It’s grim. Very grim.
The Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to hold off elimination as they go into the Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers lead the series 3-1 and a victory will put the final nail in a first-round gentleman’s sweep.
Where We’re At
It’s bad. Very very bad. The Bucks’ loss in Game 4 puts them in a challenging position (to put it mildly), being down 3-1 in the series and now having to win the next three games to survive and advance. Add Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles into the mix and it’s tough to see how Milwaukee rebounds. But is it possible for them to rally for at least one night? In order to do so, they’ll need Giannis Antetokounmpo playing at his best level with plenty of the other role players contributing as well. We saw in Gary Trent Jr’s Game 3 performance that it can be done—not to mention a solid Game 2 outing from Bobby Portis—but it is hard to look at this roster and come away convinced that someone(s) has that type of game in them.
The Indiana Pacers’ offense remains fluid and able to expose the Bucks’ defensive schemes, getting to their spots, finding favorable matchups, and generating a load of open threes with relative ease. Game 4 saw TJ McConnell drive to the rim and stick a dagger or three in the Bucks as they tried to will themselves back into things in the third quarter. Combine that with solid shooting performances from Obi Toppin and Myles Turner to ultimately unravel Milwaukee’s zone defense that has been used as a kind of anchor. Indy surely smells blood in the water and will want to make sure they can win the series on their homecourt for the second consecutive year.
Injury Report
Unfortunately, we know Dame will not be available with the aforementioned Achilles tear. Tyler Smith is doubtful with an ankle injury. Indiana will miss Isaiah Jackson (torn achilles recovery), Benedict Mathurin (abdominal contusion) is listed as questionable, and Aaron Nesmith (lower back bruise) is probable.
Player To Watch
If Milwaukee is going to stay alive and win this game, they will need to see a herculean effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo. It feels similar to Jon Snow taking on the army in Game of Thrones or galvanizing the troops like when Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf meet up with the elven army at the Battle of Helm’s Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (editor’s note: this is masterful metaphor making). If there is anyone who can save the Bucks, it’s the greatest player in the franchise’s history. Easy peasy.
How To Watch
NBA TV and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 5:00 p.m. CDT.
Playback Streaming
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