Subscribe
Follow Us
The Milwaukee Bucks have had an up-and-down season this year, and now they are just two losses away from being eliminated. After a 123-115 loss in Game 2 of the first round against the Indiana Pacers, the Bucks are headed back home with their backs against the wall despite the best efforts of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Plenty of 2-0 deficits have been overcome before, but the Bucks don't have the look of a team that can make up this gap. The Pacers are a bad matchup for Milwaukee after knocking it out of the first round last season and have really coasted through the first two games for the most part.
Despite the deficit and the bleak circumstances, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers still feels good about his team possibly coming back and winning the series.
"I'm very confident about this series. Very."
Doc Rivers believes Milwaukee can turn the series around at home 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/bZcdA5I8cn
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 23, 2025
“We've got time. We've got 48 hours. I'm not gonna tell you what I'm doing right now because I don't know. But we'll figure it out,” Rivers said. “I'm very confident about this series. Very.”
The comments weren't kind to Rivers as NBA fans everywhere dig the Bucks' grave after Game 2.
im very confient he will be out of a job in a week
— andrew (@xXeonHD) April 23, 2025
I would be too if you weren't coaching @DocRivers
— kKlovn (@kklovnn) April 23, 2025
They’ve led for literally less than 2 minutes in the entire series so far… bro is panicking
— Mikey O (50-32) (2-0) (@michael21201_) April 23, 2025
The Bucks got crushed right from the jump in Game 1 without Damian Lillard in the lineup due to injury. Lillard returned for Game 2, but the result was much of the same save for a late Bucks run that gave them a slim chance to pull off the comeback at the end. However, big 3-pointers from Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard helped the Pacers seal the victory.
If the Bucks are going to stage a comeback and win four of the next five games, they are going to need to find contributions from players other than Antetokounmpo. The former MVP has put together a pair of stellar games and has 70 points and 30 rebounds through the two contests so far. However, the rest of the Milwaukee supporting cast has mostly fallen short, save for a 28-point, 12-rebound showing from Bobby Portis in Game 2.
Even if many fans are not giving the Bucks much of a chance in this series, the locker room is clearly still bought in and Rivers has all the belief in his squad. We'll see if that's enough for them to get on the board with a win in Game 3 on Friday.
