The day has finally come for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they’re set to arrive in Orlando on Thursday ahead of the resumption of the NBA season.
Exactly four months to the day that the Milwaukee Bucks took to the court against the Denver Nuggets for their final game before the coronavirus pandemic led to the season’s suspension, the franchise will take a major step toward returning to action once again.
It has frequently seemed implausible and unlikely, and arguably still does for many given recent events, but the NBA’s 2019-20 season is taking major strides toward its restart and what will hopefully prove to be its conclusion.
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Over the past few days, teams have started to arrive in Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort campus that will host the players and stage games between now and the remainder of the season, and on Thursday it will be the Bucks’ turn to make the trip to Florida.
Upon arrival, the Bucks will quarantine in their rooms for two days before then being free to roam their surroundings and facilities at the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, and more specifically get down to work.
As Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shared on Wednesday night, the Bucks’ first practice in Orlando is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
Of course, following the news in recent days that the latest round of COVID-19 led to the Bucks shutting down their practice facility, it’s not all smooth sailing for the team with the league’s best record. Further confirmation came from general manager Jon Horst that it was unlikely that the Bucks’ entire traveling party would be making the trip on Thursday, as relayed by Velazquez in his most recent article for the Journal Sentinel.
"“The league has very specific protocols, set of requirements that are necessary for you first to leave your market and get on your plane to get there and then for you to actually enter into the campus after quarantine while you’re in Disney,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a conference call Wednesday. “We have followed those, we’ll continue to follow those incredibly closely and that will ultimately lead and direct what we do.“But I would say, more than likely not the entire group (will leave Thursday), but I think a good portion of it if not all of it. We’ll see.”"
It remains to be seen whether more will be learned as to the identity of the positive test upon the team’s arrival, at least in terms of whether it’s a player or staff member.
Either way, the Bucks’ focus will now start to trend toward the first of a series of scrimmages which will take place on July 23 against the Sacramento Kings. From there, the Bucks’ title pursuit will pick up and the incredible adventure of this season will resume once again.