Bucks vs. Pacers: Preview, Odds and Game Thread

The Pacers (9-12) close out a busy sports weekend in downtown Indy when they host the Bucks on Sunday evening.

Tip time for the game will be about an hour after the Colts and Bucs finish their game down South Street at Lucas Oil Stadium, where six state finals football games were played on Friday and Saturday. The Pacers started the long weekend with a win on Friday and hope to keep the home court flow going against the defending champs which will be no easy task.

After struggling out of the gate, good health and good play have helped the Bucks win their last six games and eight of the last 10 to look like the defending champs that they are. Brook Lopez remains the only familiar face the Bucks are truly missing, but his return could be soon, if not against the Pacers.

Regardless, Giannis remains the unmatchable matchup favoring Milwaukee.

The Pacers have been playing well of late, as well, hampered only by the inability to consistently finish out games, with clank-filled fourth quarters. They survived the fourth quarter fade against Toronto on Friday but were unable to do so in the prior game against the Lakers. Those two results serve as a solid microcosm for the season. A win over this current Bucks team would certainly make up for a couple of those frustrating losses to date.

DraftKings Odds: Milwaukee -2, O/U 217

When: 5:00 p.m. ET

When: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

TV: Bally Sports Indiana

Radio: 93.5 FM/107.5 FM

Projected Starting Lineups:

Pacers: Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, Justin Holiday, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner

Raptors: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis

Injury update:

IND: T.J. Warren – out (left foot stress fracture)

MIL: Brook Lopez - ou (lower back), Donte DiVincenzo - out (ankle), Semi Ojeleye - out (calf strain)

Please leave your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.