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To ensure that a rivalry to turn into a full-blown blood feud, there must be somewhat forwards and backwards within the video games themselves. The Knicks and Celtics, on paper, ought to hate one another, however on the court docket, New York isn’t severely aggressive so it doesn’t actually resonate.
Enter the present Bucks-Pacers budding discontent.
Can we actually deem this some loopy beef when Milwaukee has misplaced 4 of 5 to Indiana and has held the Pacers to a minimum of 122 factors in any assembly? The one time the Deer have been profitable, they wanted 64 factors from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Positive, positive, the ballyhoo over the sport ball performs, however holy hell, Tyrese Haliburton turns into the second coming of Jesus each time he goes up towards the Bucks’ backcourt, averaging 27, 11, and 6. He has 55 assists to 7 turnovers in these video games and principally operates with impunity towards Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley and Co.
There’s a distinct distinction between this and different one-sided rivalries: The “underdog” is doing the dictating. For Milwaukee, this feels harking back to the mind block that Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavs had towards the We Consider Warriors. The Bucks are 23-6 towards the remainder of the league and haven’t been crushed twice by anyone apart from Indiana.
The Pacers have tallied totals of 142, 122, 126, 128 and 126 for a median of 128.8 per outing. This iteration of the Bucks cedes 119 factors per recreation, good for 24th in the league, in order that they haven’t precisely been a defensive juggernaut within the different 29 video games. It’s simply that regardless of the strategy is to the Pacers, Rick Carlisle and Haliburton are blazing via it like paper-mache.
After Wednesday’s 142-130 loss, the second in consecutive video games to Indiana, Antetokounmpo admitted that he sees navy blue and gold in his nightmares.
“I believe we understand as a staff that there are groups on the market that may beat us 4 instances in a season. Now you’ve that, you concentrate on it — while you return house, while you sleep, while you get up, you concentrate on it. Now, while you return and work out, you concentrate on it.
“On the All-Star Break, while you gonna be at thrilling seashore with your loved ones, I hope you concentrate on it. While you’re about to get freaky at evening, you concentrate on it.”
I’m undecided about that final one. Looks like it’d be extra of a helpful thought for later within the — no matter by no means thoughts.
Regardless of the admission doubling as a cardinal sin towards Adam Silver, Lillard mentioned the Bucks have been really making an attempt.
“I believe the embarrassing half is that we’re simply so significantly better than what we’ve proven within the video games towards them,” Lillard mentioned. “I additionally don’t take a look at it like, ‘Oh, it’s simply the common season.’ We needed to win these video games.”
Look guys, I like the candor, however these moments of readability are enhancing the Pacers’ confidence in a possible playoff sequence as the 2 golf equipment don’t meet once more this season. There’s presently a log jam for spots 4 via eight within the East, with Indiana squarely in that scrum at 19-14.
It’s unlikely that Milwaukee will fall out of the highest three contemplating how they’ve performed versus the opposite 30 groups, so a Bucks-Pacers sequence is feasible. If it’s one other gentleman’s sweep in favor of Indiana, it received’t represent a rivalry; the 2 groups will merely have “historical past.”
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