In perhaps one of the most anticipated regular season basketball games in recent memory, the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away from the Philadelphia 76ers, 91-83, in the first sellout of a home opener since the Chicago Bulls visited in 2007 Friday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

It was the first home game for new owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan, and the game was an event from the moment the doors opened to 18,717 fans – the first sellout of any kind since March 15, 2013.

Live music greeted fans in the atrium, as did stacks of balloons on all four levels. New, team-colored draping covered some of the steel rails around the lower bowl. The team shop was remodeled. A tailgate area was opened up on the 400 level (more on that soon).

Then, after Bango swung down from the rafters to start the on court festivities, the lights were cut, save for a spotlight on the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as it performed "O Fortuna" at halfcourt …

Introductory videos called for a new era of Bucks basketball, which was reiterated by the ownership trio, who welcomed the fans with hopes for a new arena and another NBA championship.

Comedian Frank Caliendo, a Waukesha native, performed throughout halftime (and filmed skits played during breaks in the action). Bands played in the atrium.

Of course, this was by design.

"We wanted to start the season off by creating a big event and creating that big event feel," Bucks senior vice president and chief revenue officer Ted Loehrke said. "That’s why a big opening with the symphony and all the great pageantry around that. A great half time act with a big name and a local name like Frank Caliendo.

"So we really did want to bring that big even feel back to a Bucks game and create momentum for the rest of the season, because we are strong believers that the more people see to this team and the more people experience the events here the more they’re going to want to see and the more they’re going to want to be here."

I covered two playoff games here in 2013 – the first in Milwaukee since 2010 – and those games didn’t have this feel.

Larry Sanders, who finished with 15 rebounds, 8 points and 4 blocks in the win, is the second longest-tenured home-grown Bucks player on the team. His first year was 2010-11, and has more perspective than most of his teammates on the difference in tonight’s game as opposed to many others.

"It was amazing. It was amazing," Sanders said. "Everyone was screaming, yelling, cheering for us, running around. It really felt like home. It felt like how you should feel to play at home. I’m glad we gave everyone here what they came here for, their money’s worth – we got a win for ‘em and that’s the object of the game every night.

"It feels like an event – but you got to understand that’s for the fans. For us, we’re a part of the event. So we can’t enjoy it as much because we’re a part of the show. We just have to go out there and work and give them what they came for."

Of course, the game was not a sideshow – not at all – but it was definitely accentuated.

Let’s face it – the 76ers and Bucks won a combined 34 games last season. They may combine for slightly more than that this year. The basketball wasn’t the greatest, and it took a 20-7 fourth quarter for the Bucks to finally separate themselves from the 76ers.

There were lowlights for the Bucks, the poor decisions that led to 18 turnovers, the 40.9 percent shooting from the field.

But there were highlights that shook the seats – O.J. Mayo’s scoring (25 points), and that no-look drop pass to a trailing Jabari Parker for a flush. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s athleticism on a break and his vision in the half court. The return of LARRY SANDERS! Brandon Knight’s crossover.

And the near 19,000 fans, of course.

"I haven’t seen that before here," said seventh-year veteran Jerryd Bayless, who has only been at the BMO Harris Bradley Center as an opponent. "It was good, and I think exciting. It’s an exciting time in Milwaukee. I think the fans are excited. I think the whole city, everybody, is excited about the Bucks. Hopefully we give them something to keep on cheering about and tonight was a great start. Hopefully we can continue down that path."

I spent quite a bit of time over the summer re-connecting with the Bucks' past, talking to Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Don Nelson – they remembered a time when Bucks games were events, were the place to be.

Of course, those guys are Hall of Famers and competed for championships. We can’t go there, not yet, not for quite a while.

And we’ll have to see what it’s like here in February if it’s 15-below out and the team has only a handful of wins.

But, when it came to making a Bucks game feel like a "thing" – some place to be – at least for one night, the new Bucks leadership accomplished that. And it gave the crowd a reason to feel like it started something.

"It’s about our branding, we did a real good job of picking up new pieces, getting a new energy in our organization – that’s what it was about," Parker said. "It’s real exciting to see us bring the crowds here, the energy – just trying to get it back going."

"It was a big deal you know?," Antetokounmpo added. "It was our home opener. We wanted to bring the people in the arena to watch us. We’ve got to show them that things have changed, we gotta show them that things are going to change. It’s not going to be the same as last year. To make them realize it’s a new era. We’re going to try to be great now. And great things are going to come in the future, too."