Milwaukee Bucks Are Two Steps Behind Pacers At Every Turn

The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a 0-2 hole against the Indiana Pacers after the first two games of their first-round playoff matchup. Even worse, they’ve been chasing shadows, two steps behind Indiana at nearly every turn.

Milwaukee knew Indiana’s speed would be a problem heading into the series. But the biggest swing factor hasn’t been on the break–it’s been the man on the sideline. Rick Carlisle is coaching circles around Doc Rivers, and the results speak for themselves.

Carlisle may be one of the most underappreciated tacticians in the NBA. He’s been a head coach for 23 seasons and has accomplished everything short of walking on water.

From a Coach of the Year award in his first year with Detroit to an NBA title with the Mavericks, Carlisle’s resume is built for the Hall of Fame. He’s led teams to 16 playoff appearances and eight seasons with 50 or more wins.

While Carlisle is playing 4D chess, Rivers is stuck on Connect Four. Every time Milwaukee counters, Indiana is already two moves ahead.

Rivers has been painfully slow on the draw. Heading into the series, there were red flags all over the Bucks’ starting lineup consisting of Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez. It was a unit built for size, not speed, and it’s been exposed by the Pacers’ relentless pace.

Sure, that group had regular-season success, outscoring opponents by nearly seven points per 100 possessions. But the matchup math doesn’t lie. In their March clashes with Indiana, those four were outscored by 11 points in just over 31 minutes on the floor.

Despite the warning signs, Rivers rolled them out in Game 1—this time with Ryan Rollins at point guard.

The starting lineup was outscored by 15 points in 17 minutes and 25 seconds together in Game 1. Milwaukee lost by 19. In Game 2, the first five (with Damian Lillard taking Rollins’ spot) were outscored by nine points in 16 minutes and 9 seconds. The Bucks lost by eight.

Rivers insisted he liked using those four in the starting lineup because it gave Milwaukee a size advantage. Prince (6-foot-8), Kuzma (6-9), Antetokounmpo (6-11), and Lopez (7-0) gave Milwaukee four players with great strength, height, and length, and allowed them to play with physicality.

Only, this group routinely struggled to play with that physicality Rivers wanted from them. They were often among the softest units Milwaukee rolled out, not battling for rebounds, diving on the floor for loose balls, or getting into the jerseys of their opponents on defense.

After Game 2, Rivers hinted he might finally tweak the lineup. Unfortunately, that realization came two games too late. The Bucks are already knee-deep in quicksand.

It’s not just the starting five. Miscommunication on defense, sluggish rotations, and stagnant offense have plagued the team. Milwaukee’s been outmaneuvered, out-hustled, and out-coached from tip to buzzer.

Indiana, on the other hand, is a machine. The Pacers swing the ball with purpose, attack mismatches, and execute their schemes with surgical precision. Every possession is a lesson in teamwork and timing—everything Milwaukee is lacking right now.

Offensively, Rivers’ play designs have lacked imagination and flow.

One glaring example came late in Game 2. With 1:11 remaining and the Bucks trailing by eight, Rivers drew up a set out of a timeout to try to get his team a much-needed basket.

Lillard inbounded the ball from the sideline and hit Kuzma near the top of the key before jetting to the opposite wing off an Antetokounmpo screen. He continued to orbit to the left corner as Bobby Portis set a flare screen for him.

Meanwhile, Kuzma hit Antetokounmpo with a bounce pass on the right wing and the two-time MVP promptly went to work in isolation. Kuzma’s man predictably left him to go double Antetokounmpo, leaving him wide open on the arc.

With three Pacers around him and another two in the paint, Antetokounmpo was forced to get rid of the ball. Thanks to Rivers’ play design, the easiest and closest pass was back to Kuzma, a 30.7 percent three-point shooter this season, on the slot. Despite being wide open, the shot clanked off the back of the iron and the Pacers secured the rebound.

This isn’t on the players. Prince is being asked to initiate offense far too often. Despite shooting 43.9 percent from deep, he’s not a playmaker. Yet, somehow, he ranked 24th in the NBA in dribble handoff frequency this season. That’s a red flag for how the offense is structured, not a knock on Prince.

Rivers’ lack of attention to detail is glaring—and costly.

The Bucks are being outcoached, outpaced, and outplayed. What was supposed to be a revenge tour has turned into a stumble out of the gate. But the series isn’t over.

With Lillard and Antetokounmpo finally healthy together, Milwaukee still has the firepower to turn things around. Game 3 in Milwaukee is a chance to reset the board and stop playing from behind.

It’s time for Rivers and the Bucks to stop reacting and start dictating. Otherwise, this series could be over before they’ve even found their footing.