This is not what Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers signed up for, but here he is looking to find a way out of a deep hole in the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. Will the Bucks force a Game 6? Or, will the Pacers send Milwaukee home?

Catch this game live on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 9:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Indiana Pacers (3-1)

Projected Starting Five:

• Tyrese Haliburton (Questionable)
• Andrew Nembhard
• Aaron Nesmith
• Pascal Siakam
• Myles Turner

The Pacers are somehow just a win away from eliminating Milwaukee. They would not have been in that position if not for their excellent teamwork on the court, which shouldn’t be overlooked despite the Bucks being undermanned in the series. In Indiana’s 126-113 home in Game 4, the Pacers had 33 assists on 46 field goals made. With a bunch of willing passers, the Pacers are leading all teams in the 2024 NBA Playoffs with 30.8 assists per game. They are also top in the postseason with 44.3 made field goals per game. 

With Milwaukee still missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will continue to be without someone who would have been a great disruptor on defense versus the Pacers. That’s music to the ears for the Pacers’ frontcourt duo of Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, especially for the latter, who just had 29 points and nine rebounds with seven 3-pointers in Game 4. Indiana has also found their rhythm from behind the arc since losing Game 1. From Games 2 to 4, the Pacers have made an average of 17.0 threes per outing on 39.8 3FG%.

Home: Milwaukee Bucks (1-3)

Projected Starting Five:

• Patrick Beverley (Probable)
• Malik Beasley
• Khris Middleton (Probable)
• Bobby Portis
• Brook Lopez

Doc Rivers is all too familiar with the “3-1” situation in the playoffs, though, this time it’s a bit different. Known for blowing 3-1 leads in the playoffs, Rivers has a chance to do the opposite and steer the Bucks to a successful comeback attempt from such a series deficit. Of course, that is going to be easier said than done for Milwaukee. For one, they have a of hurting bodies on the roster. 

Antetokounmpo is likely to be out, Damian Lillard is doubtful while Patrick Beverley and Khris Middleton are both probable. It’s brutal timing for the Bucks to deal with those injuries, but they will push through and roll with whatever hand they dealt with in Game 5. Bobby Portis should be fresh after getting ejected from and playing just seven minutes in Game 4. Brook Lopez and Malik Beasley could still be feeling it after making 27 and 20 points, respectively. Even with a banged-up roster, the Bucks can still exploit Indiana’s exploitable defense that ranked just 24th in the regular season with a 117.9 adjusted defensive rating.

Picks

Spread: Milwaukee Bucks (+4.5)

Over/Under: Over (214.5)