Well Bucks fans, the season starts on Wednesday, and the Wisconsin sports world is craving a distraction from the terrible, terrible news about Aaron Rodgers’s shoulder. May I offer the Bucks, who are poised to have another playoff-worthy season? In fact, I think the Bucks are going to finish this season 46-36. Follow game-by-game with me and see why this record is perfectly justified and backed-up by the data.
Game 1: October 18th AT Boston Celtics
W (1-0). The Celtics have a lot of new parts to figure out while the Bucks can just pick up where they left off.
Game 2: October 20th VS Cleveland Cavaliers
W (2-0). The Bucks always win a few random games against great teams (especially early on), and this home game against a new-look Cavs team seems like it can easily go that way too.
Game 3: October 21st VS Portland Trail Blazers
L (2-1). No way the Bucks start out 3-0, and this just feels like a loss.
Game 4: October 23rd VS Charlotte Hornets
W (3-1). [NOTE TO GRAPHIC DESIGNER: insert Crying Jordan here]
Game 5: October 26th VS Boston Celtics
W (4-1). If they couldn’t beat the Bucks at home to start the season, how would they beat them on the road just eight days later?
Game 6: October 29th AT Atlanta Hawks
L (4-2). I wish.
Game 7: October 31st VS Oklahoma City Thunder
L (4-3). Melo has probably figured out where he fits in with Russ by now and is still having fun with it, so you probably don’t even have to tune in to this one.
Game 8: November 1st AT Charlotte Hornets
W (5-3). This will be the perfect game for the Bucks to wash the Thunder and Hawks out of their mouths, road game or not.
Game 9: November 3rd AT Detroit Pistons
W (6-3). Sure, it’s another road game, but it is against the Pistons.
Game 10: November 7th AT Cleveland Cavaliers
L (6-4). The Cavs will bounce back from their second-game loss with a vengeance.
Game 11: November 10th AT San Antonio Spurs
L (6-5). Even I’m not that much of a homer.
Game 12: November 11th VS Los Angeles Lakers
W (7-5). While this is not the same inexperienced Lakers team from last season, the Bucks should still take care of business at home.
Game 13: November 13th VS Memphis Grizzlies
W (8-5). This will be a tough win, but the Bucks will have enough in the tank to win their second straight at home.
Game 14: November 15th VS Detroit Pistons
W (9-5). The Bucks will make it 3-for-3 on the homestand and easily beat the Pistons, as long as they’re not too worn out from the Grizzlies two nights prior.
Game 15: November 18th AT Dallas Mavericks
W (10-5). Dirk’s getting old, so the Bucks will make it four in a row and reach their early high watermark of the season at 10-5.
Game 16: November 20th VS Washington Wizards
L (10-6). I wish I could say the Bucks beat this Wizards team at home, but I won’t.
Game 17: November 22nd AT Phoenix Suns
L (10-7). In true Bucks fashion, they’ll lose their second of three straight to fail to capitalize on an early hot start.
Game 18: November 25th AT Utah Jazz
L (10-8). Yeah, this isn’t happening.
Game 19: November 28th AT Sacramento Kings
W (11-8). The Kings are a blessing for the Bucks to reverse their fortunes, especially since they’ll have a few days to rest on the road trip.
Game 20: November 30th AT Portland Trail Blazers
L (11-9). While the Blazers don’t have a crazy record at home or anything, I feel like they secure their home court on this night pretty easily.
Game 21: December 2nd VS Sacramento Kings
W (12-9). It’s the Kings, with the Bucks at home this time.
Game 22: December 4th AT Boston Celtics
L (12-10). Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving have figured it out by now.
Game 23: December 6th VS Detroit Pistons
W (13-10). The Bucks aren’t gonna let the Pistons beat them here, as they would have in previous years.
Game 24: December 8th VS Dallas Mavericks
W (14-10). The Mavericks couldn’t get it done in Dallas, and they won’t get it done in Milwaukee.
Game 25: December 9th VS Utah Jazz
L (14-11). This is one of those tough home games, and as the second night of a back-to-back it’s especially tough.
Game 26: December 13th AT New Orleans Pelicans
L (14-12). Just as the Bucks always get a few random great wins, they also get a few random terrible losses, and this is one of those.
Game 27: December 15th VS Chicago Bulls
W (15-12). No chance for the Bulls here, let’s be honest.
Game 28: December 16th AT Houston Rockets
L (15-13). Similarly, no chance for the Bucks here.
Game 29: December 19th VS Cleveland Cavaliers
L (15-14). The Cavs don’t let another one slip away from them, but the Bucks keep it real close.
Game 30: December 22nd VS Charlotte Hornets
W (16-14). Luckily, the Hornets come to town to make sure the Bucks don’t slip to .500 after an early good start.
Game 31: December 23rd AT Charlotte Hornets
W (17-14). The Hornets will be just as tired as the Bucks on the second night of this back-to-back, and with the confidence boost of having just won the Bucks will make it two in a row.
Game 32: December 26th VS Chicago Bulls
W (18-14). The best player on the Bulls is probably, like, Robin Lopez, so I don’t feel the need to explain myself here either.
Game 33: December 28th VS Minnesota Timberwolves
W (19-14). The Timberwolves are perenially as much of a League Pass team as the Bucks are, but the Bucks have found more on-court success in the last few years, and that will continue on this night.
Game 34: December 29th AT Oklahoma City Thunder
L (19-15). Winning five in a row would put the Bucks in too good of an early playoff position, so of course they have to go to Oklahoma City from Milwaukee on the second night of a back-to-back and lose.
Game 35: January 1st AT Toronto Raptors
L (19-16). While the Bucks more than held their own against the Raptors in last year’s playoffs, getting a win in Toronto just two days after losing in Oklahoma City is a tall order.
Game 36: January 3rd VS Indiana Pacers
W (20-16). Unless you can name three Pacers off the top of your head right now (hint: Paul George is gone), this should not be controversial.
Game 37: January 5th VS Toronto Raptors
W (21-16). This game is a much different story than the one in Toronto, and the Bucks reach five games over .500 for the third time this season.
Game 38: January 6th AT Washington Wizards
L (21-17). Again, as much as I would love to, you just don’t bet against John Wall and Bradley Beal, especially at home where they were 30-11 last season.
Game 39: January 8th AT Indiana Pacers
W (22-17). Just like you don’t bet against the Wizards, you don’t bet on the Pacers, so this road game puts the Bucks back up to five over .500.
Game 40: January 10th VS Orlando Magic
W (23-17). Next.
Game 41: January 12th VS Golden State Warriors
W (24-17). This is another perfect win for the Bucks to randomly get, especially since the energy level will be high for a fairly well-rested home team.
Game 42: January 14th AT Miami Heat
L (24-18). If this was a home game, I’d give the Bucks the edge, but in Miami I have to chalk it up as a loss.
Game 43: January 15th AT Washington Wizards
L (24-19). Just like game 38, this is too tall an order, especially after losing in Miami the night before.
Game 44: January 17th VS Miami Heat
W (25-19). Like I said, I give the Bucks the edge over the Heat in Milwaukee.
Game 45: January 20th AT Philadelphia 76ers
W (26-19). If this was earlier in the season and I thought there might be a chance Joel Embiid was on the court, maybe I’d think harder about this.
Game 46: January 22nd VS Phoenix Suns
W (27-19). The Bucks should easily beat last year’s worst team in the West.
Game 47: January 26th VS Brooklyn Nets
W (28-19). The Bucks should also easily beat last year’s worst team in the East (and the league).
Game 48: January 28th AT Chicago Bulls
L (28-20). All signs point to the Bucks winning this game, but no way they hit 10 games over .500, so it’s a loss.
Game 49: January 29th VS Philadelphia 76ers
L (28-21). This is another one of those stupid, random losses the Bucks always manage to hit a few of every season.
Game 50: February 1st AT Minnesota Timberwolves
L (28-22). At home, the Timberwolves get the best of the Bucks this time.
Game 51: February 2nd VS New York Knicks
W (29-22). Why don’t they just make the whole Knicks team out of Kristaps Porzingis?
Game 52: February 4th AT Brooklyn Nets
W (30-22). The Nets won 20 games last year, like out of 82.
Game 53: February 6th AT New York Knicks
L (30-23). Fifty years from now, Madison Square Garden faithful will still refer to this as “the Kristaps Porzingis game”.
Game 54: February 9th AT Miami Heat
W (31-23). The Bucks will figure it out in Miami this time, especially with a few much-needed days of rest.
Game 55: February 10th AT Orlando Magic
L (31-24). Arron Afflalo’s gonna hit like, 8 of 13 three-pointers and lead the Magic to their 15th win.
Game 56: February 13th VS Atlanta Hawks
W (32-24). Every time the Bucks blow a game against an easy opponent, they come back strong against a much better opponent, and that’s what will happen here.
Game 57: February 15th VS Denver Nuggets
L (32-25). Similarly, the Bucks almost always follow up big wins with disappointing losses.
Game 58:February 23rd AT Toronto Raptors
L (32-26). It’s just hard to beat the Raptors in Toronto.
Game 59: February 25th VS New Orleans Pelicans
W (33-26). Boogie Cousins and Anthony Davis seem like a terrifying prospect, but the Bucks are a proven commodity at this point.
Game 60: February 27th VS Washington Wizards
W (34-26). This win will not come easy, but it will be a statement win for the Bucks as they continue to jockey for a higher playoff seed.
Game 61: February 28th AT Detroit Pistons
L (34-27). For some reason, the Pistons will fiercely defend the Palace this night, and the Bucks just won’t have enough on the second night of a back-to-back.
Game 62: March 2nd VS Indiana Pacers
W (35-27). Look, whenever it says “Indiana Pacers”, just pencil in a win.
Game 63: March 4th VS Philadelphia 76ers
L (35-28). Here’s another one of those stupid losses (especially stupid cause it’s at home) that will help cost the Bucks a better playoff seed.
Game 64: March 5th AT Indiana Pacers
W (36-28). I refer you to game 62’s description.
Game 65: March 7th VS Houston Rockets
L (36-29). I would love to say the Bucks put forth a huge effort against the Rockets at home (which they do) and come away with a great, late-season win against a serious contender (they don’t).
Game 66: March 9th VS New York Knicks
W (37-29). Melo’s not walking through that door.
Game 67: March 12th AT Memphis Grizzlies
L (37-30). This one will sting, especially since the Bucks will have come into it well-rested.
Game 68: March 14th AT Orlando Magic
W (38-30). Afflalo’s not stopping this one.
Game 69: March 17th VS Atlanta Hawks
L (38-31). As always, the Hawks will do enough to finish higher than the Bucks do in the East, and this game is no exception.
Game 70: March 19th AT Cleveland Cavaliers
L (38-32). LeBron will be in near-playoff form here, so make sure you put the kids to bed before tuning in.
Game 71: March 21st VS Los Angeles Clippers
L (38-33). I wish, but the Bucks will let this one slip through their fingers.
Game 72: March 23rd AT Chicago Bulls
W (39-33). Again, their best player is Robin Lopez.
Game 73: March 25th VS San Antonio Spurs
L (39-34). Come on man, it’s the Spurs.
Game 74: March 27th AT Los Angeles Clippers
W (40-34). Weirdly, despite just losing to them at home, the Bucks will easily take this one on the road.
Game 75: March 29th AT Golden State Warriors
L (40-35). It’ll be close than you think, but Kevin Durant’s gonna score like 14 e 4points in the 4th quarter to put it away.
Game 76: March 30th AT Los Angeles Lakers
W (41-35). It’ll take a lot out of the Bucks to win this the night after giving their all to the Warriors, but they’ll step up here in a big way.
Game 77: April 1st AT Denver Nuggets
W (42-35). The Bucks will guarantee at least a .500 finish with a solid, late-season road win.
Game 78: April 3rd VS Boston Celtics
L (42-36). The Celtics will still be playing for the top seed, so they’ll have just a little more than the Bucks on this night in Milwaukee.
Game 79: April 5th VS Brooklyn Nets
W (43-36). Pacers rules apply here, so this is an automatic win.
Game 80: April 7th AT New York Knicks
W (44-36). The Bucks will be fighting for more than just the eighth seed, and this easy win will help them on their way.
Game 81: April 9th VS Orlando Magic
W (45-36). It’s the Magic, so again, just trust me.
Game 82: April 11th AT Philadelphia 76ers
W (46-36). That’s right, the Bucks will finish the season on a four-game winning streak, and having won seven of their last ten, since the 76ers will have moved on to trusting the process once again by now.
Well folks, you heard it here first, the Bucks will finish 46-36, firmly over .500. For perspective, that would have put them securely in the fifth seed last season. If you didn’t go game-by-game and just guessed at a Bucks record this season, you’d probably land around 46-36, so I guess that means something.
Check back here at Bucks Wire for our preview of Milwaukee’s season opener at the Celtics!