北京時間4月20日淩晨，NBA季後賽正式拉開大幕，首戰步行者主場對陣雄鹿。常規賽階段，步行者戰績50勝32負排名東部第四，雄鹿戰績48勝34負排名第五。雄鹿收官8連勝並沒有改變球隊的位置，美媒《BR》給出的預測，這組較量是首輪8組對決中實力最接近的，雄鹿晉級概率是51%，步行者是49%（快船和掘金的對決，快船晉級概率54%）。雄鹿這支球隊作為過去幾年東部常規賽霸主，也曾拿到過總冠軍，但是每年表現都在直線下滑，連續兩年止步首輪（23年被熱火黑八，上賽季被步行者首輪淘汰出局）。

而到本賽季，雄鹿遇強不強的屬性更加明顯，面對東部前三的騎士+塞爾特人+尼克斯，10戰全敗凈輸126分！面對步行者，常規賽雄鹿3勝1負保持優勢，可利拉德G1無法出戰！名記查拉尼亞報導，利拉德最快將在首輪G2或者G3複出，從3月下旬遭遇右小腿深靜脈血栓，到徹底康復不到1個月時間，他已經逐步增加自己訓練強度，那只剩字母哥孤軍奮戰。數據顯示，過去10場面對步行者時，字母哥場均轟下36.9分13.1籃板7助攻，但用ESPN的話說，字母哥身邊找不到第二得分點！

The Pacers, as the team of last season's Eastern Conference finals, compared with last season, the team's offensive efficiency has declined, but the offense and defense are more balanced, and they are all around 8 in the league. Haliburton, as the core of the team, is expected to beat Harden to the All-Star team for three times. The biggest advantage of the Pacers is that they have a lot on the offensive end, with an average of 0 players scoring double-doubles per game in the regular season, and the team's shooting rate of 0.0% is third in the league. Back to the game, the Bucks start: Rollins + Prince + Kuzma + Brother Alphabet + Big Lopez; Pacers starters: Haliburton + Nembhard + Nesmith + Sika + Turner. At the beginning of the game, Turner hit three points, and Brother Alphabet jumped + single-eaten, Turner responded.

Nembhard split dunk + counterattack layup points, Haliburton continued to feed Sika, and Nesmith stopped the Bucks with a three-point shot! The Pacers have too many points to score, and the Bucks only have Antetokounmpo. In the middle section, Rollins stopped the bleeding with three points in time, Da Luo split the dunk, and Brother Alphabet couldn't solve the tank layup, and the Pacers couldn't stop it. In the second half, Sika led a wave of 15-0 climaxes, Porter Jr. and Trent scored 0 points to stop the bleeding, and the first quarter ended, and the Bucks 0-0 Pacers. Entering the second quarter, Tobe made a free throw + McConnell made a layup + Sika quickly went down to fight and throw, AJ Green and Portis reluctantly responded, but Haliburton and Nembhard continued to single, and Brother Alphabet's free throw missed was also a big problem, and Matherine and Turner expanded the difference to 0 points.

In the second half, Brother Alphabet finally played 1+0, Matherine made a basket + chased a three-point shot, Nembhard and Turner attacked strongly, and at the end of the quarter, Nembhard hit another three points against Brother Alphabet, and at the end of the half, the Pacers 0-0 Bucks. Brother Alphabet 0 points, the team's second scoring point Trent 0 points! Back in the second half, Nembhard fired from the outside, Sika easily pressed Kuzma to throw and score, and then Haliburton continued to feed Sika three points, Brother Alphabet was very tired of consecutive baskets, Turner three-pointers came easily, and the Pacers led by up to 0 points! In the middle of the period, the two teams remained at about 0 points and fell into a tug-of-war, until the second half, Porter Jr. and Brother Alphabet made consecutive free throws, Brother Alphabet continued to basket 0 to 0 strong offense, AJ Green continued to score three points, and the Bucks played 0-0!

Haliburton made a jumper at the end of the quarter to stop the bleeding, and after three quarters, the Pacers made it 98-0 to the Bucks. In the fourth quarter of the decisive battle, Trent and Tob scored three points, and Brother Alphabet named Tob and accidentally pushed him down when he retreated. However, Sika didn't miss a shot, and Toppin also hit a three-pointer. In the middle of the period, AJ Green and Trent rained down three-pointers, chasing them all the way to only 0 points, until the last 0 minutes, Turner finally hit a three-pointer, and Haliburton made free throws to seal the win. Lillard and Haliburton went to the same air, and Sika came out for his teammates and both received technical fouls. In the end, the Pacers defeated the Bucks 0-0 and got the playoffs off to a good start.

Bucks stats, 5 points and 0 rebounds, Kuzma played 0 minutes, 0 of 0, all stats were 0, and there were 0 fouls. Da Lopez 0 points and 0 rebounds, Porter 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists, Trent 0 points, AJ Green 0 points. Pacers stats, Sika 0 points and 0 rebounds, Turner 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 blocks, Haliburton 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists, Nembhard 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists, Marceline 0 points and 0 rebounds, McConnell 0 points and 0 assists.