Topic: Pacers vs. Bucks 2024 NBA Playoffs Odds & Game 2 Preview (Read 11 times)

The Milwaukee Bucks were home underdogs in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series against Indiana on Sunday because Milwaukee was without injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a calf injury. Yet the Bucks won anyway. They are likely to be without Giannis again for Game 2 on Tuesday.

When: Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, 9:30 PM ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
TV: ESPN
Radio: 107.5 FM The Fan (Pacers) // WTMJ 620 AM (Bucks)
Stream: NBA League Pass
NBA Odds: Pacers (+1.5) // Bucks (-1.5)
Why bet on the Indiana Pacers?
The Pacers are talented, savvy and smart, but they shot only 40% and were limited to 20 team assists on Sunday. For the game’s first 24 minutes, the Pacers seemed nervous, jittery and simply out of sorts while Fiserv Forum was very loud. The Pacers have struggled in first quarters all year, especially on the defensive end where they had the third-worst defensive rating and gave up the third-most points in first quarters. But Monday’s first quarter had a much different feel to it.

Indiana was 10 of 27 from the floor in the first quarter and 0 of 9 from 3-point range, hitting just three shots outside the paint. They took 14 3-pointers before they finally made one, and finished the first half 16 of 45 from the floor (35.6%) and 3 of 18 from beyond the arc.

“From a player’s perspective, I think we got jumped into the playoffs,” veteran center Myles Turner. “We have a young group that really hasn’t experienced this level, but a lot of it is on our leaders, the guys who have been here before. When you’re in the playoffs on the road, you have to come out with a certain intensity and a certain attention to detail, and that was lacking a little bit in that first half.”

All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was flat-out bad with nine points on just seven field-goal attempts along with eight assists and seven rebounds. Haliburton has to be much more aggressive. His seven shots were six fewer than backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who finished with 10 points, two rebounds and one assist.

Indiana’s Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 36 points while adding 13 rebounds. It was arguably his best game since arriving in Indiana via trade earlier this season from Toronto. Turner was just 5-for-17 from the field and finished with 17 points and eight boards. He did not record a blocked shot after tallying at least one in his final 13 games of the regular season.

The Pacers finished the regular season with a 21-20 record on the road. They posted a winning road record for the first time since the 2020-21 season and for only the eighth time in NBA franchise history. The Pacers averaged 121.0 points per game and shot 50.1 percent from the field in road contests this season. Yet none of that was on display Sunday.

Why bet on the Milwaukee Bucks?
Indiana was the No. 1 offensive team in the league this regular season and won four of five meetings vs. the Bucks, including one in the In-Season Tournament, yet managed only 94 points Sunday in the 15-point loss.

Damian Lillard stepped up big-time with Giannis Antetokounmpo by finishing with 35 points, all coming in the first half – the Bucks led by 27 at the break and never looked back. Lillard’s 35 first-half points were the most ever through two quarters by a Bucks player. He also finished with six rebounds and three assists in 38 total minutes.

“When you have one superstar out, you’re just getting a much bigger dose of the other superstar,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday. “It’s not that big a bargain.”

Lillard averaged 24.3 points per game this season in Milwaukee, nearly 8 points less per game than last year, though that’s understandable given the new dynamic playing alongside Antetokounmpo. Lillard also saw his 3-point percentage dip to the third-lowest mark of his career at 35.4%. But he played in 73 games, the most since 2018-19, and the Bucks were just 1-8 in games Lillard did not appear. On Sunday, he was a central presence for the Bucks.

“He can be dominant. There’s no doubt about that. And this will give him the opportunity to have the ball way more, which will allow him to be closer to the Dame that we know,” Coach Doc Rivers said.

Usual Sixth Man Bobby Portis remained in the starting lineup for Game 1, filling the vacant spot left by Giannis and finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes before fouling out. Khris Middleton had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He shouldered the bulk of the scoring during the second half.

“Every night not going to be my night. I know, at some point, the ball will find me if I’m in the right positions,” said Middleton. “My teammates have a lot of confidence in me. So, if Dame doesn’t get going, and we need the possession – they know they can count on me to make a play happen – not necessarily (to) score, but get up a good shot for the team.”

Antetokounmpo averaged 42.2 points and 13 rebounds in Milwaukee’s five regular-season meetings with Indiana. He scored a franchise-record 64 points in the Bucks’ only win against the Pacers.

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