Now that the Playoffs have officially kicked off, every team’s true spirit is coming to light. While there were surprising fumbles in the multiple Game 1s, there were major shocks, too. Take the Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks, for example. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s side, who came to the party with an eight-game win streak in the regular season, looked unprepared for the force Pascal Siakam & Co. brought to the floor. As a result, Doc Rivers’ plans went downhill in a 98-117 loss, thus bringing them under the microscope. Not to forget, the Bucks’ 2-4 loss against the Pacers last year in the Playoffs seemed still fresh.

The Pacers were dominant from the very first touch. They took the lead and didn’t let the Bucks breathe at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday. Therefore, experts Tim Bontemps, Brian Windhorst, and Tim MacMahon dissected Rivers’s team’s debacle in their latest edition of the Hoop Collective podcast.

Windy couldn’t stop himself from complimenting Pascal Siakam’s 25-point game. “Siakam was awesome this year against Milwaukee,” he stated. “They (Bucks) have trouble with him. He shot like 55%, and it was like 25.” Meanwhile, Tim Bontemps in a no-nonsense word commented: “I mean, they’ve just got no athleticism. You could just see it in this game. Yes, they have Giannis. Giannis is very athletic, but you look at the rest of this Bucks team, they can’t guard the Pacers. They just can’t guard.” 

You know, the biggest issue with the Milwaukee Bucks is that in Damian Lillard’s absence, no one stepped up on the court as a support for the Greek Freak. Also, this reminds us of Kyle Kuzma’s zero-point game; absolute disappointment, for sure. Now, coming back to the 31-year-old Siakam, he scored 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. So, Windhorst further commented: “Siakam is a problem for Milwaukee. So obviously, if you’re a Bucks fan, you’re saying, well, the Pacers are a problem in general.” Simply put, Doc Rivers & Co. aren’t ready to guard Pascal.

Bontemps also said, “I picked the Pacers in the series in large part because if you look at it, the Bucks can’t guard the Pacers, and therefore, they have to outscore them.” Ouch!

But, in all honesty, Pascal Siakam isn’t the only matter of concern for the Bucks right now. Yes, there’s Tyrese Haliburton, who also needs to be in Doc’s vision. However, Damian Lillard’s return, floor time, and efficiency are something more troubling at this point. The Bucks need him on the court amidst all the ifs and buts.

Doc Rivers has to face the troubling reality in Damian Lillard’s return

As the Bucks stepped into Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 1 of their playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, they faced a tough blow: no Damian Lillard. His absence stung, leaving a significant gap. Yet, there’s hope on the horizon. Lillard, now cleared of deep vein thrombosis and off blood thinners, took a positive step forward in his recovery. On Thursday, he made his much-anticipated return to practice. The question remains: will he be ready to take the court?

Tim Bontemps told his co-hosts, “Even if Dame was out there, Dame’s not helping the defense part. So I do think it’s an extraordinarily tough matchup for them.” Well, that will remain a mystery until the 34-year-old veteran guard truly makes a comeback. The expert assumes he could put on the jersey as early as Game 2, however, there are uncertainties.

“If Damian Lillard can give them real minutes and real production, that would be a huge benefit,” Bontemps added to Doc Rivers‘s concern. “I also think we have to be pretty realistic that if Dame can come back as soon as game two, or really at any point in the series, It’s hard to imagine he’s going to walk in and immediately be playing 35 minutes.” Simply put, the team wouldn’t take the risk of giving him 30 minutes on the floor. Restricted minutes? Yes. Would that be efficient? Only time will tell.

Thus, the Bucks are staring down a harsh reality. Without Damian Lillard at full strength and no real backup for Giannis Antetokounmpo, cracks are turning into full-blown collapses. Meanwhile, the Pacers are buzzing with energy, feeding off Siakam’s fire and Haliburton’s flair. Unless Doc Rivers pulls off something magical, this could turn into heartbreak in a hurry.