Milwaukee Bucks Playoff Preview Vs Pacers: Matchups, Strategies, Etc

The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers battled five times this year, developing plenty of storylines. There was the whole game ball fiasco with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Pacers beating Milwaukee in the semi-finals of the In-Season Tournament, Tyrese Haliburton mocking Damian Lillard’s patented Dame Time celebration, and plenty of trash talk.

Perhaps it’s only fitting that these two teams meet in the postseason, with one team advancing by sending the other home for the offseason.

There’s much to know heading into this matchup between these Central Division rivals, so let’s dive right in.

Schedule:

• Game 1: Sunday, April 21 (6 p.m., TNT)
• Game 2: Tuesday, April 23 (7:30 p.m., NBA TV)
• Game 3: Friday, April 26 (4:30 p.m., ESPN)
• Game 4: Sunday, April 28 (6 p.m., TNT)
• Game 5: Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)*
• Game 6:mThursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)*
• Game 7: Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TNT)*

* = If necessary

Matchups

There’s some flexibility each team has to play with when it comes to the matchups, but here’s my prediction about how the Bucks will start on the Pacers:

• Damian Lillard on Andrew Nembhard
• Patrick Beverley on Tyrese Haliburton
• Khris Middleton on Aaron Nesmith
• Bobby Portis on Myles Turner
• Brook Lopez on Pascal Siakam

Beverley on Haliburton will be the matchup to watch in this one. The two have a history of going at one another, and bad blood will carry over into this series. Milwaukee didn’t make Haliburton go left during their regular season matchups. Still, you can bet your bottom dollar Beverley will force him toward that weak hand at every opportunity he has.

X-Factor

Sticking with Beverley, he’ll have the opportunity to turn the series in the Bucks’ favor on both ends of the court. He should carry a heavy defensive load, forcing Haliburton to work as soon as he crosses half court.

Yet, the challenge for Beverley on offense is equally significant. The Pacers might attempt to hide Haliburton on him or assign Turner to him to hang out in the paint. In this scenario, Beverley’s ability to convert open threes and act as a pivotal link in the offense, facilitating ball movement from side to side, becomes crucial. The question remains, can he capitalize on enough open shots to exploit the Pacers’ potential oversight?

Key Storyline

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s health. Milwaukee has done a fantastic job muddying the waters around his return. Conflicting information comes out seemingly every day, and there’s no telling if or when he’ll return. The only thing that seems certain is that he’ll be out for Game 1. Then again…

Bucks’ Offensive Strategies

Indiana is vulnerable around the rim, tying for dead last in the NBA with the Washington Wizards by allowing 58.5 paint points per game. Myles Turner is still a quality defender, but not the elite shot-blocker he once was. Milwaukee must find a way to put pressure on the rim without Antetokounmpo. That might include Lillard and Lopez going into the time machine and pulling out some vintage performances.

They’ll also have to balance crashing the offensive boards and getting back on defense. The Pacers love to run in transition, and Milwaukee isn’t the best in this area. On the other hand, Indiana only grabbed 70 percent of defensive rebounds this season which ranked 26th. There will be missed shots to be had.

Bucks’ Defensive Strategies

Force Haliburton left. Milwaukee didn’t do this during the regular season and paid dearly for it. He’s still a dangerous playmaker, but isn’t as good at finishing around the hoop with his off hand. He also loves to go into his step-back going to his left which is a predictable and defendable move for the Bucks.

Brook Lopez’s role in changing the pick and roll coverages is crucial. He can’t afford to sit back in a deep drop and allow Haliburton to get comfortable with a barrage of floaters. A more aggressive approach could disrupt Haliburton’s rhythm and give the Bucks an edge.

Lastly and most importantly, effort. Milwaukee needs to show an initial effort on defense and sustained effort when the Pacers are flinging the rock around on offense. The Bucks will have to be locked in and show they can consistently work hard on this end of the court. This includes getting back on defense on every possession.

Prediction

The Pacers have all the reasons to win this series and advance to the second round. However, the more analysts who pick Indiana, the more I like the Bucks. That’s exactly the edge they’ve had when they’ve had some of their best wins this season.

Bucks in 7.