Bucks' Doc Rivers Must Make Simple Change to Starting Lineup

The Bucks have to make adjustments after an abysmal Game 1 against the Pacers.

Apr 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers calls a play in the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks looked lost for most of Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers. They had a 24-point halftime deficit, which ended up being too much for them to overcome.

Milwaukee let Indiana do whatever they want offensively. They turned the ball over too many times and let the Pacers get in transition too often for easy buckets.

While the Bucks didn't have Damian Lillard for this game, it's clear that they still need to make some adjustments. They have to change things up if they want to have a chance to come back and win this series.

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Doc Rivers has to make adjustments with his starting lineup. Specifically, he needs to take Brook Lopez out sooner and allow the Bucks to go smaller.

Myles Turner has been obliterating Lopez because of his ability to make threes and protect the rim. When the Bucks are on offense, no one is paying attention to Kyle Kuzma beyond the 3-point arc, so they are getting closer to Lopez with Turner and making it easier to double-team Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It also allows Turner an opportunity to help off Lopez to protect the rim more easily. If they bring in Bobby Portis instead, they give themselves a better opportunity to deal with Turner.

Of course, none of that is going to matter if Kuzma doesn't contribute anything to the game. He put up a goose egg is pretty much every counting stat available in Game 1.

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How the Bucks adjust to make sure that their offense plays better in Game 2 will determine if they can steal home-court advantage. The Bucks need to be able to keep up with Indiana's prolific offense.

If Lopez starts making threes, then perhaps Rivers doesn't need to make this adjustment. Things also change a little bit if Lillard is able return for Game 2.

Even when Lillard comes back, their offense has to be more efficient in the first half. The big hole that they dug themselves was too much to overcome in the fourth quarter when they were trying to make a comeback.

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