The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers meet again in an NBA playoffs first round series as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were eliminated last year by Tyrese Haliburton and company.
The Indiana Pacers closed the regular season as one of the NBA’s hottest teams, Giannis Antetokounmpo is seeking revenge for the Milwaukee Bucks and it appears Damian Lillard could make a stunning return from injury in time for the 2025 NBA playoffs.
These are among the intriguing plotlines that will help dictate the narrative during an Eastern Conference first-round series rematch between the Bucks and Pacers starting Saturday in Indianapolis. The Pacers beat the Bucks in the first round last year en route to the 2024 Eastern Conference finals, but all of the wins came with Antetokounmpo out due to injury.
This year, it’s Lillard who is expected to miss Saturday’s Game 1 due to injury. The nine-time all-star didn’t play in Milwaukee’s final 14 regular-season games after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his calf. But the Bucks have offered positive progress reports on Lillard this week. The team announced Thursday that Lillard was no longer taking blood-thinning medication and had been cleared to resume full basketball activities.
The Pacers, meanwhile, surged to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference by compiling a 13-3 record over the final month of the regular season in which the only losses came to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. Guard Tyrese Haliburton rediscovered the form that made him one of the NBA’s bright stars after a slow start to this season, and he and Pascal Siakam will make Indiana a tough out again this postseason.
Experts and oddsmakers expect a close first-round series between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. Here’s a look at the current series odds and the latest schedule updates, including how to watch each game of this 2025 NBA playoffs series:
Pacers vs. Bucks: NBA playoffs odds
The Indiana pacers are favorites to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA playoffs, per BetMGM.
Odds as of Friday, April 18
- Series winner: Pacers (-175); Bucks (+145)
Additionally, a six- or seven-game series is seen as the most likely series length:
- Pacers win in four games: +1050
- Bucks win in four games: +2000
- Pacers win in five games: +400
- Bucks win in five games: +1100
- Pacers win in six games: +475
- Bucks win in six games: +525
- Pacers win in seven games: +375
- Bucks win in seven games: +700
Pacers vs. Bucks: NBA playoffs schedule, time, TV channel, live streaming
The Eastern Conference first-round series between the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks begins with Game 1 on Saturday, April 19 in Indianapolis. ESPN, TNT and NBA TV are all scheduled to broadcast games during the series, which could last longer than two weeks with a potential Game 7 slated for Sunday, May 4.
Here’s the updated schedule for Pacers vs. Bucks. All times listed are Eastern.
- Game 1: Bucks at Pacers | Saturday, April 19 | 1 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo
- Game 2: Bucks at Pacers | Tuesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | NBA TV
- Game 3: Pacers at Bucks | Friday, April 25 | 8 p.m. | NBA TV, ESPNU, Fubo
- Game 4: Pacers at Bucks | Sunday, April 27 | 9:30 p.m. | TNT, Sling TV
- Game 5: Bucks at Pacers | Tuesday, April 29, TBD | TBD*
- Game 6: Pacers at Bucks | Friday, May 2, TBD | TBD*
- Game 7: Bucks at Pacers | Sunday, May 4, TBD | TBD*
*if necessary
