'First to four': Opportunity lost, not gone for Pacers after Game 1 loss

A truly frustrating effort overall for the Pacers had them chasing the Bucks all night in Game 1. Now need to quickly apply lessons learned from the 'embarrassing' start.

It seems like all season, Rick Carlisle knew his team would struggle when faced with a real playoff opportunity. Throughout the IST and in other big or close games throughout the regular season, Carlisle would reference the playoff feel which his young team needed to experience.

Turns out none of those faux feels were anything compared to the real thing that waylaid the Pacers in Milwaukee on Sunday evening. The experienced Bucks knew exactly what they were doing from the tip and took the intensity to a level the Pacers, aside from Pascal Siakam, were not ready for in the first half.

Damian Lillard scored all 35 of his points, many from deep downtown, in the first half as the Bucks pushed the lead to 30 points before the break which certainly broke the will of the Pacers.

While the Pacers showed some guts with third-quarter rally, the Bucks rose up to put away the Pacers early in the fourth quarter as the bench was unable to continue giving the Pacers hope in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter.

The Pacers populist analysis on Twitter and in the media seemed to blame the loss on Carlisle using an 11-man rotation and the seven minutes Doug McDermott played in particular.

Were they not watching the game?

The Pacers were 0-14 from three to start the game. Missing shots, playing soft and dealing with repeated defensive breakdowns. Consider it a certainty that Carlisle didn’t plan on playing 11, but he was throwing stuff against the wall hoping something might stick. It didn’t. McDermott entered the game right before Dame drilled a few 30-foot threes which turbo boosted the Bucks lead to the ‘embarrasing’ result, as Carlisle described it. I was actually more surprised Carlisle didn’t

But even Ben Sheppard as the ninth man in the rotation, only played nine minutes, but flashed some rookie jitters not looking to be a threat on offense and catching the ball out of bounds twice. The most valid complaint regarding the rotation is not having one of Siakam or Tyrese Haliburton on the floor at all times. Although, Haliburton was not worth much on his own in this one, so whatever. But those two need to anchor any rotation combo going forward.

Siakam was playoff ready from the tip, which kept the Pacers afloat for awhile. The team needed all 36 points and 13 rebounds to keep from getting further run out of the gym. But his comments a day later at practice were positive, but also inadvertently damning of what his teammates brought to Game 1.

"Just stay the course," Siakam said. "It’s a series, first to four games. I think that we’ve just got to come in with better intensity. They played well. They had a really good game. They came out, Dame was almost unconscious in that first half. That’s what he does. He’s a great player. (Khris) Middleton was doing the same thing. We’ve just got to be locked in more and have more intensity and go at it again.”

Photo: Bally Sports Indiana

I’ve lamented the collective immaturity of this group throughout the season as a flaw they have to overcome. However, if they can’t rise up and grow up in a hurry, that flaw will prove fatal to this season.

Carlisle took the blame after the game for not having his guys ready to compete at the appropriate level. Siakam says the team needs to be locked in more with more intensity. These are similar to comments about this crew after poor starts in regular season games. How can there be a lack of intensity, focus and competitive fire in Game 1 of the playoffs?

Hopefully the other team leaders follow the lead of Siakam who has been there and done that in every type of playoff scenario. I was really Myles Turner would be good to go. While it has been awhile, he did have 26 playoff games under his belts, but started out a bit out of control and slamming 3PAs off the glass.

To Turner’s credit, he did stick with it and worked though his early issues by the end of the game, so I would expect he will be better from the tip in Game 2. Tyrese Haliburton simply needs to play better. He talked about having a bad game and assured media members he and the team will be better in Game 2.

Sounds great, but it is just talk. Time to put those words into action or it will be time to hit the beach way too soon. And making a few threes wouldn’t hurt either.

As Siakam mentioned, the first team to four wins will advance in the playoffs. Swiping home court remains on the table and a win in Game 2 would surely supercharge the Fieldhouse for a great home court advantage over the weekend. But that privilege will have to be earned the hard way after letting an opportunity against a Giannis-less Bucks team in Game 1 slip away.

Game Details

Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI

When: Tuesday, Apr. 23, 2024, 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: Bally Sports/NBA TV

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers +1

Projected Starters

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Bucks: Damian Lillard, Patrick Beverly, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez

Injuries

Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin (shoulder) - out

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) - doubtful