The Milwaukee Bucks looked worse than you could have possibly expected in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. Sure the Bucks made it interesting late, nearly cutting their deficit down to under 10 points.
But they couldn’t overcome it and eventually lost by 19 points. It’s a sign the Bucks might be in dangerous territory of getting bounced out of the playoffs in the first round. The problem had very little to do with the Pacers.
They’re a good team and deserved to win the first game of the series. But what we have to take into account is the Bucks didn’t look great at all aside from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis was one of four players to score in double figures in the game.
Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and the next closest Buck player to him had 15 points. That's the problem. Giannis needs help and even with Damian Lillard, it’s clear the Bucks are outmatched. They just might be bounced in the first round again to the Pacers.
The Milwaukee Bucks are entering dangerous territory after Game 1 against Indiana Pacers in NBA playoffs
Antetokounmpo clearly needs help from his team. He scored 36 points and had 12 rebounds. But he had just one assist. It’s not like he wasn’t passing the ball either, his team simply couldn’t make shots.
He was one of just three starters to record a field goal, and no starter had more than nine points. Even if Lillard played, there’s no guarantee his contribution would impact this game that much more. Because again, the Bucks need players to hit shots.
Kyle Kuzma, a trade deadline acquisition from the Washington Wizards, played 21 minutes and didn’t record a single stat aside from two fouls. Aside from Giannis, they shot 9-for- 35 from 3-point range. They had 15 assists total as a team, compared to Indiana’s 28. The Bucks didn’t have a single starter with a positive +/- in the game.
Even with Lillard, this team needs to improve drastically. This feels like the series the Bucks won a few years back when Kevin Durant did everything he could against the Brooklyn Nets just to lose the series.
Antetokounmpo is doing everything he possibly can to avoid a first-round exit in the NBA playoffs. But no matter what he does, it looks like not even getting a running mate will save these Bucks.