The Milwaukee Bucks’ second NBA championship now feels like a distant memory. After lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy, they’ve won only one out of four playoff series, resulting in a postseason record 10-13 record since the 2021-22 season.
Despite consecutive first-round exits in the previous two seasons, the Bucks are back in the postseason picture for the ninth straight year. However, they will be facing a familiar foe in the Indiana Pacers, who will have home-court advantage during their best-of-seven series.
Historically, the Pacers have had the Bucks’ number in the playoffs, winning ten of their 14 all-time matchups after the regular season. Likewise, the Pacers defeated them in six games during the first round of the 2023-24 Eastern Conference Playoffs.
However, it’s still hard to count the Bucks out because of their championship experience and their leader, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo. His multi-faceted game remains a problem for the Pacers, a team that finished with only two more wins than the Bucks.
While the Bucks have a shot at winning the series, Indiana could put their advantage to good use and close the series to their favor. If the Bucks lose, Marcus Morris Sr. believes it’s the right time for Antetokounmpo to explore the option of playing for another Eastern Conference team with a fellow All-Star.
“If I'm Giannis and we don't get past this first round, I think I'm going to sunny Miami. It's wide open over there, you could start something new. It's a really big market. Then you talk about Dame (Lillard) as well. Do both of them somehow slide to the new team?” Morris said in a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take.
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Antetokounmpo will be a significant upgrade for the Heat, a team that regressed from NBA Finals participants in 2022-23 to play-in participants in 2024-25 against the Chicago Bulls. However, Morris’ theory would only apply if the Bucks lost to their nemesis.
Conversely, Milwaukee must feel confident entering their playoff series against the Pacers. They’ve beaten them three out of four times this season, and their only loss was by one point.
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