For the 5th straight game, the Victor Oladipo-less Indiana Pacers starting unit gets rocked on the way to an uninspired loss.
The Indiana Pacers have been needing to start a game with a bang. They instead started this one with a long, loud flatulent sound, down 24-9 to the Milwaukee Bucks before they even woke up.
Despite several comeback attempts – including cutting it down the lead down to 5 shortly before halftime — the Pacers always seemed outclassed in this one. The Bucks constantly got easy dunks and alley-oops off back cuts, and the Pacers just had no answers.
The first half ended with the Pacers facing a 10 point deficit, with a well-contested shot clock beating 3 by Khris Middleton serving as a gut punch with less than a minute remaining. The Pacers could’ve feasibly carried some momentum into the half from a relatively strong closing, but the Bucks proceeded to run them out of the gym in the third en route to a comfortable win.
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The Good: Coach Nate McMillan’s 3rd quarter technical foul finally reminded the officials of the definition of an illegal screen.
The Bad: The defense. The offense. The coaching. The Pacers gave up a dunk clinic, allowed the Bucks to shoot 59% from the field and 53% from deep, couldn’t hit a 3, and continued to run out a lineup that’s been consistently thrashed.
MVP: Domas Sabonis. Sabonis set a new career high in points, and just appeared to have more heft than any of the Bucks big men could handle. Jon Henson and Thon Maker wanted less than no part of him.
LVP: Thad Young. 4 points on 2-8 shooting, team worst -22 on the night. Something’s very wrong. Honorable mention: Myles Turner. 9 points on 3-8 shooting against the due of Henson and Maker won’t cut it. 4 of his 9 were on easy putbacks.
X-Factor: The game of basketball. Really seemed like Milwaukee’s understanding of it provided an advantage when faced with Indiana’s utter lack of it.
Next: The good, the bad, and what's next
The Pacers face off against the Chicago Bulls next on 1/6 at 7:00 PM.