Despite the return of All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, it wasn’t enough as a big fourth quarter powered the Indiana Pacers past the Milwaukee Bucks to the second round, taking home a 120-98 win. Lillard was the leading scorer for the Bucks in his return, with 28 points, and shot 7-for-16 from the field. Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell paced Indy’s offense with a combined 41 points off the bench, while Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.
NBA.com Box Score
Game Recap
It was a hot start for the Bucks to begin the frame, as they raced out to a 10-3 lead with Lillard scoring his first points since aggravating his lingering Achilles injury. However, after the Pacers were able to tie the game at the 6:02 mark of the quarter, Indiana went on a 19-8 run to end the quarter, with TJ McConnell and the Pacers bench sparking them to a 33-24 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Bucks would respond with a 10-5 run to begin the second quarter to cut the Pacers lead back down to four. Indiana was able to respond to a 9-2 run to a lead of 11 points thanks to a wide-open Andrew Nembhard three-ball. The Bucks did get it as close at seven points down the stretch, thanks to Brook Lopez, but the Pacers responded again as they raced out to a 14-point lead, topped off with an alley-oop to Obi Toppin from Tyrese Haliburton. Lillard nailed two free-throws to cut the lead back to 12 heading into the locker room, 59-47.
Milwaukee would start the second half with another run to get it back within seven points and Myles Turner headed to the bench with four fouls in the game. Yet after a loose ball foul on Lopez, the Pacers responded once more to get their lead back to 12 forcing a timeout from Doc Rivers. The Bucks made one more strong push in the quarter, cutting the Pacers lead down to seven points, and seemed poised to cut it even further. Yet a turnover from Lopez on the next possession led to a fast break and-1 from Nembhard, and then a three from McConnell to push Indy’s lead back to 15 heading into the fourth, 93-78.
The Pacers put the nail in the coffin to begin the fourth quarter, with McConnell forcing a steal and then nailing a three. Later Pascal Siakam found Ben Sheppard for a three to all but end the Bucks season, as the ballooned Indiana’s lead to 20 with 8:07 to play. The Pacers would cruise to victory the rest of the way to take it by a final score of 120-98.
State That Stood Out
Indiana’s bench showed out, particularly Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell. The Pacers outscored the Bucks bench 44-6, with only two made baskets from the Bucks bench (Beasley and Connaughton). Toppin finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, while McConnell ended his night with 20 points, nine assists, and four steals.
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