Wading in the mud (Patreon)

By: Samson Folk I @samfolkk

A reminder: Caitlin’s deep dive comes later. This is just supposed to hold you over. 

Quick note: This game was a nightmare for Pacers fans. Not only did things go poorly, but it was soundtracked by a Bucks fan who somehow kept finding his way into the TNT mics. Every Pacer shot was scored by “HE SUCKS! HE’LL MISS!”, “HE’S A JOKE!”, and all the classics. Absolutely horrible. However, with a minute left, hearing a guy yell “It’s MIDDLETON TIMEEEEEE” followed by a blood-curdling shriek when the ball drops in? Pretty funny. 

Despite the Pacers jumping out to an early lead, it’s hard to avoid watching some of these stretches of basketball without covering your eyes. The Bucks, even as they continued on without Damian Lillard or Giannis Antetokounmpo, were able to dictate pace. The talent deficit leans very hard one way and still, the Pacers have been a bit complacent with their standing in this series. Credit to the Bucks for bringing their hard hats and the lunchpails to this one – a do or die game, to be fair – and steering things back in their favor for a 5-point lead at halftime.

Middleton, Portis, and Beverley had combined for 40 points at that point, and had done so with heaps of aggression. Whether it was Beverley slicing in to the hoop for close, contact finishes – that allowed him the room to celebrate with his favorite too small gesture – or Middleton worming to the bucket, or the free throw line, off of two feet. Portis’ quick start was largely the result of some hot, tough shooting, but overall we saw the Pacers defense unable to impress themselves upon a depleted Bucks offense. And if there was ever a talent or shotmaking gap that needed to be made up with gumption? The Bucks grinded their way to an almost 40-percent ORB rate in the first half. Playing at a snail’s pace, and scoring 114 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt. Unacceptable, really. 

The good news? Haliburton & Nembhard were pretty good on offense early. Turner cleaned up some opportunities. The three rim attempts they had in the first half? That rate seems impossible to maintain for the Bucks defense. A silver lining? Siakam had been pretty poor with his decision making out of doubles in the first half, and that can certainly get better - along with his shotmaking. 

Nevermind! Silver linings are dumb! The Bucks snap off a 7-0 run to start the second half, forcing an early timeout from Carlisle. The Pacers are being forced to play slow, deliberate basketball. They’re trying to find ways to work through the post since they can’t rely on dribble penetration, but they’ve been pretty poor at nailing post entry passes or shaping to the help that is sent towards the post touches when they even get them. On top of all that, the Bucks are going supernova switch mode at the point of attack and scramming the hell out of the mismatches down low. Pacers having a tough time with it. For his part, Middleton continues to outfox Nesmith at every turn; an almost perfect marriage of craft & grit on his way to buckets. We reach a low point with McConnell charging into the lane, turning the ball over, and sending the Bucks sprinting out for a bucket and a 15-point lead. 

A couple buckets from McConnell drop in, we play some helter-skelter, and Beasley cashes back to back triples to put the Bucks up 19. 82-63. It’s looking… tough. We’re watching a Pacers squad that is having trouble creating any type of open look. Above the break threes, which are typically something that you can get off with regularity, against any coverage, not even those are available to these Pacers. Down 20 heading into the fourth quarter in what has been a pretty shameful performance on one side, and a really gutsy performance on the other. 

sigh Beasley cans a triple to start the fourth quarter. 

Not much to say. There’s a lot for the Pacers to clean up. Don’t want to pick on one guy too much, but Pascal needs to bounce back in game 6. Really, really disappointing game from him. Tyrese can simplify some of this stuff by getting deeper a little more often, but Siakam is supposed to be the knuckleball when the game slows down, and he got outplayed at his position in this one. 

Onto the next one. We move!

Have a blessed day.