Pacers vs. Bucks: Can Indiana cease Giannis? Key matchups, schedule and prediction

The fourth seeded of the Oriental Convention (50-32) will face the fifth seeded Milwaukee Bucks (48-34) within the first spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. This can be a revenge match of a collection within the first spherical of final season, when the Sixth Seeds Pacers upset their rivals from the third seeded, 4-2.

What we find out about Indiana

Nobody confuses the Pacers with a juggernaut. The sum of their items when maximized is a seeded of fifty victories -victories – your staff of playoffs, which is exactly what they’ve been all season. Nobody ought to be stunned if Indiana misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs or returns to the ultimate of the Japanese Convention.

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Their stars, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, are each candidates for the NBA. They’re the category of gamers who can maintain their staff in any collection however can’t dominate a greater set of seven. Haliburton is an distinctive playmaker however a reluctant marker. Siakam does all the things nicely and nothing exceptionally. Collectively, they outlined the opponents of 6.8 factors per 100 possessions – excellent however not nice.

The distribution of help for pacers, embodied by TJ McConnell, can also be heavy on the substance and light-weight on flash. Myles Turner is a top quality edge protector and a ground area for the central place. None of their younger and gifted contributors ought to be confused with a 3rd star within the making. However Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin have every assumed roles that contribute to victory.

As a gaggle, the Pacers Subject Sept (and nearly eight) two -digit scorers. This resulted in an offense among the many first 10 and an intermediate protection, the kind of staff which requires a collective effort to stay aggressive.

What we all know of Milwaukee

The Bucks are there by Giannis Antetokounmpo, a lock within the first All-NBA staff for a seventh consecutive season. All the things else for the NBA 2021 champions collapse round their everlasting MVP candidate.

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Antetokounmpo collected a median of 30.4 factors (on the capturing divisions 60/22/62), 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per sport, on what it has on common of the six earlier seasons. We’re numb to its greatness. Solely seven occasions within the historical past of the NBA, somebody has a median equal of a 30-12-6. Oscar Robertson did it throughout the 1961-62 season. Nikola Jokić joined her this 12 months. And antetokounmpo has carried out it in 5 of the final six seasons.

This consistency allowed Bucks to sail on the rocky street round Antetokounmpo. The place as soon as he had excessive -level teammates to share his burden, he now has a collection of query factors. The blood clots have gone away from Damian Lillard since mid-March. Milwaukee reworked a Khris Middleton shell into Kuzma Kyle. Brook Lopez has simply been 37 years outdated. And Bobby Portis has simply returned from A suspension of 25 video games.

AJ Inexperienced, Aka Dairy Chook and a trio of latest arrivals – Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Kevin Porter Jr. – Mixed to attract 42.5% out of 17.5 makes an attempt by 3 factors per sport. This offered antetokounmpo with an arsenal ample to beat a 2-8 begin to the season, preserve an offensive notice from the top-10 and win 48 video games.

Head to face

The Bucks received their common season collection with the Pacers, 3-1.

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Haliburton and Siakam had been each good throughout these conferences. Haliburton raised a median of 17 factors and 10.3. Siakam raised a median of 24 factors and eight.5 rebounds. They wanted extra of their help casting, which was lacking Nesmith for the primary two defeats in opposition to Milwaukee. He scored 30 factors in Indiana’s solely victory in opposition to his rival, and even then the Pacers required A miracle To beat the {dollars} by one.

In the meantime, Antetokounmpo was a monster each evening in opposition to Indiana. It was much more efficient than its normal manufacturing, with a median of 30-12-8 on 65% of capturing on the sphere throughout the 4 video games. Irrespective of how Lillard labored. He scored twice over 20 years and twice worse as 30% in opposition to the Pacers. Be that as it might, the Bucks allowed 118.1 excessive energy factors per 100 possessions reverse the Indiana.

Match to observe

Giannis antetokounmpo in opposition to Pascal Siakam

Nobody spent any time defending Antetokounmpo than Siakam in some elements of 130 possessions out of a complete of 27 minutes this season, in keeping with the NBA observe -up knowledge. In these minutes, Giannis scored 47 factors out of 67% capturing (22-33 FG). Turner may have been a worst choice in opposition to the Greek monster, granting 38 factors out of 56% capturing (14-25 FG) in solely 39 possessions, in keeping with follow-up knowledge.

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Fairly merely: the pacers have nobody who can cease Giannis. That is the place we remind you that he missed your entire first spherical collection of final 12 months between the 2 groups, paving the way in which for the victory of Indiana.

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Milwaukee Bucks

The one factor we all know with certainty is that Entertetokounmpo and Lopez can be on the bottom on the backside of the tight matches. We have no idea if Lillard can be obtainable on this collection. As one of many nice closers within the sport, we’ll miss lots. The remainder of the programming of the Doc Rivers head coach is the idea of anybody.

Kuzma was acquired to be on this combination. Prince also needs to be there as a result of Rivers loves him sure veterans. Inexperienced, Porter and Ryan Rollins may discover disaster time tough to search out because of this. Assuming that Portis can’t belief the clutch conditions, which leaves round. And it’s as striated as they arrive. Rivers will tinker together with his rotations nicely on this collection, upright of scorching arms and hoping that the protection will survive.

Indiana Pacers

The work of head coach Rick Carlisle is simpler on this path. He goes up Haliburton, Siakam, Turner, Nembhard and Mathurin or Nesmith, in keeping with a necessity for offense or protection. The 2 models are two -digit factors for 100 important possessions higher than their opponents, Relying on the glass cleansing. More practical in opposition to Milwaukee was unity with a defensive spirit with Nesmith (internet notice +12.4).

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Prediction: Bucks in seven

Antetokounmpo builds a curriculum vitae which does it on the tempo to complete as one of many 20 largest gamers to stay. His staff has misplaced the playoffs within the first spherical in every of the final two seasons. They usually might not attain the second spherical for a 3rd consecutive 12 months. However do not guess on it.

Paris Ribs in collection

(By way of betmgm))

Indiana Pacers (-200)

Milwaukee Bucks (+165)

Collection schedule (all time is)

Sport 1: Saturday @ Indiana (1 p.m., ESPN)

Sport 2: TBD @ Indiana (TBD)

Sport 3: TBD @ milwaukee (TBD)

Sport 4: TBD @ milwaukee (TBD)

* Sport 5: TBD @ Indiana (TBD)

* Sport 6: TBD @ milwaukee (TBD)

* Sport 7: TBD @ Indiana (TBD)

* If crucial