The Milwaukee Bucks are set to tip-off their first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, April 21st. That much is known. However, the rest of the details—such as the time of Sunday’s game and the dates/times for the rest of the series—are unknown.
As the series looms, the air is thick with mystery. The burning question: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo return from his calf injury for Game 1? If he’s out, for how long? The Bucks’ season record against the Pacers doesn’t inspire confidence; they lost four out of five games. Yet, the real conundrum is whether Milwaukee can disrupt Indiana’s high-octane offense, especially if they have to do it without their MVP candidate.
All of those questions will be answered eventually. For now, let’s examine three X-factors for the Bucks who could tip the scales in this high-stakes series.
Beasley started 77 of his 79 games this season, but he’ll most likely be coming off the bench in this series. That was a move Doc Rivers made late in the year by inserting the defensive-minded Patrick Beverley in his place.
Beasley was miscast as a defensive stopper once the Bucks traded Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard. He tried his best all season, but lacks the requisite skills to adequately fill that role, especially on a championship contender.
However, he lands here because of his three-point shooting. With Antetokounmpo’s availability in doubt for Game 1, the Bucks will need to find a way to keep pace with the Pacers’ high-octane offense. Beasley was a flamethrower for most of the season, knocking down 45.3 percent of his outside shots through the end of February.
Unfortunately, March signaled a turn for the worse, and he’s only made 31.9 percent of his threes since. This is the worst time for him to slump, as Milwaukee will need all the offensive firepower they can muster. The good news is if he can turn it around and get hot for a game or two, it could turn the tide in the Bucks’ favor.
While Beasley is on the bench, Beverley will be on the court. He’s not nearly the prolific shooter Beasley can be, but he still has a critical role to play.
Beverley can be the connector on offense. He can help the ball move from side to side and get it from Damian Lillard in the primary action to Khris Middleton in the secondary stuff. He knows his role and will only take the shots he’s supposed to take.
His defense may be even more important. Tyrese Haliburton dominated Milwaukee during the regular season. He enters the postseason with a ton of confidence, knowing he can easily pick apart this defense. Beverley hopes to change that outlook and disrupt Halibuton’s playmaking abilities. If he can make Haliburton uncomfortable, it will shift the series in the Bucks’ favor.
It’s safe to say Bobby Portis is playing the best basketball of his career. Since February 25th, he’s averaging 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds in just 26 minutes per game.
He’s as locked in as ever, and the Bucks will need every ounce of the offensive firepower he can bring to the table. Especially without Antetokounmpo.
However, it’s his defense that will be the true X-factor. Indiana will target him in pick-and-rolls, as they destroyed him in the regular season. He’s struggled with his defense in the past, especially in the playoffs. Nobody expects him to suddenly turn into Giannis, but he at least needs to hold his own on that end of the court. Milwaukee is short on bigs they can trust, and Portis needs to earn his playing time with solid defense.