Why Bucks think Oladipo-less Pacers deserve more respect
Even without star Victor Oladipo, the Milwaukee Bucks think the Indiana Pacers should not be written off in the Eastern Conference.
Why Bucks think Oladipo-less Pacers deserve more respect Even without star Victor Oladipo, the Milwaukee Bucks think the Indiana Pacers should not be written off in the Eastern Conference. Check out this story on IndyStar.com: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2019/02/14/indiana-pacers-deserve-ultimate-respect-even-without-star-victor-oladipo/2868134002/
Jim Ayello, Indianapolis Star Published 7:32 a.m. ET Feb. 14, 2019 | Updated 9:41 a.m. ET Feb. 14, 2019
The Indiana Pacers lost to Milwaukee this eve, and IndyStar Pacers Insider J. Michael breaks down how it went down. Robert Scheer, robert.scheer@indystar.com
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers don't like to talk about it, but they know. They see.
They see when ESPN pundits break down the Eastern Conference battle and talk as if they don't exist.
Pacers fall to Bucks
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers defends Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks during first half action, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Darren Collison of the Indiana Pacers works around Eric Bledsoe of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers looks to drive on Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Darren Collison of the Indiana Pacers fakes out Sterling Brown of the Milwaukee Bucks during second quarter action, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Darren Collison of the Indiana Pacers drives on Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Tyreke Evans of the Indiana Pacers flicks a ball to a teammate during second half action, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Tyreke Evans of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot as he is defended by Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Tyreke Evans of the Indiana Pacers, during action against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Cory Joseph of the Indiana Pacers works off a screen during action against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers shoots against Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers considers his options as he is defended by Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Tyreke Evans of the Indiana Pacers saves a ball from going out of play against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers is tripped up on a play against Milwaukee,. ankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers works against Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers flicks a pass to a teammate under the basket during action against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Tyreke Evans of the Indiana Pacers chats with teammate Thaddeus Young, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers heads for the basket against Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Darren Collison of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot as he is defended by Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks who scored a triple double in the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Milwaukee bench players celebrate a late score to pull the game away for them against Indiana, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Wesley Matthews of the Indiana Pacers (left), signals the travel call that Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks was just hit with, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks jaws at Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers after a rough play under the basket for Bogdanovic, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers runs into Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks during fourth quarter action, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Nate McMillan, head coach of the Pacers, during game action against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Wesley Matthews of the Indiana Pacers defends Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks, during game action, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Cory Joseph of the Indiana Pacers (left), and Doug McDermott of the Indiana Pacers embrace after a Pacers basket, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Darren Collison of the Indiana Pacers brings the ball upcourt against the Bucks, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers yells after scoring a tough second half basket for the Pacers against Milwaukee, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. Robert Scheer/IndyStar
They see that even after a six-game winning streak -- one that was snapped by Milwaukee on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse -- TNT dropped them from its schedule in favor of another, sexier matchup.
Ever since Victor Oladipo went down Jan. 23, much of the NBA has written them off. Sure they'll make the playoffs, they say, maybe as a No. 5 or 6 seed, but that will be the end of the line.
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And who knows? Maybe that's exactly what happens. Maybe without Oladipo, the Pacers continue to struggle to score in the clutch, as they did Wednesday when they managed just two points in the final 4 minutes of a 106-97 loss.
Maybe, their top-rated defense falls off a cliff.
Maybe they backslide into the playoffs only to be bounced in the first round.
But until those things happen, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said, the Pacers deserve the same level of respect at the other current top dogs in the Eastern Conference.
The still-No. 3-seeded Pacers deserve the "ultimate respect."
"I know if you talk to coaches and players, this team gets the ultimate respect," Budenholzer said after the Oladipo-less Pacers gave his top-seeded Bucks a scare. "I think that's the most important thing. How do your colleagues look at you? And how does your competition look at you? I can't speak for what they do or don't get from anywhere else, but in our locker room and from our coaching staff, these guys get a ton of respect. And they deserve it."
Thaddeus Young of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot as he is defended by Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks who scored a triple double in the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. Milwaukee won 106-97. (Photo: Robert Scheer/IndyStar)
Bucks superstar and MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo drew the same conclusion after Wednesday's hard-fought battle.
He barely let a reporter finish his question about the quality of the Oladipo-less Pacers, before shaking his head and saying, "They're still amazing.
"They're still an amazing team. They play together. They play hard. They cover one another defensively. They've been playing amazing, even without Victor Oladipo, I know Victor Oladipo is a great player. He's an All-Star, but when he went down, I think this team, they were able to cover for him, pick it up for him. They've been playing really good basketball."
The kind words might not mean much to the Pacers as they head into the long All-Star break, and that's probably a good thing.
These Pacers seems to be at their best when they're the underdogs -- when, as Oladipo was once fond of saying, they can play with "brick-sized" chips on their shoulders.
Follow IndyStar Sports reporter Jim Ayello on Twitter and Facebook: @jimayello.
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