Preseason Opener: Milwaukee Bucks host Memphis in Green Bay

Memphis Grizzlies @ Milwaukee Bucks — Resch Center (Green Bay) 7 PM CT 

Professional basketball is back in the state of Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Bucks travel to Green Bay to host the Memphis Grizzlies.  Some view the preseason as a wash and not entertaining to watch. Well, no worries. Tonight’s opener will not be televised. So sit back, relax, and follow us on twitter as we bring you the instant recap of the action.

Despite being the preseason opener, there is a lot of intrigue heading into tonight’s game. The Bucks will feature Jabari Parker for the first time and head coach Jason Kidd will lead his first official game as the head coach of the Bucks. There will also be a lot of position battles to keep and eye on.

The Intangibles

Radio: 620 WTMJ-AM (Ted Davis/Dennis Krause)

TV: This game will not be televised, nor picked up by League Pass

Online: League Pass Audio

Social Media: @BehindTheBucks | @BealStBearsFS

Young Bucks vs. Grizzled Veterans

Tonight pins the second youngest team in the league against one of the most veteran laden. The Bucks feature three teenagers on their roster and only three players over the age of 26. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies will feature five starters in the regular season that have played at least six NBA seasons.

Veteran forward Zach Randolph is starting his 14th year in the league, while fellow forward Tayshaun Prince enters his 13th season in the NBA. Adding fuel to the offense is 8 time All Star Vince Carter, who was acquired via free agency in the offseason. Carter is entering his 17th season in the association.

The Grizzlies made their fourth straight playoff appearance last season, while the Bucks are looking to make it back to the playoffs, after finishing with the worst record in the league last season.

Projected Starters/Injuries

The Grizzlies enter tonight’s game fairly healthy as they have not listed any players out for tonight’s game. Vince Carter could miss the game though due to ankle surgery in the off-season. He tweaked the same ankle he had surgery on last week in practice, but is still expected to see some playing time.

For the Bucks, they’ll be without forward Ersan Ilyasova, who is battling flu like symptoms. Since the team is most likely jumping from Green Bay to Detroit for tomorrow’s preseason matchup, it’s likely that he’ll miss tomorrow’s contest as well. Rookie forward Damien Inglis is also out following ankle surgery.

Common Ground

So, what do the Grizzlies and Bucks have in common?

• Vince Carter has been teammates with Jared Dudley in Phoenix, head coach Jason Kidd in New Jersey and Dallas and O.J. Mayo in Dallas (He is the Kevin Bacon of Basketball)
• Both Mayo and Dudley played for the Grizzlies during their career
• Grizzlies guard Beno Udrih, forward Jon Leuer and assistant coach Shawn Respert all spent time as members of the Milwaukee Bucks. Respert, who coached Memphis’ summer league team, also played with Bucks head coach Jason Kidd in Phoenix
• Memphis guard Nick Calathes and Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo both played on the Greek National Team during this summer’s FIBA World Cup tournament.

Three Things to Watch

1.) The Greek Freak and Jabari on the Floor 

This is what the future is all about. Fans have been waiting for months to  see how Giannis Anteokounmpo and Jabari Parker will look on the court at the same time.

It doesn’t get much more dynamic then having them two in the frontcourt. Will tonight be the first time that we see GA at point guard and Parker in the post, working off slower defenders? Maybe Parker will play small forward at points and really show what he can do on the wing.

These are the two cornerstone pieces that will truly tell Bucks fans if the future is bright for Milwaukee basketball.

Seeing them start to build chemistry from day one of the preseason will be one of the bright spots of the 2014-15 season for Bucks fans.

2.) The Lineup Cocktails served up by Jason Kidd

He has made it clear from day one that you shouldn’t judge him and how he handles the lineup for Milwaukee through the first few preseason games. Kidd, who said yesterday that he most likely will have two completely different lineups tonight and tomorrow night against the Pistons, is doing what every new coach should do.

Finding out who has the best chemistry on the court with each other is imperative to winning and most importantly — it’s imperative to improving.

The Bucks will have competition at nearly every single spot on the floor. Watching where role players like Jared Dudley, Kendall Marshall, Jerryd Bayless and Nate Wolters fit in will be fun to watch because they are going to leave it all on the floor.

Kidd also has to find out how he will work the rotation inside.

It might look like a train wreck during the games, but it will give the coaching staff a better idea heading into the season of who is best served to play on the court at certain times.

3.) The Return of Larry Sanders

According to the people that I’ve talked to that were at the Bradley Center on Saturday, Larry Sanders received one of the biggest ovations of all the players that took the court. What makes him so fun to watch is his defensive ability and effort. If tonight is anything like we’ve seen from other teams (The Truth has a mean poke doesn’t he?), then Sanders will have a great battle inside with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

If Sanders and Randolph get into a tussle tonight, then my whole season is already made.

It doesn’t get much better than that.