Milwaukee Bucks/NBAE
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo weathered the unexpected death of his father.
A stop on Van Halen’s 1988 OU812 Tour was one of the first events at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. (I know, because I was there.) Now, with the Milwaukee Bucks entering their final season in that old arena, an NBA playoff series — or two or three — could be the final events the venue ever hosts.
At least that’s what head coach Jason Kidd and his team of increasingly recognizable players hope. The Bucks lost their first three preseason games and play their final one on Friday the 13th against the Detroit Pistons at the Bradley Center.
Part of the team’s early struggles could stem from the unexpected Sept. 29 death of Charles Antetokounmpo, the 54-year-old father of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who broke out last season by averaging career highs in minutes (35.6), points (22.9), rebounds (8.8), assists (5.4), blocks (1.8), steals (1.6) and field-goal percentage (52.1 percent). Charles “was a big part of the Bucks,” according to a team statement.
Antetokounmpo returned to action Oct. 6 in a 114-101 loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center, leading all Milwaukee scorers with 24 points. The so-called “Greek Freak” has generated plenty of preseason MVP talk, too.
But to keep the Bucks moving forward — Milwaukee lost to the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in six games last season — Antetokounmpo will need considerable support from a roster that also includes Matthew Dellavedova, Khris Middleton and oft-injured Jabari Parker.
The Bucks open the regular season in Boston on Oct. 18. A week later, the Celtics will play Milwaukee at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena — more famously known as MECCA, where the two teams tipped off 48 times during the regular season between 1968 and 1988. Milwaukee players will wear a contemporary version (longer shorts, Harley-Davidson logo) of the classic Bucks uniform from the franchise’s earliest days, and the game will be televised on TNT.
Worth noting: In late September, the Bucks waived Bronson Koenig, a four-year starter for the Wisconsin Badgers who competed for Milwaukee in the summer league and was later picked up by the Bulls.
Meanwhile, not far from the Bradley Center, another huge component of the Bucks future looms larger every day. The $524 million, 17,500-seat Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center — a name that likely will change if Foxconn has anything to do with it — is expected to open next year and boost downtown Milwaukee’s appeal for major entertainment acts and business development.
