After the Milwaukee Bucks drew first blood against the Indiana Pacers in their first round series, the latter came back and stole Game 2 on the road. But even with the loss, head coach Doc Rivers gave Indy some credit for playing defense well.
In that particular game, the Pacers went home with the 125-108 win over Milwaukee. Pascal Siakam stood out from the pack when the former Toronto Raptors star tallied 37 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in 36 minutes on the court. Myles Turner dropped 22 points, while Tyrese Haliburton made 12 points and 12 assists. Andrew Nembhard also contributed 20 points on 72 percent shooting from the field in Indy’s recent win.
The Bucks, on the other hand, had another monster game from All-Star guard Damian Lillard when he posted 34 points, four rebounds, and five assists. Brook Lopez contributed 22 points, while Bobby Portis filled in for an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo by making 14 points and 11 assists.
Indiana’s win showed that they have made adjustments from their Game 1 loss to the Bucks. Meanwhile, the increased physicality and intensity of the Pacers went unanswered, leading the Bucks to lose Game 2 to their opponents.
Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers Credits Indiana Pacers’ Defense In Game 2 Loss to Them
After the game, Rivers spoke to the media and shared his thoughts on why the Bucks lost. In a post shared by Gabe Stolz on X:
While the Bucks were within striking distance to begin the fourth, things slipped away from them pretty quickly. Doc Rivers credited Indiana’s defense on making things tough all night long: pic.twitter.com/4lIfIZ0wjd
— Gabe Stoltz (@Stoltzy3) April 24, 2024
During the regular season, the Bucks placed 19th in the NBA when it came to defense. Oddly enough, Indiana’s defense was 24th out of 30 teams. This only shows the latter has adjusted to Milwaukee’s offense by turning up the intensity on that particular end of the court.
With the series moving to Indiana, the Bucks will have to adjust as well to get a win on the road. Otherwise, they might find themselves in the offseason earlier than expected. If that happens, All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard may want out of Milwaukee sooner than later.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow us on Twitter at @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
