The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t just lose Game 1 to the Indiana Pacers — they were outclassed, outpaced and outcoached in a 117-98 dismantling at home. And the blame starts well before tipoff.
That's because Doc Rivers rolled out the same tired starting lineup that’s been screaming for a rework: Ryan Rollins, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. No real ballhandler. No rhythm. No floor spacing. No recent proof of concept.
And predictably, it cratered. The offense stalled, the defense was slow-footed and Indiana — fast, unafraid and relentlessly attacking mismatches — capitalized from the jump. And once the Pacers pounced on that lineup and built up a sizeable lead, that only had a domino effect on everything else in this game. Kyle Kuzma played his worst game in a Bucks jersey, Bobby Portis struggled to make wide-open shots and the Milwaukee Bucks just couldn't get stops until it was too late.
In the 17 minutes that this particular lineup played together, they were a net -44.2 after registering an offensive rating of 91.9 points scored per 100 possessions and a defensive rating of 136.1 points given up per 100.
So yes, you could say that their Game 1 starting lineup was something of a disaster.
Bucks' Doc Rivers went with a bad lineup when he didn't have to
But here’s the kicker: the Bucks already had a working formula. He's had a decent sample size of this same starting lineup floundering to start games, only for the hyper-defensive quartet of Giannis and the guards to save the game in its dying minutes.
That formula was Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, Giannis and Bobby Portis — the same unit that powered an eight-game winning streak to close the regular season. They were aggressive, switchable, and had enough shooting and shot creation to stay fluid. It’s no surprise Milwaukee only looked competitive in Game 1 once Rivers went back to them. They were a net +16 together and powered the near-comeback effort that trimmed Indiana's lead from 27 all the way down to 12.
So what happened?
Doc Rivers overthought it. Maybe he was trying to size-match Indiana’s length (though starting Ryan Rollins on Tyrese Haliburton was the last thing to consider if that were the priority). Perhaps he wanted to “ease” the switchable lineup in. Maybe he just trusted veterans.
Considering what we know about this matchup, it's tough to imagine that lineup ever working out against the supercharged freight train that is the Indiana fastbreak.
Whatever the reason, it cost Milwaukee control early and gave Indiana exactly the type of rhythm they thrive on. For practically the entire game, the Pacers were in control. And when the Milwaukee Bucks came surging back in the fourth quarter, the lead was simply too insurmountable to overcome.
Now, the Milwaukee Bucks head back to Indiana down 0-1 for Game 2.
In the playoffs, you don't get games to waste — especially not with Damian Lillard out. The Bucks had a hot hand after ending the regular season on an 8-0. Unfortunately, Doc Rivers didn’t play it. And now they're down in a series where they can’t afford to play catch-up.
We certainly hope he learns from this loss. But history has shown us that losses have the opposite effect on the Milwaukee Bucks' tactician.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.