The 2025 NBA Playoffs have arrived, but the Bucks might not have gotten the memo. The Pacers decimated Milwaukee on Saturday, winning by a score of 117-98. While the Bucks were without All-Star Damian Lillard, few expected such a sloppy offensive showing this afternoon. Let’s dive into the stats and figure out what went wrong in Indianapolis.
No help for Giannis
If there’s a bright spot for Milwaukee fans, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the best basketball players on Earth. It’s not as if that wouldn’t be the case with a bad Game 1 performance, but it’s still nice to see. The Greek Freak put up 36 points and 13 rebounds, but it’s no coincidence that he tallied one assist.
No other Bucks starter had more than nine points against the Pacers. That includes forwards Kyle Kuzma and Taurean Prince, who combined for zero total points. Some struggles without Lillard are to be expected, but not to this degree. It was actually Kevin Porter Jr. that provided a spark, scoring 12 points off of the bench. Don’t be shocked if the 24-year-old receives more playing time over the course of this series.
Ice cold shooting
Going toe-to-toe with a red-hot Pacers offense was never going to be easy. Still, shooting a dismal 24.3% on three-point attempts makes it virtually impossible to win in the modern NBA. Once again, Lillard’s limitless range was sorely missed. Regardless, that’s no excuse for a team-wide collapse from beyond the arc. In contrast, Indiana shot 51.9% from the field and 38.2% from three.
Other than bench pieces AJ Green (five) and Gary Trent Jr. (two), no Bucks knocked down multiple three-pointers. Milwaukee’s starting five shot a combined 1-of-11 from deep (9.1%). Guard Ryan Rollins, starting in place of Lillard, went 1-of-4 from long distance.
Questionable coaching
Getting shooters on the floor alongside Antetokounmpo was something head coach Doc Rivers needed to consider. Even a scorer like Kevin Porter Jr. could have helped slow down Indy in the first half. Instead, the veteran coach opted for his usual veteran-heavy lineup, and the results were disastrous.
That’s without discussing the strange performance of Kyle Kuzma. Over the course of 22 minutes, the 29-year-old delivered a 0-0-0 stat line. It’s the kind of outing that’s nearly impossible to get, even if you’re trying to lose a game. Rivers benched the forward for most of the fourth quarter, only to bring him back in with two minutes remaining. With their season on the brink, the Bucks might need to push Kuzma to the bench in the near future.
Game 2 between the Bucks and Pacers is set for Tuesday at 7:00pm EST. Milwaukee opens as 6.5-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 226.5 points, on DraftKings Sportsbook.
