The game between the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night was a thrilling display of basketball prowess. The Pacers emerged victorious with a resounding 142-130 win, largely due to their exceptional performance in the third quarter.
The third quarter proved to be a turning point in the game, as the Pacers outscored the Bucks by an impressive margin. Led by their star player, Domantas Sabonis, who scored 15 points in that period alone, the Pacers dominated both offensively and defensively. Their relentless energy on both ends of the court allowed them to build a substantial lead over their opponents.
Haliburton had 31 points and 12 assists and helped spur a 47-point third quarter to lead the Pacers past the Bucks 142-130 for their fifth consecutive victory. It was Haliburton's 18th game with at least 20 points and 10 assists, tied for the most by a Pacers player in a season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The Pacers continued to show quick double-teams to Antetokounmpo, but the Bucks couldn’t take advantage in the half court often enough.
Indiana led by 18 with 8 minutes 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter and though Milwaukee was able to cut it to 128-118 with 3:59 remaining, Tyrese Haliburton hit back-to-back buckets to effectively end the threat of a full comeback.
Indiana fans repeatedly counted the seconds it took Antetokounmpo took to shoot free throws, the Milwaukee bench was called for a technical in the third quarter and Lillard and Bennedict Mathurin were talking between the third and fourth quarters. Mathurin had 16 points.
Then, in a foul-prone fourth, as Pacers swingman Buddy Hield threw a pass off the backboard to the trailing Isaiah Jackson for a dunk to make it 118-100 with 9:41 to play and following a Milwaukee timeout, Antetokounmpo was knocked hard to the ground. Players gathered near the basket and, after an official review for a hostile act Milwaukee rookie Andre Jackson Jr. and Obi Toppin both were assessed technical fouls.
Lillard scored 23 points on 6 of 18 shooting, including 2 of 8 from 3-point grange. The Bucks were -22 when Lillard was on the court. Pacers guards Bruce Brown and T.J. McConnell both had something to do with that, applying solid defensive pressure. But he also missed a lot of shots he usually makes.
Wing Khris Middleton added 19 points and center Brook Lopez had 16, but with Giannis less than overwhelming and Lillard off, the Pacers held the Bucks to 50% shooting from the field and 1.19 points per possession.
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