Pacers Will Avoid Biggest Threat For Ideal NBA Finals Run

The Indiana Pacers will be taking on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the postseason this year, a rematch from last season. Indiana took down the Bucks in a six-game series last year, and they will be looking to do more of the same.

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With the East playoffs being set, the Pacers actually got the luck of the draw with how things turned out. With them facing off against the Bucks, they will be taking on an undermanned Milwaukee team.

Milwaukee has been playing without the services of star guard Damian Lillard due to a blood clot issue. There is no timetable for his return, so Indiana could face the Bucks without Lillard.

But by being the No. 4 seed in the East playoffs, Indiana also will get to avoid a team that they had no desire to see early on. That would be the Boston Celtics, the team that swept them out of the Eastern Conference playoffs a year ago.

Boston is the No. 2 seed this year so the earliest that the two sides could meet is the conference finals once again. Indiana is happy about that and they will look to take down the teams in their way prior to any potential meeting.

If the Pacers were to advance past the Bucks, they would likely get the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. While Cleveland is a problem to deal with, they aren't the Celtics, and the Pacers would feel better about their overall chances to win.

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The Pacers can't overlook the Bucks in the first round series, however. Even without Lillard, the Bucks could cause some issues, and they have beaten the Pacers three of four times this year.

But heading into the series, Indiana does have confidence in themselves, especially with them having home-court advantage this time around. It's time for this team to show what it can do, and if they win, they will silence any doubters along the way.

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