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The Milwaukee Bucks will visit the Bankers Life Fieldhouse to take on the Indiana Pacers in a key 2020-21 NBA game on Thursday.
The Bucks won both their earlier meetings against the Pacers and will look to sweep their regular-season series. Giannis Antetokounmpo is back to his imperious best and is one of the top five contenders for the NBA MVP award this season.
Match Details
Fixture: Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Thursday, May 13th, 2021; 7:00 PM ET (Friday, May 14th; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN.
Indiana Pacers Preview
This game is almost a must-win for the Indiana Pacers as they are currently in the ninth spot in the standings and tied for the season record with the Charlotte Hornets (8th).
A win on Thursday would see them swap positions with the Hornets and give them a cushion in the play-in tournament. However, a loss could see the Indiana Pacers drop down to tenth, as the Washington Wizards below them are in red-hot form.
In the play-in tournament, the 7th and 8th seeds would have another chance of grabbing a playoff berth if they lose their first game. So, the Indiana Pacers will look to come out all guns blazing and move to eighth in the standings.
The Indiana Pacers snapped the Philadelphia 76ers' win streak in their last outing, producing a rousing second-half comeback. The Pacers have now won three of their last four games as they look to produce a strong end to their regular-season campaign.
Caris LeVert has been incredible for the Indiana Pacers this season. In 33 games, he is averaging 20.8 points, 4.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per outing.
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis has been the Indiana Pacers' best player this campaign. He is one of only 13 players in the league to average a double-double, tallying 20.5 points and 12 rebounds a night. He has also dished out 6.5 dimes and grabbed 1.2 steals a game.
The Indiana Pacers have been plagued with several injuries of late but have managed to eke out wins, thanks largely to Sabonis' exploits.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Caris LeVert | Shooting Guard - Justin Holiday | Small Forward - Doug McDermott | Power Forward - Oshae Brissett | Center - Domantas Sabonis.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks have won six of their last seven games, which includes a sweep of their two-game mini-series against the star-studded Brooklyn Nets. The Bucks are currently sitting in the third position in the Eastern Conference standings; considering the Nets' poor recent form, the Bucks will fancy their chances of grabbing a top-2 seed for the playoffs.
The Milwaukee Bucks' 'Big 3' of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are in good form right now. All three are averaging the same minutes and nearly the same number of assists and steals per game. The Bucks are playing like a cohesive unit, and the chemistry between the players has been undeniable to miss.
PJ Tucker, whom the Bucks acquired at the NBA trade deadline, has proven to be a great fit for the team as well. Tucker's defense and three-point shooting has elevated the Milwaukee Bucks' game.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is right back in contention for his third straight award.
He is averaging 28.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, doing so on 56/30/69 shooting splits this season. Antetokounmpo has been simply unstoppable of late.
He is hitting clutch shots for his team and seems unafraid of the three-point and free-throw line. If he keeps up his confidence and current level of production, the Milwaukee Bucks will fancy their chances of enjoying a deep playoff run.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Jrue Holiday | Shooting Guard - Donte DiVincenzo | Small Forward - Khris Middleton | Power Forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo | Center - Brook Lopez.
Bucks vs Pacers Match Prediction
The Milwaukee Bucks are the clear favorites to win this game. Their offensive firepower should be too much for the modest Indiana Pacers defense.
However, the Pacers are coming off a morale-boosting win over the Philadelphia 76ers and will have a lot riding on this game. So it wouldn't be too far-fetched to imagine a Pacers victory, given their strong form in recent games.
Where to watch the Bucks vs Pacers game?
The Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers game will be locally televised on Bally Sports Indiana and Bally Sports Wisconsin. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer to be fired?
