'It's on us now to respond': Pacers emphasizing intensity, details and defense ahead of Game 2
The Indiana Pacers were punched in the mouth to start the series and didn't respond until it was too late. Lillard went off, Siakam tried to keep them in it and now Haliburton must raise his game.
Game 2 tips off after 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, then Games 3 and 4 are in Indianapolis.
Game officials: Tony Brothers, James Williams, Jacyn Goble, Derrick Collins (alternate)
NBA TV: Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson, Dennis Scott
Locally, it will also air Bally Sports Indiana.
All fans at Fiserv Forum will receive a Bucks playoff t-shirt.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is out again.
Note: New this year, I will be hosting a postgame show live on YouTube after each playoff game. (Click here for that link.)
We all know Tyrese Haliburton needs to have more of an influence in Game 2.
He needs more shot attempts (only six, tossing out one in the final minute when the game was in hand), he needs to attack matchups and he needs to be able to push the pace more often. After all, that’s one of this team’s best attributes.
For that to happen, however, it begins with how they start the game. And then it extends to the defensive end.
“First half was embarrassing,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the 109-94 Game 1 loss. “No excuses. We simply have gotta come out better. It was ugly and we all own it.
“They looked like the experienced team and we looked inexperienced so that led to a lot of the problems early. You can talk about how different it is, but actually experiencing it is another thing.”
All but Pascal Siakam played outside themselves; they looked like a deer in headlights just happy to be there. What was that shot? Are you communicating on defense?
There were players attacking 1-on-1 while the other four stood around, there were some players taking shots when key players were wide open and then as shots weren’t falling, some took it upon themselves to try to get it all back in one possession.
Which isn’t happening.
It wasn’t until their best quarter arrived — the third — until they finally settled down and locked in.