Pacers vs Bucks NBA Pick: Will Indiana Go Up 2-0? (Apr 22) (Copy)

• The Indiana Pacers used a balanced attack to take the series opener.
• The Milwaukee Bucks look to bounce back when these teams clash on Tuesday night.
• These teams last played on Apr. 19, with the Pacers claiming a 117-98 victory.

One of the games on Tuesday’s NBA slate features the Indiana Pacers hosting the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Which team comes out on top in our Pacers vs Bucks pick?

Pacers vs Bucks Game 1 Recap

In the series opener between these ball clubs, the Pacers rolled to a 117-98 victory to take a 1-0 lead in this first-round series.

Pascal Siakam spearheaded an offense in which six players, including four starters, reached double figures. He scored a team-high 25 points and collected seven rebounds.

Myles Turner finished with 19 points and five rebounds, and Andrew Nembhard added 17 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed last year’s playoff clash between these ball clubs, led the Bucks with 36 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocked shots.

Although the bench produced 48 points, the rest of the starting unit combined for just 14 points on 5-for-20 shooting from the field.

The Pacers led by a comfortable 24-point margin at the break after outscoring the Bucks 34-18 in the second quarter. However, Milwaukee cut the deficit to 12 points in the final frame.

Turner knocked down a key 3-pointer to push the lead back to 15 points, and the Pacers’ defense held Milwaukee to one made field goal over the final 5:24.

Pacers vs Bucks Game Pick: Which Team Has The Advantage In Game 2 Of This First-Round Matchup?

After the Pacers dealt the first blow in the series opener, here’s a look at a few notable trends for both sides heading into Game 2.

• The Pacers have covered the spread eight times in their last 12 outings.
• Indiana is 3-12 against the spread in its previous 15 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Bucks have covered the spread in four of their last five games.
• Milwaukee is an impressive 8-2 against the spread in its previous 10 April contests.

Taking the above trends into consideration, and the fact that Indiana is 14-2 in its last 16 home games, going with the home team to cover a small spread is a safe bet, even if Damian Lillard suits up for Game 2.