The playoffs have arrived. The noise at Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be absolutely thunderous this afternoon when the Indiana Pacers tip off their first-round playoff series against their familiar foes, the Milwaukee Bucks.

This isn’t just another game. This is a statement. For the Bucks, it's the chance to settle a score. For the Pacers, it's a chance to announce to the league: we're for real.

Both teams enter the series red hot. Despite losing Damian Lillard down the stretch, the Bucks hopped on the extremely broad shoulders of Giannis Antetokoumpo and won eight in a row to secure the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Pacers won seven of their last eight to reach their first 50-win season in more than a decade.

But the regular season is in the rearview (which is a good thing for the Pacers since the Bucks won the season series 3-1). It's time for the bright lights of playoff basketball, which is exactly the type of environment this Pacers team lives for. Hopefully that trend continues this post season.

Injuries

How to Watch

Tipoff is at 1:00 PM ET.

TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

See ya in the comments!