How to Watch Bucks vs Pacers Playoff Game 1: TV Channel, Predictions, More

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers are set to face each other in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season. During the regular season, the Bucks ousted the Pacers three out of the four games, with the two teams splitting the most recent matchups last month.

The Bucks enter the playoffs as the fifth seed with a 48-34 record, while the Pacers are the fourth seed and earned home-court advantage in this series after a 50-32 regular season record.

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How to Watch

The two teams will face off in the first game of the series on April 19 at 1 p.m. EST,12 p.m. CT, and 10 a.m. PST. The game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be aired on ESPN. Michael Grady will be the primary play-by-play voice and will be joined by Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White.

Predictions

The Indiana Pacers are the home team and also have the advantage of Damian Lillard being out for Game 1. The Pacers are relatively healthy, so they seem to be in a prime spot to win the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will have something to say about that, however, given that he missed the series between the two teams last season. The matchup between Giannis and Pascal Siakam will likely be a huge part of the series, and will be especially huge as long as Lillard is out.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, though, the Pacers seem to have a decent advantage almost everywhere else, a big reason why they finished higher in the standings despite not having a player of the caliber of Giannis.

With a huge advantage at point guard with Tyrese Halliburton, it may take some time for the Bucks to adjust to life without Lillard in the playoffs in the series.

The wing matchups will also be a huge part of the first game and the series going forward. The role players feel relatively equal between the two teams, but with the mantra of role players being better at home, that gives the Pacers another advantage in this game.

Bucks 109 - Pacers 117

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The biggest storyline of the series will be when Damian Lillard returns. He was cleared to return from his blood clot, but how long it will take for him to ramp up and fully return is the real question.

If the Bucks go down 2-0 in the series, they would be more inclined to bring Lillard back sooner to inject some life into the team, especially on the offensive end.

For more news and notes on the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.