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Game Preview
In Game 2, the Indiana Pacers plan to use the lessons learned from their playoff opener to get their postseason plans back on track.
After a 109-94 loss to the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks (1-0) on Sunday at Fiserv Forum, Pacers players and coaches vowed Tuesday’s matchup would look different from their Game 1 defeat.
Sixth-seeded Indiana (0-1) fell behind by 30 points early in their Game 1 loss, as the Blue & Gold gave up 35 points to All-Star guard Damian Lillard in the first half and missed their first 13 attempts from 3-point range to trail by 27 points at intermission.
While the Pacers were able to narrow their deficit to 12 heading into the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bucks 29-14 in the third frame, Milwaukee never allowed their visitors to make it a single-digit game down the final stretch.
If you include the regular season, the 94-point outing was the fewest for the Pacers for 2023-2024 and just the second time the team has scored under 100 points in a game. The Pacers — the highest scoring team in the NBA — shot just 39.6 percent overall.
PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>
Two significant changes shifted the momentum in the second half of Game 1.
After shooting 35.6 percent in the first half, the Pacers bumped their clip to 42.3 in the second half (including making five of their eight total 3-pointers). Additionally, Lillard didn’t score in the second half despite playing almost 19 minutes.
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokunmpo didn’t suit up for the Bucks on Sunday, as he continues to deal with a calf injury. Antetokunmpo's status for Tuesday’s game is unknown, and 6-11 big man Bobby Portis, who was named a Sixth Man of the Year finalist on Sunday, would likely start again in his stead.
Milwaukee, which has multiple players still on its roster from its 2021 championship team, saw its vets step up on Sunday night, which included a 15-point, 11-rebound performance from Portis and 23 points from veteran sharpshooter Khris Middleton.
For Indiana, the player with the most postseason experience also shined, but his offense was the only one rolling from start to finish.
Pascal Siakam, who has played in 54 playoff games, and won a championship in 2019, scored a playoff career-best 36 points while pulling down 13 rebounds on Sunday. Just Jermaine O’Neal (2006) and Paul George (2017) have recorded playoff games with at least 36 points and 13 rebounds in Pacers NBA Playoffs history.
"They won Game 1," Siakam said. "We’ve got to move on, go back, learn from it, watch film, adjust, and come back and lay it all out on the floor. At the end of the day, no matter what the score was, it’s still one game."
RELATED: Pacers Learn Lessons from First Collective Playoff Experience >>
Myles Turner, the longest tenured Pacers player, put it on himself on his fellow vets to make sure the is ready from the start in Game 2. Turner finished with 17 points in Game 1.
"We have a young group that really hasn’t experienced this level," Turner said. " A lot of this 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, a certain attention to detail. It lacked a little bit in that first half. I’m still very confident with our group.”
Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was also one of those several Indiana players who said he’s expecting more from himself in Game 2.
Haliburton, who averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 assists per game in the regular season, logged nine points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in the loss. He only took seven shots in the game -- well below his 15.2 field goal attempts per game during the regular season – and said he “has to be better” on Tuesday.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle had 11 players take the floor on Sunday, but he said that rotation could be tightened or changed moving forward depending on the situation. He did reiterate, however, the second unit was the highest-scoring in the league this past season, and that depth has led to success for this team.
After Tuesday's road game, the Pacers will host Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference seven-game series on Friday and Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Aaron Nesmith, F - Pascal Siakam, C - Myles Turner
Bucks: G - Patrick Beverley, G - Damian Lillard, F - Bobby Portis Jr., F - Khris Middleton, C - Brook Lopez
Injury Report
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin - out (right shoulder labral tear)
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo - doubtful (left soleus strain)
Last Meeting
April 21, 2024: The Milwaukee Bucks led by 27 points at halftime, thanks to a 35-point first-half performance by Damian Lillard, and never faltered in a 109-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Pacers shot just 39.6 percent overall, including going 8-for-38 from 3-point, in the loss. Milwaukee shot 51 percent in the first half and 47.1 percent on the night, making 14 of 37 3-pointers overall.
Lillard led the Bucks with 35 points, Khris Middleton scored 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Bobby Portis – starting in place of an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) – collected 15 points and 11 boards.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 36 points and 13 rebounds, Myles Turner scored 17, and Tyrese Haliburton finished with nine points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Indiana won the rebounding margin 50-47 and points in the paint differential 40-34.
Last Meeting
- The Pacers have lost 10 straight playoff games dating back to the 2017-2018 season. Their last playoff win was Game 6 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018.
- This is the third time the Pacers and Bucks have met in the postseason. Indiana won both series during the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons.
TV: NBA TV - Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Jim Jackson (analyst), Dennis Scott (analyst)
Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers will host the Bucks in Game 3 on Friday, April 26 at 5:30 PM ET, the first playoff game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since 2019. Find Tickets >>
Which, to be fair, can go either way because incompetence has no bias.
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