The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers rivalry will add another chapter this postseason. We will see the two Central Division rivals battle it out over seven potential games, with this season's series set to be better than the last.
The 2024 season saw the teams grow to dislike each other in the regular season, with the Giannis Antetokounmpo game ball situation adding fuel to the fire. However, the playoff series was a letdown, with the Greek Freak sidelined, Damian Lillard battling injury and the team relying on the end of their bench to compensate.
Indiana finished fourth in the East this year, winning 50 games and turning their season around from a slow start. Milwaukee also started slow; now, they enter the postseason on an eight-game win streak, with great news surrounding Damian Lillard's possible return.
Let's take a look at three reasons why this year's matchup will be a must watch.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy
It is the most obvious difference from last season.
Giannis is back and has been feeling himself down the stretch. He has played in six of the final eight games, averaging a ridiculous 31.8 points, 12 rebounds, 11.8 assists, with a steal and a block per game. To go with that, he has shooting splits of .607/.417/.725, MVP form heading into the playoffs.
Lillard only featured in four of the playoff games and still averaged over 31 points, shooting 40 percent from the field and from deep. Potentially getting him back will obviously be big. Other positive news is that Bobby Portis' suspension is over, and Jericho Sims has also been cleared to play.
A series that had a big missing piece now has both teams near full strength, and it will for sure be an entertaining watch.
2. Bucks' bench is much improved
One of the big reasons so many Milwaukee Bucks fans are feeling positive for this series is that the bench is much improved from the 2024 series. Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. have been so impressive off the bench, while Ryan Rollins has stepped up in Lillard's absence as a starter.
A quick look back at last year, Patrick Beverley was starting, while Jae Crowder and Danilo Gallinari were key pieces off the bench. Andre Jackson Jr. was thrown into the action from Game 3 and has matured this year, along with AJ Green. Thanasis Antetokounmpo and MarJon Beauchamp got garbage time minutes, and Pat Connaughton was trying to recreate his playoff antics from 2021.
The depth and quality are just better. There is more versatility with Sims added to the bench and a plethora of wings who can guard multiple positions. Last season, they relied on veterans to come in and keep up with the young Pacers. This year will be different, as the Bucks can throw different looks at Indiana, as well as match their speed and intensity.
3. High-scoring games thanks to shot creators and energetic players
These two teams both averaged over 115.5 points per game in the regular season. Indiana was the seventh highest scoring team, and the Bucks were not far behind at 11th.
A healthy Lillard and Giannis give the Bucks some lead scoring, with Trent and Porter both providing sparks off the bench with their shot-creating. The Pacers were without Bennedict Mathurin last year, and he is back, along with Pascal Siakam, after he missed two games late.
It is set to be a real high-energy series, with the Milwaukee Bucks now being able to go toe-to-toe with the Pacers and not be such an ageing roster. This is likely to lead to physical alterations, as tensions are high, and the teams going back and forth will significantly intensify the atmosphere.
Milwaukee will certainly be confident in getting revenge this year, given that they are close to full health and Lillard is on the verge of returning. Indiana is a 50-win team and, having lost the regular season series 3-1, they will be hoping to show the Milwaukee Bucks that 2024 wasn't a fluke and they can make it back to the Conference Finals.
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