INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The standout guard Tyrese Haliburton, an All-Star, was determined to underscore that Indiana’s triumph over Milwaukee was not a stroke of luck.
On Wednesday night, the burgeoning and young star ensured this — once again.
Haliburton notched 31 points and 12 assists and was instrumental in driving a 47-point third-quarter surge that propelled the Pacers past the Bucks with a final score of 142-130, securing their fifth consecutive triumph.
“I believe that as a young team, when you confront formidable opponents, you need to prepare diligently,” expressed Haliburton. “However, the evolution of this team entails sustaining that competitive spirit and being equally prepared for games against teams other than the Bucks.”
This season has seen a decidedly one-sided series. Merely two days subsequent to ending Milwaukee’s 15-game home-court winning streak, the Pacers initiated the second half with a 21-6 surge and maintained their lead, now boasting a 4-1 record.
In addition to his impressive performance, Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists for Milwaukee, narrowly missing his fourth triple-double of the season. Damian Lillard contributed 23 points and five assists, while Khris Middleton, despite a sprained right wrist and a sore right knee, added 19 points and seven assists.
The Bucks have encountered considerable frustration in this series.
These Central Division rivals have grown increasingly familiar, engaging in five encounters within a span of 54 days, including the In-Season Tournament semifinal in Las Vegas. Four of these games have resulted in combined scoring totals of at least 247 points.
“I find it disheartening that we’ve showcased such subpar performance in our games against them,” remarked Lillard. “I refuse to view it as mere ‘regular season’ encounters. We aspired to claim victory in these matchups.”
The series not only revolved around the final outcomes but also took an emotional and at times, contentious turn.
A contentious incident involving a missing game ball culminated in a bizarre postgame scenario in December, prompting Antetokounmpo to charge in the direction of the Indiana locker room. Bucks forward Bobby Portis was ejected from a game, and in Las Vegas, Haliburton drew criticism for mimicking Lillard by gesturing toward his wrist after sinking a late 3-pointer as the Bucks faced imminent elimination.
The final regular-season match in this series only served to intensify the rivalry.
Indiana fans consistently counted the seconds before Antetokounmpo took free throws, leading to a technical foul for the Milwaukee bench in the third quarter, while Lillard and Bennedict Mathurin engaged in conversation between the third and fourth quarters. Mathurin contributed 16 points.
Subsequently, a foul-laden fourth quarter unfolded, during which Pacers swingman Buddy Hield executed a pass off the backboard to Isaiah Jackson, who then delivered a resounding dunk, propelling the score to 118-100 with 9:41 remaining. Following a timeout by Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo was forcibly brought down to the ground. The ensuing altercation led to technical fouls for Milwaukee rookie Andre Jackson Jr. and Obi Toppin after an official review for a hostile act.
The pivotal factor in this encounter was Indiana’s explosive performance in the third quarter.
Although the first half had witnessed a back-and-forth battle, with Milwaukee holding a 68-66 lead, the Pacers embarked on a 21-6 surge at the commencement of the second half, extending their lead to 113-97 after three quarters, and the Bucks failed to narrow the gap to fewer than 10 points for the remainder of the game.
“I would contend that we effectively dug deep and secured crucial stops when necessary,” stated Haliburton. “We become an immensely resilient team when we operate in transition.”
Next in Line
Bucks: Set to face San Antonio on Thursday night.
Pacers: Host the Atlanta team on Friday night.
