Pacers offence too Much for Bucks?

This is one of the most intriguing matchups that the Eastern Conference could have had in the first round. With the up-and-down season from the Bucks that saw Doc Rivers brought in just before the All-Star break for the fired first-year coach Adrian Griffin, a lot is on the line. The future of the Bucks and Doc Rivers could potentially be in question with an early exit. Doc, who led the Bucks to a 17-19 record, will certainly have his hands full with this matchup, especially with the absence of Giannis for at least the first game.

First off, the Pacers went 4-1 against the Bucks this season. However, the teams have not faced off with Doc manning the sideline for Milwaukee. With Giannis being ruled out earlier this week (on Tuesday for a Sunday game), it already seems like an uphill battle for the Bucks. The Bucks have had a very difficult time this year slowing down Indiana offensively. The Pacers averaged 129 points per game in the five matchups so far. The pace and halfcourt offence led by Tyrese Halliburton has propelled them to their big wins and offensive nights against the Bucks. Even with the improved defence under Doc, it will be very difficult for the Bucks's older guards to match up with the Pacers' speed, especially with Giannis not at 100% health.

The Bucks will be relying on Damian Lillard to carry the majority of the offensive load while they work Giannis back throughout the series. The only issue with this is that in the Bucks's struggles against Indiana, Dame had some of his worst scoring games of the season. Lillard averaged 20.3 points on 32% field goal shooting in the four games he suited up against the Pacers, compared to his season averages of 24.5 points and 42% shooting, a pretty significant fall-off. On top of these struggles, Dame himself is dealing with groin issues of his own.

Series Prediction: Pacers over Bucks in 6, 4-2

Even with longer breaks and more days off in between games in the first round, I am not sure an older, banged-up Bucks team will have enough to handle the speed, pace and offence of the Pacers. The Bucks guards really struggle defensively, and without Giannis’s help ability, it will be even more of a struggle slowing down Haliburton, Nesmith, Siakam, and the other offensive threats the Pacers possess. You can never fully count Giannis out, as we have seen him come back quickly from injuries in the past. However, I see a disappointing early exit in Dame and Docs' first year in Milwaukee.