While the Milwaukee Bucks have one game remaining in the 2025 regular season, the team already know who their first round opponent in the upcoming playoffs will be. It will be a familiar squad in the Indiana Pacers, who the Bucks faced last year in the first round. Indiana handled business in six games in 2024 even without home-court advantage, and the Bucks will be looking to reverse that result this year.
Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers Once Again Squaring Off in the Playoffs
Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks were the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference and were expected to make some noise in the postseason. However, a series with the 6-seed Indiana Pacers saw Milwaukee eliminated much earlier than many expected. As the Pacers went on to fully arrive as a team, using their first playoff appearance since 2020 to run all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to the eventual champions in the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee had to take a hard look in the mirror.
The following season saw Milwaukee trade franchise cornerstone Khris Middleton, battle through adversity such as the 25-game suspension of Bobby Portis, and now the indefinite absence of Damian Lillard. The team ultimately locked themselves into the 5-seed. They will now re-match a talented Indiana squad without home-court advantage.
Fans React to Upcoming Milwaukee and Indiana 1st Round Matchup
While there are not as many true rivalries in the modern NBA as there was maybe 20 years ago, the Bucks and Pacers are starting to feel like bitter enemies. The two teams are now set for consecutive playoff matchups on top of several hotly contested evenings, including one notable confrontation between the two teams during the incident with which team got to keep the game ball.
The Bucks were expected to advance last year until Antetokounmpo missed the entire series with a calf injury. This year, Antetokounmpo is healthy, but the Pacers are still the favored side by oddsmakers. Fans are excited for another series between the two squads.
Bucks vs. Pacers in Round 1 again. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/cXSIA4eiAb
— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) April 12, 2025
Time is a flat circle. Bucks versus Pacers in the first round next week. Buckle up folks.
— Ti Windisch (@TiWindisch) April 12, 2025
I think Pacers-Bucks will look much different this year. Obviously, Giannis. But it’s way more than that. Should be a fun series.
— Tony East (@TonyREast) April 12, 2025
Pacers vs Bucks round 1 is gonna be pic.twitter.com/U0plZhmAxM
— Noah (@Nrock__23) April 9, 2025
The rematch is set. The Milwaukee Bucks will play the Indiana Pacers in the NBA playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo will be healthy in the playoffs for the first time in two years. Get your popcorn ready🍿🍿🍿 pic.twitter.com/u6JJeM1yIl
— Adam Bartoshevich (@adambarto20) April 12, 2025
Several Bucks fans are more than ready to deal with the noise soon to come from Pacers fans.
So Bucks vs Pacers again in the playoffs huh? I look forward to some cordial basketball discussions with Pacers fans. They are a lovely bunch!
— Bucks Nation (@MKEBucksNation) April 12, 2025
All systems go. Ain’t no point being “rational”, the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo and regardless if Dame makes a miraculous recovery, I expect them to advance to the 2nd rd. Bucks have the best player in the series by far, and he will do unspeakable things to the Pacers.
— Yunghash (@YHjugador11) April 12, 2025
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