The Indiana Pacers came out hot right from the start and never looked back, cruising to a 2-0 series lead in the first round of the playoffs with a 123-115 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 23.
Indiana Pacers Top Performers:
Pascal Siakam 24 PTS | 11 REB | 3 STL | 48.7 FPS
Spicy P didn’t finish the season smoothly but has turned it up when it mattered most, scoring his second straight 24+ point game with a shooting split of 58/50/100. Defensively, he’s just as effective, totalling 18 rebounds and 5 stocks. With the way he’s playing, he should remain the team’s best scorer and one of the top fantasy options in this series.
Tyrese Haliburton 21 PTS | 5 REB | 12 AST | 42.0 FPS
Hali was voted the most overrated player this season (per The Athletic)—yet he continues to do what he does best. He just recorded his second straight game with 12 assists and at least 5 rebounds. He also delivered a much better scoring performance today, despite a cold start from beyond the arc, going 3-for-17 in the series so far. Since last month, he’s been a steady offensive engine, posting nine games with at least 18 points and thirteen with double-digit assists. He’s also one of the biggest reasons for the Pacers to secure the 4th seed and reach 50 wins for the first time in 11 years.
Andrew Nembhard 17 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST | 28.6 FPS
Nembhard has struggled with consistency this season, but he’s stepped it up at the perfect time. He’s scored 17 points, shot 60%, and recorded at least 5 assists in each of their first two postseason games.
Myles Turner 15 PTS | 2 REB | 2 BLK | 27.9 FPS
Turner hasn’t been very effective as a rebounder lately, but he remained productive with his strong two-way play, scoring 15+ points on nearly 60% shooting, while also averaging 4 stocks over the first two games of the series.
Aaron Nesmith 16 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST | 23.4 FPS
Nesmith provided a major spark on offense today, going 4-for-5 from three. He continues to contribute in other areas as well, but most of his fantasy impact will likely remain on the offensive end.
Milwaukee Bucks Top Performers:
Giannis Antetokounmpo 34 PTS | 18 REB | 7 AST | 65.1 FPS
Giannis is doing it all—averaging 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 stocks on 65% shooting through two games. The Pacers still have no answers for him, so there’s no reason he shouldn’t keep dominating and remain the best player in this series.
Bobby Portis 28 PTS | 12 REB | 1 BLK | 46.9 FPS
Portis continues to make up for lost time, recording his fifth consecutive game with at least 8 rebounds and his best scoring performance across his four double-digit point outings. He also turned things around from three, hitting six threes today after going 0-for-4 in Game 1. With Lillard still adjusting and Kuzma struggling, Portis remains their second-best scoring option and will be heavily relied upon if they hope to win the series.
Damian Lillard 14 PTS | 3 REB | 7 AST | 26.1 FPS
Lillard missed the last 15 games due to a blood clot in his calf and showed some understandable rust in his return. Still, he kept his output respectable with solid playmaking. He may need more time to find his rhythm, but both his performance and workload today were encouraging signs.
Brook Lopez 8 PTS | 1 REB | 4 BLK | 21.7 FPS
Lopez hasn’t been the same since Portis returned to the lineup, with noticeable drops in both his minutes and production. However, his three-point shooting and shot-blocking still make him a threat in this series, both of which were on display in this game.
Taurean Prince 6 PTS | 4 AST | 2 STL | 16.0 FPS
Prince made solid contributions in multiple areas, but his inconsistency and limited role continue to make him a difficult fantasy option. With a significant playing time, Trent remains the better option.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Kyle Kuzma 12 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST
Kuzma turned in one of the worst performances of his career in their Game 1 loss. While he was more productive today, his impact still fell short of expectations. Now, as the series shifts to Milwaukee, Kuzma has a prime opportunity to redeem himself. He’s averaged nearly 20 points and made contributions across the board in his last two home games this season.
