The Bucks had to make three big adjustments after an embarrassing Game 2 loss, or they wouldn't have had it.
After a big win in a surprising Game 1, the Milwaukee Bucks returned to reality in Game 2 as they lost 108-125 to the Indiana Pacers.
The Bucks are still feeling the absence of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who continues to sit on the sidelines with a calf strain. At the moment, it appears that the timetable for his return is undecided, so if the Bucks want to advance to the next round, they will have a tough task ahead of them.
The Pacers gained home-court advantage in the series and had a huge advantage in their youth due to the less than 48-hour gap between Game 3 and Game 4.
The Indiana fans were in high spirits, the G3 scene was going to be shouting loudly, and without Antetokounmpo on the field, it would be difficult for Milwaukee to make the series competitive.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has had to make a series of changes, the following two being the most obvious.
1. The Bucks must control the offensive tempo of the game
In the first game, Milwaukee was able to play at their pace most of the time. In Game 2, that wasn't the case, as the Pacers shot 55.6 percent from the field and they scored 125 points on 65 percent true shooting.
The Pacers' offense is a masterclass lesson, and they push the ball almost every time they attack. Damian Lillard exploded again in the first half, but after the second quarter, Indiana still led by five points.
This worried Rivers a lot, as it turned out to be a disaster, with the Pacers beating Milwaukee 65-53 in the second half.
The Pacers' assist numbers are incredible, with a combined 38 assists compared to 24 for the Bucks. Even if Tyrese Haliburton isn't as good as he used to be when it comes to scoring, his ability to pass the ball to Pascal Siakam or Myles Turner has become the perfect recipe for his team.
Andrew Nimbad was the only starter to score less than five assists in Game 2, and as such, their coaching staff put a lot of emphasis on selflessness. If the Bucks want to steal a game at Gaiinbridge Arena, they must close the gap in the assist category.
To be honest, a thousand words, otherwise Lillard will attack frantically and score at least 60 points, and he will naturally be able to beat the Pacers.
2. Improve your efforts on the defensive end
Linked to the control of the game's offensive tempo, Milwaukee's effort and tenacity had to be improved in G3.
It's clear that the likes of Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Chris Middleton are all feeling lost on the defensive end. They were the three who conceded the most points in the second game, so in the third game they had to immediately correct the lack of communication and attack.
Without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks lacked enough offensive firepower to beat one of the best offensive units in the association. Lillard can continue to score 30+ points for the rest of the series, but they won't be able to win if they can't limit Indiana to under 110 points.
Continuing to limit Haliburton's scoring to under 20 is a good basis, but they can't allow players like Nimbad and Turner to contribute 41 points together.
When playing against a team as young and agile as the Pacers, the Bucks must realize that they have to sacrifice the productivity of some of their players, but make sure not everyone is involved. The performance they could emulate was that the Miami Heat sacrificed a lot of under-the-basket shots when they stole Game 2 at Boston's TD Garden, but they made sure Boston didn't score from a distance.