'Ignored' Bucks fueled by Christmas Day snub

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks won’t play on Christmas Day this season, the primary time since 2017 the staff was not scheduled on, maybe, the NBA’s marquee slate of regular-season video games.

Their absence from the schedule was taken notice of by coach Doc Rivers throughout the staff’s media day Monday to emphasise a sense shared by a number of the leaders within the Bucks locker room — that they’re being disregarded heading into the 2024-25 season.

“I believe, considerably, we have been ignored,” Milwaukee ahead Khris Middleton mentioned. “We must always have had a Christmas Day recreation, I imagine. However the NBA felt completely different. I do not want that as additional motivation … however disillusioned a little bit bit.”

“We have all the time been ignored,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo added.

“All of us take note of it,” Rivers mentioned. “We see it, we learn it. … I do not suppose I am going to have to make use of it, it’s going to use itself, if what I imply.”

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers made splashy offseason additions for All-Star gamers to enhance their roster this summer season. The Boston Celtics simply accomplished a historic run to the NBA championship.

In the meantime, the Bucks have been eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs after accidents mired their staff throughout a sequence towards the Indiana Pacers. After upending their roster earlier than coaching camp final season to accumulate Damian Lillard and making a midseason teaching change to rent Rivers, the Bucks had a comparatively quiet offseason.

Nonetheless, Milwaukee enters the season anticipating to compete with the NBA’s finest.

“We’re positively in that group,” Middleton mentioned. “You could have Dame and Giannis, for certain. You embrace myself, Brook [Lopez], the remainder of the crew — we’re positively one of many high contenders within the East, irrespective of who else they’ve [added] on the market or who else has received previously. I am certain these groups really feel the identical approach about themselves too.”

An enormous purpose the Bucks anticipate to have a bounce-back 12 months is as a result of they’ll enter the season with some stability.

After being traded from Portland on the eve of coaching camp in 2023, Lillard known as his first season in Milwaukee “a blur” and mentioned he felt rather more snug leaving house to report for camp this 12 months. He reported to camp feeling in significantly better form this 12 months after not attending to work out constantly final summer season earlier than the commerce.

“They gon’ get the actual model of me this 12 months,” Lillard mentioned.

Lillard stored in fixed contact however didn’t get an opportunity to spend any time with Antetokounmpo this summer season. Antetokounmpo spent the summer season taking part in for Greece within the Olympics — “probably the greatest experiences I’ve had as a basketball participant,” he mentioned — rehabbing an harm he performed via throughout the video games after which getting married to his longtime companion, Mariah, this summer season. However Milwaukee’s two stars each mentioned they’ve a basis to construct from final season as a substitute of ranging from scratch.

Additionally they have Rivers in place as coach from the beginning of the 12 months. When he began final season on the finish of January, he acknowledged how troublesome it could be to steer a staff after becoming a member of midseason. It is why he needed to carry coaching camp at UC Irvine in California this week to assist foster connections with the staff earlier than the beginning of the season.

“Final 12 months, we felt like we have been in all places,” Antetokounmpo mentioned.

Rivers additionally named well being as one of many largest challenges the Bucks must face this season. Milwaukee has one of many oldest rosters within the NBA, with 4 projected starters over 30, together with Middleton, who had surgical procedures on each his ankles this summer season.

The Bucks have been optimistic about Middleton’s standing Monday going into coaching camp. Middleton mentioned he feels nice and can take part throughout some actions throughout coaching camp despite the fact that he has not been cleared to play live-action 5-on-5. Middleton has been restricted to 88 regular-season video games over the previous two seasons.

“I believe I will be lacking a little bit little bit of essential time with the 5-on-5 motion, however every part else I am going to have the ability to be on the market,” Middleton mentioned. “That is essential for us all to be on the court docket collectively, going via reads, speaking, determining the place our spacing is at.”

Middleton mentioned these coaching camp reps will likely be essential for the Bucks earlier than the beginning of the season to proceed constructing off their basis from final 12 months.

“I simply really feel prefer it’s nice as a result of we’re not taking part in catch-up,” he mentioned. “Final 12 months, we have been attempting to play catch-up as a lot as we might after which additionally, we have been studying on the fly. Throughout video games, we have been attempting to study one another out. To have a full 12 months final 12 months the place we form of bought a really feel, this summer season we have been capable of speak, now have this coaching camp, I really feel like we’re in a clean transition into the season.”