The Milwaukee Bucks are down 2-0 in their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers following a 123-115 loss on Tuesday night, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is urging his team to respond with urgency.
The two-time MVP, who finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 assists, said the Bucks “don’t want to put ourselves in a hole early in the game,” referring to Milwaukee’s slow starts in both contests.
“Both games, both halves, they were able to set the tone,” Antetokounmpo said postgame. “They came out, hit us first, got downhill, kicked out for open guys, and hit open threes.”
Indiana’s 31-16 opening run set the tone at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam carved up the Bucks’ defense.
Siakam had 24 points and 11 boards while Haliburton posted 21 points and 12 assists, leading the Pacers to their second straight win over Milwaukee in the series.
“They’re taking us off the dribble a lot,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Help defense has to be early—I mean really early. You can’t wait until you see the play developing and then run in. When you do that, you’re late.”
Milwaukee’s defense again failed to contain Indiana’s perimeter attack, surrendering 44.4% shooting from three and allowing 30 assists on 44 field goals.
The Bucks managed a late surge behind Bobby Portis Jr., who contributed 28 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, including six made threes.
Damian Lillard, returning from a blood clot issue, scored 14 points in 37 minutes but struggled with rhythm, shooting 4-of-13 from the field.
Giannis remained optimistic despite the series deficit, stating, “At the end of the day, it’s a long series. It’s first to four. They did their job—protected home court. We just got to go back home and do our job, starting with Game 3.”
He emphasized the need for better communication and execution, particularly at the point of attack. “We have to communicate better—communicate early—so we know where the pick and roll is coming from,” he said.
On defending Haliburton, Antetokounmpo noted the challenge of balancing between limiting his scoring and passing. “He’s a really good player. He’s going to get all his teammates involved and make the right pass,” he said. “Hopefully in Game 3, we can just make it a little tougher for him.”
When asked about the team’s mindset moving forward, Giannis added, “We have to stay together no matter what. Win or lose, we stay together. We’ve done that all season long.”
Despite the rising tension in the series and crowd hostility, the Greek forward kept his focus. “I try to stay away from it and focus on what I’ve got to do to help the team win,” he said. “But yeah, if you poke me, I’m right there. I’m not backing down.”
Game 3 is set for Friday at Fiserv Forum, where the Bucks will try to avoid going down 3-0 for the first time in the Giannis era.
“We just have to go back home and take care of business,” he said. “We know the deal.”
