Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks set to open 75th NBA season with a bang

The Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks are set to open the NBA’s 75th season with a bang. 

The NBA’s 75th season gets underway tonight with the schedule makers giving the fans a treat on the first night of the year. The regular season officially opens with the Brooklyn Nets taking on the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks.

This opening night matchup features MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant as both teams are expected once again to be top competitors for the Eastern Conference crown. Both teams should be prepared and poised for the marathon and the grind this NBA season is sure to bring.

This is the perfect matchup for opening night as the Nets will try and exact some revenge after the Bucks defeated them in their fantastic 7-game Eastern Conference Semifinals showdown which was well worth the price of admission. If this game displays the same level of intensity as that playoff series had then fans can expect plenty of fireworks and highlights as these two juggernauts face off.

The Bucks will be the team to beat as defending champions and the Nets know that they will have to put last season’s playoff exit behind them and focus on the task at hand. Expect every possession to matter for both teams as this game should be fun to watch and determined in the final minutes of a close between these elite squads.

There is a level of uncertainty surrounding the Nets after star guard Kyrie Irving refused to get the COVID-19 vaccination, therefore putting his status with the team in jeopardy. Irving is an essential piece of the Nets roster as they will most likely need all the help they can get as they pursue a championship.

However, the Nets still have James Harden who played at an MVP level and carried the team while both Durant and Irving recovered from injuries. Also returning for the Nets are veterans Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge who had to abruptly retire last season after a health scare. The Nets also added Paul Millsap, a savvy veteran who should provide leadership and be a good locker room presence as well. This group should be able to solidify the frontcourt as these former all-stars hope to produce and contribute to a talented roster.

Also joining the Nets is former San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills. Mills brings a championship pedigree and should serve as another weapon the Nets can deploy off the bench and pair with the sharpshooting Joe Harris who led the Nets in scoring off the bench averaging 14.1 points per game. Harris also led the NBA in 3-point percentage shooting it at a 47.5 percent clip.

The Nets also made a splash in the draft by selecting Cam Thomas out of LSU with the 27th overall selection. Thomas has a high ceiling as a high-energy player and is a combo guard with the potential to develop into a high-volume scorer if he gets the opportunity.

The Bucks begin their title defense as they had to overcome numerous obstacles en route to their first NBA title since 1971 and second overall. Two-time league and reigning Finals MVP Antetokounmpo hopes to do it all over again as the Bucks core return for another run. The trio of Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton proved that they could perform under the pressure and bright lights of the NBA playoffs and could win the big games when they matter the most.

This is the same group that overcame an 0-2 deficit in the Finals and now we wait and see what they do for an encore. Also returning for the Bucks are Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton who all played well and made big contributions in the postseason. The Bucks also signed Grayson Allen and Rodney Hood who should give them two adequate shooters off the bench and two players who can help spread the floor and can be used coming off screens and dribble handoffs.

The Bucks can expect Donte DiVincenzo to play later on this season as he continues to recover from an ankle injury he suffered in the first round of the playoffs last year. DiVincenzo will be a welcomed addition to the team when he returns as he provides stout defense and is capable of filling a role as a starter or coming off the bench.

Regardless of who wins on opening night, this game should serve as a preview for what this 75th NBA season has in store.