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 …

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 P…

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 …

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 serio…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe look at the Milwaukee Bucks' first week of the season, with battles coming against Philadelphia and Chicago. What's the deal with Khris Middleton's injury, and why does Milwaukee always seem to slow-play his return? Could the Bucks theoretically still thrive without him? What's a successful regular…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss the infancy of the Milwaukee Bucks season, with the games getting under way Oct. 23. National pundits don't seem to believe Milwaukee is a title contender this year; are they wrong, or has the window closed? What's the status of the Dame/Giannis relationship, and what about Khris Middl…

The Milwaukee Bucks went young with their two draft picks, then stayed quiet in the first 48 hours of free agency. What does that say about where the Bucks are headed for 2024-25. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the draft selections of A.J. Johnson and Tyler Smith, plus the free-agent signing of Delon Wright. What's left …

Bucks writers Jim Owczarski and Ben Steele join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the upcoming NBA draft. Will the Bucks keep the players they select, and if so, which players are most intriguing? How does Milwaukee's financial situation play into the picture. Can they trade a veteran and still get better? Ben discusses what he expects for the Marquette…

Snakebitten by injuries, the Milwaukee Bucks saw their 2023-24 season come to an unceremonious end in a 4-2 series loss to the Indiana Pacers. Was it just bad luck or something more fundamental? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski gives a farewell to the season and also looks ahead. Will Milwaukee simply run it back? Is Jon Horst headed to Detroit? What d…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Pacers reporter Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star take a look at the looming clash between the two NBA squads in the first round of the 2024 postseason. What's the latest on the injuries? How have these teams changed since their regular-season meetings ended in early January? …

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Lori Nickel stops by to discuss the bigger picture of the Milwaukee Bucks after a chaotic 2023-24 season. Was firing Mike Budenholzer the right move? What about hiring Doc Rivers and quickly moving on from Adrian Griffin? What about the trade for superstar Damian Lillard? How will this offseason look if the Buck…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe dive into the first-round playoff series between Milwaukee and the Indiana Pacers. What's the latest on the injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and can they win the series without him? How will this moment impact the overall perception of Doc Rivers and Damian Lillard? What's changed since Indiana too…

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the Bucks' woeful skid toward the postseason with a series of losses at the time of year teams want to be peaking. Is it a mirage, or have they really lost control of the season? What does this mean for Doc Rivers? For Damian Lillard? For the possibility that a championship window…

Jim Owczarski, Lori Nickel and JR Radcliffe discuss the Bucks at the all-star break, including Damian Lillard's massive weekend in Indianapolis. What's up with all these weird Bucks sound bites in all-star week interviews? Is this team courting some extra drama, and if so, does that means things have gotten a little desperate? Is the Bucks success …

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the Milwaukee Bucks' maneuvers at the NBA trade deadline in this edition of the Point Forward Podcast. How will Patrick Beverley fit? What was the purpose of trading Robin Lopez if it doesn't put the Bucks in better financial position? How alarming is Milwaukee's recent play under new coach…

The Milwaukee Bucks made a big splash on Tuesday, firing first-year head coach Adrian Griffin and replacing him with long-tenured coach and Marquette University alumnus Doc Rivers. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to break down the maneuver. Why was now the time to make a change? What did the Bucks get wrong about Griffin in the…

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Lori Nickel and Jim Owczarski join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the slumping Milwaukee Bucks, who have lost 4 of 5 to start the 2024 half of the season and still haven't fully clicked despite a great record. What has to happen for the Bucks to get back on a championship path? What's the latest evaluation on head…

A wild scene unfolded at Fiserv Forum on Dec. 13, when Giannis Antetokounmpo set a Bucks single-game record with 64 points but then got into a heated exchange with the Indiana Pacers over possession of the game ball. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski discusses what he saw in the Bucks win, what in the world happened and whether or not it ties into the f…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe are back to give an early-season progress report on the Bucks. After a shaky start, have they turned a corner? Specifically, has head coach Adrian Griffin rapidly evolved after some early struggles? How has the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo dynamic played out? How much thought and worry shou…

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the new extension for Giannis Antetokounmpo, one that caught everyone by surprise Monday night. Including the guys who already had a podcast ready to go ... oops. After discussing the elements that led Giannis to stay on in Milwaukee, they look at the season preview as a whole, including th…

The Milwaukee Bucks became the surprise winner of the Damian Lillard sweepstakes Wednesday, acquiring the Portland Trail Blazers star in a three-way deal that sent Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen elsewhere. The Bucks now find themselves as the favorite to win the East, and maybe the NBA title. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to …

What were the takeaways, if any, for the Milwaukee Bucks from the summer league? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski is back from Las Vegas with some thoughts, limited as they might be for the 2023-24 regular-season Bucks. He talks about his conversation with general manager Jon Horst, including the revelation that the Bucks are past the second tax apron.…

So much has happened since the last podcast, including the re-signing of Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder and ... surprise! ... Robin Lopez and Malik Beasley. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski looks at the entire free agency situation and what it says about Adrian Griffin's coaching philosophy, Milwaukee's chances next year and the future of Gi…

The Milwaukee Bucks officially have a new head coach with the announcement of Adrian Griffin as the lead man. Reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel were there, and they discuss with podcast host JR Radcliffe their takeaways from the press conference. How will he fit with the current roster (including the players who are free agents)? Will he fort…

Jim, Lori and JR are back to discuss Adrian Griffin, the former Raptors assistant who's reportedly about to become the next head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. They talk about his fit as a player and a person, the role of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the search, the uncertainty of a hire without head-coaching experience, the accusations of domestic abus…

Admittedly, we recorded this just before news that the Bucks coaching search has zoomed in on Nick Nurse, Kenny Atkinson and Adrian Griffin, but Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe look at where things stand in the Bucks coaching search, what traits the team is looking for and what kind of timeline might exist for an annou…

While teams are playing in the conference semifinals, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking for a new coach. Quite the unexpected turn of events! Reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the end of Mike Budenholzer's tenure with the Bucks after five seasons following a shocking first-round playoff exit, and we have many q…

The 2023 season is over, ending in a shocking five-game loss to the Miami Heat. Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the improbable setback, capped by a 16-point meltdown in Game 5 at Fiserv Forum. What are the root causes for the loss? What do they make of Mike Budenholzer's decision not to use timeouts i…

The Milwaukee Bucks are in a massive bind after a meltdown in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round, facing a 3-1 deficit and the prospect of being eliminated by the No. 8 seed. Jim Owczarski and JR Radcliffe discuss the shocking result, the injury and health status of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the struggles of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday …

Jim Owczarski, Lori Nickel and JR Radcliffe look at a lopsided Game 2 win at Fiserv Forum on April 19, during which the Milwaukee Bucks tied an NBA record with 25 three-pointers. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, it was a winning combination and helped Milwaukee even the first-round series at 1-1. Why was Pat Connaughton, one of the stars of the night…

The Bucks are facing another 0-1 series deficit after a setback against the Miami Heat on Sunday, one that featured an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo. What was the temperature around the team postgame? Journal Sentinel writers Lori Nickel and Jim Owczarski join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the landscape if Giannis can't play in Game 2 and what the…

Host JR Radcliffe is joined by ESPN West Palm's Ken LaVicka, who offers insight into the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round playoff opponent, the Miami Heat. How does a team go from the top seed in the East to the eighth in one year with roughly the same roster? How does Miami perceive Marquette University alumnus Jimmy Butler and Whitnall High School gr…

It's a full house for a lengthy Point Forward Podcast, with Jim Owczarski, Lori Nickel, Ben Steele and JR Radcliffe looking at the best of the 2022-23 season. Who was the team's non-Giannis MVP? What was the best game? The biggest surprise? The coolest moment? They also discuss the team's relative health heading into the playoffs, especially Khris …

Journal Sentinel reporters Ben Steele, Lori Nickel and Jim Owczarski join host JR Radcliffe to discuss Milwaukee's lopsided loss to Boston and how it impacts the confidence that Milwaukee can indeed win the Eastern Conference. At least the team bounced back with a big win over Philadelphia on Sunday. Plus: Could the 76ers realistically supplant eit…

In past years, the Milwaukee Bucks have played down their interest in grabbing the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but it's different this year. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss the home stretch of the season, including a looming battle with the Celtics. The guys look back at a meeting vs. top dogs in Denver (sadl…

Columnist Lori Nickel and beat writer Jim Owczarski examine the Bucks' playoff roster depth, their "invisible" starter and Giannis Antetokounmpo's vision. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski. Music during segments from SoundCloud, "Pursuit Music Logo."Door Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Marquette Golden Eagles reporter Ben Steele joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss the Marquette men's basketball team's draw in the NCAA Tournament, including a No. 2 seed and first-round meeting with Vermont. They look at the potential matchups that await, including with No. 1 seed Purdue, and gauge how strong their chances are. Where does MU rank th…

Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to look at the NBA awards race; what are the realistic chances for Giannis Antetokounmpo (MVP), Brook Lopez (Defensive Player of the Year) and Bobby Portis (Sixth Man of the Year) to win some postseason hardware as we hit the home stretch of the 2022-23 season? First, Giannis must…

The epic Milwaukee Bucks winning streak is snapped at 16 games, though the team quickly picked up a new one and have the best record in the NBA. Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to discuss that and the newest member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Goran Dragić. Is it strange that Jae Crowder wasn't used down the stretch …

This isn't an episode about the Milwaukee Bucks, but it is about another big Milwaukee basketball story. Host JR Radcliffe and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Ben Steele chat about the Marquette men's team, which went from picked ninth in the preseason to outright champion in the Big East Conference. What's made Shaka Smart so effective in his …

It's a newsy Point Forward Podcast this week, starting with an official agreement between Bucks owner Marc Lasry and Jimmy Haslam for a 25% stake in the team. Jim Owczarski, Lori Nickel and JR Radcliffe of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discuss that as well as the on-the-court stories in the midst of a 14-game winning streak. Giannis Antetokounmpo …

Journal Sentinel columnist Lori Nickel fills in for J.R. Radcliffe and Nickel and Bucks beat writer Jim Owczarski break down the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who suffered in a right wrist injury in the Milwaukee Bucks' last game before the NBA all-star break, and while he participated in the weekend he is heading further testing. They also reca…

Could there be a new owner in town soon? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski, columnist Lori Nickel and host JR Radcliffe look at the report that Marc Lasry has had conversations with Dee and Jimmy Haslam about taking over his 25% ownership stake. How should Bucks fans feel about the potential move? On the court, the Bucks have won 10 in a row with a Vale…

The Milwaukee Bucks made a deal at the trade deadline, bringing in Jae Crowder, the NBA veteran and Marquette University alumnus who's long been linked to the Bucks. Jim Owczarski, Lori Nickel and JR Radcliffe discuss his fit on the team, the price the Bucks paid to get him, the two open roster spots that remain and the shape of the league after th…

It's trade deadline week; will the Bucks finally land Jae Crowder, or someone else? Or make no move at all? Bucks reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel join host JR Radcliffe to chat about that and Jrue Holiday, who's back in the all-star game for the first time in 10 years. Are the Brooklyn Nets officially no longer a threat following their trad…

Khris Middleton is finally back on the floor for the Bucks, albeit on a minutes restriction, but an injury to Bobby Portis once again means Milwaukee has to play short-handed. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss what those things mean, plus Giannis Antetokounmpo once again taking over to lead his team on a run of victories. H…

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are finally healthy enough to return for the Milwaukee Bucks, and now's the time for the Bucks to rack up some wins with the schedule ahead. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss that and the situation with Serge Ibaka, who's asked to leave the team. The trade deadline continues to loom…

Are alarm bells sounding for the Milwaukee Bucks? Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss Milwaukee's recent up-and-down play, most recently with a rally for victory Monday against Indiana. Khris Middleton has been out for a prolonged stay and Giannis has missed three games in a row; at some point, when does this becom…

The Bucks' protracted rut continued last week even with a brief respite against Minnesota. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss Milwaukee's continued struggles with injuries and shooting the basketball. Podcaster Bill Simmons suggested the Bucks have chemistry issues ... is that right? And how should the average Bucks fan feel…

The Milwaukee Bucks are suddenly in a rut, unable to shoot the ball and falling to three straight powerful Eastern Conference foes. Just how much should we worry? Host JR Radcliffe is joined by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel to discuss the losses, including a Christmas Day setback in Boston. How concerning has Kh…