The Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers, 117-98.
This game saw the Pacers shoot 51.9 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3, while the Bucks shot 41.7 percent and 24.3 percent respectively. Even though the Pacers didn't have an answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who poured in a game-high 36 points, they had their way with Milwaukee's defense and saw six different players score in double figures.
After the Bucks managed just 18 points in the second quarter and entered the half down 67-43, the game was essentially over. Except Milwaukee outscored the Pacers 55-50 in the second half, and at one point cut the lead to 12 with 5:24 left in the game before Indiana was able to close it out.
That second-half success was not possible without a major adjustment by Doc Rivers, which he needs to stick with for Game 2.
Subscribe to the Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like it, share it with an enemy!
Bucks can't afford to play Brook Lopez against Myles Turner
There were a few things that went wrong for the Bucks in the first half. Among those were no one else beyond Giannis being able to score and the team's abysmal 3-point defense. But things got particularly bad when Milwaukee center Brook Lopez was on the court, as the Pacers continuously put him in the pick and roll to great effect.
The combination of players included Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton as the ball handler and Myles Turner as the screener. One of two things would happen: Turner would get a wide-open pick-and-pop three or, if Lopez got back to Turner in time, the ball handler would get a wide-open shot.
Turner going 4-for-6 from the 3-point line and Nembhard shooting 8-for-13 from the field were the biggest reasons for the Bucks' defensive woes in the first half. In the second half, though, Rivers did not play the starters during the stretch in which his team cut into the deficit. That lineup consisted of Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr., which proved to be a better defensive fit against the Pacers' high-powered offense.
For the start of Game 2, the main adjustment that Rivers needs to make is to keep that defensive lineup, specifically when Turner is on the court for Indiana. Lopez is not capable of playing a switch-everything defense at this point, which the Bucks must do if they want to win.
Another big help for Milwaukee would be if Damian Lillard can return for Game 2. There should be no panic after their Game 1 performance, but they need to be able to step up defensively to come back and win the series.