Speaking after the Milwaukee Bucks' Game 2 loss to the Pacers, Doc Rivers maintained an attitude of staunch assurance while also admitting he isn't sure what changes, if any, he will make.
"We'll just see. We have time. We have 48 hours. I'm not going to tell you what I'm doing right now because I don't know, but we'll figure it out. I'm very confident about this series. Very."
Fans might not share their coach's confidence, but, despite Indiana's firm control of the first two games, there is still reason to hold out hope for Milwaukee.
Reason to believe - Healthy Bucks have the two best players
Damian Lillard should shake off some of the rust he showed on Tuesday, his first game since March 18, after recovering from a blood clot in his calf. In 37 minutes, Lillard shot 4-of-13 for 14 points. If he can return to form, the Bucks will get a major boost in production alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. During the regular season, Milwaukee's two superstars were the league's highest-scoring duo.
Reason to believe - Heading home sets stage to flip script on Pacers
Another factor, something Rivers pointed out, is simply the series shift to Milwaukee. Sleeping in their own beds and playing in front of a home crowd, the Bucks have a chance to do to the Pacers what the Pacers did to them. Going down 0-2 is hardly ideal, but winning road games only becomes more difficult in the playoffs.
Rivers compared the doom and gloom attached to falling behind 0-2 in a playoff series to the pessimism surrounding the team's 2-8 start to the season. Historically, that kind of start does not bode well for making the playoffs, which the Milwaukee Bucks did, anyway, for the ninth straight year. Against Indiana, they just have to hold serve at home.
Reason to believe - Promising lineups
Finally, while Milwaukee's starting lineup has struggled outside of Giannis, they have gotten excellent bench production, accounting for 48 points in Game 1 and 41 in Game 2 (mostly from Bobby Portis' 28). It isn't that the Bucks don't have the guys to compete with Indiana. The closing lineup of Game 2, featuring Portis over Brook Lopez at center and Gary Trent Jr. instead of Taurean Prince, is faster and more athletic than the starting five. With those two on the court plus Giannis, Lillard and Kyle Kuzma, the Milwaukee Bucks cut a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to two. Changes could help.
Reasons for doubt - Lillard's condition, home's false hope, Rivers' calls
Here's the issue: The factors that could break the Bucks' way are also the things that could sink them. Which is more likely? Lillard should find his stroke at some point, but will he build stamina or be worn down as the series progresses? Although Rivers gave him 37 minutes, he could tell Lillard was "exhausted." After his month-plus absence, we might not be in for a vintage Dame Time performance.
True, returning home might optimize their play, but between Game 1 and Game 2, the Bucks enjoyed positive regression in key areas and still trailed by double digits for much of Tuesday night.
Specifically, they shot much better from deep (14-of-35 versus 9-of-37) and cut down on turnovers (10 versus 16). One thing that didn't change, however, was how the two teams capitalized on giveaways. Despite fewer opportunities, Indiana maintained a 10-point advantage in points off turnovers. Once again, the Milwaukee Bucks could not overcome a slow start, a trend that held for every quarter of the game.
And then, of course, there is the elephant in the room - Rivers' refusal to adjust his lineups. To his credit, he has moved away from his starting unit during the second half, but by then, damage has already been done. For example, in just 39 total minutes, Prince has amassed a -28 plus-minus, including a team-worst -13 in Game 2.
Rivers' own comments are confusing. "We've gotten off to two poor starts and we've got to make an adjustment there for sure," the coach acknowledged. But his later remarks, quoted above, don't provide much encouragement as to whether any earnest adjustment will be made. Given how alternative lineups have outperformed the starting five, this last factor might decide the series' trajectory.