Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Picks and Predictions November 22nd 2024

Bucks vs Pacers November 22nd 2024

At 8:00 ET, the Pacers (+173) will be in Milwaukee to take on the Bucks (-207). The over/under line for this Eastern Central Division matchup is 237.

Indiana is currently on a two-game losing streak and sits 10th in the Eastern Conference at 6-9. On the other side, the Bucks have won two straight and are 11th in the East at 6-9.

Pacers vs. Bucks Key Information

The Pacers fell to 6-9 on the season after a 130-113 loss to the Rockets on Wednesday. Indiana, who entered the game as +6 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total score of 243 points exceeded the O/U line of 232.5 by 10.5 points.

Indiana trailed 30-23 after the 1st quarter and 62-53 at halftime. A 36-24 3rd quarter by Houston put the game out of reach, with the Pacers down 98-77 heading into the 4th. Indiana outscored the Rockets 36-32 in the final period but couldn’t close the gap.

In their loss to the Rockets, the Pacers shot 53% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 5 threes at a 22.7% rate. Quenton Jackson led the way with 24 points, shooting 83.3%, while Pascal Siakam added 21 points and 4 rebounds.

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Jackson scored 9 of his points in the 3rd quarter, while Siakam put up 16 in the 2nd. T.J. McConnell contributed 17 points, with 6 coming in the final period.

The Pacers gave up 130 points to the Rockets on Wednesday, allowing at least 30 points in each quarter. Indiana’s defense allowed 36 points in the 3rd quarter, their worst defensive period of the game.

Indiana held Houston to 33% shooting from three, where the Rockets made 12 threes. The Pacers also recorded 7 steals and 9 blocks in the game.

With a 122-106 win over the Bulls on Wednesday, the Bucks improved to 6-9 on the season. Milwaukee, playing at home, was favored by 8.5 points and covered the spread. The game’s total of 228 points fell short of the 239-point over/under line.

A key moment came when the Bucks went on a 16-0 run, stretching the score from 33-30 to 49-30. Although the Bulls outscored Milwaukee 33-29 in the third quarter, the Bucks’ defense held Chicago to just 16 points in the fourth quarter while scoring 24 of their own.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 41 points and 9 rebounds propelled the Bucks to a win over the Bulls, with Giannis shooting 70.8% from the field. Brook Lopez added 21 points, while Damian Lillard contributed 20 points and 10 assists, despite shooting just 41.2%.

The Bucks shot 55% as a team, hitting 13 threes at a 36.1% clip. Giannis scored 25 points in the 3rd quarter, while AJ Green added 11 of his 18 points in the opening period.

Despite giving up 106 points, the Bucks clamped down defensively in the 4th quarter, allowing just 16 points to secure the win over the Bulls. Milwaukee sent Chicago to the line only 7 times, where they went 7/7.

The Bucks allowed the Bulls to hit 17 threes at a 37% clip. Milwaukee controlled the boards, giving up just 5 offensive rebounds, while also recording 7 steals and 2 blocks.

We’re putting our money on the Bucks to win, and have the projected score sitting at 124-109. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Bucks at -5.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 237 and given that our model is projecting 233 points between the teams, we like the under.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks look to maintain momentum vs. Pacers

Even after the Milwaukee Bucks stumbled to an 8-2 start, coach Doc Rivers believed his team had the talent and resilience to find its groove. Now, the Bucks are proving him right as they ride a stretch of four wins in their last five games into an NBA Cup matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

While Milwaukee is building momentum, Indiana finds itself trending in the opposite direction, having dropped four of its past five contests. The Pacers struggled mightily from beyond the arc in their latest loss, shooting just 22.7 percent (5 of 22) from 3-point range in a 130-113 defeat to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Bucks back on track

The Bucks displayed their championship potential late in Wednesday’s 122-106 win over the Chicago Bulls, closing the game on an 18-4 run. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the charge with 41 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while Brook Lopez continued his strong play, contributing 19 points on efficient shooting.

“We know the team that we are,” Lopez said. “We’ve known the team that we are all season long, we just had to prove it by winning games. It’s gotten better and better. Obviously, the last few, we’re happy with winning, they were close ones but we put in a lot of work, we’re doing great.”

Rivers, who never wavered in his belief in the roster, reflected on the progress after Wednesday’s win.

“I felt good about the team, I just didn’t feel good about our record, to be honest,” Rivers said. “I still feel that way — I don’t feel good about our record yet — but I do feel good about this team. I feel really good about this team.”

Pacers searching for answers

Indiana’s recent struggles have left coach Rick Carlisle dissatisfied with the team’s performance and chemistry, as evidenced by his postgame comments following Wednesday’s loss.

“We’re not playing well. That’s obvious,” Carlisle said. “Our connectedness is not where it needs to be. Our collective spirit is not where it needs to be. I’m going to look very closely at the film tonight. The coaching staff is. We have to come up with answers.”

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The Pacers need a resurgence from All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has been uncharacteristically quiet of late. Haliburton was held to just four points on 1-of-7 shooting, including 1 of 5 from deep, against Houston. Over his last five games, he is averaging 12.6 points while shooting 30.3 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc.

A spark from Quenton Jackson

One bright spot for Indiana has been the emergence of guard Quenton Jackson, who made the most of his first career start against Houston. Jackson scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting while adding three assists, two rebounds, two steals, and a block in just 27 minutes of action.

“Quenton Jackson is an example of where we need everybody’s spirit to be,” Carlisle said. “The guy is flying all over the place, playing at a ridiculously high level of intensity and unselfishness and totally surrendering to the team, you know? For us, we just have to work at adopting that on a full-time basis and really being there for each other.”

Key matchup

The Pacers face a tough challenge against the Bucks, particularly with Giannis Antetokounmpo in peak form. If Indiana hopes to turn things around, they will need better shooting from Haliburton and consistent energy from players like Jackson. Meanwhile, Milwaukee will look to build on its recent success and continue its push toward reclaiming its position as one of the NBA’s elite teams.