The Milwaukee Bucks had no answers for the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday, and head coach Doc Rivers faced criticism for his lineup decisions, most notably his use of Kyle Kuzma.

The Pacers led nearly wire-to-wire and built a 24-point lead by halftime. Indiana got anything it wanted on the offensive end and the Bucks struggled to keep pace.

Rivers leaned heavily on his starters early and faced backlash for his lack of in-game adjustments as the momentum shifted. His continued trust in Kuzma drew the most scrutiny. Kuzma failed to record a single point, rebound, or assist through three quarters despite logging 21 minutes. He shot 0-for-5 from the field.

“Doc Rivers really about to sit there and keep watching Kuzma, (Taurean) Prince and (Ryan) Rollins running up and down this court doing absolutely nothing,” one fan said.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma.

© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

“Kuzma just out here getting cardio,” a fan chimed in.

Another fan added: “Doc Rivers really made no adjustments when Indiana went on that big run in the first half. Keeping Kuzma and Lopez in the lineup is embarrassing. KPJ should be starting over Rollins, like (expletive) makes no sense.”

The Bucks are shorthanded without All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who remains sidelined but could return for Game 2. Still, Milwaukee’s inability to stay competitive has left fans with little confidence moving forward.

“Dame may be coming back but Doc Rivers is still the coach and Kyle Kuzma is still healthy so the Bucks are screwed anyways,” a fan said.

Milwaukee rolled with a group in the fourth quarter that included Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green and Kevin Porter Jr. alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. They nearly cut the lead to single digits, but it was too little, too late. The Pacers emerged with a 117-98 victory. Kuzma did not play in the fourth quarter.

Game 2 between the Bucks and Pacers is slated for Tuesday.