Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks’ two-time MVP is a match up nightmare for most teams. His blend of size, speed, and skill allows him to bulldoze through defences, finish at the rim with authority, and rack up points, rebounds, and assists at an elite level. However, against the Indiana Pacers, Giannis has occasionally faced challenges that limit his usual dominance. While he’s had monster games against them—most notably a franchise-record 64-point outburst in 2023—the Pacers have developed strategies that exploit specific weaknesses in his game and the Bucks’ overall approach.
The Pacers’ Defensive Blueprint: Crowding the Paint
The cornerstone of Indiana’s success against Giannis lies in their ability to neutralise his greatest strength: his paint dominance. Giannis thrives on driving to the basket, where he uses his 6’11” frame and 7’3” wingspan to overpower defenders and finish through contact. According to NBA.com stats, Giannis led the league in points in the paint during the 2024-25 season, averaging around 20 points per game in the restricted area alone. It is his go to weapon, in fact as we have analysed in depth, Giannis forgets the mid range under pressure. However, the Pacers have consistently disrupted this formula by crowding the paint and forcing him into less comfortable situations.
In a March 2025 match up, for example, Giannis scored just 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, well below his season average of 32.7 points per game. The Pacers employed a strategy of sending double-teams early in possessions, particularly when Giannis initiated his drives from the top of the key. By collapsing multiple defenders into the paint, Indiana limited his ability to get clean looks at the rim. This approach often forced Giannis to kick the ball out to teammates, testing the Bucks’ perimeter shooting—a known inconsistency for Milwaukee, especially in high-pressure games. The Pacers’ defenders, including Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam, are mobile enough to rotate quickly, ensuring that open shooters are contested even after Giannis passes out of doubles.
This tactic isn’t just about physicality; it’s about timing. Indiana anticipates Giannis’ first step, often sagging off less threatening shooters like Brook Lopez to clog driving lanes. In the same March game, Giannis attempted only three free throws, a stark contrast to his season average of 10.5 attempts per game. The Pacers’ disciplined defense avoided fouling, keeping Giannis off the line where he typically racks up easy points despite his 68% free-throw shooting. By limiting his rim attacks and free-throw opportunities, Indiana effectively capped his scoring output. And don’t forget that Giannis’ free throw percentage is horrible. And it gets worse under pressure. Always.
Exploiting Giannis’ Limited Jump Shot
Another key factor in Giannis’ struggles is his lack of a reliable outside shot, which the Pacers exploit mercilessly. Giannis he remains a non-threat from beyond the arc, attempting fewer than one 3-pointer per game and shooting at a percentage which may be the worse single season in the history of the NBA for any player shooting this many 3s. Indiana takes advantage of this by daring him to shoot from distance, sagging off him when he’s at the perimeter to pack the paint or help on other Bucks players.
In their 2024-25 regular-season meetings, the Pacers frequently assigned versatile defenders like Siakam or Aaron Nesmith to guard Giannis one-on-one at the top of the key, giving him space to shoot while staying ready to contest his drives. This approach puts Giannis in a bind: he either takes a low-percentage jumper or hesitates, allowing Indiana’s defense to reset. In a December 2024 game, Giannis went 0-for-2 from mid-range and didn’t attempt a single 3-pointer, as Indiana’s defenders baited him into less efficient shots. This strategy not only reduces his scoring efficiency but also slows down Milwaukee’s offense, which relies heavily on Giannis’ ability to collapse defenses and create open looks for others.
The lack of a jump shot also affects Giannis in crunch time. In close games against Indiana, such as their 115-114 thriller in March 2025, the Pacers tightened their defense in the final minutes, forcing Giannis to operate in traffic. Without the confidence to pull up from 15 feet or beyond, he struggled to create separation, leading to contested shots or turnovers. His seven assists in that game were impressive, but the Bucks’ 4-of-15 shooting from deep underscored their reliance on Giannis to generate offense when perimeter shots aren’t falling.
Indiana’s Pace and Transition Game
The Pacers’ up-tempo style is another hurdle for Giannis and the Bucks. Indiana ranked among the top five teams in pace during the 2024-25 season, pushing the ball at every opportunity to create transition scoring chances. This approach exploits Milwaukee’s occasionally sluggish transition defense, which Giannis, despite his athleticism, can’t always single-handedly fix.
In their 2024 playoff series, the Pacers averaged 104.6 possessions per game against Milwaukee, compared to the Bucks’ season average of 98.2. Indiana’s guards, led by Tyrese Haliburton, thrive in the open court, where they can attack before Giannis can anchor the defense in the paint. Haliburton’s ability to pull up for 3s or lob to rim-runners like Turner or Isaiah Jackson forces Giannis to cover more ground than he’s comfortable with. In Game 4 of that series, Indiana scored 22 fast-break points, with Giannis caught out of position on several plays due to the Pacers’ relentless speed.
Offensively, the fast pace can wear Giannis down over the course of a game. While he’s one of the league’s best-conditioned athletes, Indiana’s constant pressure forces him to expend energy on both ends—chasing shooters in transition and battling for position in the half-court. In a January 2025 loss, Giannis played 38 minutes, scoring 28 points but committing four turnovers, three of which came in the second half as fatigue set in. The Pacers’ ability to dictate tempo limits Giannis’ ability to control the game’s rhythm, which is critical for a player who thrives in methodical, physical matchups.
Matchup Problems: Turner and Siakam
The Pacers’ frontcourt duo of Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam presents unique challenges for Giannis. Turner, one of the NBA’s premier rim protectors, averages 2.1 blocks per game and has the mobility to step out and contest Giannis on the perimeter when needed. In their 2024-25 encounters, Turner’s ability to stay in front of Giannis without fouling disrupted Milwaukee’s offensive flow. In the March 2025 game mentioned earlier, Turner blocked two of Giannis’ shots and altered several others, forcing him into tougher angles at the rim.
Siakam, meanwhile, brings versatility that Giannis struggles to counter. At 6’9” with a quick first step, Siakam can guard Giannis one-on-one, switch onto guards, or exploit mismatches on offense. In the 2024 playoffs, Siakam averaged 22.3 points per game against Milwaukee, often pulling Giannis away from the basket with his mid-range game and playmaking. When Giannis sags off to protect the paint, Siakam hits pull-up jumpers; when Giannis closes out, Siakam blows by for layups or kick-outs. This dynamic forces Giannis to make defensive decisions he’s less comfortable with, as he’s most effective when anchoring the paint rather than chasing wings.
The combination of Turner’s rim protection and Siakam’s two-way play creates a balanced attack that Milwaukee struggles to match. Even when Giannis posts big numbers—like his 33.5 points per game in two matchups against Indiana this season—the Pacers’ ability to counter with efficient scoring from their frontcourt limits his overall impact.
Psychological and Situational Factors
Beyond tactics and matchups, there’s a psychological edge to Indiana’s success against Giannis. The Pacers have gotten under Milwaukee’s skin in recent years, with heated moments like the 2023 game-ball dispute after Giannis’ 64-point performance. These incidents suggest a level of animosity that can disrupt Giannis’ focus. In the 2024 playoffs, technical fouls and scuffles between the teams created a chippy atmosphere, which seemed to affect Milwaukee’s composure more than Indiana’s. Giannis, who plays with intense emotion, can sometimes get caught up in these battles, leading to uncharacteristic mistakes like his late-game foul on Haliburton in the March 2025 loss.
Injuries have also played a role. Giannis missed significant time in the 2024 playoff series due to a calf strain, and while he returned to full health for most of 2024-25, nagging issues like a shoulder injury in April 2025 occasionally limited his explosiveness. In a December 2024 game, he was listed as questionable with an illness and played only 32 minutes, scoring 24 points on subpar efficiency. The Pacers capitalize on any dip in Giannis’ physicality, as their high-energy style thrives against teams that aren’t at 100%.
Historical Context and Giannis’ Successes
It’s worth noting that Giannis hasn’t always struggled against Indiana. Over the last two seasons, he’s averaged 36.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game against them, per StatMuse, with a 66.2% field-goal percentage. His 64-point game in 2023 and a 41-point, 12-rebound performance earlier that season highlight his ability to dominate when the Pacers’ defense falters. However, these outbursts often come in games where Milwaukee’s shooters are hitting, forcing Indiana to spread their defense thin and open driving lanes for Giannis.
The Pacers’ success lies in their consistency at executing their anti-Giannis game plan, particularly in playoff settings. In the 2024 first-round series, Indiana won 4-2, with Giannis missing the first two games and struggling to find rhythm upon his return. Even in regular-season losses, the Pacers keep games close, as evidenced by their 4-1 record against Milwaukee in 2023-24. This track record gives them confidence that they can contain Giannis, even if they can’t stop him entirely.
How Giannis Can Overcome These Struggles
For Giannis to reclaim his dominance against Indiana, a few adjustments could make a difference:
- Develop a Pull-Up Game: Adding a consistent mid-range jumper would force the Pacers to guard him honestly, opening up the paint for his drives. He’s shown flashes of this, but greater confidence in his shot could change the dynamic. This is unlikely to happen however now.
- Trust Teammates Early: Giannis often tries to take over when he’s frustrated, but passing out of double-teams quickly and letting players like Lillard or Middleton attack can punish Indiana’s aggressive rotations. He kills ball flow and his team’s chances like this though.
- Improve Transition Defense: By setting the tone defensively, Giannis can slow Indiana’s pace and keep the game in the half-court, where he’s most comfortable.
- Stay Composed: Avoiding emotional flare-ups will help Giannis maintain focus, especially in tight games where Indiana thrives on chaos. Giannis has always lacked in basketball IQ but he should at least know when to let Dame take over.
On the Bucks’ end, better spacing and shooting from role players would force Indiana to rethink their pack-the-paint strategy. If Lopez or Middleton can knock down 3s consistently, the Pacers may have to abandon their doubling tactics, giving Giannis more room to operate.
So how will it go this year in the playoffs?
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s struggles against the Indiana Pacers stem from a combination of smart defensive schemes, matchup challenges, and situational factors. The Pacers’ ability to crowd the paint, exploit his lack of a jump shot, and push the pace creates problems that even a player of Giannis’ caliber can’t always solve. Players like Turner and Siakam amplify these issues with their defensive versatility, while Indiana’s psychological edge and fast-paced style keep Milwaukee off balance. Yet, Giannis’ track record shows he’s capable of overcoming these hurdles with the right adjustments and support from his team.
For now, Indiana remains one of the few teams that can slow the Greek Freak, making their match ups must-watch battles in the Eastern Conference.
Sources:
- NBA.com for advanced stats and game logs.
- StatMuse for Giannis’ historical performance against the Pacers.
- Game reports from The Athletic, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated for specific matchup details.
Note: All stats and game references are accurate as of April 11, 2025, based on the 2024-25 NBA season and prior years.
