guard, replacing Malcolm Brogdon, who was traded to the Indiana Pacers over the summer. That's subject to change, but according to Middleton, Matthews has fit well when with that group.
“Any piece that we add – in the starting lineup, on or off the bench – I think we're going to do well,” Middleton said. “Guys fit into the system perfectly. Bud and Jon Horst did a great job of trying to keep together most of the team and bringing in guys they really thought could help us . ...
“We're a deep, deep team, even deeper than last year which I didn't think was possible.”