The Wednesday press conference introducing the newest member of the Milwaukee Bucks, backup veteran point guard Keyon Dooling, is just one sign of the annual summer lull in the NBA news cycle.
The other comes in the form of the just released Milwaukee Bucks pre-season schedule, which will feature two games at the Bradley Center and one at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
Milwaukee Bucks 2010 pre-season schedule:
Tuesday, October 5: Chicago (Bradley Center) 7:00 p.m.
Friday, October 8: @ Detroit (Palace at Auburn Hills) 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 9: Charlotte (Resch Center (Green Bay, WI)) 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 14: @ Washington (Verizon Center) TBD
Saturday, October 16: @ Memphis (FedEx Center) 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 17: @ Minnesota (Sioux Falls Arena (Sioux Falls, SD)) 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 21: @ Cleveland (Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)) TBD
Friday, October 22: Minnesota (Bradley Center, MACC Fund Game) 7:30 p.m.
It’s fitting that the Bucks will open the preseason against the division rival Chicago Bulls, even though it will tell as much about both teams as a Packers/Bears preseason matchup or Cubs/Brewers Spring Training game.
Still, GM John Hammond gave the team such a significant facelift, and thus raised expectations locally and nationally, that it may be worth getting an early glimpse into the rookies and new veterans as an appetizer before the regular season main course. Regardless of the ultimately meaningless scoreboard outcome, there is something to be said for watching Larry Sanders face his first NBA-caliber test.
Mark these dates on your calander, at least for the sake of saying you followed the Milwaukee Bucks’ quest towards a 2010-11 Central Division title from beginning to end.
– Jake McCormick