MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks begin their first round NBA playoff series against the Pacers Saturday at noon in Indiana.
This is a rematch of last year’s first round playoff series when the Pacers won four games to two.
The Bucks didn’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was injured, for that series and Damian Lillard also missed a couple of games. Lillard has been cleared to ramp up his basketball activity after a blood clot in his calf. His playing status will hover over this series.
Here are three things to watch in that series.
Bucks prevailed in regular season series
The Bucks won three of four regular season meeting against Indiana. The Pacers have been tormented over the years by Antetokounmpo.
In his career, Antetokounmpo has games of 64 and 54 points against Indiana. The Pacers won 50 games this season, the most they had won in 11 years.
They have the better seed (four against five), so Indiana has home court advantage in this series.
Pacers personnel
Oshkosh native Tyrese Haliburton hit a four-point play for the Pacers’ only victory over the Bucks in the regular season. Indiana also features Pascal Siakam, who has been a Bucks nemesis dating back to his days in Toronto. Pacers reserve guard T.J. McConnell has his best numbers against the Bucks.
Bucks have momentum
The Bucks enter the playoffs playing perhaps their best basketball of the season. They’re on a roll.
Even without the ailing Lillard, the Bucks won their last eight regular season games. The Bucks finished with a 48-34 regular season mark, with Kevin Porter Jr. emerging as a key member of the playing rotation.
This is the ninth straight year that the Bucks are in the playoffs. Since winning the NBA title in 2021, the playoffs have meant frustration for the Bucks. They’ve lost in the first round the past two seasons.
The winner of the Bucks-Pacers series will advance to, most likely, face the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers.
