The Bucks will kick off their 2016-2017 season on October 26th against the Charlotte Hornets. If you’re a Bucks fan with a pulse you have to be excited to see this team get some regular season action, and the Bradley Center is sure to be rocking (well, hopefully). Let’s see what we can expect from the season opener.
Charlotte Hornets
- 48-34 last season, lost in first round of playoffs
- 55-54 against Bucks all-time
- Great team colors
Offensive Key
The Bucks have to limit their turnovers if they want to start their season off with a win. They obviously have the talent to put points on the board, but they had a bad habit in the preseason of turning the ball over, nearly matching their assist totals in some games. Giannis Antetokounmpo in particular showed a tendency to turn the ball over in the preseason, so the Bucks should be alright as long as he can hang on to the ball while running the offense.
Defensive Key
The Bucks have to watch the Hornets’ 3-point shooting, as last season Charlotte had seven different players shoot over 35% from beyond the arc and 14 players who shot over 30%. In comparison, last year’s Bucks had three players shoot over 35% and six who shot over 30%. This means that the Bucks will have a hard time coming from behind against the Hornets, as Charlotte can keep extending a lead with shots from distance. It is crucial that the Bucks don’t let the Hornets get off to an early lead in this first game of the season.
Tune in on Wednesday as the Bucks kick off their season at home!