Milwaukee Bucks: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 schedule release

Milwaukee has big games from the jump

One night after the NBA kicks off its season with a double-header featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors as hosts, the Milwaukee Bucks get to make their mark on the young season. On Wednesday, Oct. 18, the Bucks will travel to Boston and take on the Celtics at TD Garden.

The Celtics are coming off a season where they won more games than any other team in the Eastern Conference, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in five games. They proceeded to add the third pick in the draft, Jayson Tatum, as well as All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in free agency.

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Blue Man Hoop

After Milwaukee faces Boston, their reward is a showdown two days later with the Cavaliers, the 2016 NBA champions and winners of the East for three seasons running. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a popular pick to take over the mantle of best player in the East once LeBron either moves to the West or fades out of his prime, and his showdowns with James are must-see television.

The Worldwide Leader agrees, as ESPN will be broadcasting the game — the second on the season for both the Bucks and the Cavs. Milwaukee has the advantage of hosting the Friday night game, while the Cavaliers may or may not have All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving after his recent trade demands.

The season is 82 games long, and the first two ultimately don’t mean any more than any other two games. But for a team hoping to establish itself as a contender in the Eastern Conference, they will have a chance to prove their mettle right from the start.