The NBA has given the Milwaukee Bucks a great opportunity to get revenge on the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks early in the 2025-26 season. The Bucks had a dismal effort against both teams last season, failing to win any of their seven matchups.
Milwaukee opens the season hosting the Washington Wizards, before heading north to take on the Toronto Raptors. It is games three and four of the season where the Bucks will travel to their Central Division rivals, the Cavs, before hosting the Knicks. This is a new look Bucks team heading into the new season, and they need to make a statement early.
Bucks can stamp their authority on the East early
You have to go back to January of 2024 for the last time Milwaukee beat Cleveland, and December 2023 for the last time they beat the Knicks. If the Bucks want to show they can contend at the top end of the Eastern Conference, two strong wins will help.
Three consecutive first-round playoff defeats have people doubting the Bucks and their chances in the East, but the conference remains wide open.
With Myles Turner now at center, Milwaukee can match the Cavaliers well in the frontcourt with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Turner on Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Jon Horst and the front office have fixed the team's biggest weakness. Now they are more athletic and versatile to match the Cavs. As expected, Kenny Atkinson and Cleveland have kept very much the same roster following a 64-win season; the only real change is Lonzo Ball now as a backup guard with Ty Jerome moving on.
New York made it to the Conference Finals and still parted ways with Tom Thibodeau this offseason. Former Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown is now in charge, with a similar roster that adds Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson. Facing them early, as Brown tries to implement his vision, could be the perfect chance for the Milwaukee Bucks to exorcise their demons.
Milwaukee now has a much more well-rounded team that can take on those at the top of the East. It was clear all season long and into the playoffs that the Bucks could not match other teams' youthful energy. Now, there is far more defensive versatility, an issue the Bucks were plagued with since trading away Jrue Holiday, and a lot of guys on cheap deals who want to prove a point.
Both games will be tough matchups; there is no doubting that, but the Bucks need to be winning these games if they want to compete for a title. Win both, and a statement will be made that the Bucks cannot be ruled out as a contender.