Milwaukee Bucks Point Forward Podcast

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Ben Steele and Jim Owczarski join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round draft haul in 2026, landing Brayden Burries and Nate Ament as the team moves into a rebuilding phase. How will Burries and Ament fit, and how do they complement each other so well in the context of the draft class? Jim discusses his detailed breakdown of the Giannis...

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded their franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, and there is so much to discuss. Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to break down the particulars of the trade and the legacy of a man who rebuilt Milwaukee basketball over his 13-year tenure. Who are the Bucks getting back, can they rebuild quickly and will the pr...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe talk all things Giannis, discussing the advanced likelihood of a trade sometime within the next couple weeks before the NBA Draft. Is this indeed the final days of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee? How did we get to this point, and is there still a scenario where Antetokoumpo returns? Is that buzzed-about Miami Heat package a real possibility? I...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe look at the lottery, with the Milwaukee Bucks picking 10th. How likely are they to keep that pick, and who are the names to actually consider? But more importantly, does the layout of the 2026 draft give us new insight into teams that might be best positioned to make a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Separate from that, how should Bucks fans feel...

The Milwaukee Bucks introduced new head coach Taylor Jenkins on May 6, but the subtext of the day was whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo would be back with the franchise. Lori Nickel and Jim Owczarski join host JR Radcliffe to discuss what they heard, what they think it means, the presence of Jimmy Haslam at the press conference, the impressive first impression for Jenkins himself and more. 

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski discusses the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly hiring new head coach Taylor Jenkins, what it means for the franchise and what he brings to the table, including ample coaching experience in Memphis. How will he fit, and most importantly, what does his hiring signal for Giannis Antetokounmpo in this critical Milwaukee offseason? How might other personnel be affected by his hir...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe give a post-mortem on the troubled 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks season, including the departure of head coach Doc Rivers and where the Bucks turn next, and how quickly. With Giannis Antetokounmpo obviously the story line of the offseason, does that narrow the pool of possible candidates? Why didn't Doc work in Milwaukee? How do the two paths look this...

Journal Sentinel reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel discuss their recent work documenting the rift between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Lori talks about her multi-part interview with Giannis, asking what he wants, how he feels and his frustration with not getting cleared to play basketball in the final moments of the season. He talked about his family staying in Greece for p...

The Milwaukee Bucks have been an afterthought for a while, now clinching a losing record and eliminated from a playoff berth in 2025-26 for the first postseason miss in a decade. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe examine the ashes, particularly looking for clues about whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo will be back next year, and who's ultimately responsible for making that call...

The Milwaukee Bucks have lost four straight games, including dispiriting losses to Chicago and Atlanta, and now their play-in hopes are on life support. What happened here? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the situation as best they can. Is all hope really lost? Why can't this team find any measure of consistency? Why is Doc Rivers still head coach? Where does Giannis Ant...

The Milwaukee Bucks have won eight of 10 without Giannis Antetokounmpo available, and Kevin Porter Jr. has taken center stage in a couple back-to-back wins over the Heat and Cavaliers. But everybody else in the chase for a play-in spot has been winning, too, leaving the Bucks still in need for a lot more. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss why this version of the Bucks has...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe take a look at the suddenly hot Milwaukee Bucks, with newcomers Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng contributing to a revitalization that might be important with Giannis Antetokounmpo close to returning from injury. Is this for real? Could the Bucks really make the play-in tournament? When exactly will Giannis be back? Plus a look back at the all-star we...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe look at what the Bucks did at the trade deadline, which wasn't all that much. Notably, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still here, but what are the odds he gets moved in the offseason? Does the national media preoccupation with moving Giannis create a tangible negative impact? What about the moves Milwaukee did make? How seriously will Milwaukee pursue w...

Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski at length Feb. 3, less than two days before the NBA trade deadline. What were Jim's thoughts on those comments after asking what Giannis himself wanted? How is he negotiating the duality of wanting to stay in Milwaukee and playing for a championship? If he's exerting pressure on the Bucks, what does he want to see tha...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss another injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, one that's likely to keep him out for well over a month. The Bucks season is completely sunk, right? What does that mean for Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, especially with the trade deadline just ahead? They discuss Giannis's puzzling run of games before the injury, the team's rosier-than...

Bucks reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jim Owczarski, and host JR Radcliffe dive into the incident Jan. 13 when the Milwaukee Bucks took a lopsided loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Giannis Antetokounmpo took exception to some fan booing. Has the dynamic with the fan base changed? Does it portend anything about his long-term stay with the organization, or are we actually headed to...

Could this possibly be a glimmer of hope for the Milwaukee Bucks? After a humbling loss to the Washington Wizards on New Year's Eve, Milwaukee has won two straight and four of five as it looks to right the ship and move toward a playoff spot in a friendly Eastern Conference. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss where this team stands after a brutal stretch without Giannis Ant...

We'll get back to Milwaukee Bucks content soon enough, but here's a special episode marking the re-launch of the Journal Sentinel podcast covering the University of Wisconsin, primarily football and basketball. Host JR Radcliffe and Badgers reporters Mark Stewart and John Steppe look at the stumbling blocks that put the football program in such bad shape, an issue highlighted by a tough national s...

A surreal Dec. 3 included word that Giannis Antetokounmpo was once again considering his future in Milwaukee, an injury that is going to force him to miss weeks and an 18-point comeback against the best team in the Eastern Conference with him off the floor. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe dive into everything Jim knows about the Antetokounmpo situation (and what he doesn't know)...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury, one that forced him from a game in Cleveland and leaves the immediate future cloudy for the Milwaukee Bucks star. It's not as if the team had been thriving with him either, having lost recent games to the Hornets, Lakers and now the Cavaliers. How much trouble are the Bucks in? Even...

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe on the Point Forward Podcast, discussing the Bucks recent rash of injuries (Taurean Prince, AJ Green, Kevin Porter still, Giannis to some degree) and their so-so play, including a loss to Charlotte without Giannis and a narrow win over struggling Dallas. How problematic is the Prince injury? Has Myles Turner made enough of an impact in...

The Bucks had a couple uplifting victories (without Giannis Antetokounmpo against Golden State and with his buzzer-beater in Indiana) but also a couple clunkers (Sacramento and Toronto) over the past week. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to ponder the whistle that Giannis isn't getting, and the growing concern that he'll get hurt badly if team...

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been unbelievable through the first four games of the season, including an impressive win over the Knicks on Oct. 28. Does that mean we can table trade talk to New York for a while? Sure, but not for long. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the state of the man and the city that belongs to him, with the Bucks out to 3-1 on the year. Is Kyle Kuzma f...

The Milwaukee Bucks opened the 2025-26 season with a bang, a 133-120 win over the Washington Wizards and a celebration of Khris Middleton. But Kevin Porter Jr. left the game with an injury, leaving an early hole for a team that entered the season pretty healthy. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the huge opening statement by Giannis Antetokounmpo, AJ Green's extension, Rya...

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe on the Point Forward Podcast, discussing just how much fire there is surrounding the offseason smoke of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Is there really a chance he leaves the Bucks in the near future? What's worth paying attention to, and what's not? Then, the guys discuss the 2025 season, where the Bucks have as wide a variance in possible out...