Bucks full of confidence, but meeting with Houston superstars Harden, Westbrook stirs curiosity

HOUSTON - The wait is over. The Milwaukee Bucks are officially back on for another season, one aimed at redemption, improvement and – most importantly – a championship.

While 26 other teams tipped off their seasons Tuesday or Wednesday, the Bucks were saved for a marquee matchup at 7 p.m. Thursday in Houston against the Rockets on TNT. It's easy to understand why.

The Bucks, led by MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, are coming off a 60-win regular season in which they earned the best record in the league. On the other side are the Rockets, a perennial contender in the West led by former MVP – and last year's second-place finisher – James Harden. Oh, and of course, this season Harden will be flanked by his former MVP adversary and Oklahoma City teammate, Russell Westbrook.

Yes, the past three MVP winners will share the same court at Toyota Center on Thursday, adding a playoff flair to opening night.

Understandably, the Bucks are fully confident in themselves and their MVP. They're intrigued about the guys they're lining up against, too.

“It’s going to be interesting to see," Khris Middleton said of Harden and Westbrook sharing the same backcourt. "I know the fans are going to love it; I’m going to love watching it when we’re not playing against them. They’re two great players. They played with each other in OKC and now in Houston, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do."

Last year, the challenge against Houston involved trying to slow down Harden, who put together a historic scoring season. Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe was at the front of that effort, hugging Harden's hip and at times even standing behind him. His goal was to try to thwart Harden's signature stepback, avoid fouling and invite Harden inside where he would be challenged by Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.

Bledsoe again will be the first line of defense against Harden after being cleared from a rib injury this week. Surely he – a first-team all-defense player – has to relish the opportunity to guard Harden, right?

Middleton thinks so.

“Bled is one of those guys who wants to prove he’s one of the best ones out there," Middleton said. "He loves those challenges. When he gets to go against me and Giannis sometimes, he loves it, he wants to get that stop against us. When we play against other top guys, the top point guards, he wants to prove he’s a top defender.”

Bledsoe, though, had a different response. He'll take on all comers, but he's not angling to go against Harden any more than he has to.

"I mean, I’m up for any challenge, I’m not backing down," Bledsoe said. "James is a hell of an offensive scorer, man. I can’t stop him from scoring 40, but I can make it tough on him and that’s my job, to make it tough on him. ...

"I’ve got two amazing rim protectors behind me that if I do slip up and get beat every once in a while they’ll have my back.”

Facing Harden and the Rockets this year, though, brings a whole new challenge. If Bledsoe is on Harden, who then picks up Westbrook, who brings a ferocity, strength and athleticism to a team that has mostly been known by its three-point happy scheme?

“We’ve started to talk about it a little bit," coach Mike Budenholzer said on Tuesday. "I guess we still have a lot of time to figure out exactly what we’re going to do.  Luckily, we feel like we’ve got a lot of good defenders on our wings."

Middleton and Wesley Matthews will be in the mix as starters who can pick up Westbrook on the wing. Both have size on Westbrook, but give up quickness and athleticism.

While Matthews may be new to the Bucks, the 10-year veteran's reputation for defensive grit and competency precedes him. He's impressed his coaches and teammates with his performance on that end during training camp and the preseason, which undoubtedly played a role in him earning the starting two-guard position for opening night.

Now, he's in line for one of the more trial-by-fire matchups the NBA has to offer trying to deal with Westbrook's speed, attacking and cutting.

“He’s kind of just like me, a pit bull," Bledsoe said of Matthews. "He’s got a better shot, but he’s a pit bull on defense just like me. We’re definitely going to be a great defensive backcourt.”

The great thing about this matchup is that it's not hypothetical. After months of player movement, debates about what teams look like on paper and preseason dress rehearsals, Thursday is the real deal.

On one side are the Bucks, their deep roster and the reigning MVP. On the other are the Rockets, their three-point barraging, high-octane offense and a new combo of recent MVPs.

Game on.