NBA Betting: Why the Bucks vs Pacers Series is Already Over After Just Two Games

While calling a series that’s tied 1-1 “over” is a bold proclamation, our USA Legal Betting experts believe that is the status of the Bucks vs. Pacers series. While Milwaukee dominated the first game, the Pacers answered with a blowout of their own in Game 2. Now the series moves to Indiana, where the Pacers could go up 3-1.

Below, we’ll share why our experts are calling this series over, giving you the odds and insights you need to win big on your favorite betting apps.

Odds have been updated after the Pacers took the second game of the series, though the Bucks remain the betting favorite. Here are the latest odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook:

This first and foremost reason that we are calling this series over is the status of Giannis. The Bucks superstar has been out with a calf injury, and it doesn’t seem he is even close to a return. Speculations heading into the series suggested he wouldn’t be available until late in the series, but that was best case scenario.

Unfortunately, the best-case scenario doesn’t seem to be playing out. While Giannis has participated in some stationary shooting, he has yet to be able to scrimmage or even make cuts.  Even though the Bucks series will last for at least one more week, it doesn’t seem like Giannis will be ready to play.

Milwaukee dominated the first game and kept Game 2 close for a long time, but it appears that magic is running out. Indiana shook off their playoff nerves and once again looked like the team that dominated the Bucks all season. That confidence is high, which is bad news for the Bucks as they prepare to hit the road.

One big problem for the Bucks is that anyone not named Damian Lillard has been inconsistent from the floor. Khris Middleton has contributed some, but he isn’t the same player he once was. Pat Beverley isn’t strong on offense, and Lopez has been hit or miss all season. That leaves fan-favorite Bobby Portis, but his shot has not looked right.

Having your top scorers struggle is a problem, but so is the lack of bench help. They didn’t shoot well in either of their first two games. While the made contributions in other categories, their lack of scoring severely limits the amount of points Milwaukee can score.

As good as Dame has been, it’s impossible to expect him to keep up this pace. The star struggled with his shooting percentage during the season, and we think those issues resurface on the road.

Finally, we have the issue of Milwaukee’s defense. They improved greatly under Doc Rivers but are without their best defender in Giannis. That’s leading the team to have Bobby and Brook defend down low, opening up far too many open three-point shots for Indiana.

Normally we would hold off on declaring a series like this off over the possibility to coaching adjustments, but that’s not the case with Doc Rivers. His playoff woes are well documented, and he has not shown he can make mid-series adjustments like the ones that the Bucks so badly need.