The Milwaukee Bucks venture to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on their mid-west rival Indiana Pacers in both sides’ preseason finale tonight. The Bucks have looked expectantly up and down this preseason, as Taylor Jenkins tries to find cohesion within an essentially brand new roster—11 of the 19 rostered players weren’t with the team to begin last season—and determine the right rotations heading into the regular season. Following their blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks are now 1-3 in their preseason games.
The Task Ahead
Last season, with franchise point guard Tyrese Haliburton recovering from a torn Achilles, the Pacers tanked played not to win—and they did a great job at it, winning just 19 games. This season, with Haliburton back, the Pacers are expected to contend for postseason play, if not make it outright. To help their cause, they added free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr., who will provide depth and athleticism that will suit Rick Carlisle’s up-tempo game.
During preseason play, the Pacers have gone 1-2. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening matchup on the back of lights-out shooting overall—53% from the field and three, 91% from the line—and in particular from Aaron Nesmith (7/9 FG), along with unexpected playmaking from Jarace Walker (10 assists). They followed that up with a two-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where seven players scored 10-or-more points despite no one playing more than 22 minutes. So, despite some names changing, Indiana is very much back to the deep roster it had when it went to the NBA Finals less than a year and a half ago. More promising signs emerged in their two-point overtime loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Halliburton looking like his old self, posting 24 points and three assists in just 18 minutes. For the Bucks, this all spells trouble.
Injury Report
As is the case with preseason play, there is no official injury report—and with this being both sides’ final game before the regular season it’s well and truly anyone’s guess who will suit up. Still, here’s who we have more of an idea about.
Bucks:
- Nate Ament: doubtful (ankle)
Pacers:
- Aaron Nesmith: out (hamstring)
- Johnny Furphy: out (ACL)
- T.J. McConnell: questionable (undisclosed)
- Jarace Walker: questionable (undisclosed)
- Andrew Nembhard: questionable (undisclosed)
Player to Watch
Myles Turner struggled in four games against his old team last season, averaging just 10.3 PPG on .395/.280/.667 shooting splits. He also totaled more turnovers (6) than assists (4). This offseason, Turner stepped up off the court, embracing a role as a veteran leader for the young Bucks. But his leadership is needed on the court too—he needs to produce. He played well against the Oklahoma City Thunder—19 points, five rebounds, two blocks—but was largely invisible against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets. What better time to put it all together than the preseason finale against his old pals in Indiana?
Projected Starters
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (record) vs. Indiana Pacers (record).
When: 6:00 p.m. CDT.
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse—Indianapolis, IN.
Watch: MY24.
Listen: Check local listings.
Prescient Prediction
The Bucks have been chucking up the three ball throughout the preseason—a third-in-the-league 45 attempts per game!—but have largely been inaccurate doing so, shooting just 30.6%. Tonight, they’ll find the bottom of the net, hitting 40% or better on their way to 20+ threes. Turner will make five of ‘em.
