The Indiana Pacers’ 2024 playoff campaign is off to a shaky start after losing 109-94 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night, particularly after a poor first half performance.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo missing due to injury, Damian Lillard lit up the Indiana Pacers with 35 points in the first half, and the former Portland Trail Blazers star did not score again in the second half on route to victory.
“The first half was embarrassing.” No excuses. We simply have to do better. “It was ugly, and we all own it,” Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after the game, according to the AP.
“We didn’t play with the vigour we should have, but they made tough shots. “We weren’t ourselves, and we didn’t stay composed,” Pascal Siakam added.
Before Game 1, the Indiana Pacers had won four of their previous five regular-season games with the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring a league-high 123.3 points per game.
Pascal Siakam was the bright point for the Indiana Pacers, but Tyrese Haliburton was not.
Pascal Siakam was the Indiana Pacers’ best player in Game 1, scoring 36 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks on 15-of-25 shooting from the floor in 40 minutes.
Myles Turner and TJ McConnell were the other two double-digit scorers in the blowout loss, with 17 and 10 points, respectively, despite shooting 10-for-30 from the field.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton struggled to make an impression in the game, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and three turnovers in 38 minutes. Some fans argued that he was overly passive versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
“It’s easy to just say we missed shots because we were nervous or whatever,” Tyrese Haliburton remarked. “It makes no difference what you all decide to do. I simply feel like we missed some photos at the end of the day. The ball was not hopping. And they made shots in the first half, which dug us a hole.
The Indiana Pacers will seek to rebound in Game 2 on Wednesday, where they still have a chance to take home court advantage against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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