INDIANAPOLIS – The Milwaukee Bucks try to rebound from a lackluster Game 1 performance when they take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 on Tuesday, April 22, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana opened the second half on a 10-2 run to build a 15-point lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter and led 99-87 after three. Indiana has scored 23 points off 15 Bucks turnovers and six offensive rebounds.
The Bucks trimmed a 15-point deficit down to four, but the Pacers took a 68-60 lead into halftime after Indiana took advantage of a handful of defensive breakdowns by Milwaukee in the final minute of the second quarter.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 16 points in the first half and Indiana scored 13 points off 11 Milwaukee turnovers. The Pacers also had seven points off four offensive rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. scored 14 points in the half for Milwaukee.
The Pacers led by as many as 13 points and took a 40-30 lead after one after shooting 59% from the field overall and making 6 of 10 three-point shots. Damian Lillard played nearly 10 minutes in his return to action, scoring six points. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored eight points. Eight different Pacers scored in the quarter as they scored nine points off six Bucks turnovers.
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Milwaukee gets a significant boost with the return of all-star point guard Damian Lillard, who has been out since March 18 after the discovery of a blood clot in his right calf. The game will be the first playoff game Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have played with one another in two seasons.
They have played 116 regular-season games together over the last two seasons, but Antetokounmpo missed all of the playoffs last year with a calf injury.
This season, Antetokounmpo and Lillard led all NBA duos in scoring at 55.3 points per game. They both were named to the in-season all-tournament team in December after the Bucks won the Emirates NBA Cup.
The Bucks, down 1-0 in the series against the Pacers, need to win at least one game on the road to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2022. The Pacers have beaten the Bucks three straight times on their home court in the last two postseasons.
Last year, Indiana won Game 2 at Fiserv Forum to steal home court advantage and eventually closed out the series in six games.
Is Giannis playing?
Yes. Giannis Antetokounmpo is not on the team’s injury report for Game 2, but he is still playing with a sleeve on his left shoulder. He has been dealing with pain in the area since late March.
Is Damian Lillard playing?
Yes. Lillard said at the team’s shootaround April 22 that he is playing against the Pacers in Game 2. He has been out since March 18 after the discovery of deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf.
More: Do the Bucks have lineup questions to answer after Game 1 loss to Pacers?
What time is the Bucks game?
Game 2 will tip off at 6 p.m.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
Game 2 will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson and Melanie Ricks. The game also will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV but will be blacked out in the Milwaukee area. Jared Greenberg, Brendan Haywood and Nabil Karim will be on the call.
Bucks injury report
- Damian Lillard, available (return to competition conditioning)
- Tyler Smith, out (left ankle sprain)
Bucks starting lineup
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince
- Forwards: Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Center: Brook Lopez
Bucks vs. Pacers odds, over/under
Indiana is a 4.5-point favorite over Milwaukee in Game 2, and the over/under is set at 228.5 points per BetMGM.
Bucks vs. Pacers first-round series schedule
- Game 3: Friday, April 25 at Milwaukee – 7 p.m. CT
- Game 4: Sunday, April 27 at Milwaukee – 8:30 p.m. CT
- Game 5*: Tuesday, April 29 at Indiana – TBD
- Game 6*: Friday, May 2 at Milwaukee – TBD
- Game 7*: Sunday, May 4 at Indiana – TBD* – If necessary
