The Milwaukee Bucks will play the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The schedule for the series was announced today.
Here it is, including national television plans:
- Game 1, Sunday, April 14, Fiserv Forum, 6 p.m., TNT
- Game 2, Wednesday, April 17, Fiserv Forum, 7 p.m., NBATV
- Game 3, Saturday, April 20, Detroit, 7 p.m., ESPN
- Game 4, Monday, April 22, Detroit, 7 p.m., TNT
- Game 5 (if necessary), Wednesday, April 24, Fiserv Forum, time and television to be determined
- Game 6 (if necessary), Friday, April 26, Detroit, time and television to be determined
- Game 7 (if necessary), Sunday, April 28, Fiserv Forum, time and television to be determined
All fans attending the first two games will get free t-shirts. The Game 1 shirts will be presented by Johnson Controls. The Game 2 shirts will be presented by Kohl’s.
The Bucks had the best regular season record in the NBA, which gives them home court advantage throughout the playoffs. In hopes of a long playoff run, the team has big plans to get fans hyped.
Starting tonight, BMO Harris Bank will light its downtown Milwaukee office tower with a “Fear the Deer” decal. The 18-story display will remain lit through the first round of the playoffs.
The Bucks will paint the Milwaukee River green downtown on Friday morning. The team said it worked with the mayor’s office and the Department of Natural Resources to do so.
Also on Friday, the Bucks and the city will unveil one of The Hop streetcars adorned with interior and exterior Bucks playoff images. Bango, the Bucks mascot, and the Bucks Entertainment Network will make surprise visits to businesses along The Hop’s route starting Friday and continue throughout the playoffs.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) will show its support for the Bucks, beginning Friday, and lasting the entire playoff run, digital screens on all 400 buses in the MCTS fleet will display the special messages, “Fear the Deer!” and “Go Bucks!” MCTS Routes 19, 33 and 80 all make stops near Fiserv Forum and the neighboring plaza. One of the bus stops is at the intersection of 6th and Juneau, just feet from the entertainment complex’s northwest entrance.
In addition, the Bucks are wrapping two skybridges attached to the downtown office building at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave. with playoff branding, one over Water Street and one over the Milwaukee River. The wraps will be installed by Friday.
Fans that don’t have tickets for the playoff games can still experience the playoff atmosphere around the arena. The Bucks will place a 40-foot high TV in the plaza in front of Fiserv Forum for fans to watch the games, home and away. There also will be food, games, a DJ, retail shops, contests to win playoff tickets and more set up on the plaza. There is also a large TV in the outdoor beer garden in the Entertainment Block across the plaza from the arena. Activities on the plaza in front of Fiserv Forum will open two hours prior to each home playoff game and one hour before each road game.
Participating Kohl’s stores will offer free Bucks window clings and participating Pick ‘n Save locations will have Bucks playoff yard signs beginning on Friday.
Also just in time for the playoffs, the Bucks on Wednesday unveiled a new song, “Let It Fly.”
BizTimes Milwaukee intern reporter Madison Goldbeck contributed to this report.
