Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks Prediction & Match Preview - December 15th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Milwaukee Bucks will host the Indiana Pacers at the Fiserv Forum on December 15th.
The Indiana Pacers will come off a tough 102-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors. They are now 12-17 on the season.
The Milwaukee Bucks will also head into this game on the back of a 117-103 loss against the Boston Celtics, which saw them fall to 18-11 on the season.
Match Details
Fixture - Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Wednesday, December 15th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, December 16th, 2021; 6:30 AM IST.)
Venue - Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI.
Indiana Pacers Preview
Coming off their loss to the Warriors, the Indiana Pacers had their three-game winning streak snapped. Finding themselves in the lower rung of the Eastern Conference table, the Pacers have a lot of concerns within their ranks.
In Monday's game, the Pacers led against the Warriors for the most part. However, late game mishaps allowed Golden State to get a foothold in Indiana, which led to a complete shift in momentum.
Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon combined for 53 points for the team. Myles Turner also provided some significant inside presence with four blocks and 10 rebounds. But the rest of the lineup paled in comparison.
The Indiana Pacers will also be on the verge of a potential roster overhaul. With trade talks for most of the players on the roster, the side may look to blow things up to go into rebuilding mode.
Sources: The Indiana Pacers are moving toward rebuild, receptive to trade talks centered on Caris LeVert and either Domantas Sabonis or Myles Turner.
Story with @bkravitz at @TheAthletic: theathletic.com/3003299/2021/1…
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis will be a key player for the Indiana Pacers in this matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Coming off a 30-point outing against the Golden State Warriors, Sabonis has been one of Indiana's most reliable players. As part of the Indiana Pacers' one-two punch alongside Malcolm Brogdon, Sabonis has put together a streak of solid scoring games in his last four outings.
Congratulations to Domantas Sabonis 👏 https://t.co/YdHqIreN0o
Domantas Sabonis is the quintessential modern big-man. With a solid low post game along with a functional jumpshot, he has also shown great skill as a passer out of the post. This allows the Pacers to run a lot of plays through their All-Star.
With Myles Turner acting as a defensive anchor, Sabonis takes up a majority of the offensive duties for the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
G - Malcolm Brogdon | G - Caris LeVert | F - Chris Duarte | F - Domantas Sabonis | C - Myles Turner
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
The Milwaukee Bucks' loss to the Boston Celtics saw the Bucks lead until the final moments of the first half. With Jayson Tatum taking over on the offensive end, the Celtics would enter the third quarter with a lead that would continue to balloon.
A large part of this could be attributed to Khris Middleton leaving the game in the second half due to a knee injury.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says the team will know more tomorrow, but that initially there are positive indications about the hyperextended left knee suffered by Khris Middleton tonight will not wind up being too serious. He will go home with the Bucks to Milwaukee tonight.
The Bucks really struggled to find their stroke from behind the arc in this game. Shooting only 30.6%, the lack of perimeter shooting greatly affected the simplistic drive-and-kick game based around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday taking up the offensive burden, the Milwaukee Bucks will also have to make adjustments to their rotation to make up for Middleton's potential absence.
Key Player - Giannis Antetokounmpo
With Khris Middleton's status being an unknown, the Milwaukee Bucks will have to rely on Giannis Antetokounmpo to produce and make up for the absence of their All-Star forward.
🔥 41 PTS, 17 REB, 3 STL, 15-19 FGM 🔥
@Giannis_An34 dominated in @Bucks' win over the Rockets! https://t.co/u3XveeZ1WV
Antetokounmpo is the focal point of Milwaukee's offense. As the primary playmaker and scorer on the team, Giannis' ability to drive to the rim and find shooters on the perimeter makes for a rudimentary but effective style of play for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Heading home to play the Indiana Pacers, Giannis Antetokounmpo will play a key role in Milwaukee's success. Drawing the attention of Turner and Sabonis on the inside, Giannis' ability to facilitate will be a huge factor in mobilizing the Bucks' offense.
Additionally, Giannis will also play a role in containing Sabonis' scoring. Becoming the anchor on the defensive end, the Bucks will rely on their superstar to lead them to a win.
Milwaukee Bucks Predicted Lineup
G - Jrue Holiday | G - Grayson Allen | F - Pat Connaughton | F - Giannis Antetokounmpo | C - Bobby Portis
Pacers vs Bucks Match Predictions
The Milwaukee Bucks should emerge as the winners in this game against the Indiana Pacers.
Playing the Milwaukee Bucks at home is a tough task. The Indiana Pacers are one of the weakest teams on the road, featuring a 3-10 record. While both teams will struggle to recover from losses, the Milwaukee Bucks will definitely have the upper hand.
Where to watch Pacers vs Bucks game?
The Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports Wisconsin. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game on the radio by tuning into 620 AM / 103.3 FM WTMJ.