Indiana Pacers game preview: Pacers look to bounce back on the road against Milwaukee Bucks

The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks will battle for the third time of the 2022-23 NBA season tonight. Milwaukee has won both games so far, and they clinched a playoff berth earlier this week.

The Bucks have defeated the Pacers in 10 straight matchups between the two teams. "When it comes to [Giannis Antetokounmpo], he draws in so much help from the entire defense that really a lot of guys are getting a lot of open looks," former Buck and now-Pacer Jordan Nwora said of slowing Milwaukee.

Viewing and Betting Information

Tip off time: 8 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Where to watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Indiana/Bally Sports+, Bally Sports Wisconsin

Spread and Over/Under: The Pacers are heavy underdogs as they are +13.5 in the SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the game is 237.5.

Pacers vs Bucks Injury Report

For the Pacers, rookie Bennedict Mathurin (right ankle sprain), wing Kendall Brown (right tibia stress fracture), and wing Chris Duarte (left ankle soreness) are out. Guard T.J. McConnell (back), center Myles Turner (lower back), guard Buddy Hield (left foot soreness), and All-Star Tyrese Haliburton (right ankle sprain) are questionable. Trevelin Queen is questionable as a part of his two-way contract.

For the Bucks, Grayson Allen is out. Jae Crowder is probable. Goran Dragic and Brook Lopez are questionable.

Key Matchups

Aaron Nesmith vs Giannis Antetokounmpo: Assigning any one player to the Giannis Antetokounmpo matchup is unfair. It takes a team effort to defend the Greek Freak, and he is still averaging 31.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. He is elite.

Aaron Nesmith will technically line up across from him, though the Pacers wing will guard many different players throughout the night. It's imperative Nesmith has a strong offensive night to help the Pacers keep up.

Tyrese Haliburton vs Jrue Holiday: If Tyrese Haliburton is able to play through his ankle injury in his home state, he will have the pleasure of going against All-Star guard Jrue Holiday tonight. Both players represented the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game.

Holiday is a terrific defender and effective offensive player, while Haliburton is one of the best offensive creators in the league. Haliburton will need to pick apart Milwaukee's defense for the blue and gold to have a shot in this game, and it starts with winning his matchup against Holiday.

Andrew Nembhard got valuable point guard reps with Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell sidelined. CLICK HERE .
George Hill is finding his place on the Indiana Pacers one month after being traded to the team. CLICK HERE .
AllPacers goes one-on-one with new Indiana Pacers forward Jordan Nwora, CLICK HERE, and guard Trevelin Queen. CLICK HERE .
James Johnson returns to the Indiana Pacers rotation, gets the game ball from his son. CLICK HERE .
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