Milwaukee Bucks Point Forward Podcast

Free agency has arrived! The Milwaukee Bucks made a splash on July 1, signing Myles Turner and waiving Damian Lillard to make it work. Lillard, who wasn't due back until late in the 2025-26 season, if at all, now becomes a free agent after two years with the Bucks. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss it. How should we term Lillard's tenure in Milwauke...

Giannis Antetokounmpo is unhappy with the direction of the Bucks, but what does that mean for the offseason and what changes? Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to examine the latest on Antetokounmpo's state of mind. He hasn't asked for a trade, but are we sure he's back in 2025? Is there a deal out there that could really help the Bucks stay afloat? What do th...

What's the likelihood that Giannis Antetokounmpo is back next season, and is there any way the Bucks can compete for a title? The answers to those questions might surprise you. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to examine the big decisions looming for the Bucks this offseason. How do the Bucks define "competitive," and are we sure a re-tooled team with Giannis...

Damian Lillard left Game 4 with what looks like a devastating injury, one that unquestionably makes a series win over the Pacers harder but also one that puts his 2025-26 season in jeopardy.  Host JR Radcliffe and Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski discuss the heartbreaking development for Milwaukee and where they go from here. Can they still somehow prevail in this series? How does it change the outloo...

We assumed the Milwaukee Bucks would be without Damian Lillard for, at the very least, the first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Maybe we were wrong? News came Thursday that Lillard is cleared for basketball activity and is no longer on blood-thinning medication, part of a rapid recovery that could have him available very early in the playoffs. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and hos...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski, Indy Star reporter Dustin Dopirak and host JR Radcliffe discuss the upcoming playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. Will we see a different result after last year's playoff matchup between the two teams? Who has to rise up with Damian Lillard sidelined for Milwaukee? How big of a deal is the rivalry between the two teams? Is Tyrese Haliburton s...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe reflect on a great closing run for the Bucks, including a wild comeback Tuesday over Minnesota. Could this team win a first-round playoff series? It's looking like Indiana will be the opponent, and that creates a reasonable path. But what about Damian Lillard? Is the Kyle Kuzma deal shaping up to be the worst of Jon Horst's tenure? Is Doc Rivers t...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe take inventory of the Bucks recent woes, even after a win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Is there hope that they dig themselves out of the sixth seed? Actually, there might be. Can Giannis Antetokounmpo simply will the Bucks to a first-round series win? Is there any hope Damian Lillard returns? What's with the Bucks not showing a tribute video...

A calf injury to Bucks star Damian Lillard has cast a pall over the home stretch of the 2024-25 season. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the outlook for the Bucks and the ominous signs around the ailment. Plus, what's up with Kyle Kuzma? Another Brook Lopez renaissance? Could the Bucks win a theoretical first-round series without Dame? No questions allowed to Mike Budenho...

After three straight losses, the Bucks are left looking like a team that can't work deep into the postseason. What's missing? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe try to assess the issues facing the Bucks and also dive into the sudden loss of former Bucks star and current team minority owner Junior Bridgeman. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo reached 20,000 points on March 5 for the surging Bucks, a career milestone that places him in elite company yet again. How big a benchmark is this one? Will history remember him as the definitive player of an era, or is he destined to only share the stage in history with Nikola Jokić? How the midrange jumper has changed his approach, and what he said to the Journal Sentinel w...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss recent Bucks happenings on the Point Forward Podcast. What do people still need to know about the Bobby Portis suspension, and how badly will the Bucks eventually feel his absence? Even though Kevin Porter has a dubious history, Jim discusses what's made his time in Milwaukee work thus far. The Bucks get an immediate glimpse of Khris Middl...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to check in on the Milwaukee Bucks at the all-star break. How concerning are injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard? How has Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter looked in their first games with Milwaukee? What did Jon Horst say about the team's bevy of acquisitions at the trade deadline, including the past incidents involving Porter? 

In this emergency podcast, Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to discuss Milwaukee's trade of postseason hero Khris Middleton to Washington in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, a deal that marks the end of a decade-long Middleton era in a Bucks uniform. How big a deal are the financial considerations? What did the Bucks gain, and what did they lose?

The Milwaukee Bucks have hit a rough patch; is there anything the trade deadline can do to alleviate what ails them? Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and host JR Radcliffe discuss the current state of the team, why the recent slump might not be as bad as it seems and what approach might best suit the Bucks at the trade deadline. Jimmy Butler? Also, given the wild Mavericks-Lakers tr...

The Bucks have won four straight after a disappointing loss in New York, making them a top-four team in the East at the moment, so are they back to being a threat? Damian Lillard is cooking, Giannis is playing at an elite level and we're seeing the stars work well together. Plus: Checking in on the rumors of Jimmy Butler to the Bucks.  Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle R...

The Milwaukee Bucks just won impressive back-to-back games, including against San Antonio and star Victor Wembanyama. But it's been tough sledding before that. What's the deal with Khris Middleton coming off the bench? Are Giannis and Dame actually clicking together on the floor? Are some struggles a question of effort? Could Jimmy Butler become a member of the Bucks? Journal Sentinel Bucks report...

The Milwaukee Bucks are still in playoff position but have struggled to hit a second gear late in the 2024 calendar, with injuries and illness playing a role. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss how Khris Middleton has looked in his return, the state of the team and the trade deadline looming in February. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss a Bucks team that has won 8 of 10 games, including a win over Orlando on Tuesday that put the Bucks into the NBA Emirates Cup semifinals in Las Vegas. How has Damian Lillard changed his game to accommodate his new surroundings, and how has Giannis adjusted in turn? How big will this NBA Cup opportunity be for the Bucks? What's the review o...

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the return of Khris Middleton; how slowly will he be eased back into the fold, and what does it mean for the Milwaukee Bucks? Plus: The Bucks have been strong lately, how the NBA Cup resonates with players in Year 2 and the surprisingly quiet rumblings around an MVP case for Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and...

The Milwaukee Bucks are on fire and back to .500 after a win over Miami on Tuesday, but they had to do it with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski has the latest on injuries to Giannis and recovering Khris Middleton ... could we see Middleton on the floor soon? They chat about the recent successes and the plight of Pat Connaughton, who worked his way back into some prominent minute...

The Milwaukee Bucks got burned by a bad call in Charlotte (even the NBA thinks so, although it's still going to fine Doc Rivers for agreeing), but they got some good fortune in a narrow win over Houston, plus a game-winning bucket by newly returned Damian Lillard. The vibes are good, right? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe take a look, discussing Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and...

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 59 points, the second-best scoring output in Bucks history, and Milwaukee survived Detroit for a second straight win. It was a glorious individual effort, but was it actual progress for Milwaukee, now 4-8 on the season? Jim Owczarski and JR Radcliffe discuss it, from the emergence of Ryan Rollins to the shenanigans of Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart and, again, to the s...

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe scratch and claw for any shreds of optimism as this team starts 1-6. Perhaps they find a glimmer of hope (or explanation), even with Khris Middleton and now Giannis Antetokounmpo nursing injuries. When will Khris be back? Is something up with Bobby Portis? Is there any scenario where Doc Rivers doesn't wind up coaching the whole season?...

It's only four games, but the Milwaukee Bucks have been really rough to start the season, falling to 1-3 out of the gate. Is Khris Middleton really the primary answer to their woes? What's going on with Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton? Are Giannis and Dame partially to blame? Is it a different vibe than last year, when a slow start portended serious changes by January? Does even this small sample...