The Mag's Ric Bucher followed the Cavs from Philly to Milwaukee, giving him a second look at the Ohio upstarts and his first glimpse of the disappointing Bucks.

It's an off day, so I run out to the Bucks' practice facility -- which is a three-pointer from the Lake Michigan shore -- and bump into center Ervin Johnson in the lobby. He introduces me to Art, a frighteningly realistic and fully-clothed clay sculpture of an old security guard sitting in a chair by the door. Art isn't the only Bucks employee short of a pulse lately.

I'm shown to Coach George Karl's office, which overlooks the practice court. Karl loves to challenge preconceived notions, so I'm not surprised to hear him talk about how culturally alive Milwaukee is and how he disputes that NBA coaches are to blame for the proliferation of isolation plays. He points to star players who won't run the floor or play hard and selflessly enough to execute full-blown plays. After all, he tells me, the star knows if his team walks it up, he'll likely get the ball and everybody will get out of the way.

I get directions to Soup Brothers (a true hidden gem) to grab some grub before heading back to catch the Cavs' practice, where I find a team with no stars moving themselves, and the ball, crisply.

The next night, before the game, I'm in the Bucks locker room talking to Ray Allen when Karl sees me and says, "What are you still doing here?" I tell him I couldn't take his word for why the Bucks were struggling and had to see for myself. "Look," Allen whispers. "You've made him nervous now."

And what's wrong with that? With Karl watching from the sidelines in a white sweater and deep green coat that made him look like an Irish innkeeper, the Cavs have no answer for the one-on-one skills of Allen and Glenn Robinson. Matt Harpring, who told me of the retaliatory threats he's received from such league luminaries as Karl Malone and Alonzo Mourning, has a bright red scrape sweeping from his right eye to his right ear lobe. A natural 3, he's had to guard Allen Iverson and Allen in consecutive games. "Well," he says, "that sucked." Collectively, the Cavs are genuinely ticked they've lost two in a row after a 6-1 start. I've only been with them for the two losses but I still come away impressed. There's a determination in their locker room I didn't feel in the other one.

I'm guessing I'll be checking in on them again this season.

Ric Bucher writes hoop for ESPN The Magazine.