Following a strong game one by the Pacers, we’ll check if the Bucks can recover in game two! The Bucks faced a significant defeat, losing to the Pacers by almost 20 points. However, with Damian Lillard possibly returning for game two, this matchup becomes one of the most intriguing games tonight.
Tyler Smith Out
Damian Lillard Questionable
None
Well, game one of this series was a dud. With the Bucks getting blown out, the Pacers walked off the court barely sweating at all. They dominated the Bucks at every level and showcased a much more well-rounded roster. Of course, the Bucks were missing their number two scorer, Damian Lillard, so it’s hard to judge them too harshly. With Dame listed as questionable for tonight’s game, things could get interesting if he’s tossed back into the fold.
If the Bucks get Dame back, this series looks much different. Dame’s ability to spread the floor and open up the Pacers would be lethal with Giannis running down the middle. It worked well during the regular season, but with the playoffs cranking everything into overdrive, even adding Dame might not be enough.
The Pacers have had their ups and downs, but it finally feels like they’re no longer reliant on Tyrese Haliburton for their success. All year, we were waiting for Haliburton to come back and lead this offense, but his inconsistency eventually left the team in the hands of Siakam, who is now the bona fide number one. This team has thrived with Pascal leading the charge. Haliburton still sees plenty of time with the ball, but this group is far more diverse. We’ve seen players up and down the roster step up offensively, giving the Pacers all the weapons they need to challenge the Bucks.
Defensively is where things get a little less stellar for the Pacers. They have some good options, but they don’t have a pure lockdown defender on the roster. However, team defense and hustle have been enough up to this point, but against Dame and Giannis, they’ll be challenged.
If the Bucks have a hope in this series, it’s on the backs of their two stars. The supporting cast around them has proven they can’t be trusted. Scoring has been the main issue. They shot just 24% from three, and it would have been worse if AJ Green hadn’t knocked down 5 off the bench. The starting roster is lackluster, with two starters finishing with goose eggs in game one. Prince and Kuzma played a combined 42 minutes with a combined stat line of 0/3/4, with Kuzma literally not recording a single counting stat. Unfortunately, even if Dame plays tonight, both of those guys will likely still be in the starting lineup, but at least Dame will draw some attention to potentially allow them to get open.
Overall, I’m not confident in the Bucks tonight. They have the best player on the court in Giannis, but wow, this roster around him is dull. While the Pacers can go 10 guys deep in these games, the Bucks can basically only go one, which isn’t going to win anything. I think Dame will add some level of danger to this team, but who knows what his conditioning looks like after sitting out nearly a month. There are too many red flags popping up with the Bucks, so my money is on the Pacers.
Money line: MIL (+160) / IND (-192)
Total Points: 229
Spread: +4 MIL (-108) / -4 IND (-112)
I did not like what I saw in game one of this series. Yes, the Bucks didn’t have Dame, but we’re seeing how much Giannis and Dame propped this team up. The Pacers, on the other hand, have been thriving. Their bench is much more confident, with solid matchups throughout the roster. Unless Giannis and Dame can take over the game tonight, I don’t see Indiana dropping this one.
Considering how the Bucks performed in Game One, this line is challenging. Right now, I’m leaning towards the under. Even if Dame returns, this line still stands 15 points higher than where the first game concluded. It’s not entirely out of reach, but I can’t help but feel a bit doubtful about the Bucks' role players again. If they have another off night, it seems likely that this game will wrap up well under 230 points.
The Pacers truly seemed to shine as the better team! While the Bucks have a chance to rebound, a -4 spread in game two, especially with the home court advantage, isn’t too shabby. Given that game one wrapped up with a nearly 20-point difference, you might feel good about this line. I'm anticipating a much tighter game this time around, but, as often happens in the NBA, the outcome of this line could very well hinge on some late-game antics. So, just a heads up, a 4-point spread is always a bit tricky in the NBA!
This is an interesting line if Dame returns. If he does, though, 20 points in a playoff game is a bit low. Considering Dame hasn’t been missing time due to a mechanical issue, but rather dealing with blood clots, we could see him closer to prime form in this game. Looking at Indiana’s backcourt, their defense is good, but not elite, so with the line set at only 19.5 points, the over has a lot of appeal tonight.
It’s hard to say what we’ll get out of Haliburton tonight. He was bad in the game one scoring-wise, hitting 3-13 shots, going 0-7 from three, he only managed 10 points. With a low shot volume and streaky shooting in general this year, the 19.5 point line is looking a little daunting for a playoff line. Unless the three is going down tonight, he should be below 20 points again, especially with the Bucks' interior defense.
Siakam might not be known for his defensive abilities, but he’s been above average this year. Especially against the Bucks, he’s been in the way and disrupting their offensive flow. He did manage to grab a steal in game one, and in April he averaged nearly 2 steals a game. With how the Bucks play and where Pascal lines up in the Pacers' defense, he has an excellent chance of snagging another steal tonight.
Mr. Cardio-King is back, with Kuzma’s impressive 0/0/0/0/0 stat line at the end of game one after 22 minutes on the court. Kuzma couldn’t even grab a single board in one of the most important games of the year. Averaging only 3 rebounds in April as his minutes have gradually shrunk, the 5-rebound mark seems a little high for him. Even though the under odds aren't particularly enticing, this one looks solid.