Following the Indiana Pacers’ decisive defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their playoff series, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle expressed deep disappointment with his team’s performance.
Carlisle didn’t mince words, stating, “The first half was embarrassing. No excuses, we simply have got to come out better. It was ugly and we all own it… [The Bucks] looked like the experienced team, and we looked inexperienced,” during the postgame press conference, via ClutchPoints.
The Bucks dominated from the start, setting the tone with a commanding first-half performance that left the Pacers trailing by 27 points at halftime.
Despite efforts from Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, the Pacers struggled to find their rhythm, particularly from beyond the arc, shooting just 8 of 39 from 3-point range.
In contrast, the Bucks capitalized on Damian Lillard’s explosive scoring, coupled with contributions from Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis, to secure a comfortable lead early in the game.
