Despite a tough Game 2 loss Tuesday night, the energy surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks just keeps growing as fans fill bars to capacity to watch the Bucks in the playoffs.
When's the last time you heard of a place filling to capacity, because the Bucks are on? Well, times are changing.
"To be able to do something like this and have this sort of reception is fantastic," said Andy Menchal, the Director of Operations for MojoFuco, which owns the Hi Hat and Garage. "To see the enthusiasm back reminds me of when I was a kid. The 1980's Bucks teams. The energy is back and it's great to see."
In the crowd of more than 200 at the Hi Hat and Garage off Brady Street, we found Sherika Brown.
"I'm so anxious," she said. "I'm on the edge of my seat, or standing the entire game."
No one sitting near Brown knew, that she's Bucks player Tony Snell's mom.
"I'm so proud of him," she said. "This has been his lifelong dream."
Brown and the rest of Snell's family now call Milwaukee home, and love it.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," she said. "The fans are our people, so I want to be among them when I watch the games."
Not far away, were the Bucks Grand Dancers, the team's pep squad made up of people older than 55. The Grand Dancers have noticed much more of a buzz with the Bucks this year, and can't help but bust a move over it.
"It's so great to be a part of this," said Peggy Harvey, who's been a Grand Dancer for 11 years now. "I see people around town wearing their Bucks shirts all the time now. It's really exciting."
Even President Donald Trump has a Bucks jersey now. Gov. Scott Walker gifted it to him Tuesday, along with a hat that says "Make The Bucks Great Again."
Walker tweeted a picture with this message "Since the Bucks are in the NBA Playoffs tonight, we made a special hat to give to the POTUS."
When we asked Bucks fans about that, they reserved the right to call a "time out."
"I got no comment on that," said Jaime Ortiz, shaking his head. "No comment at all."
After the election, the Bucks opted not to stay at any Trump hotels, and team leaders have spoken-out against Trump's immigration ban. One of the Bucks owners a prominent donor to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
As for the the next Bucks playoff game, it's at the BMO Harris Bradley Center Thursday night.
