The Indiana Pacers will look to close out their NBA Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks when they meet in Game 5 on Tuesday night in the 2025 NBA playoffs. Indiana grabbed a 3-1 series lead with a 129-103 win on Sunday. The Bucks (48-34), who won the 2020-21 NBA championship, have been eliminated in the first round the past two seasons. The Pacers (50-32), who are looking to defeat Milwaukee in the first round for the second year in a row, lost in the Eastern Conference finals last season. Bucks point guard Damian Lillard is out for the playoffs due to a torn Achilles suffered on Sunday.
Tipoff from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 6 p.m. ET. Indiana has won all three previous playoff series with Milwaukee. The Pacers are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Pacers vs. Bucks odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 222. The Pacers are -347 on the money line (risk $347 to win $100), while the Bucks are +275 (risk $100 to win $235). Before making any Bucks vs. Pacers picks, check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters the second full week of the 2025 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 156-116 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It is also 22-11 (67%) on top-rated NBA against-the-spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has simulated Bucks vs. Pacers 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Pacers vs. Bucks:
- Bucks vs. Pacers spread: Indiana -7.5 at DraftKings
- Bucks vs. Pacers over/under: 222 points
- Bucks vs. Pacers money line: Indiana -347, Milwaukee +275
- MIL: The Bucks have hit the money line in 22 of their last 36 games (+11.00 units)
- IND: The Pacers have hit the money line in 43 of their last 61 games (+35.30 units)
- Bucks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Bucks vs. Pacers streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana has been dominant most of the series and is led by power forward Pascal Siakam. He posted a double-double in a 123-115 win in Game 2, scoring 24 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds, dishing out three assists and making three steals. He is coming off a 12-point, four-assist and three-rebound performance in Sunday’s Game 4 win. In four postseason games, he is averaging 22.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 32 minutes.
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been a double-double machine this postseason, registering one in all four playoff games. In Sunday’s win over the Bucks, he poured in 17 points, while dishing out 15 assists and grabbing eight rebounds. He had 21 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in Game 2. In four playoff games, Haliburton is averaging 15.5 points, 12.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Bucks can cover
Power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been Milwaukee’s only consistent scoring threat in the series. In four postseason games, he is averaging 33.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. In the Game 3 win on Friday, he poured in 37 points, while adding 12 rebounds and six assists. He scored 28 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out six assists in 34 minutes on Sunday.
Forward Bobby Portis is another scoring option off the bench. He registered a double-double in Game 2 with 28 points and 12 rebounds. He had 14 points and three rebounds in Sunday’s loss in Game 4. In four postseason games, he is averaging 14 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 28.5 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Pacers vs. Bucks picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Bucks vs. Pacers 10,000 times and is leaning Under the total. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 60% of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.
So who wins Bucks vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread hits in nearly 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bucks vs. Pacers spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
