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The Milwaukee Bucks dropped to the No. 3 seed on the final day of the regular season and were matched up with the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers. It's a matchup made in heaven for fans who asked the basketball gods to make it a playoff series.
Milwaukee and Indiana had a very memorable season series, with the Pacers dominating by winning four of five matchups. The lone win by the Bucks was a historic performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored a franchise-record 64 points.
However, the game-ball fiasco after the game was the talk of the town, which led fans to clamor for a potential playoff matchup. If this series is as good as advertised, it could arguably lead to a rivalry that could last for years.
Here are the scores and details of the Bucks-Pacers season series:
- Nov. 9, 2023 Pacers def. Bucks 126-124 in Indiana
- Dec. 7, 2023 Pacers def. Bucks 128-119 in Milwaukee
- Dec. 13, 2023 Bucks def. Pacers 140-126 in Milwaukee
- Jan. 1, 2024 Pacers def. Bucks 122-113 in Milwaukee
- Jan. 3, 2024 Pacers def. Bucks 142-30 in Indiana
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers 2024 NBA Playoffs first-round series preview
The Milwaukee Bucks had a dominant start to the season, but issues within the team led to the firing of coach Adrian Griffin despite a record of 30-13. The Bucks hired one-time NBA champion coach Doc Rivers, who had some ups and downs in his first few months in charge.
Rivers finished the regular season with a losing record of 17-19, which is one of the reasons why the Bucks dropped to the third seed. They had a good hold of the No. 2 spot before struggling in the past two weeks of the regular season.
To exacerbate matters, Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a hamstring injury in the Bucks' win over the Boston Celtics last April 9. Antetokounmpo missed the last three games of the regular season and could be ruled out for the rest of the first round.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, "The Greek Freak" might miss two to four weeks of action due to the injury.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers finished strong with seven wins in their last 10 games. The Pacers held off the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat to end the regular season as the No. 6 seed.
Tyrese Haliburton was wildly inconsistent after the All-Star break before ending the season with back-to-back double-doubles. Pascal Siakam has been a wonderful addition to the Pacers. He can take over games and be the number one option on offense.
Bennedict Mathurin won't play for the Pacers this postseason, but Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard have stepped up in his absence.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers depth charts
Milwaukee Bucks depth chart
Indiana Pacers depth chart
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers 2024 NBA Playoffs first-round series prediction and odds
The Indiana Pacers are the slight favorites to win the first-round series over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers have had the Bucks' number this season, and for some reason, they play better when they're against Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability is a huge factor because he's the best player in the series. If Antetokounmpo misses the entire series, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton will have to carry the team.
The Bucks also have the experience advantage over the Pacers, but Pascal Siakam's presence is a huge confidence booster for a young Indiana team.
If "The Greek Freak" is ruled out of the first round, the Pacers should take the series in five or six games.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers series schedule
* - If necessary | TBD - To be determined
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
