Week Ahead: Preseason Finish at Charlotte, Chicago, and…

By the Bucks Nightly Desk · Saturday, October 10

Milwaukee plays three more preseason games before the regular season opens October 21 at Washington. The toughest measuring stick comes October 16 in Indiana, the team that ended the Bucks' last two seasons.

Bucks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Last season

Charlotte went 44-38 last season under Charles Lee, scoring 118.4 points and allowing 113.5 per hundred possessions while playing at a pace of 97.6. Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Grayson Allen led that offense, with Naz Reid and Moussa Diabate anchoring the frontcourt. None of that group has played a 2026-27 minute yet; Charlotte sits at 0-0, same as Milwaukee.

This week

Milwaukee plays three more games before the preseason closes: October 11 at Charlotte, October 14 at home against Chicago, and October 16 at Indiana. The Bucks arrive with three days of rest after splitting their last two games, a loss to Minnesota and a comeback win at Oklahoma City. The Charlotte game is their second straight game away from Fiserv Forum.

Oct. 11 at Charlotte

The Hornets are better rested, with four days off compared to Milwaukee's three, and have played just once in the last week against the Bucks' two. Charlotte's backcourt is banged up: Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Brandon Miller, Christian Anderson and Kylan Boswell are all questionable. Nate Ament, out for Milwaukee with a left ankle sprain, is targeted to return this same night.

Oct. 14 vs. Chicago

The Bulls visit Fiserv Forum next, Milwaukee's only home date in this stretch and its last tune-up before a return trip to Indiana. With both rosters still sorting rotations in preseason, this game offers the last live look at the Bucks' bench before the opener in Washington ten days later.

Oct. 16 at Indiana

This is the opponent that matters most. The Pacers ended Milwaukee's last two seasons in the first round, in six games in 2023-24 and five in 2024-25, the latter costing Damian Lillard his Achilles. Myles Turner, pulled from that same Indiana locker room this offseason, now wears Milwaukee green against the team that beat him there twice.

Next The games stop being practice October 21, when Milwaukee opens the regular season on the road against the Washington Wizards.

Who is out for the Bucks against Charlotte?

Nate Ament is sidelined by a left ankle sprain, though Milwaukee has targeted October 11 against Charlotte as his return date.

Why does the Pacers game matter so much?

Indiana eliminated Milwaukee in the first round each of the last two seasons, and Myles Turner, now with the Bucks, left that same Pacers roster this offseason.