By Jimmy Carlton Sportswriter Published Oct 27, 2016 at 7:01 PM Photography: David Bernacchi

To poorly paraphrase Macbeth: It was a game, played by a team, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Which is to say, the pregame show was loud and lit. Giannis is good. The Bucks were bad.

That’s the basic thesis of the storyline from Wednesday’s season opener at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where Milwaukee lost to Charlotte, 107-96. It was a night in which the marketing and event staff gave fans a lot more to be excited about in the (at least initially) electrified arena than the lackadaisical basketball team did later on the court. Lots of sizzle, little steak, if we're still being ineloquent.

Apparently not as exhilarated as the crowd was by the pregame display, the Bucks came out flat. They allowed 32 points in the first quarter, were down 15 at halftime and trailed by as many as 24 in an ugly third quarter. Led by their freakish Greek point-forward, they made a spirited late run and closed the gap to eight points with five minutes remaining, but ultimately ran out of gas.

The Hornets pressured the Bucks all game, getting the hosts out of their offensive rhythm. Milwaukee, an ostensibly improved outside-shooting team, made just 3 of 16 three-point attempts – and also revealed some other troubling trends leftover from last year and this preseason. There were bright spots, like the Antetokounmpo-Dellavedova backcourt (which needs a nickname) and the play of guard Malcolm Brogdon, but the Bucks were done in by inopportune fouls, timely Hornets threes and a disquietingly quiet performance from its starting frontcourt.

As a fan put it afterward, "Bucks sucked, opening show was great. You can quote me on that."

But one game does not a future own. Here’s what we noticed on opening night, good, bad and whatever.

1. The Bucks know how to put on a show

For the second year in a row, Milwaukee started its NBA schedule at the Bradley Center – last season was the first time since 1984 they opened at home – and for the second year in a row they made it a fantastic spectacle. Set to a thumping bass beat, a dramatic, Milwaukee hype-up video – with the Bucks sporting a fashionably industrial style and featuring Jabari in a pork pie hat – was shown on the jumbotron, as the crowd lit up the arena with neon green and blue glow bands (which were later collected by the organization; not a great look, some fans said afterward).

The #Bucks' pregame show: pounding drums, bright light and pyrotechnics. Then they lost.

A video posted by Jimmy Carlton (@jimmycarlton88) on

Then, a glow-in-the-dark drum team and dance squad holding lit-up blue and purple and green orbs kept the energy going, while a dazzling pyrotechnics display began for player introductions. It was a phantasmagoric pregame experience, certainly. But about those player introductions…

2. Teletovic announced last?

There’s no NBA rule stating that a home team must introduce its best or most popular player last; but it’s a good idea and usually everyone does. It’s the Michael Jordan treatment. Well, alternatively, and head-scratchingly, the Bucks, after announcing their entire team of coaches and players, introduced their starting lineup thusly: Matthew Dellavedova (loud cheer), Jabari Parker (huge cheer), Miles Plumlee (OK, woo!), Giannis Antetokounmpo (loudest, hugest, happiest cheer) and … Mirza Teletovic (wait, what?).

The 31-year-old veteran free-agent signing and somewhat-surprise starter, a Buck for three months, got the premier placement, and the noise drop-off suggested Milwaukee fans were a bit surprised. Teletovic, really? He had six points and missed nine of 12 shots, so yeah.

The #Bucks' starting lineup for opening night. Who was introduced last? Giannis? Jabari? Someone... else??

A video posted by Jimmy Carlton (@jimmycarlton88) on

3. The real deal Delly

When the Bucks gave free-agent guard and renowned gritty grinder Matthew Dellavedova a four-year, $38 million contract in the offseason, there were, in order: first eyebrow raises, then murmuring shoulder-shrugs, then people talking themselves into it, then genuine hope that he’d be a good fit in Milwaukee’s unconventional backcourt.

On Wednesday night, he validated the optimism, pairing well with Antetokounmpo – both off the ball and bringing it up on offense, and making life relatively difficult on Kemba Walker defensively – and earning the approval of the Bradley Center. Dellavedova finished with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting with three assists, including this outlet pass to Giannis on the Bucks’ first dunk of the season.

Eager to get out and run, distribute, hustle and defend, Dellavedova is the ultimate guy you want to play with, whether in a pickup or professional game. Also, his running floaters could become the stuff of legend in Milwaukee.

4. Parker’s performance

After averaging nearly 19 points per game after the All-Star Break last year and exhibiting an absolutely awesome contempt for gravity and rims in the preseason, a lot of big things are expected from Jabari in 2016-17. And probably a lot of big things will happen for him, just not on opening night. Parker, whose offensive game is still mostly limited to driving and dunking or hitting open midrange jumpers, looked overzealous, and then underwhelming, against the Hornets. He barely made an impact with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting (but hit a three!), six rebounds, three assists and three turnovers.

As one of the Bucks’ two primary playmakers and an aggressive slasher, Parker wants to attack the basket; the problem is, unlike Antetokounmpo, who possesses a preternatural gift for passing, Parker doesn’t have great vision and hasn’t yet proven to be a good decision-maker. He had two turnovers on his first two passes – both of which came on drives where he couldn’t just get to the hoop – and he traveled on a play in the second quarter when he didn’t know what to do. Additionally, he got in foul trouble early, exposed his lack of off-ball awareness with a defensive three-second violation and looked to be in a funk, especially in the second half, judging by his body language.

After the game, I asked head coach Jason Kidd if he believes Parker, who will have a large offensive responsibility on this team, is the kind of player who can develop into a better distributor and how the staff can help him in that regard. Kidd hedged on the question, but expressed confidence in Parker and said he’d improve, especially in the pick-and-roll, by handling the ball more and being in such situations more often.

"He’s a very good playmaker; tonight he didn’t do it," Kidd said. "He’s as good of a passer as anybody on the team. Tonight he had a few turnovers, but that’s basketball."

Intermission

(At this point, let's take a short break to recognize Bango, the Bucks' mascot, who hit a no-look, granny-style, over-his-head shot from halfcourt to, like, win the whole crowd a taco discount or something.)

5. Speaking of turnovers …

Hey, not bad! Milwaukee turned the ball over just eight times, which was two fewer than Charlotte and more than six fewer than they averaged per game last year. Antetokounmpo only had one, and Dellavedova had two. The Bucks’ bench, led by veterans Michael Beasley and Jason Terry and rookie Brogdon, turned it over just once, and that was when center Greg Monroe bounced the ball off his foot (immediately preceded by the usher next to me saying, "No, no, no, no!" about Monroe dribbling).

Given the Hornets were swarming the ball – get it, swarming Hornets? Sorry – and picking up Antetokounmpo full-court most of the game, the fact that the Bucks were as careful as they were was impressive. Still, the pressure clearly threw them off and disrupted their sets, and that will be a blueprint other teams use to defend Milwaukee.

"For us, it’s just being patient," Kidd said afterward. "We got out of rhythm. The positive stuff – eight turnovers, we can build on that."

6. Point Giannis

At the end of last year, during the summer and into the preseason, Kidd and Antetokounmpo both frequently indicated Giannis would be working on a lot of things, especially playmaking and learning to run the offense. Some fans questioned if improving his jump shot should be prioritized for a guy seemingly only that one skill away from stardom.

But on Wednesday night, it was clear Antetokounmpo had spent the offseason trying to become a better point player. His handle was tight, dribbling the ball much lower than last season; his head was up all the time, looking over the top of the defense; he got his teammates involved, shot when he needed to (even made a three-pointer!) and attacked the basket at will and unstoppably. With 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 39 gladiatorial minutes, the 2016-17 iteration of Point Giannis got off to an excellent start. And giving it up to Teletovic for an easy dunk on the fast break was the ultimate, unselfish point guard play.

"Giannis was great tonight," Kidd said. "We need that all season. He was off the charts."

7. Malcolm, my man!

When the Bucks drafted Brogdon in the second round, 36th overall, many people said it could be a steal and plenty of fans predicted an impactful season for the 23-year-old from Virginia. Smart and composed on the ball, Brogdon looked more like the savvy, poised player from NBA Summer League in Las Vegas than the slightly frenetic rookie of the preseason. He had eight points, five rebounds, five assists and zero turnovers in 21 useful minutes.

8. Monroe’s continuing refusal to dunk the ball

C’mon man. You’re 6-foot-11! Please just slam it home. How does a dude who only took two jump shots still miss nine of his 14 field-goal attempts? If he’s not going to dunk, he can’t be called Moose anymore. He can be Mouse.

9. Big third-quarter deficit

This is starting to become a trend. We saw it numerous times last year and in a few games this preseason: Whether it’s in the first, second or third quarter, the Bucks allow their opponent to go on a large, long run, before Milwaukee regroups and responds.

On Wednesday, during a nine-minute stretch from the end of the second quarter into the beginning of the third, the Hornets went on a 29-13 run to extend their lead to 22 points. When the Bucks finally mustered a late charge in the fourth quarter, it was too little, too late once again.

10. Optimism and support

The game was officially a sellout, though the Bradley Center was clearly not at its capacity of 18,717. After the pregame entertainment, and even though it quickly became a blowout, the crowd remained lively and engaged, especially as the Bucks cut the margin to eight points late. In all, it seemed to be a positive entertainment experience for fans, even if the basketball product needs work and the Cream City Clash are still working out their early-season kinks.

11. Middleton moving!

Look, Khris Middleton! Alive! Walking! 

Not bad for a guy who underwent surgery to repair a torn hamstring muscle less than a month ago. But will he be able to return this season?

What did you think of the Bucks in their season opener? Were they better, worse or what you expected? Do you like my shirt as much as Giannis did?

Jimmy Carlton Sportswriter

Born in Milwaukee but a product of Shorewood High School (go ‘Hounds!) and Northwestern University (go ‘Cats!), Jimmy never knew the schoolboy bliss of cheering for a winning football, basketball or baseball team. So he ditched being a fan in order to cover sports professionally - occasionally objectively, always passionately. He's lived in Chicago, New York and Dallas, but now resides again in his beloved Brew City and is an ardent attacker of the notorious Milwaukee Inferiority Complex.

After interning at print publications like Birds and Blooms (official motto: "America's #1 backyard birding and gardening magazine!"), Sports Illustrated (unofficial motto: "Subscribe and save up to 90% off the cover price!") and The Dallas Morning News (a newspaper!), Jimmy worked for web outlets like CBSSports.com, where he was a Packers beat reporter, and FOX Sports Wisconsin, where he managed digital content. He's a proponent and frequent user of em dashes, parenthetical asides, descriptive appositives and, really, anything that makes his sentences longer and more needlessly complex.

Jimmy appreciates references to late '90s Brewers and Bucks players and is the curator of the unofficial John Jaha Hall of Fame. He also enjoys running, biking and soccer, but isn't too annoying about them. He writes about sports - both mainstream and unconventional - and non-sports, including history, music, food, art and even golf (just kidding!), and welcomes reader suggestions for off-the-beaten-path story ideas.