Bucks Basketball in the summer
The Milwaukee Bucks finished 2-3 in summer league play in Las Vegas. The Bucks lost today to the Sacramento Kings 92-84. The Bucks, in all of summer league play, were not able to get over 100 total offensive points. Developing that team identity will be the story of the 2023-2024 season under new Head Coach Adrian Griffin.
As of the time of this writing it looks like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets are vying for the title of “Unofficial NBA Summer League Champion”.
There are technically two NBA summer leagues: the main one is in Las Vegas while a secondary league is located in Utah. (The Jazz seem like they have already “won” that league.) Milwaukee has an interesting history in these summer league games (see the end of this piece.) The games are always a good chance to see the young guys play. And in the case of Tacko Fall, see the veterans try to find a role on a new team.
Related: Bucks beat Denver 92-85

#1- The new Bucks offense is not built around the three
This new Adrian Griffin offense is going to be more slashing and cutting than the Mike Budenholzer offense. The ultimate goal on every possession seems to be to turn defensive stops in offensive twos.
This offense did not have much of an identity in games three, four, or five. In fact the only identity the offense may have had was that it can have long dry spells where no one scores.
The final game against the Kings summer league team was the most even. In every quarter in that game the Bucks scored over 20 points.
Against the Heat’s summer league team Milwaukee only managed 14 points in the first quarter. Against the Brooklyn summer league team Milwaukee only scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter (Yuck!)
How the new coaches blend, or don’t, with a veteran team will be the story of the 2023-2024 season.
Related: NBA Draft Recap for the Bucks

#2- Tacko Fall is a big, big man
Tacko Fall never played a ton in summer league action. But when he did play he had a pretty big impact.
Against the Kings, Fall had five rebounds in just ten minutes of play.
Fall also started at center against Denver. The 7’6” center had quite the presence in the paint. He really took up a ton of space and helped the defense. He also scored 4 points, making 4 free throws.
Fall only played six minutes in the loss (92-71) to the Nets. In that game he had a block, four points and three rebounds. In just six minutes!
Related: Should Leonard or Fall earn a Bucks Roster Spot?
#3- Chris Livingston might be one of the greatest “last picks” ever
Livingston and his agent were rumored to have told teams not to draft him because he had “already found a home”. It turns out that home was Milwaukee. That, ultimately, is not the best “look” considering Milwaukee has already had to forfeit draft capital for trying to sign Bogdon Bojanoivc early. (Tampering is never a good reputation to have.)
Rookie draft pick Chris Livingston, out of Kentucky, started for Milwaukee in Game One of the summer league. He played 26 minutes against the Nuggets, scoring seven points with six rebounds.
He also played the most (24 minutes) against the Nets. While he did not shoot particularly well, he was, at times, the best player for Milwaukee on the floor. He is a long, athletic wing player that you can almost envision sliding in for Middleton when he needs a breather.
#4- Andre Jackson Jr. is a true “gadget” player
Andre Jackson Jr. started for Milwaukee a lot in the summer league and played well. He had some pretty awesome and amazing highlights. He is a player that makes the little plays and wins the 50/50 balls.
Against the Nets he did not shoot particularly well. (2-7) But he had seven rebounds and a key block.
The NBA summer league was also on notice with other impressive plays.
Related: Bucks fans react to Jackson’s Awesome Blocks
How has summer league basketball traditionally been for Milwaukee?
Milwaukee was 3-2 last season in summer league competition. Jordan Nwora led the team in the 2021-2022 summer league with 20.3 points per game.
Back in 2016 the team was simply brutal in the NBA summer league, barely going 1-4. In that ‘season’ of play, the Bucks lost to Dallas and barely managed 64 points that game. Yikes! That team was “Thon Maker”-time and should have been a fortuitous preview of things to come.
Related: Redrafting the 2016 Draft for the Bucks
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Things to tell your buddies as we enter the preseason
- As Giannis goes, so goes the team- even the franchise. Get ready for lots of talk of “will he stay or will he go?”
- New Bucks Head Coach Adrian Griffin played his rookie season for the Boston Celtics.
- The Milwaukee Bucks were founded in 1968. That makes this their 55th season.
- This is still an older, veteran team. Guard Jrue Holiday and forward Khris Middleton continue to do good things for the team- and the world. Holiday and his wife won an ESPY for being humanitarians of the year. Hard to root against that!
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