ORLANDO, Fla. — The Milwaukee Bucks will enter the NBA playoffs because the No. 3 seed within the Jap Convention and face the Indiana Pacers within the first spherical.
The Bucks fell to the 3-seed after they have been blown out by the Orlando Magic 113-88 in Sunday’s regular-season finale, which earned them a matchup with a well-known foe. Milwaukee dropped 4 of its 5 video games with Indiana this season, together with a loss within the in-season match in November.
“Indiana has had our quantity all 12 months, so good opponent,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated. “They’ve performed nice in opposition to us. They’ve nice confidence in opposition to us. We’ll have nice focus as a result of we’ll need to.”
Though the Bucks and Pacers performed 5 occasions through the common season, their final assembly was on Jan. 3. Rivers didn’t take over as Bucks coach till Jan. 29, so he stated he nonetheless wanted to review movie of these video games to determine why the Bucks struggled.
“We have simply been by loads since then,” Damian Lillard stated. “We have had some down moments and we have come again from these moments. Then we get a brand new coach after which now we have a unique means about us, completely different model of play.
“Simply so many alternative issues we have discovered about ourselves from going by stuff.”
The matchups between the Pacers and Bucks carried some additional depth, particularly after they confronted off on Dec. 13 and argued over possession of the sport ball. Giannis Antetokounmpo needed the ball after scoring a career-high 64 factors. The Pacers needed it to provide to rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first NBA level that night time.
Lillard emphasised it was vital for the Bucks to manage their feelings within the upcoming collection and give attention to their final objective of successful a championship.
“It is vital for us to know what our function is enjoying within the playoffs,” Lillard stated. “We bought to be accountable relating to that. We won’t be overly emotional about it as a result of within the playoffs, that may change a collection. You get too emotional, you will be taken benefit of.”
The Bucks have backed into the playoffs, dropping their remaining two video games with an opportunity to wrap up the No. 2 seed, and eight of their remaining 11.
“It is vital for us to know what our function is enjoying within the playoffs. We bought to be accountable relating to that. We won’t be overly emotional about it as a result of within the playoffs, that may change a collection. You get too emotional, you will be taken benefit of.”
Damian Lillard
“It is a new season with the postseason,” Bucks ahead Khris Middleton stated. “On the identical time you do not need to go away it previously. You need to have a look at these video games and work out what went incorrect and discover a option to right it.”
The Bucks may also enter the postseason not sure of the standing of Antetokounmpo, who missed the ultimate three video games of the common season with a calf pressure. The 2-time MVP didn’t make the journey to Orlando and as an alternative remained in Milwaukee for relaxation and therapy.
Rivers stated forward of Sunday’s sport that the studies he acquired on Antetokounmpo have been all optimistic.
“We simply have to attend and see,” Rivers stated. “I do not know come what may, I simply know he is doing all of the work. We’re getting nice studies. Yesterday, he did all the things. That was optimistic. That is all we are able to get proper now.”
