The Bucks lead all-time 119-97, but the 2025-26 season shows a complete role reversal. The Pacers swept the Bucks 4-1 last playoff season.
Now they’re tanking at 6-31 while Milwaukee sits 17-24, struggling despite Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s MVP-caliber 30.4 PPG on 60% shooting.
This guide breaks down where both teams stand statistically, who wins the key player matchups, and why the numbers tell a different story in 2026 than they did in 2025.
Head-to-Head Record: Bucks 119-97 Pacers All-Time
The all-time record shows Bucks dominance, built during their strong years under Doc Rivers and their 2021 championship run. What matters more is the recent shift.
The Pacers won their first playoff series against Milwaukee last spring: a dominant 4-1 sweep in the first round. That wasn’t a fluke. The 2024 matchup went Bucks’ way (4-2), but 2025 showed the Pacers had crossed into the conversation as the stronger franchise.
Now both teams chose different paths. The Pacers shifted into tank mode for long-term asset accumulation. The Bucks tried to compete around Giannis but hit chemistry walls.
Giannis himself called out his teammates after losses, saying they weren’t playing hard or together. The regular season record between them has been fairly even recently, but the directional arrows point opposite ways.
| Season | Regular Season Record | Playoff Result | Context |
| 2024-25 | Pacers 2-1 | Pacers 4-1 sweep | Pacers breakthrough |
| 2023-24 | Series tied 1-1 | Bucks 4-2 | Competitive |
| 2022-23 | Bucks 2-1 | N/A | Bucks stronger |
| 2021-22 | Bucks 2-1 | Bucks 4-1 sweep | Bucks dominant |
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Tyrese Haliburton: The Core Matchup
These aren’t players facing off in traditional competition. They play completely different roles.
Giannis is a dominant force. In head-to-head matchups, he averages 28.5 PPG with 11.2 RPG on 55.2% shooting. His role is overwhelm defenses with size, power, and footwork.
This season, he’s elevated that to 30.4 PPG on 60.3% FG, a near-MVP season on a 17-24 team. His individual record against Haliburton sits at 6-5. Even when Giannis dominates individually, it doesn’t guarantee team success.
Haliburton is an orchestrator. He averages 22.1 PPG against Giannis, but that’s not his primary job. His real impact comes through 10.2 assists. He’s setting up everyone else. In playoff settings, he’s performed better, going 4-1 against Giannis.
That head-to-head record of 9-7 overall shows when Haliburton’s playmaking translates to team wins, his teams beat Giannis’ teams, despite Giannis’ superior individual production.
This season, Haliburton’s 18.6 PPG with 9.2 APG illustrates that dynamic. He’s less of a volume scorer and more of a game-director. The Pacers are losing anyway (tank strategy), but Haliburton’s assist rate shows his impact doesn’t depend on point totals.
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| Metric | Giannis H2H Avg | Haliburton H2H Avg | 2025-26 Season |
| PPG | 28.5 | 22.1 | Giannis 30.4, Haliburton 18.6 |
| RPG | 11.2 | 5.0 | Giannis 11.9, Haliburton 3.5 |
| APG | 5.8 | 10.2 | Giannis 6.5, Haliburton 9.2 |
| FG% | 55.2% | 47.3% | Giannis 60.3%, Haliburton 46.7% |
| H2H Record | 6-5 | 9-7 | TBD |
Team Season-to-Date Performance: Opposite Directions
The Bucks and Pacers are heading completely opposite directions, and the numbers prove it.
Milwaukee is struggling despite Giannis. At 17-24, the Bucks sit on the playoff-contention line. Giannis is doing everything a franchise player can do: 30.4 PPG, 60% FG, 11.9 RPG. The Bucks’ offensive rating of 113.7 ranks respectable, but their defensive rating at 117.1 is problematic.
More damaging: role players aren’t producing. Khris Middleton is managing injuries. Their guards haven’t stepped up. Giannis is carrying an unsustainable load without supporting cast execution.
Indiana is tanking deliberately. At 6-31, the Pacers are among the league’s worst teams by design.
The organization decided that trying to compete around Haliburton was less valuable than acquiring premium lottery talent in 2026. Haliburton’s 18.6 PPG with 9.2 APG shows he’s fine individually.
The team is bad because they chose to be bad. Their defensive rating of 119.5 and offensive rating at 105.5 show they’re actively not trying to win. They’re developing young talent and accumulating assets.
The net rating difference is staggering. Bucks at +2.5 PPG (trying to win, barely treading water). Pacers at -14.0 PPG (not trying to win, positioning for draft capital).
| Stat | Bucks | Pacers | Difference |
| Record | 17-24 | 6-31 | 11 games |
| PPG | 115.5 | 109.5 | +6 |
| OPPG | 113.0 | 117.1 | -4.1 |
| Net Rating | +2.5 | -14.0 | +16.5 |
| Lead Scorer | Giannis 30.4 | Haliburton 18.6 | +11.8 |
Playoff History and What Changed
The Pacers’ 4-1 sweep of the Bucks in 2025 wasn’t the start of a contention window. It was the peak of a different era. The organization took that success, looked at their talent, and made a calculated decision:
Haliburton is All-Star caliber, but building a championship-level team around him would take years and cap flexibility they don’t have. Better to maximize lottery assets now, build through the draft, and launch a window with fresh pieces in 2026-2027.
The Bucks took the opposite approach. They kept Giannis and tried to make supporting adjustments. It hasn’t worked. If both teams made the 2026 playoffs (unlikely given Pacers tanking), the Bucks might be the higher seed, but historical momentum suggests Pacers would dominate.
Recent Playoff Meetings:
- 2024-25 First Round: Pacers 4-1 (breakthrough, inflection point)
- 2023-24 First Round: Bucks 4-2 (competitive)
- 2021-22 First Round: Bucks 4-1 (Bucks dominant)
- 2020-21 First Round: Bucks 4-1 (Bucks dominant)
FAQs
What is Giannis’ record against Tyrese Haliburton?
Giannis holds a 6-5 regular season edge, but Haliburton leads overall 9-7 including playoffs where he’s 4-1 against Giannis’ teams.
What is the all-time Pacers vs Bucks record?
Bucks lead 119-97 in regular season all-time matchups since 1981, but recent playoff history (Pacers 4-1 in 2025) suggests the gap is closing.
Who won the 2025 Pacers vs Bucks playoff series?
Pacers dominated the first round, winning 4-1 over the Bucks in a dominant series that signaled Milwaukee’s first-round exit.
How many points does Giannis average against the Pacers?
Giannis averages 28.5 PPG in head-to-head matchups historically, currently at 30.4 PPG this 2025-26 season.
What is Tyrese Haliburton’s assist average vs the Bucks?
Haliburton averages 10.2 assists against the Bucks in head-to-head play, showing his role as orchestrator rather than volume scorer.
How many games have Pacers and Bucks played each other?
216 regular season games total since 1981, with 41 additional playoff contests across their franchise history.
Are Pacers and Bucks in the same division?
Yes, both play in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference, making them natural rivals with regular matchups and playoff implications.
Will Pacers and Bucks meet in 2026 playoffs?
Unlikely. The Pacers’ current 6-31 record suggests lottery positioning, while the Bucks’ 17-24 record puts playoff contention at risk.
