Game Thread 02/13: Pacers vs. Bucks

[boomershadow]

Two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference will clash on Wednesday night in what will be the final game before the All-Star break for both squads.

The Pacers (38-19), winners of six consecutive games, will host the Milwaukee Bucks (41-14), owners of the the best record in the entire NBA and winners of seven of their last eight.

The Central Division matchup will offer a perfect measuring stick game for an Indiana team that has regained its stride after losing Victor Oladipo to season-ending surgery and recently acquired veteran shooting guard Wesley Matthews.

Greg Rappaport
https://www.nba.com/pacers/preview-pacers-bucks-190213

[Pacers_Freak]

Certainly quite the challenge tonight. It would be phenomenal to enter the break on a 7 game winning streak, but it is going to take a great performance for that to happen.

[Dante80]

Friendly Bucks fan, wishing luck to both teams.

The Pacers are playing beautiful team basketball and also showing extreme resiliency. On the contrary we seem out of tune in the last 4-5 games or so. This is going to be a tough one for us, could go either way easily. Let's have a good game!

[DoubleEagle4]

I think that the Bucks should sit Giannis and rest him up for the All-Star game

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[Jake0890]

We've gotten by without Dipo because of an extremely easy schedule. this is where it gets tough.

[Wizop]

I wanted to draft Brogdon. oh, well.

Sent from my phone.

[BooomBaby]

Win or lose, I'm extremely proud of this team.

Also, Myles is a beast.

[BooomBaby]

LETS GO INDY!!!

[BooomBaby]

Lost but they tried hard, just not enough talent in the end.

Not even mad at this loss, let's see how we do next game.

[JustinCredible]

Much respect to the Pacers. Man that team fights. Whoever matches up with you guys in the playoffs is in for an absolute battle.

[DoubleEagle4]

Pacers played very hard, but the Greek Freak is just too much to handle down the stretch. However, the difference in the game was with about 7 minutes minutes to go in the game--up 10 points. The Bucks left in their horses and the Pacers decided to roll with the 2nd unit that wasn't getting any stops. Even after a timeout, he still left them in! Most of the time I'm happy with how McMillian manages the minutes, but I was pretty disappointed in this one. It's like he was trying to save their legs for a back-to-back even though they have 9 days before their next game...

[Pacers_Freak]

Pacers played very hard, but the Greek Freak is just too much to handle down the stretch. However, the difference in the game was with about 7 minutes minutes to go in the game--up 10 points. The Bucks left in their horses and the Pacers decided to roll with the 2nd unit that wasn't getting any stops. Even after a timeout, he still left them in! Most of the time I'm happy with how McMillian manages the minutes, but I was pretty disappointed in this one. It's like he was trying to save their legs for a back-to-back even though they have 9 days before their next game...

I thought that was a little bizarre as well. Normally wouldn't have thought twice about it if not for the layoff.

[Pacers_Freak]

Proud of our guys man. They competed really well. Made a hell of a run in the third and early 4th. Really kind of had them on the ropes but couldn't knock them out. Really struggled to score in the 4th. The Bucks were switching everything and we got some quality matchups.... we just struggle to take advantage with the switches without Vic because we lack that elite creator. When we are getting a bunch of switches maybe instead of going iso we have to look to post. Just a thought. Milwaukee is a really well constructed team. Bunch of good shooters around an elite player. Giannis is incredible. Side note.... I know he is not the only guy (Domas can be guilty of this) but did anyone see how many times Giannis shuffled his feet when he got into the paint? Anyways, hats off to the coaching staff and players. If before the season you would have told me Vic would have missed 22 (really 24) games and we would be 38-20, I would have laughed and then sprinted to the bank to cash that. Very well done. Hope they enjoy their well deserved rest!

[Gooner]

This was a very painful loss, Pacers had them on the ropes, and failed to knock them out. As everybody saw, Nate was holding the reserves in the game too long in the fourth quarter, when they had that lead. That was the winning time, and he should have put back the starters at that point, you can't trust McDermott and Evans in that situation. Howewer, i think Pacers will bounce back from this loss, and learn their lesson. It's obvious to me that they can compete with Bucks, even without Oladipo. They will win 50+ games, and they can pull off the upset in the playoffs, i firmly believe that.

[Jake0890]

Think this one is on Nate