Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks: A History of the Rivalry

When Do the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers Play Next?

Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers Rivals?

These teams are in the same division, the Eastern Conference Central Division, so by nature they have a rivalry. Their games mean a bit more each season. The Bucks beat the Pacers three out of four times in the 2022–2023 season, but the rivalry doesn’t run very deep as the teams haven’t historically been great at the same time.

Who Are the Milwaukee Bucks’ Biggest Rivals?

The Chicago Bulls are the Milwaukee Bucks’ biggest rivals. Not only do you have the geographic proximity of being the closest opponent, but they have met numerous times in the playoffs. The two teams have met five times in the playoffs, with the Bucks winning three of the five series. The Bucks also have rivalries with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, with whom they’ve had multiple postseason meetings.

Who Are the Indiana Pacers’ Biggest Rivals?

When you think of rivalries for the Pacers, the New York Knicks should come to mind. The Knicks and Pacers have had some of the most memorable playoff series in NBA history, meeting in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2013. The Pacers have won four of the seven series, including the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals when Reggie Miller scored eight points in the final 18.7 seconds of Game 1 to steal a road victory. The Pacers are also rivals with the Detroit Pistons, following the “Malice at the Palace,” a brawl between the two teams in November 2004 where players and fans got into an altercation.

Game Results Between the Bucks and Pacers

The Bucks and Pacers will face each other four times this season, with the first meeting in Indianapolis on November 9 and the second in Milwaukee on December 13. The final two games are on January 1, 2024, in Milwaukee and then January 3, 2024, in Indianapolis. Check out a table of recent head-to-head matchups between the Bucks and Pacers below.

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers History

The Bucks and the Pacers have been squaring off in the Eastern Conference Central Division since 1980, when the Bucks switched from the Western to the Eastern Conference. The Bucks and Pacers have played a total of 214 times, including the playoffs. The Bucks lead the overall series 114 wins to 92, but the Pacers have won both of the playoff series the teams have played.

They met for the first time in the 1999 Eastern Conference First Round when the Pacers had a three-game sweep, led by Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose. The teams met again in the first round the following year. That series came down to a decisive Game 5 in which Miller had 41 points and Travis Best hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 0:16 left to come away with a one-point win and the series.

Since 2000, the Pacers have won the Central Division three times while the Bucks have won it six times, including each of the past five seasons. With Giannis Antetokounmpo joined by offseason acquisition Damian Lillard, the Bucks look to make it to six straight division titles.

Where Do the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers Play?

The Milwaukee Bucks play at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Fiserv Forum opened in 2018 and is home to the Bucks and the Marquette University men’s basketball team.

The Indiana Pacers play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gainbridge Fieldhouse is the home of the Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.