In this debut episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green breaks down the opening game of the Bucks‑Pacers playoff series. He highlights Damian Lillard’s dominant first‑half scoring (35 points) and argues that, even without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lillard can carry Milwaukee to a series win if he stays aggressive. Green critiques the Pacers for being a pure transition team that never defended well during the regular season, citing a 142‑140 regulation game as evidence of their defensive frailty. He stresses that the Pacers’ high‑tempo, 82‑game‑style offense will not translate to playoff success unless they can execute in the half‑court and improve defense. A key matchup focus is the inability of guard Andrew Nembhard to contest Lillard’s length, suggesting the Pacers need a longer wing defender. Throughout, Green repeats his belief that the Bucks need Lillard’s fire every night and that the Pacers, as an 82‑game team, are unlikely to adjust enough to win the series.
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Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. Pacers-Bucks. Pacers talked a lot after going 4-5-0 in the regular season, including in-season tournament. And the reality is Dame has something to say. He said, "You having your moment, be humble when you having that moment." It was like, uh. Like a Gandhi quote or some shit. I thought it was very interesting when Dame said that. Come full circle, Dame go for 35 in the first half. Don't score in the second half, didn't really need to score in the second half. But boy, again, we go back to these wings being on these guards. I like Andrew Nembhard to compete. I've talked about him on the pod before. Don't have enough size to guard Damian Lillard. I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Dame took his foot off the gas pedal in the first and second half. Wasn't aggressive, wasn't trying to bring the ball up because he didn't feel like he needed to. I'm here to tell Dame, Patrick Beverley running the point when the game starts in game 2, you better be back on Dame time because Patrick Beverley running the point ain't gonna get it done in game 2 like he did in the second half. Y'all were just kind of staying on the floor. But they gonna need that same Dame. One interesting thing about Dame in game 1 is that's the Dame Lillard we've seen in Portland. And you put Dame on this team, this team right now without Giannis is still the best team Dame has ever been on in his career. So Dame can go out and do that again. Are you gonna ask Dame to do that? Dame is the same year as me. To give it to you for 48 minutes is a little tough. All the time. Like you, ah. And so, however, Dame is capable of that. Again, we've seen Dame do that over and over again. And this is the best team, even without Giannis, this the best team that Dame has had. So Dame can go win you this series. Dame has actually played his best basketball all year when Giannis wasn't on the floor. So if I'm the Pacers, I'm a little worried. 'Cause I know what Dame's capable of. And yeah, it's only 1-0 and you're on the road, so you gotta go win one road game. I get that. But I'm telling you, Dame can do that again. They're gonna have to put one of their wings with length on Dame. Andrew Nembhard don't have enough length. Dame is from the era where they started putting the guard, the wings on the point guards. So I know they did it years ago and all of that, but like, I told y'all, I remember CP coming to our bench saying, "Dang, y'all putting 6'7" guys on me now?" Like when Klay switched, I remember that. So I'm just taking Dame from that era. So yeah, I like Andrew Nembhard and you may be, you know, having him guard Dame to take some legs away, you know, and do all of that. He's picking up full court, but it can't be 48 minutes of just Dame seeing him. Don't have enough length to bother Dame's shot.
The Pacers, to go back to what you were saying before about 16-game versus 82-game, I don't want to have too big of an overreaction after just one game of the playoffs, obviously. But do the Pacers sort of feel like an 82-game team compared to a 16-game team? But the way that they, their offense is so built on speed and it doesn't feel like a playoff, don't, they don't have a lot of defense. They, as a team, it feels like an 82-game team. Am I wrong there?
100%. They don't defend. They haven't defended anybody all year. They had a one, if I'm not mistaken, a 142 to 140 game this year in regulation. It took you 142 points to win in regulation. By 2 is absolutely insane. They haven't guarded all year yet. Their offense has been so high-powered. And I like some of those young guys they got on that team. But as I said to start this series, you gotta defend when it comes playoff time. You can't just run in transition. You're gonna have to execute. In the half court because the other team is gonna not just turn the ball over. This is the playoffs. They're not gonna take a bunch of bad shots, create shot turnovers. So you're gonna have to execute in the half court and you're gonna have to defend in the half court. Either, you know, yes, their offense was high power. Yes, it was off the charts, ratings, you know, the numbers. But a lot of that was because they were just outrunning teams. You gotta execute now. That's a different thing, you know? And so I do think the Pacers are an 82-game team, not a 16-game team. Not overreacting to one game. I told y'all this before, but they can't make many adjustments to what they do.
Uh-huh.
You're a running team and you don't defend. You're not changing that in game 84, 85, whatever it is. That is who you are. And so they gonna just have to run and, and try to outscore them. And maybe you win a game or two in the series like that, but that ain't gonna get you the series in my opinion. Obviously the Bucks need a great Damian Lillard each night without Giannis. I think Dame's capable of giving them that 4 times to win 4 games.
Mm-hmm.
Um, but yeah, no, I, I don't— they are an 82-game team, not a 16-game team, in my opinion.
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