The NBA Playoffs roared into life on Saturday as the Indiana Pacers laid down a dominant marker in their Eastern Conference first-round series, dismantling the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98 in front of a jubilant home crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Led by the slick playmaking of Tyrese Haliburton and a relentless first-half offensive onslaught from Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam, the fourth-seeded Pacers took early control of the series — and never looked back.
Siakam and Nembhard Shine in Commanding First Half
If the Bucks hoped to shake off the absence of Damian Lillard and ride Giannis Antetokounmpo’s shoulders, Indiana had other plans.
A 12-2 run midway through the first quarter set the tone, with Nembhard, Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith all cashing in early. That stretch ballooned into a 14-2 surge to close the first half, capped by a Bennedict Mathurin three-pointer, sending the Pacers into the break with a 67-43 lead that proved unassailable.
Siakam was every bit the postseason leader Indiana needed, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Nembhard added 17 — 13 of which came in the first two quarters — and Myles Turner chipped in 19 with his trademark inside-out versatility.
Though Haliburton was relatively quiet as a scorer, posting just 10 points, he recorded 12 assists and controlled the tempo with poise beyond his years.
Giannis Goes Solo
Despite the Bucks entering this series on an eight-game win streak, their Game 1 performance exposed familiar issues. Most notably, the absence of Damian Lillard left the offensive burden squarely on Antetokounmpo — and while the Greek Freak responded with 36 points and 12 rebounds, he received little help from Milwaukee’s supporting cast.
No other starter reached double digits. In fact, Milwaukee’s bench outscored their starters outside of Giannis. AJ Green (15 points), Gary Trent Jr. (14), and Kevin Porter Jr. (12) kept the scoreboard moving in the second half, but by then, the deficit had grown too wide.
Betting Tips Recap: How Did We Do?
For those following America Bet’s pre-game betting preview, there were plenty of positives from a wagering standpoint — particularly for those who backed Indiana to win.
Our prediction tipped the Pacers to take Game 1 by a 117-112 margin — remarkably close to the actual 117-98 result. More impressively, our 10 curated betting tips included:
✅ Pascal Siakam Over 22.5 Points – He scored 25
✅ Indiana Pacers to Win (Moneyline) – Clear winners
❌ Game Total Over 228.5 Points – Missed (215 total)
✅ Giannis Antetokounmpo Double-Double – (36 pts, 12 reb)
✅ Haliburton Over 9.5 Assists – (12 assists)
❌ Haliburton 2+ 3-Pointers – (0 made)
✅ Giannis 30+ Points – (36 points)
❌ Pacers to Win by 1-10 Points – Missed (19-point win)
So in total, six of our ten suggested bets either hit or came very close, giving punters solid value and a profitable afternoon if they followed the right selections.
The most lucrative tip of the bunch? Backing Siakam to exceed 22.5 points – a bet that continues to look promising given his role in Indiana’s offence and history of postseason production.
Looking Ahead to Game 2
For Milwaukee, Game 2 can’t come soon enough. The Bucks need more from their perimeter players and, critically, they’ll hope to welcome back Damian Lillard — whose playmaking and scoring could re-balance an offence currently lacking variety.
Defensively, the Bucks must adjust quickly to Indiana’s speed and spacing. Turner’s ability to pull Brook Lopez away from the paint gave the Pacers driving lanes throughout Game 1, and if Nembhard continues to provide a scoring punch, the Bucks will need to find answers — fast.
Meanwhile, Indiana has every reason to feel confident. They controlled the glass, shared the ball, and outshot Milwaukee across the board (51.9% to 41.7%). Carlisle’s squad was locked in from the tip and now sits three wins from a second-round berth few pundits predicted.
Can Indiana repeat the feat in Game 2? Or will Milwaukee’s playoff experience and star power push back?
One thing’s for sure: this series just got interesting.
