Last Thursday, the NBA released the 82-game schedule for all 30 NBA teams for the 2016-17 regular season. Notable matchups for the upcoming season include Derrick Rose’s return to Chicago (Nov. 4), Dwyane Wade’s return to Miami (Nov. 10), and Kevin Durant’s return to Oklahoma City (Feb. 11). The season will tip off with the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers meeting in the first of three games on Tuesday, October 25, while the Bucks will get their first action on the following night.
Christmas games will feature the following: Celtics vs. Knicks (Noon ET), Warriors vs. Cavaliers (2:30 PM ET), Bulls vs. Spurs (5:00 PM ET), Timberwolves vs. Thunder (8:00 PM ET), and Clippers vs. Lakers (10:30 PM ET).
The Milwaukee Bucks, fresh of a 33-49 campaign, will open up regular season play October 26th at home versus the Charlotte Hornets, whom they went 1-3 against last season. The Bucks will then take on the Brooklyn Nets three days later to round up their opening home stand. Milwaukee’s game versus Brooklyn will be the first of 23 weekend home games this season.
Featured on the Bucks’ schedule will be nine nationally televised games:
- November 6 – at Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV)
- December 15 – vs. Chicago Bulls (TNT)
- December 21 – at Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA TV)
- December 30 – at Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA TV)
- December 31 – at Chicago Bulls (NBA TV)
- January 6 – vs. New York Knicks (ESPN)
- February 26 – vs. Phoenix Suns (NBA TV)
- March 15 – at Los Angeles Clippers (TNT)
- March 24 – vs. Atlanta Hawks (NBA TV)
This year’s schedule will feature two road trips of at least four games, with their longest being a six-game matinee on the west coast March 13-22. The team will face the Grizzlies, Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, Blazers, and Kings during that span. This marks Milwaukee’s first road trip of six or more games since the 2009-10 season. The Bucks will have just one four-game home stand to take place in early December, but will play six of seven at the BMO Harris Bradley Center prior to their six-game road trip in March.
Milwaukee will play each team in the Eastern Conference four times, with the exception of Boston, Charlotte, New York, and Orlando, which they will play just three times.
Other notable games include their first meeting with the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers at home November 29th and the runner-up Golden State Warriors earlier in the season on November 19th, also at home. The Bucks were the first team to hand the Warriors a loss last season, after Golden State began the season 24-0.
The Bucks will end the season with four out of five on the road: at Oklahoma City, at Indiana, at Philadelphia, vs. Charlotte, at Boston. If Milwaukee is in the running for a playoff spot come the end of the year, they will need to go through eight of last year’s playoff teams in their final nine games.
Milwaukee begins preseason play October 3rd when they visit the Chicago Bulls. You can find access to the full Milwaukee Bucks schedule here.
Photos and information from Bucks.com.