The Definitive Pacers vs Bucks Playoff Preview, The Sequel

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By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Time is apparently a flat circle. After previewing Bucks-Pacers as a first-round series a year ago, Samson Folk and I are back with yet another preview of Pacers-Bucks -- only, this time, the Pacers are the home team for the first time since 2014, presumably entering less shell-shocked by the aura of the playoffs than when several players on the roster were making their postseason debuts last season.

Of course, the team's relative experience level isn't all that's changed. Unlike last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be available, primed to test exactly how prepared the Pacers, as a team counting on continuity and development for improvement, are to spread their wing-sized wings.

As such, given that the Pacers surrendered 1.212 points per possession in the two most recent games against Milwaukee in March, Samson and I focused most of the discussion on strategies for defending Antetokounmpo, while also revisiting the 19-point lead that was surrendered on New Year's Eve when the offense stalled out against zone. There's also some talk about the merits and pitfalls of going overboard with overs, along with looking forward to the playoff debuts of Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker. Plus, thoughts on Tyrese Haliburton's incredible close to the season and whether the Bucks have a viable means to control his impact.

Just a whole bunch of basketball talk!

Here are the relevant timestamps:

0:00 - Introductions

1:44 - Broad strokes thoughts on guarding Giannis

4:54 - How the Pacers defended 4-5 screening actions against Giannis-Lopez

8:32 - Funneling the ball to role players + the clunk that can come from how the Bucks position players

12:11 - Pascal Siakam guarding Giannis

19:00 - Aaron Nesmith guarding Giannis + the merits and pitfalls of doubling the post from the top versus the bottom

26:05 - The importance of staggering Siakam/Nesmith + the possibility of applying full-court pressure and dropping back to 2-3 zone, etc.

28:35 - Jarace Walker guarding Giannis

30:05 - Playoff debuts for Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin

33:33 - Matching up with Milwaukee's small-ball KPJ-GTJ-AJ-Giannis-Portis lineup

37:02 - Risk/Reward of dialing up the pressure while, at times, going overboard with overs in the backcourt

45:57 - Revisiting what went wrong for the Pacers on NYE against Milwaukee's zone and whether they already have the fix

1:00:41 - Managing Siakam's usage and stamina

1:02:47 - Giannis is probably going to have to guard Siakam (i.e. the fatigue goes both ways)

1:04:17 - Tyrese Haliburton was unbelievable to close the season, what will the Bucks try to limit him + the possibility of cross-matching bigs onto wings

1:12:08 - Silver linings that came from Haliburton's hamstring injury + nerd-ing out about where and how players gather the ball

1:19:58 - Looking forward to Game 1 + Thanks/Goodbye!