The Milwaukee Bucks entered Game 2 of the playoff series with a game lead over the Indiana Pacers but couldn’t secure their lead for too long. Bucks HC Doc Rivers blames their discipline as the reason for their disappointing 108-125 loss at their home court.
During the post-game conference, Rivers said, “The shots that we take are a part of our defense. And I thought in the second half we lacked that discipline. We lacked that discipline tonight.” Expressing frustration after the loss, the coach further stated that the team struggled both offensively and defensively.
Doc Rivers: “The shots that we take are a part of our defense. And I thought in the second half we lacked that discipline. We lacked that discipline tonight.”
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 24, 2024
The 62-year-old claimed that the Pacers showcased their strong defense, which gave less opportunity to the Milwaukee side to execute their offensive play. The Bucks failed to handle the defensive pressure and gave away their lead as the Pacers were clearly the superior ones throughout the game, scoring 30 or more points in all the quarters.
Although the Bucks had a chance to revive themselves, being just five points behind after the first half, their opportunities faded away in the other half. The biggest turning point for the Pacers in Tuesday’s game was Pascal Siakam’s double-double contribution. For Bucks, it was a Damian Lillard show again, but that failed to extend Milwaukee’s lead in the series.
Damian Lillard goes off during Bucks loss to Pacers
Damian Lillard displayed another masterclass on the hardwood following his 35-point performance in the opening half of Game 1. This time the guard dropped 26 points in the first two quarters and 34 points overall along with 5 assists and 4 rebounds.
As the Pacers raised their guards in the second half and showed brilliant defense, forcing the Bucks to mostly try their shots from behind the 3-point arc. The 33-year-old shot 6 3-pointers out of the 13 he had attempted along with 8-of-9 free throws. Lillard once again showed up for his team in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, however, the Pacers ultimately caught up with Dame Time.
Doc Rivers would make sure that the Bucks maintain discipline in Game 3 on Friday at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse where any team can take the lead from their current 1-1 result.
