The Milwaukee Bucks slipped to the three seed in the Eastern Conference on the final day of the season. Is this a good thing? It means that Milwaukee avoided potential matchups with the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.

Instead, the Bucks will take on the Indiana Pacers. And this team is no easy out.

Tyrese Haliburton has turned into an All-Star quickly and Indiana acquired Pascal Siakam this season. A deep bench brings intriguing aspects to this series but there is one major concern for the Bucks.

Major Storylines

Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the final three games of the season after suffering a left calf strain. It is unknown if he will be out for the series but it is being said that he will miss Game 1. This puts Milwaukee in an immediate hole if it is a loss.

Obviously, any win without Giannis on the floor means more for Milwaukee but the Pacers are that much closer if he is on the bench. And what Indiana brings is depth and explosiveness.

The Pacers have struggled to guard the paint this season and that is where Antetokunmpo does much of his work. Again, his health remains a major asset in this series.

Damian Lillard will have to carry a huge load if Giannis misses time. It will be interesting to see how Milwaukee defends the guards for the Pacers. The Bucks have put Patrick Beverley in the starting lineup next to Lillard and moved Malik Beasley to the bench. This gives the team options coming off to throw at Haliburton. The duo of Haliburton and Siakam thrive in the pick-and-roll game. There must be options for Milwaukee defensively in order to hang around.

Series Schedule

• Game 1: Pacers vs. Bucks; Sunday, April 21 (7 ET, TNT)
• Game 2: Pacers vs. Bucks; Tuesday, April 23 (8:30 ET, NBA TV)
• Game 3: Bucks vs. Pacers; Friday, April 26 (5:30 ET, ESPN)
• Game 4: Bucks vs. Pacers; Sunday, April 28 (7 ET, TNT)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Bucks; Tuesday, April 30 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Bucks vs. Pacers; Thursday, May 2 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Pacers vs. Bucks; Saturday, May 4 (TBD, TNT)

Series Prediction: Bucks in 7