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For the first time since their first round playoff series last spring, the Pacers (6-9) and Bucks (6-9) will square off on Friday night in Milwaukee. It's just a month into the regular season, but there are significant stakes to this battle as well, as it is an Emirates NBA Cup Group Play game.
Milwaukee is currently 1-0 and in second place in East Group B, while the Pacers are 0-1 after dropping their NBA Cup opener to Miami last week. If the Pacers lose to the Bucks on Friday, they would be eliminated from winning the group. But if the Blue & Gold can come away with a win, they would move into second place in the group, just a game back of the 2-0 Pistons, whom the Pacers will host next week.
2024 NBA Cup Central: Schedule, Standings, and More at Pacers.com/Cup >>
A win would also help salvage a three-game road trip where the Pacers have dropped their first two games, falling in Toronto on Monday and in Houston on Wednesday. Injuries have played a major part in the struggles, as the Pacers are still without starting wings Andrew Nembhard (knee) and Aaron Nesmith (ankle) and also have been without second-year guard Ben Sheppard the past two games due to an oblique strain.
Too many turnovers and an off shooting night added up to a 130-113 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. The Pacers committed 23 turnovers, leading to 30 Houston points, and went just 5-for-22 (22.7 percent) from 3-point range in the loss.
The Bucks got off to a poor start to the season, going 2-8 in their first 10 games, but have played better lately, winning four of their last five contests.
While Milwaukee has been inconsistent as a team, star Giannis Antetokounmpo remains as dominant as ever. The 6-11 forward leads the NBA in scoring at 32.1 points per game, ranks fifth in rebounding (12.1 per contest), seventh in field goal percentage (.610), 12th in blocks (1.4 per game), and 22nd in assists (6.1 per contest).
Veteran guard Damian Lillard has also been coming on strong lately, recording his first two double-doubles of the season in his last two games and scoring the game-winning basket in the closing seconds of a win over Houston on Monday. Lillard is averaging 24.8 points and 7.2 assists per game. Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Quenton Jackson, F - Bennedict Mathurin, F - Pascal Siakam, C - Myles Turner
Rockets: G - Damian Lillard, G - Andre Jackson Jr., F - Taurean Prince, F - Giannis Antetokounmpo, C - Brook Lopez Injury Report
Pacers: Ben Sheppard - questionable (left oblique strain), Jarace Walker.- questionable (illness), Andrew Nembhard - out (left knee patellofemoral inflammation), Aaron Nesmith - out (left ankle sprain), Isaiah Jackson - out (torn right Achilles tendon), James Wiseman - out (torn left Achilles tendon).
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo - probable (right patella tendinopathy), AJ Johnson - out (G League assignment), Chris Livingston - out (G League assignment), Khris Middleton - out (bilateral ankle surgery), Ryan Rollins - out (left shoulder instability) Last Meeting
May 2, 2024: The Pacers rolled to a 120-98 victory over the Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to close out their first-round series in six games and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Six Pacers reached double figures in the victory, with reserves Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell leading the way with the best postseason performances of their respective careers.
Toppin scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench, while McConnell tallied 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, nine assists and four steals.
Pascal Siakam added 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, and four assists, while All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists to go along with six rebounds.
It was a complete performance from the Blue & Gold, who never trailed over the final three quarters, shot 54.1 percent from the field and limited the Bucks to just 42.2 percent shooting.
"The thing that I love about our team is that we’re a true team," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We’ve got some great individual players, but we’re a group that needs each other. And I think that’s something that the people of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana can get behind."
All-Star guard Damian Lillard returned for Game 6 for Milwaukee after missing the past two contests with a sore Achilles. Lillard scored 28 points, but it wasn't enough to lead the Bucks to victory. Milwaukee remained without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who did not play all series due to a left soleus strain. Noteworthy
- In addition to beating the Bucks in the playoffs, the Pacers won four of five regular season contests against Milwaukee. It was the first time Indiana won the season series with the Bucks since 2017-18.
- With five blocks on Wednesday night in Houston, Pacers center Myles Turner passed Julius Erving and Greg Ostertag to move into 51st place on the NBA's all-time blocks list. Turner has a franchise-record 1,294 career blocks.
- Friday's game will be a matchup between two of the 11 winningest coaches in NBA history. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers ranks eighth all-time with 1,120 career wins, while Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is 11th with 949 career victories. Rivers and Carlisle rank second and third, respectively, among active head coaches, trailing on San Antonio's Gregg Popovich.
FanDuel Sports Network - 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 (studio host) Tickets
The Pacers open a four-game homestand when they welcome the Washington Wizards to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 5:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>
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