The fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks will look to even their best-of-seven 2025 NBA playoff Eastern Conference first-round series with the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers in Game 2 on Tuesday. Indiana opened with a 117-98 win in Game 1. The Bucks (48-34), who have won three of the five meetings with Indiana this year, had an eight-game winning streak snapped on Saturday. The Pacers (50-32), who have won nine of their previous 11 games, are 30-11 on their home court. Milwaukee point guard Damian Lillard (calf) has been given the green light to participate in basketball-related activities and could return as soon as Tuesday. He is listed as questionable.
Tipoff from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m. ET. Indiana has won 11 of 15 all-time playoff meetings with Milwaukee. The Pacers are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Bucks vs. Pacers odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 229. Before making any Pacers vs. Bucks picks, make sure to 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 first 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 -4.5 at DraftKings
- Bucks vs. Pacers over/under: 229 points
- Bucks vs. Pacers money line: Indiana -192, Milwaukee +160
- MIL: The Bucks have hit the money line in 21 of their last 33 games (+12.70 units)
- IND: The Pacers have hit the money line in 36 of their last 48 games (+27.29 units)
- Bucks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Bucks vs. Pacers streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Pacers can cover
Power forward Pascal Siakam is coming off a solid performance in Game 1. In 33 minutes of action, he poured in 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out two assists, blocked one shot and made one steal. In four regular-season games against the Bucks, he averaged 24 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists. In 78 regular-season games, all starts, he averaged 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 32.7 minutes.
Center Myles Turner also had a big game in the series opener, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, four blocks, two assists and one steal. He has played well against Milwaukee all season. In four regular-season games, he averaged 14.5 points, seven rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 blocks in 31 minutes. In 72 starts leading up to the postseason, Turner was among the Pacers’ offensive leaders, averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, two blocks and 1.5 assists in 30.2 minutes. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Bucks can cover
Power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo registered a double-double in the series opener, scoring 36 points, while adding 12 rebounds and two blocks. He has been dominant all season. In 67 regular-season starts, he is averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes. He also had a lot of success against the Pacers during the regular season in 2024-25, averaging 30 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in four games.
Guard Kevin Porter Jr. has stepped up his play in the absence of Lillard. In Game 1, Porter scored 12 points, while adding five assists and five rebounds. He has scored 20 or more points in four of the past six games. Since being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in February, he has averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 30 games, including two starts, with Milwaukee. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Bucks vs. Pacers picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Bucks vs. Pacers 10,000 times and is leaning Over the total. The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.
So who wins Pacers vs. Bucks, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? 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.
