Milwaukee Bucks Face Tough Stretch

Mar 12, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) chases after a loose ball against Indiana Pacers guard

(3) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Milwaukee 109-103 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Bucks @ Indiana Pacers

The Pacers have rebounded from a quiet 0-3 start, posting wins in five of their past six games

Much like Milwaukee, the Pacers haven’t had a noteworthy win yet this year, though they did halt the momentum of the high-flying Pistons.

Much like the match-ups against Cleveland, this game presents us with yet another opportunity to evaluate just how far Giannis Antetokounmpo has come so far this season.

Paul George looks like the player he was before his horrific knee injury last summer, posting 23.8 points 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game and a PER of 22.6.

If the Bucks are going to beat the Pacers, they’ll need to keep George in check. Unlike Lebron James, George likes to shoot the deep ball, taking six attempts per game so far this season. If Antetokounmpo is going to take care of business, he’ll need to close out on George and cut back on leaking into the paint and doubling.

The Bucks do boast a major advantage in Greg Monroe. So far, the Pacers have relied on the defensively challenged Jordan Hill to play major minutes in their front court. If Hill plays big minutes against Milwaukee, Monroe could be looking at his most favorable match-up of the season.

The Bucks also have a distinct size advantage on the Pacers. This should allow the Bucks to compete with the Pacers on the boards.

The deciding factor in this match-up may be the play of the two benches. Thus far, the Bucks bench has been horrendous, unable to score or defend on a consistent basis

If the Bucks are going to beat Indiana, they’ll need their bench to step up. The Pacers have multiple scorers on their bench, with Rodney Stuckey and CJ Miles able to come in and light it up on any given night. Thus, the Bucks will need the likes of Grevis Vasquez and Jerryd Bayless to pick up their scoring if they’re going to keep the margin within reach.

Next: Game 5: vs. Detroit Pistons