Giannis still out for tonight’s game.
For us out-of-towners, the game is being broadcast on NBA TV at 830 PM EST. Here’s a comment from Durango Doug from another thread with some additional info:
@DurangoDoug posted:Game 2 tonight is blacked out in Milw on NBA TV, some weird rule I don't understand. Do not know about the rest of WI? If I understand correctly if you have NBA TV it will not be broadcast in the local market. Possibly could watch on Bally sports if you have that.
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F***! Middleton to the locker room with a right leg injury
Middleton back.
Pacers hitting their 3s tonight.
Bucks hitting a lull here at the end of the first half. Need to hold on until halftime.
Pacers getting some separation.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Pacers getting some separation.
And look much more confident.
Obviously, Siakam is killing them as the Bucks have no one to guard him with Giannis out. It would seem Jackson Jr. would be a guy with the athleticism to do it, but he's clearly not in Doc's plans.
Bucks are in deep trouble in Game 2. Same problems now as in the regular season against Indiana. Terrible transition defense and Lillard is a terrible on-ball defender.
Bucks down 11.
Lopez is not really playable against lineups like this, but the Bucks have no other choice with Giannis out.
The Bucks at least got one of the first two games, which was the minimum they needed. If Giannis comes back in Game 3 they'll be fine. If he's not going to be ready for this series, they'll need superhuman efforts from Dame and Middleton because there just enough consistent offense from anyone else.
Another thing, as bad as Dame's on-ball defense is, the Bucks would be run off the court in both games with Holiday instead. They wouldn't score 90 points in the game with Holiday.
Bucks back within 3. Coincided with when the Pacers rested Siakam.
Portis has really hurt them tonight as well, but still within striking distance because Dame is keeping them in it.
Why in hell is AJ Green still getting minutes.
Bucks get it back within 1 and then Portis with two bad misses and AJ Green bricks a wide open 3 and then is a turnstile on defense. Down 8 again.
Jackson Jr. please. Doc come on.
Bobby can’t hit shit tonight and the Pacers seem to always find a lane to the hoop. C’mon Doc Rivers, time to put on your thinking cap!
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Why in hell is AJ Green still getting minutes.
Bucks get it back within 1 and then Portis with two bad misses and AJ Green bricks a wide open 3 and then is a turnstile on defense. Down 8 again.
Jackson Jr. please. Doc come on.
You can’t get more open looks than he’s had in the first two games. Definitely not built for prime time - use him for mop up minutes and he’ll shoot lights out.
Bucks down 12. Bucks offense is nonexistent if you take Dame and Khris away.
The remaining big 3 are 21 for 42 from the field and 12 for 22 from three.
The rest of the team is 8 for 28 and 0 for 9 from three.
The Pacers besides Siakam and Haliburton are 7 for 21 from three. Not great, but 33% vs. an 0-fer is the difference.
Down 20 and getting embarrassed.
Doc's adjustment was to take out Lopez and bring in Connaughton, but then Portis is guarding Turner and he gives up another wide open 3.
Jackson Jr? At least try it.
Willis Reed time.
Your down 23 Doc. Get the starters out. You can play Jackson Jr. now.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:Jackson Jr? At least try it.
Doc refuses to play young guys. I just don't get it. He can hardly do any worse than what you have out there.
Doc waves the white flag with 4:40 left.
Dame, Middleton, and Lopez all played well to at least adequately tonight. The biggest problem on the defensive end was having to play Lopez and Portis together for long stretches. It leaves too many wide open shots on the perimeter. The Pacers hit the shots tonight that they missed in Game 1.
Horst made a lot of miscalculations during the past year with the roster. His one good move on the margins was trading Payne for Beverly. The move on the margin that they really screwed up was Gallinari. They needed to try to get a wing defender type at the margins. Instead, they signed Gallinari. Gallinari was a terrible defender before he hurt his knees a few years ago. That's one of the guys MIddleton lit up in the EC Finals against the Hawks in 2021. I guess that's what Crowder's role is, but man is their bench awful when they have to go beyond Portis. I don't think it could beat some G league teams. Green, old Connaughton, Crowder, Gallinari, Beauchamp, Thanasis.
You have to at least try to play Jackson Jr. on Friday if Giannis can't go. He's the one bench guy who can increase your overall athleticism.
@Boris posted:Doc refuses to play young guys. I just don't get it. He can hardly do any worse than what you have out there.
But AJ Green is only a 2nd year player and clearly has wilted under the pressure.
I know the NBA is not the NCAA, but there is a big difference between Jackson Jr. and Green in terms of experience under pressure.
Jackson Jr. was the best player on a National Title team at UConn last year and played in some big games. AJ Green never even played in an NCAA tournament game.
You are pretty sure Jackson Jr. isn't going to turtle up if you play him.
@MichiganPacker2 posted:You are pretty sure Jackson Jr. isn't going to turtle up if you play him.
I am.
Did he bang Docs sister or something?!? 🤷♂️
Games like this are when reality hits you in the face hard. It makes you realize just how many weaknesses Giannis on an average to good night can cover up. It makes you realize that Middleton is clearly on the downside and has a hard time staying healthy.
The Bucks just cannot cover the perimeter well at all, and their only hope is that a team misses wide open shots. Fortunately, that happened in game 1, but it likely will not happen more than once going forward.
I've enjoyed watching Lillard in this series. But it's clear that even as great as he is, he isn't enough to make up for the waves of talented athletes Indy can throw at the Bucks.
Well who knows, maybe Doc Rivers can pull some sort of miracle to get this team to play a little bit harder and smarter to make up for the overall lack of athleticism. That's probably not going to happen, but until it's totally over, there's still some small glimmer of hope that it can.
