Bucks vs. Pacers | NBA Playoff Preview & Analysis

The 2025 NBA Playoffs are officially set to tip off this Saturday with 4-games to kick us off. The Pacers host the Bucks in this divisional matchup set in Indianapolis; Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, live from Gainsbridge Fieldhouse. 

For additional information on picks, props, money lines and more on today’s slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page, here. 

The Eastern Conference Quarterfinals tip off on Saturday, live from Gainsbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. 

Bucks vs. Pacers | Series Information

Matchup Information

Games 1 & 2

• Location: Gainsbridge Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Indiana
• Date: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 | Monday April 22nd, 2025
• Tipoff: 6:10 PM EST | 7:40 PM EST

Games 3 & 4

• Location: Fiserv Forum; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Date: Thursday, April 25th, 2025 | Sunday April 27th, 2025
• Tipoff: 7:10 PM EST | 1:10 PM EST

(5) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (4) Indiana Pacers | Regular Season Matchups

• Pacers (119) @ Bucks (126) – 3/15/25
• Bucks (114) @ Pacers (115) – 3/11/25
• Bucks (120) @ Pacers (112) – 12/31/24
• Pacers (117) @ Bucks (129) – 11/22/24

Key Players

(5) Milwaukee Bucks

• Giannis Antetokounmpo – 30.4 PPG | 11.9 RPG | 6.5 APG
• Damian Lillard – 24.9 PPG | 3.4 3PM | 7.1 APG

(4) Indiana Pacers

• Tyrese Haliburton – 18.6 PPG | 3.5 RPG | 9.2 APG
• Pascal Siakam – 20.2 PPG | 6.9 RPG | 3.4 APG

Betting Odds

To Win the Series:

• Indiana Pacers (-164)
• Milwaukee Bucks (+138)

Series Spread

• Milwaukee Bucks +1.5 (-164)
• Indiana Pacers -1.5 (+134)

Series Total Games

• Over 5.5 Games (-205)
• Under 5.5 Games (+164)

Odds via BetOnline, an industry leader in the sports betting world.

Pistons vs. Knicks | Analysis

Can the Pacers get past Giannis and make another deep run?

Redemption

For the second straight season, the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers will face off in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Last year it was the Pacers that walked away victorious, handling a Giannis-less Bucks team in just six games. This year feel different, with Giannis at full health and Damian Lillard looking to return, it’s Milwaukee that’s got redemption on their mind.

In his career, Giannis has played in 79 playoff games, averaging 26.6 PPG and 12.0 RPG. He’s been someone you can depend on to elevate his game at this time of the year, unfortunately for the last two seasons he’s struggled to stay healthy.

Giannis hasn’t played a playoff games since April of 2023. He was hurt in Game 1 of his first round matchup with Miami, going down just 11 minutes into the game. Giannis managed to come back for Games 4 & 5, but by that time it was already too late.

Last year, in Dame’s first season with the Bucks, Giannis missed the entire postseason; going down in early April with a hamstring injury. He’s now averaged 30/11/6 for three straight seasons and he’s now shot 60% in back to back years. There are very few as talented as the Greek Freak and even fewer as with his level of drive.

Big Time Players, Big Time Expectations

After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last year, the Indiana Pacers have their sights set on an NBA Championship and anything less would be a failure; according to their star PG, Tyrese Haliburton. He’s made it clear that the expectation for this squad is a championship and he’s ready to do whatever it takes to get them there.

Haliburton’s seen a slight dip in his numbers this year, averaging 18.6 PPG and 9.2 APG; down from the 20/11 he averaged last year. Some of it’s due to the fact that the Pacers’ offense last year was putting up historical numbers on that side of the ball, a bit of regression was to be expected.

This year the team averaged 117.4 PPG (7th), almost 7 points fewer than the 123.3 PPG (1st) they averaged just a year ago. This year’s Pacers’ team has been good, but something feels different; have they lost the magic?

Series Prediction & Best Bet in the Bucks/Pacers Quarter-Final

Milwaukee Bucks to Win Series (+135 via BetOnline)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG and 6.5 APG; over his L10 games those numbers jump to 31.5/11.7/9.1, respectively. He’s playing some of the best basketball of his career and it feels like people have become numb to it.

Milwaukee’s looked great at times and they’ve looked terrible at times; somehow they stayed out of the play-in and now face off with their division rival in Round 1. After back to back seasons getting eliminated in the first round, it feels almost impossible to think it would happen for a third straight year, especially with Giannis at full health.

If you’ve got the best player on the court, on your team; you’ll always have a chance. Giannis has been putting up ridiculous numbers, year after year and it sometimes causes us to forget about how scary he really is. He won a championship at 26 years old, he’s made the postseason 7 years in a row and he knows what it takes to get it done on the biggest stage.

Indiana ranks 17th in points allowed this year, 23rd in opposing field goal percentage, 26th in points allowed in the paint and 22nd in opponent rebounds per game. Milwaukee’s a top-10 rebounding team this year and if they can control the glass against Indiana, I love their chances at an upset.

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