Bucks place premium on experience

By JERRY TAPP

Less than a week from now — on Oct. 20 — the Milwaukee Bucks will open their 2022-23 NBA regular season with a trip to Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center in their season opener versus the 76ers.

According to research on the basketball-reference.com website, the Bucks enter this season with one of the most NBA-experienced teams in the league. Based on the rosters posted on this website, the Bucks have six players on the roster with 10 or more years of NBA experience on their resume.

The six: Brook Lopez (14 years), George Hill (14 years), Serge Ibaka (13 years), Wesley Matthews (13), Jrue Holiday (13 years) and Khris Middleton (10) years. And their best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is entering his 10th season.

The Bucks’ six players with 10 or more years of NBA experience are tied for the most in the league. The Los Angeles Clippers also have six players on their roster with 10-plus years of NBA experience: Nicolas Batum (14), Paul George (12), Reggie Jackson (11), Marcus Morris (11), John Wall (10) and Kawhi Leonard (10).

Will this experience lead to success for the Bucks this season? We’ll find out as the season tips-off next week.

Here’s a look at how many players with 10 or more years of experience are on each team’s roster:

6-Milwaukee, L.A. Clippers

4-Brooklyn, Chicago, L.A. Lakers

3-Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Washington

2-New Orleans, N.Y. Knicks, Sacramento, Utah

1-Charlotte, Dallas, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Orlando, Portland, Toronto

0-Atlanta, Oklahoma City, San Antonio.