MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks downed Tracer Milan of Italy 123-111 Friday night in the first game of the McDonald's Basketball Open, but three-time NBA scoring leader Bob McAdoo said the experience was beneficial for the Europeans.
McAdoo, who scored a game-high 37 points for the Italians, said the Bucks play at a level not seen in Europe.
'After being over in Europe for a year, you forget how good these guys are as far as setting great picks, just every technical aspect of the game is better,' McAdoo said.
'I think Europe is catching up in that respect. If they have more games like this to expose the European players to this type of play, they'll know what to expect next time they play in an Olympic game or World Championship game.'
The Italian team was not expecting to play the Bucks so evenly.
'It was incredible that we were so close to them in the score,' said forward Fausto Bargna, speaking through teammate and interpreter Riccardo Pittis.
Pittis, at 19 the youngest member of the Italian team, was in awe of the Bucks going into the game.
'This team we saw them playing on TV against other teams in the NBA,' Pittis said. 'When I go inside to play against (Terry) Cummings or (Jack) Sikma, I was emotional, excited.'
Italian Coach Franco Casalini said his team was nervous the first few minutes of the game, when the Bucks built a 16-4 lead that grew to 56-26 midway through the second quarter. But the Italians fought back and pulled within 109-100.
'Mike D'Antoni before the game (said) if you lose by about 25 points, be happy,' Casalini said. 'We lost by 12, it means we are very happy.
'I know the Bucks are in preseason, a lot of minutes they played with the second players, the bench players. I'm watching my team, my team played for 43 minutes, except the first five, and that's important.'
D'Antoni, another former NBA player, scored 16 points for the Italians. Italian teams are allowed two foreigners on their squads. D'Antoni was considered an Italian because his grandfather is a native of Italy. Rickey Brown, another former NBA player, scored 26 points for Tracer Milan.
Milwaukee's Charles Davis, who spent last season playing in the Italian Professional League, played against the Milan team four times last year.
'I know this Milan team, and they can play,' he said. 'They will keep coming at you and at you and at you and at you until the game is over.'