The Pacers finish their quick two-game road swing in Milwaukee on Monday night, and Tyrese Haliburton will be in the lineup after all.
There was some uncertainty because the game comes on the second night of a back-to-back, but Haliburton made it clear after Sunday’s 136-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets that he’s good to go. In his postgame press conference with Jeremiah Johnson, he said he would be playing and explained that he didn’t want to pass up a chance to play in his home state of Wisconsin. He also said getting through fatigue is part of the process as he keeps building back toward the speed and rhythm of an NBA game.
The Pacers are walking into a matchup with a Bucks team that has opened the season 0-3, falling to the Washington Wizard, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers. Small sample size or not, Milwaukee has been the league’s worst defensive team so far, and that’s the kind of opening Indiana can exploit if it plays with pace.
That’s especially true with the Pacers expected to be without Ivica Zubac, which makes the need for speed even greater. Indiana’s final three quarters against Brooklyn looked like the version of this team that turns games into track meets. The ball popped, the pace jumped and the Pacers were flying around the floor.
The second half numbers against the Nets backed that up. Indiana had 18 assists against just 2 turnovers on 25 made shots, shot 25-44 overall and 12-22 from three, and won the half by 18 points. If they bring that same tempo and execution to Milwaukee, it could turn into a comfortable night for the blue and gold.
On the Bucks side, Tyler Herro has been the clear engine through three games. He leads the team at 23.7 points per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 41.7% from three. He also tops Milwaukee in assists at 5.3 per game.
Jamie Jaquez Jr. has been even more efficient, sitting second on the team in scoring at 20.7 points per game while shooting 61.1% from the field and 55.6% from three. He’s also getting to the line often, leading the Bucks with 6.3 free throw attempts per game, and he ranks second on the team with 8.7 rebounds per game.
Milwaukee’s bench production has also come from the two young pieces in the Heat trade package, Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. Ware is averaging 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 19 minutes per game. Jakucionis is putting up 11.3 points, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 24.7 minutes per game.
For Indiana, Pascal Siakam remains the matchup problem. In the Pacers’ preseason meeting with Milwaukee, he exploded for 22 points in the second quarter alone, going 8-8 from the floor and 5-5 from three. Through three regular-season games, he has scored more than 20 points every time out, averaging 24.7 points on 54.9% shooting from the field and 50.0% from three, along with 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
The game can be watched locally on the Pacers streaming app and DAZN. Direct TV has carried the broadcast on channel 671 the last two games.
Out of market, it’s available on NBA League Pass. If you’re listening instead of watching, the radio call is on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan, and the broadcast is also available through NBA League Pass.
In Other News...
Bucks Bench Roles Already Look Unsafe Under Taylor Jenkins
Taylor Jenkins did not wait long to start sorting out the Bucks bench, making a rotation change by the third game of the season. Ousmane Diengs uneven first two outings opened the door for Nate Ament, and Ament stepped in for 10 minutes off the bench while Dieng sat out entirely in that game.
For Milwaukee, the larger issue is how unsettled the forward mix still looks this early. Jenkins is already adjusting on the fly, and with the rotation far from settled, the bench pecking order feels like it could keep shifting as the coaching staff tries to find a combination that sticks. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Are Letting A Nate Ament Debate Grow Fast
Nate Aments first NBA season has started quietly, with the 19-year-old rookie seeing only limited action and appearing in just one game so far. Even so, there is already a growing argument around the Bucks about whether he should be getting a longer look, especially with the team still sorting through its options at power forward and other young players finding more consistent run.
Taylor Jenkins has made it clear that minutes have to be earned, and that is the backdrop for Aments early role. Still, the little he has shown has offered a hint of defensive upside, and with Milwaukees roster challenges at that spot, the discussion is shifting from patience to opportunity. The Bucks may not be there yet, but the case for a bigger developmental runway is getting harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Off To Brutal Start As Early Pressure Builds On Key Starters
The Bucks rough opening under new head coach Taylor Jenkins has already put some early stress on a group that was supposed to settle in quickly. Milwaukee is 0-3 after losses to Washington, Chicago and Philadelphia, and the common thread has been familiar enough for a team still learning a new system: shaky free throw shooting and too many turnovers at the wrong times.
Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner are among the key players whose play will have to lift as the group gets more comfortable with Jenkins approach and with one another. There is still plenty of season left, and the Bucks should improve as the pieces click, but this start has made the margin for error feel much smaller than anyone in Milwaukee wanted this early. [Read more 🡒]