Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers Game 2: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

Damian Lillard’s absence was felt as heavily by the Milwaukee Bucks as many believed it would be in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, with the Indiana Pacers landing a comfortable 117-98 victory to take a 1-0 lead. 

However, Doc Rivers stated this week that Lillard "looks great to me," and it was announced early on Tuesday that he will be good to go for Game 2. His return could help Milwaukee keep things closer in Indiana this time around. 

The Pacers will be eager to take a 2-0 lead to Wisconsin and while they could achieve that, things are unlikely to be as straightforward on Tuesday. 

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers betting picks and predictions

Milwaukee Bucks +4.0 (-110)

If Lillard is back, a +150 price for Milwaukee on the Moneyline is certainly worth considering. However, with Dame Time lacking some sharpness, play safe by backing the Bucks on the spread instead. 

The Bucks won their final eight games of the regular season, proving their strength when in full flow, and it is hard to see them being quite as bad as they were in Game 1 on their second visit to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 

Milwaukee knocked down just 24.3 percent (9/37) of their three-pointers on Saturday and they shouldn’t be so woeful from beyond the arc this time, especially if expert sharpshooter Lillard is available again. 

Rivers is also a vastly experienced coach and he will have devised a new plan to take on the Pacers. Superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has already alluded to that being the case, stating that the Bucks will "Try to attack. Try to get in the paint. Try to create something either for yourself or for your teammate."

Attacking the paint is something the Bucks didn’t do enough in the first game of the series, despite that approach being best for the Greek Freak, and new looks should see them keep things much tighter in Game 2. 

Kyle Kuzma Under 4.5 Rebounds (-145)

One player who desperately needs to up their game on Tuesday is Kyle Kuzma, who was utterly dreadful in the first match of this series, failing to register a single point, rebound, assist, block or steal. 

He is unlikely to be quite so bad in Game 2 and should put some points on the board, but he may fall short in the rebounds department once more.

The Bucks’ new approach will look to let Giannis dominate on both ends of the court, getting him in the paint offensively and defensively, and he should rack up plenty of rebounds and leave very few for everyone else as a result. 

Kuzma has grabbed less than five rebounds in 11 of his last 12 playoff appearances and, should he fail to impress again, his minutes could be cut as Game 2 goes on, leaving even less time for the Over to hit in Indiana. 

Tyrese Haliburton Over 10.5 Assists (-135)

Surprisingly, Pascal Siakam was the Pacers’ standout star in their Game 1 victory as he racked up 25 points while some of his teammates underperformed in the shooting department. 

One of those underperforming teammates was franchise player Tyrese Haliburton, who failed to knock down any of his seven three-pointers and notched just 10 points. That misfiring did, however, allow him to dominate in another fashion, as he provided 12 assists on Saturday. 

Should Haliburton struggle to find his groove again on Tuesday, the same scenario could play out, and he certainly doesn’t lack the creativity to achieve a high assists tally. 

The Pacers star averaged 10.7 assists per game in the final 16 games of the regular season in 32.2 minutes per appearance. He played 34 minutes in Game 1, and with a tighter game expected and more time on the court as a result, Haliburton should have no issues in replicating his 12-assist haul in Game 2. 

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Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers odds

Milwaukee Bucks	+150 ML
Indiana Pacers	-180 ML
Spread	IND Pacers -4.0
Total Points	O/U 228.0

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers player props

Player Points

Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL Bucks)	O/U 32.5
Pascal Siakam (IND Pacers)	O/U 20.5
Damian Lillard (MIL Bucks)	O/U 19.5
Tyrese Haliburton (IND Pacers)	O/U 18.5
Myles Turner (IND Pacers)	O/U 16.5
Bennedict Mathurin (IND Pacers)	O/U 13.5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.