The Indiana Pacers finished the 2023-2024 regular season with a 47-35 record in the Eastern Conference and a date with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA playoffs. Indiana heading into this series against Milwaukee will have the mental edge because the Pacers took them down 4-of-5 games during the regular season.
Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner will be some of the players to watch for on Indiana heading into this series against Milwaukee. A lot of people think that the Pacers will very well upset the Bucks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, but there is a ranking on the Athletic that would maybe want you to think that again.
Milwaukee is ranked 12th on The Athletic’s power rankings heading into the postseason. The Indiana Pacers are ranked 17th on The Athletic heading into the postseason. Zach Harper said about the Pacers heading into this postseason by saying:
“We know this team can score. It had the second-best offense in NBA history and tied the record for most 150-point games in a season (four). Will Indiana be able to defend enough to continue to frustrate the Bucks, though? And are the Pacers in a position to turn the Bucks’ season into an outright disaster? Indiana went 4-1 against Milwaukee this season and will face a Bucks team possibly missing Giannis for part of it. Or maybe he’ll play all of the series but be hobbled? Or maybe Giannis will be a physical freak again and feel just fine. The Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam to pair with Tyrese Haliburton for something like this.”
There is no doubt that the Pacers are going to give the Bucks problems when Indiana has the basketball. The question is, can they stop the Bucks from scoring the basketball?
Indiana Pacers Playing With House Money Against the Milwaukee Bucks
This is the first time in a few years that the Pacers are in the NBA playoffs. The Bucks entering this season had championship expectations and Indiana has a chance to deliver the final blow to Milwaukee’s underachieving season.
If the Milwaukee Bucks lose in the first round against the Indiana Pacers, this would be the second consecutive season that Milwaukee will be eliminated in the first round. The Bucks were eliminated a season ago as the number one seed by losing to the eighth seed the Miami Heat.
The Pacers caught a break with Giannis Antetokounmpo being sidelined with a calf injury for the Bucks. However, they still have to stop Damian Lillard, who is lethal and can score over 30 points in a single basketball game. Indiana and Milwaukee did not get along during their five matchups during the regular season and it can very well carry over into this playoff series.