Middleton's Magnificence Not Enough as Pacers Outlast Bucks in Overtime Battle

[00:00:00] On this episode of Bucks Beat, we're going to talk about games one through three, a heartbreaker

[00:00:04] in game three, but the motivation for game four.

[00:00:08] Let's bring it.

[00:00:09] Lillard step back three on the way.

[00:00:10] Green City.

[00:00:11] Game time has arrived.

[00:00:22] You're listening to the Milwaukee Bucks Beat sponsored by Hungry Lion Productions video

[00:00:28] production services, video production from start to finish.

[00:00:32] Share them today at Hungry Lion Productions dot com.

[00:00:36] And now here's your host, Michael Edwards.

[00:00:40] Welcome to the Bucks Beat.

[00:00:41] I'm your host, Michael Edwards, trying to stay upbeat here.

[00:00:46] The Bucks down two one in the series.

[00:00:49] I wanted to do a podcast after game one, but I thought, no, it's just let's just

[00:00:53] wait and see.

[00:00:55] Obviously, game one amazing Bucks win 109 94.

[00:01:00] That led the series one nothing.

[00:01:02] Then they came back with a stinker in game two lose 125 108.

[00:01:07] But let's really break down game three because that's that's what we all want to hear

[00:01:10] about here.

[00:01:11] First of all, a legacy game by Chris Middleton who played out of his mind.

[00:01:17] Forty two points, 16 for 29 from the field.

[00:01:21] This is with a busted up ankle, basically one leg.

[00:01:25] Forty one minutes of play.

[00:01:27] Boy did that man play.

[00:01:29] He played.

[00:01:31] He looked like Jordan.

[00:01:32] Dame Lillard gave 28 Lopez with 14 Bobby Portis with 17.

[00:01:38] Really good game for the Bucks, except for that first quarter.

[00:01:42] Bucks give up 39 points in the first quarter.

[00:01:46] That was the difference from the second quarter on the Bucks dominated.

[00:01:50] It just such a heartbreaking loss.

[00:01:55] Before I go into the postgame press conferences and playing the clips and getting all that,

[00:02:02] I looked at my son in the overtime when we got to overtime and Chris hit that three

[00:02:06] pointer and I looked at him and I said, we're going to win this game.

[00:02:11] And up until that point, I did not think we were going to win the game is just

[00:02:14] kind of the energy they just could not get over the hump.

[00:02:18] But here's the thing about this team.

[00:02:20] Hobbled Dame.

[00:02:23] We're going to talk about that in a second.

[00:02:26] Chris is pretty much playing on one leg, no Yanis and we are still staying with the

[00:02:32] Indiana Pacers.

[00:02:35] They won.

[00:02:36] They're up to one and they probably could win the series.

[00:02:39] And that's the way Bucks fans are feeling.

[00:02:41] They're very emotional.

[00:02:42] I would know I'm one of them, but I'm also rational.

[00:02:48] And this is going to sound salty.

[00:02:51] But the India Pacers are frauds.

[00:02:54] They are struggling with a Bucks team that has banged up.

[00:02:58] They're barely winning a game at home.

[00:03:00] So let's break down this game.

[00:03:02] Bucks lose 118-121 in overtime.

[00:03:05] Tough loss.

[00:03:06] I don't want to be that guy, but I'm going to be that guy.

[00:03:09] The refs gave this game to the Pacers in the overtime.

[00:03:13] There were many fouls that were not called down the stretch.

[00:03:16] The game got bumped.

[00:03:18] Chris got pushed in the back by Miles Turner.

[00:03:21] It was a hostile act.

[00:03:22] It should have been a and one plus the ball when he went up for that dunk there.

[00:03:27] Really upsetting.

[00:03:28] I mean, you see his hand, you see Miles Turner's hand on Chris's back pushing

[00:03:32] him when he's dunking it.

[00:03:34] That is a hostile act.

[00:03:36] That is not a basketball play.

[00:03:38] So these refs shit the bed.

[00:03:40] Terrible roughing down the stretch.

[00:03:42] Awful.

[00:03:43] Pacers get bailed out by the refs in this one.

[00:03:46] No one emotional fan, but let's just say it.

[00:03:48] You know, the professional journalists can't talk that way.

[00:03:52] But on this podcast, we're going to keep it real.

[00:03:55] The refs gave this game to the Pacers.

[00:03:57] So first part about this is Dame Lillard had a rough game.

[00:04:04] Not only did Miles Turner, I think it was fell on Dame's knee

[00:04:09] and we thought Dame was toast.

[00:04:11] And at that point, I'm like, OK, we're cooked.

[00:04:13] But then Dame comes back, just like the Karate Kid.

[00:04:17] Damien Lillard is going to play.

[00:04:19] Hey, right?

[00:04:20] You know that if you haven't seen the movie, you totally did not catch that

[00:04:23] reference, but you should see that movie, by the way, if you haven't seen

[00:04:27] Karate Kid, it's 2024 for Christ's sake.

[00:04:29] Get on it, right?

[00:04:30] But anyway, back to the box.

[00:04:33] Doc Rivers talks about Damien Lillard and how it affected the fourth quarter.

[00:04:37] Honestly, Dame was really struggling.

[00:04:39] And in the overtime, he literally said, I'll be the decoy.

[00:04:45] I just can't go as far as explosions.

[00:04:47] So I thought Dame just being out there was huge for us

[00:04:51] because they didn't know that at the time.

[00:04:52] I think they did a little bit.

[00:04:55] But anyway, it's still tough.

[00:04:57] And let's hear from Dame.

[00:04:58] Back in two days and be good to go on Sunday or where is

[00:05:01] where you feeling right now?

[00:05:02] I mean, that's that's the plan.

[00:05:05] You know, I think it was tonight.

[00:05:08] It was just so fresh, you know, just reactivating it after having a whole

[00:05:12] week to kind of get it together.

[00:05:15] But I just wanted to be on the floor, you know, in case something

[00:05:19] opportunity came up or, you know, however I could could help.

[00:05:24] But as you know, obviously, tonight we don't get back and have to just

[00:05:26] get ahead of it because, you know, that's not something

[00:05:30] that you want to play with, you know, and you, I think it's one of those

[00:05:33] spots on your body where you literally can't you can't do nothing about it.

[00:05:37] You know, if you can't move, you can't move.

[00:05:41] So we got a couple of days tonight to start to just try to get ahead of it

[00:05:46] and just get it feeling better, try to get ready for Sunday.

[00:05:49] It's unfortunate that the Bucks can't be healthy

[00:05:52] because I think if they were healthy, the Bucks would be up big in this series.

[00:05:57] From what I've seen from the Pacers, if we're at full strength

[00:06:00] and they're at full strength, they don't stand a chance against us.

[00:06:03] They don't. We have figured out how to play these guys.

[00:06:07] They do play fast when the Bucks were playing fast in the first quarter.

[00:06:12] It was very interesting.

[00:06:14] First quarter Pacers score 39 to the Bucks, 22

[00:06:17] out rebounded the Bucks by 8, 15 to 7.

[00:06:22] 14 assists to the Bucks, one.

[00:06:26] Pacers shooting 63 percent in the first quarter to the Bucks, 30.

[00:06:30] Five three pointers made five for 13 Bucks.

[00:06:32] 0 for 6.

[00:06:35] Free throws kept them in it.

[00:06:37] But then that is where the tables turned.

[00:06:40] You take away that first quarter, you take away that,

[00:06:44] you know, Bucks messed up. They really did.

[00:06:46] They did not come out with.

[00:06:48] Executing their game plan.

[00:06:50] Second quarter, Bucks outscore him 33, 28 tie them on rebounds.

[00:06:55] I would assist them 9 to 8.

[00:06:59] Bucks shoot 52 percent in the second quarter, 13 for 25.

[00:07:02] Pacers only shot 38 percent in that second quarter.

[00:07:05] And the three pointers, those still hurt the Bucks in the first half.

[00:07:09] Pacers were 4 for 11, 36 percent in the second quarter.

[00:07:13] Bucks were only 2 or 7.

[00:07:15] So at halftime, the Bucks had only had two three pointers made.

[00:07:19] Had the Bucks just played an average game with their three pointers,

[00:07:22] they just weren't falling.

[00:07:24] Totally, totally different conversation we're having right now about

[00:07:27] the series and where it is.

[00:07:29] Then we come in the third quarter, Bucks outscore the Pacers 28 to 23.

[00:07:34] Out rebound them 12 to 9. Bucks totally hustled.

[00:07:37] I mean, they got their ass kicked in the first quarter and they woke up.

[00:07:40] Basically, Bucks shoot 55 percent, 10 for 18.

[00:07:45] Chris Middleton was cooking Bucks three for seven from three, 42 percent.

[00:07:51] Then the Pacers cool off one for nine, 11 percent.

[00:07:54] And that is what you want to do.

[00:07:56] The Indiana Pacers are a fast team.

[00:08:00] They score in transition.

[00:08:02] You take that away from them.

[00:08:04] It's going to be tough for them to beat you.

[00:08:07] Look at the first quarter, the Pacers had they were up by 19 points.

[00:08:11] This game goes into overtime.

[00:08:13] And then we go to the fourth quarter stats.

[00:08:15] Bucks outscore them 28, 21.

[00:08:17] Too bad it wasn't 29, 21, because then the Bucks win the game.

[00:08:21] Out rebound them 12 to 9.

[00:08:23] Bucks shoot 52 percent, rounded up to 53 percent, 10 for 19.

[00:08:29] Pacers seven for 21, 33 percent.

[00:08:33] The Bucks just played their ass off.

[00:08:35] They just played their ass off.

[00:08:37] The problem was second chance points and rebounds killed the Bucks.

[00:08:44] It killed this game.

[00:08:45] If Yanis Andatokounmpo played this game, there is absolutely no doubt

[00:08:50] if you're being realistic, Bucks easily win this game,

[00:08:54] easily win this game with Yanis.

[00:08:57] So my hope is he's back for game four.

[00:09:00] Doc Rivers talked about that.

[00:09:01] I'm not going to play this, but Doc Rivers talked about that

[00:09:03] in his press conference.

[00:09:04] They said, you know, you're going to play Yanis on Sunday.

[00:09:06] And Doc said only if he's healthy, it's too dangerous.

[00:09:09] Reports out are he was on the court.

[00:09:12] The funny thing is there's conflicting reports.

[00:09:14] There's reports on, you know, Yanis will be back soon.

[00:09:18] He's close.

[00:09:19] And then there's people saying he's done.

[00:09:22] He's not playing for this series, which in some instances could be

[00:09:26] he's done for the season because the Bucks at this point are down to one

[00:09:30] before I go into more breakdown of game three.

[00:09:33] I want Bucks fans to remember something.

[00:09:35] Bucks were down to zero against a very, very powerful

[00:09:40] Brooklyn Nets team in 2021.

[00:09:42] Not the same players. I get it.

[00:09:43] But some of those core players are still there.

[00:09:47] Bucks win the series in seven.

[00:09:49] The Bucks are down 0-2 in the finals.

[00:09:52] They come back and ball out.

[00:09:54] They had a big game three in that series in the finals.

[00:09:57] And then from there, it was just pedal to the floor.

[00:10:00] All gas, no breaks.

[00:10:02] And again, I said this in my last podcast.

[00:10:04] I will die on this hill.

[00:10:05] I will die on it.

[00:10:07] Gladly die on it.

[00:10:10] This is the game that turns the series for the Bucks.

[00:10:13] Assuming Dame can play,

[00:10:15] assuming Chris can play, and obviously, if Janice can play,

[00:10:19] even if they're not at full strength, we got those guys on the court.

[00:10:22] Even if they're at 70 percent, I think we win this series.

[00:10:25] I think this is the game.

[00:10:27] The Bucks said, hey, we got this.

[00:10:31] Damien Lillard talks about the Bucks being down 2-1.

[00:10:34] We played a really good game, you know, aside from the offensive

[00:10:38] rebounds and, you know, us not executing early in the game.

[00:10:42] So it's I think we just got to know

[00:10:44] the series is going to change every game.

[00:10:46] It's going to be something that we find that we can be successful with

[00:10:49] and they're going to do the same thing.

[00:10:50] And it's just about, you know, standing it mentally and,

[00:10:54] you know, continuing to compete, you know, knowing what we plan for.

[00:10:57] And, you know, now we just got to try to get the next one.

[00:11:01] And once you do that, then it becomes a new series again.

[00:11:04] And then after that, it continues to change every game.

[00:11:07] So we just got to turn the page and, you know,

[00:11:09] focus on getting one before we get out of here.

[00:11:11] And that's why I wanted to remind all of you about that.

[00:11:14] The Bucks have been down.

[00:11:16] The core players on this team have been down.

[00:11:19] They know how to pick themselves up.

[00:11:21] There are no quitters on this team.

[00:11:24] They're ignoring all the noise around the team

[00:11:25] because everyone wants to pile on.

[00:11:28] They want to pile on Doc and they want to pile on Yannis

[00:11:30] leaving and trade Dame.

[00:11:34] They're not listening to it.

[00:11:35] Neither should you.

[00:11:37] Do not engage with it, to be honest.

[00:11:38] It's.

[00:11:40] It's 2024 social media garbage is what it's all it is.

[00:11:43] So.

[00:11:45] You got to have faith, the team,

[00:11:48] any team has to win four games to get out of a series to one.

[00:11:52] It definitely hurts. It definitely sucks.

[00:11:55] I actually had a bet with one of my good friends and I

[00:11:59] because I didn't feel good about game two.

[00:12:00] I didn't feel good coming on game two.

[00:12:02] What I saw, I just especially that fourth quarter.

[00:12:04] I didn't feel good.

[00:12:05] And we know how this team is right.

[00:12:08] When they're hot, they're hot.

[00:12:09] Get out of their way when they're cold.

[00:12:12] It's going to be embarrassing.

[00:12:13] And that carried over to the first quarter tonight.

[00:12:16] But then you saw them saying, you know what?

[00:12:19] They looked in the mirror and they turned it around.

[00:12:23] But my bet with my friend was I would do 100 pushups

[00:12:29] live on social media.

[00:12:32] Following the books, winning if they won,

[00:12:35] because I just that faith, that energy, that feeling that

[00:12:39] some of us sports fans have that, you know,

[00:12:42] and maybe we let that get the best of us sometimes.

[00:12:44] And I know in the comments and on Bucks Twitter after the games,

[00:12:48] you definitely feel it. Same thing with the Packers.

[00:12:50] It's just we're very emotional fan base.

[00:12:52] But I made the bet and I would have gladly done the 100 pushups.

[00:12:56] But unfortunately, I didn't get to do them.

[00:12:59] And I actually think the Bucks are going to win game four.

[00:13:04] But for game three, Doc Rivers talks about the Milwaukee Bucks effort.

[00:13:07] But overall, I loved our effort.

[00:13:09] I loved our our ability to stick into the game and

[00:13:14] play through their emotions early.

[00:13:17] You know, they had us really in the first quarter.

[00:13:21] They sped us up again.

[00:13:22] And then all of a sudden we start getting our rhythm.

[00:13:25] And once we got our rhythm, the game changed completely.

[00:13:29] So moving forward, I think that'll give us a lot of confidence.

[00:13:32] Doc continues on how they stopped the Pacers after the first quarter.

[00:13:35] I thought, number one, we took them out of transition.

[00:13:38] I thought that was huge. Number two, we were scoring.

[00:13:40] And the more you score, the more they have to take it out.

[00:13:43] The more you can set your defense.

[00:13:45] And then I thought the zone man going back and forth created hesitation.

[00:13:50] I thought that was really good for us.

[00:13:52] And talking about those first quarter stats that I'd mentioned earlier,

[00:13:55] where the Bucks were, man, it's awful.

[00:13:59] Six for 20 from the field and 0 for 6 from three point land.

[00:14:04] All those misses created that transition.

[00:14:07] And that is why it is so important for the Bucks.

[00:14:10] If the shots aren't falling, they have to figure something else out

[00:14:13] until the shots start falling. They have to.

[00:14:16] That's where not having Janice really hurts is because you can do that

[00:14:19] with Janice and that first quarter that is really circle it.

[00:14:24] That is the difference.

[00:14:25] Bucks shoot six for 20, 30 percent Pacers, 17 for 27, 63 percent.

[00:14:31] That is the difference in the game.

[00:14:33] Plus, Pacers had five threes, Bucks over six.

[00:14:37] Man, they almost made that up, though, with a hobbled team.

[00:14:41] You can be upset, but man, the effort that these guys put in

[00:14:45] simply amazing bucks.

[00:14:46] Bucks really should have won this game.

[00:14:48] And that continues to talk about the loose balls hurting the Bucks.

[00:14:52] I thought there were five or six of them.

[00:14:53] I felt like we were on the inside position and they still came up with them.

[00:14:58] Every time the ball hit the floor, they came up with every loose ball tonight.

[00:15:02] They want to crush this.

[00:15:03] This game came down to 50, 50.

[00:15:06] And they just did a better job of our guys are fighting.

[00:15:10] They they were trying, couldn't get to loose balls.

[00:15:14] And, you know, when you shoot better than the other team,

[00:15:19] but they take 17 more shots than you,

[00:15:23] you're not going to win that game.

[00:15:24] It's hard to win that game. And yet we still could have.

[00:15:26] And that is why I'm confident going into game four.

[00:15:29] The Pacers had 17 more shots.

[00:15:32] That's insane.

[00:15:33] And that's where you see you force the Pacers into a half court game.

[00:15:38] The Bucks are going to win that game.

[00:15:39] If you run, the Pacers are going to win that game.

[00:15:42] It's really that simple.

[00:15:43] And the Pacers are going after loose balls.

[00:15:45] There were a few plays where I saw Bobby Portis just kind of stand in there

[00:15:49] like, huh?

[00:15:50] And he could have got some of those loose balls.

[00:15:52] So I know they're going to see that in the film.

[00:15:54] And I look for the Bucks to win this game.

[00:15:57] I look for the Bucks to come out in game four and win this game

[00:16:01] with or without Yannis.

[00:16:03] I look for them to win this game.

[00:16:04] My confidence is high.

[00:16:05] Let's hear Doc talking about the team's confidence.

[00:16:08] We won an overtime game, had a lead.

[00:16:11] The bounce back won't be hard.

[00:16:13] I think this team leaves this arena with more confidence.

[00:16:17] At least we should.

[00:16:19] But we'll watch the tape.

[00:16:21] It's too early. I haven't watched the game yet.

[00:16:23] So we'll watch the tape

[00:16:25] and see what we can make better adjustments.

[00:16:27] Hopefully, Yannis is back.

[00:16:29] It's kind of a big game.

[00:16:31] It's a big game.

[00:16:31] I think the Bucks, this is a game that they should win

[00:16:35] based on knowing what needs to be done.

[00:16:38] Obviously, the Pacers shot poorly after that first quarter.

[00:16:43] That would need to continue.

[00:16:44] And you want to ask yourself, was it the Bucks defense

[00:16:47] that caused the bad shooting or was it just

[00:16:50] the Pacers getting hot and then cold?

[00:16:52] Bucks next game Sunday.

[00:16:55] Milwaukee time, 6 p.m.

[00:16:59] Big game on the road.

[00:17:00] Bucks need one on the road in order to win this series.

[00:17:03] The Bucks have to win a road game.

[00:17:04] So even if they lose this game, take care of business at the five serve.

[00:17:09] They're going to have to win game six then

[00:17:11] to be able to get out of the series.

[00:17:13] So two games left, potentially, potentially

[00:17:17] on the road, Bucks have to win one of them, putting it that way.

[00:17:20] So we'll stay tuned.

[00:17:21] Obviously, if anything breaks with Yannis's injury,

[00:17:24] we'll post it.

[00:17:25] But my guess is it's going to be a game time decision.

[00:17:29] From what I'm hearing, I mean, I think they'll be back in game four.

[00:17:33] But we'll see.

[00:17:34] I think we're at the point now where we need we need him on the floor.

[00:17:37] So if he can do this, I think he should.

[00:17:41] But obviously, winning this game, game three would have been really nice.

[00:17:44] It would have bought Yannis a little more time, but we may not see

[00:17:48] the second round.

[00:17:49] So Bucks have a decision to make.

[00:17:51] And I think if that's Yannis's decision to make,

[00:17:54] he's playing. We'll leave you with that.

[00:17:56] Fingers crossed.

[00:17:58] Fans, stay positive.

[00:18:00] Keep your head up.

[00:18:02] I appreciate you and we'll see you on the next one.