Predictions, odds, and schedule for Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers, round one of the 2024 NBA Playoffs
The 2023/24 regular season has ended, and the East and West regions have identified 12/16 teams participating in the Playoff round.
In the East, after a disappointing and unstable season, the Milwaukee Bucks still finished the season in 3rd place and their opponent in round 1 was the Indiana Pacers.
In the four months since the last time the two teams met, many changes have occurred. Pascal Siakam moved to the Pacers, while Doc Rivers became the coach of the Bucks.
In terms of form, the Bucks have lost 8 of the last 11 matches, while the Pacers have won 6 of the last 8 matches of the season. Antetokounmpo’s injury situation is also a matter of concern. The Greek star had to miss the Bucks’ last three matches. It is unclear whether he can return in game 1 against the Pacers on April 21.
Below are things to know about the match between Milwaukee Bucks (3rd place) vs Indiana Pacers (6th place) in round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Predict Bucks vs Pacers
Prediction: Bucks win after 7 games
The outcome of this match depends a lot on Antetokounmpo’s injury.
The Bucks have an unstable season, but the former NBA champion’s playoff experience is still a big advantage over the Pacers. If Antetokounmpo is ready, the Bucks can end this match soon, otherwise, they may need home field advantage to close out the match with the Pacers.
Lillard is a quality addition to the Bucks this season, alongside the trio of Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton – who won the NBA championship together in 2021.
Experience and home field advantage are advantages that can help the Bucks overcome the Pacers in the next match.
Bucks vs Pacers odds
The Bucks (-250) are the team that is more appreciated than the Pacers (+200) in this match, according to JILIACE‘s NBA odds .
Bucks vs Pacers head-to-head record in NBA 2023/24
The Bucks and Pacers have met 5 times in the 2023/24 season (including the match in the In-season Tournament), in which the Pacers won 4/5 matches. However, since the last meeting, the two teams have had many significant changes. The Pacers added another star, Pascal Siakam, while the Bucks changed coach, Doc Rivers replaced Andre Griffin.
| Time | Result |
| 09/11/2023 | Pacers 126 -124 Bucks |
| 07/12/2023 | Pacers 128-119 Bucks (Bán kết In-Season Tournament) |
| 13/12/2023 | Bucks 140-126 Pacers |
| 01/01/2024 | Pacers 122-113 Bucks |
| 03/01/2024 | Pacers 142-130 Bucks |
How will Giannis Antetokounmpo impact the match?
26-30-37-54-64.
Those aren’t random numbers – that’s the total number of points Antetokounmpo scored in five meetings with the Pacers this season. Although the Bucks only won 1/5 matches, Antetokounmpo really destroyed the Pacers. He averaged 42.2 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Few teams have an answer for Antetokounmpo, and the Pacers are one of them.
However, on April 9, Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury and needed 1 to 2 weeks of recovery. Due to the complicated nature of the calf injury, Antetokounmpo’s ability to play Game 1 with the Pacers is still open. If Antetokounmpo can play, he could be key against a defense led by Pascal Siakam on the Pacers side.
Antetokounmpo’s health greatly affects the Bucks’ success in the playoffs. In 2021, Antetokounmpo avoided a serious knee injury and had one of the most successful seasons of his career. While last year, Antetokounmpo suffered a back injury and was unable to play, causing the Bucks to be defeated in the first round by the 8th seed Miami Heat.
Bucks vs Pacers match schedule
| Day | Match | Time (VN) |
| 21/04 | Game 1 at Bucks | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 2 at Bucks | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 3 at Pacers | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 4 at Pacers | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 5 at Bucks* | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 6 at Pacers* | Not clear yet |
| Not clear yet | Game 7 at Bucks* | Not clear yet |
*Can happen
