'Interesting Kid', Bucks' Doc Rivers Gets Brutally Honest About Pacers Star

The Milwaukee Bucks will need to regroup quickly after a disappointing Game 1 performance. They will look to even the series in Game 2.

Milwaukee came out sluggish in the opener and now faces the challenge of bouncing back before heading home for Game 3. The Bucks struggled to find any rhythm, while the Pacers thrived thanks to major contributions from their supporting cast.

Indiana’s star guard Tyrese Haliburton didn’t have his sharpest scoring night, but that didn’t stop him from making an impact. He affected the game in other areas, showcasing his all-around skill set and leadership on the floor.

After the loss, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers acknowledged Haliburton’s ability to influence the game beyond the box score, highlighting how he still found ways to hurt Milwaukee even in a quiet offensive outing.

“He’s an interesting kid, because he’s more than just a scorer,” Rivers said after Haliburton put up 10 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists on Saturday. “On the nights that he sees that they’re taking stuff away, he’s smart enough to feel that and just make plays for his teammates. I thought he was very happy doing that.

“But he’s a point guard. And I thought he had a hell of a game personally, even though he didn’t score. He still got everybody involved, and that’s just as dangerous.”

Although Haliburton finished with a poor stat line, he finished the second highest in the plus/minus department at +27. He was only behind his fellow All-Star teammate, Pascal Siakam, who finished the game at +28.

The Bucks were outplayed, and even that was an uncomfortable experience. While the Bucks' defense was not where it was supposed to be, the lack of scoring and playmaking outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo was jarring.

Milwaukee has a prime opportunity to set the tone early on Tuesday and show that Saturday’s outing was nothing more than an off night. To do so, they'll not only need to bring more energy out of the gate but also make a concerted effort to limit the impact of Indiana’s supporting cast, which proved to be a major difference-maker in Game 1.

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