At the Buzzer: R1G4 — Pacers 126, Bucks 113
With Damian Lillard out, the Indiana Pacers handled their business at home and now have a 3-1 series lead — one win away from advancing in the playoffs.
The Indiana Pacers entered the game with a 2-1 series lead and needed to step on the Milwaukee Bucks’ throat — even more so after learning Sunday morning that both Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo would be out.
The focus had to be on themselves, on frustrating the shorthanded Bucks early and not giving them any signs of hope when everything was against them on the road.
The game officials were James Capers, Brian Forte, Brent Barnaky, Aaron Smith (alternate).
Lillard was out after re-aggrevating a right Achilles injury late in Game 3. Antetokounmpo remains out with a left calf strain. Chris Livingston was also unavailable due to illness for the second game in a row.
Tyrese Haliburton was added to the 6:30 p.m. injury report with low back spasms, but he overcame it and had his best game of the series.
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🏀How it happened: Squaring off for the ninth time this season, tensions were high almost immediately. Both Pascal Siakam and Patrick Beverley separately received taunting technical fouls — both were outrageous for the moment — and then Andrew Nembhard got tangled with Bobby Portis, who was given a two-technical ejection just seven minutes into the game. That’s a loss the Bucks could not afford.
All even at 33 after 1, the Pacers started to build separation. They struggled at the free throw line, starting 4 for 10, but they shot 60% from range in the first half for a three-point halftime lead because their defensive play was underwhelming.
The Pacers are the NBA’s best third-quarter team and that held true, outscoring the Bucks by 10 points and changing the game. Khris Middleton tweaked his left ankle, but remained in the game. Myles Turner had a memorable stretch midway through the quarter featuring a one-handed throw down, a block and then a corner 3-pointer to ignite a 14-2 Pacers run.
The Bucks remained tough, flashed a 1-2-2 zone and had three 20-point scorers — led by Brook Lopez’s 27. The Pacers need to slow him down in Game 5. The Pacers never trailed in the second half, led by as many as 19, and kept the Bucks to below 30 points in both the third and fourth quarters.