The Milwaukee Bucks lost their first playoff game 117-98 to the Indiana Pacers. While it's only one game, there's plenty of reason to panic given their roster and murky future. Let's dive into the level of concern with the Bucks.
The supporting cast around Giannis is subpar
Game 1 of the Bucks-Pacers series highlighted something already clear: Milwaukee's supporting cast is below average, while Indiana is a deep team with multiple options. Without Damian Lillard, the Bucks lack a secondary creator next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Since Lillard went down with an injury, Giannis has been asked to do everything for the Bucks, including taking over point guard duties. While Giannis has played incredibly, there's only so much one player can do. Game 1 was a perfect example of this; Giannis poured in 36 points and 12 rebounds, while nobody else in the starting five reached double figures. Giannis' 40.7 usage rate was the highest among all players in the first game of the playoffs.
Lillard is likely to return within the next few games. Nevertheless, it is unclear how effective he will be after a serious blood clot injury. Even with Dame at full strength, this roster has clear limitations. Milwaukee's three through eight in their rotation is inconsistent at best. Brook Lopez is aging, Kyle Kuzma doesn't offer much outside of inefficient and inconsistent volume scoring, and Kevin Porter Jr. is similar to Kuzma but is a guard.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided's daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend. If you hate it, share it with an enemy!
The Pacers are a tough matchup for the Bucks
Milwaukee's surrounding talent in comparison to a deep Pacers squad. Despite a 3-13 shooting display from star guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers dominated the Bucks. Pascal Siakam led the way with 25 points, Myles Turner had 19, Andrew Nembhard poured in 17, and Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 13 points off the bench. The Pacers can overcome an off night from their best player, since they have a well-rounded core. Conversely, the Bucks need Giannis to go supernova just to have a chance, and on Saturday, they weren't even competitive despite his brilliance. If Haliburton plays at an elite level along with quality play from other core players, the Bucks could be doomed.
Matchup-wise, the Bucks' bottom-five transition defense against a high-powered transition offense is problematic. The Bucks can't be counted out of this series due to Giannis, however, the Pacers are clear favorites at this point. Even if the Bucks win this series, it will be a hard-fought battle, and their chances against the Cleveland Cavaliers are slim.
The Bucks have limited future moves
While losing in the first round for the third straight year is less than ideal for the Bucks, what's more problematic is their lack of flexibility moving forward. The Bucks don't own their first-round pick until 2031. With an underwhelming supporting cast and no draft capital, it will be difficult to upgrade the roster around Giannis. Milwaukee's best trade asset is Lillard, but even his value is unclear, and it's not likely they could find a talent upgrade for him on the open market. Lopez and Kuzma both have low trade value. Perhaps they pull off a miracle trade, however, that feels unlikely. Trying to find an undervalued free agent and making minor trades around the edges feels like the Bucks' best ways to upgrade this roster.
If the Bucks are eliminated in the first round, it will likely lead to Giannis requesting a trade, especially considering their lack of avenues to improve. Even if they get past the Pacers, a Giannis trade request can't be ruled out. Unfortunately, things feel grim in Milwaukee, and it's beyond an embarrassing Game 1 loss. The only thing the Bucks can bank on is an improbable run led by Giannis' greatness; otherwise, it's time to panic.