For the second year in a row, the Indiana Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, and they did it in five games instead of six this year. Outside of Game 3 (and most of Game 5), the Pacers had control of the series. They were fantastic on both sides of the ball, and they executed their game plan perfectly.
Heading into the series, many predicted that the Bucks would advance to the second round, largely due to Giannis Antetokounmpo's presence. However, the Pacers ended the regular season with a better record (leading to homecourt advantage in the first round), and they have the deeper team. While it is true that they did not have the best player in the series, the Pacers' ability to elevate their level of play as a team (especially when the lights are this bright) can not be overstated.
This first-round matchup ultimately was not close and went Indiana's way most of the time. Though this may be a shock to some, most Pacers fans knew exactly what made this team so good, and it is exactly why they are moving on in the playoffs, and not the Bucks.
The Pacers are great for so many reasons
Even though the Pacers made it all the way to the conference finals less than a year ago, it was no secret that they were a heavily flawed team. They had one of the best offenses in the league, but they left a lot to be desired on the defensive side of the ball. Additionally, the Pacers were one of the worst rebounding teams in the league as well. This season, however, they became a much more well-rounded team, particularly as a defensive unit.
One of Indiana's biggest strengths is their depth. The Pacers have plenty of players on their bench who could start on other teams, especially players like Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, and Obi Toppin. Against Milwaukee, the Pacers relied heavily on their depth, which helped lead them to the series victory.
The Pacers are also amongst the best teams in the league when it comes to their ball movement, especially because of Tyrese Haliburton leading the way. This was in full effect against Milwaukee, which made it even more difficult for them to defend the Pacers. The Pacers play fantastic team basketball. It got them this far, and it will be a major reason they go on another deep playoff run this year.
Indiana is also a very physical team, which was needed against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The Pacers had control and won their series against the Bucks in five games by being true to who they are. This bodes well for them not just in their upcoming series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but also for the rest of the playoffs.