Indiana Pacers notch impressive road win over Milwaukee Bucks to kick off 2024
The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks faced off on Monday night to kick off 2024 for both teams. It was the first meeting between the two squads since their scuffle in Milwaukee last month after a game. It was shaping up to be an emotional battle between the two teams.
The Bucks and Pacers had already faced off three times this season and will play again on Wednesday. Playing five times in less than two months is bound to lead to extra intensity. For both groups, getting off on the right foot was going to be critical.
In the early portions of the game, Milwaukee was the dominant squad. Indiana started the night 2/10 from the field while the Bucks surged ahead 14-4. Jalen Smith was 1/5 for the blue and gold in under four minutes, and the team in general wasn't generating quality shots.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle took a timeout with 6:58 to go in the first quarter and his team down by 10. They needed to reset after an ugly start.
The stoppage didn't help turn things around. Indiana was a little better over the next few minutes, mixing in some stops and putting pressure on the rim. But it wasn't enough to cut into the lead. In fact, the opposite happened. The Bucks went on a 15-10 run and were up 15 with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter.
Closing the quarter strong was going to be important for the Pacers. They were able to slash the lead down to nine after making a few threes, but the first scuffle of the game happened late in the first quarter. Bobby Portis and Isaiah Jackson got tangled up on a rebound, and the two teams got into a mini-scrum on the court. It was ruled a common foul on Portis.
The quarter ended with the Bucks up by seven. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin gave the Pacers second unit important minutes and helped slash into the Milwaukee lead.
The second quarter started with more intense play, and the Pacers were able to cut into the deficit. After two minutes, Milwaukee's advantage was down to four. McConnell was once again making big plays, though he was whistled for a technical foul early in the frame.
After a Mathurin layup cut the lead to two, Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin took a timeout. His team's 15-point advantage was nearly gone — they needed to regroup against Indiana's paint pressure.
It didn't take long for the blue and gold to tie the game at 35. Their sluggish start was a thing of the past, but they needed to keep their foot on the gas and ride their momentum to a lead.
An Aaron Nesmith three on the Pacers next possession gave them their first advantage of the night. Suddenly, they were clicking in every way.
The two teams traded blows for the next few minutes, with the lead changing hands multiple times along the way. With Indiana up by four with 6:37 left in the half, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard checked in for the Bucks. The two stars were going to try to change the game.
It didn't take them long to give Milwakee new life. Less than two minutes later, the Bucks were back ahead on the scoreboard at 49-47, prompting a timeout from the Pacers. Indiana needed to find a way to keep up when the home team's stars were on the court.
They were unable to do so down the stretch of the first half. Lillard and Antetokounmpo continued to pushish Indiana and went on a sizable run, which finished at 21-11. Milwaukee led by six at halftime at 62-56. Mathurin's 12 points paced the Pacers at the break.
The second half began with the Pacers shaking up their lineup. Buddy Hield was on the court instead of Andrew Nembhard, who started the game. Nembhard was dealing with a sore back, so Carlisle was forced to change his opening group. The Pacers starters were ineffective as a unit in the first half.
It took less than three minutes for Milwaukee to balloon their lead to 10, and that led to a timeout for the blue and gold. They couldn't afford to let things get out of hand.
They weren't able to stop the bleeding. Slowly but surely, the Bucks got their lead back to the 15 number it reached in the first quarter. It was a similar script to the first period with Milwaukee's starters crushing Indiana's first unit.
There were many reasons why the Pacers were struggling, but their perimeter shooting was at the top of the list. Indiana was 4/27 (14.8%) from deep with four minutes left in the third frame. They couldn't buy a long-range jumper.
Star guard Tyrese Haliburton finally raised his team's three-point percentage slightly with a triple that cut the Bucks lead to 10 with 3:16 to go in the third period. Milwaukee called a timeout just after the shot. They wanted to refocus.
Haliburton scored on the Pacers next possession, and their bench continued to be solid against Milwaukee's second unit. In the blink of an eye, Indiana cut the lead down to four. They were playing great late in the third period.
Indiana cut Milwaukee's 15-point advantage down to four and trailed 88-84 after three quarters. That was a nearly identical story to the first period. The Pacers cut that 15-point deficit to seven, so they were doing better in the second half so far. They needed to maintain it down the stretch.
The fourth and final quarter opened with good play from the Pacers, who cut the Bucks lead down to one in under two minutes. Their reserves were playing fantastic basketball once again and were forcing Milwaukee to change their rotation.
Antetokounmpo checked back into the game with his team up by one point with 10:39 remaining. Indiana grabbed a lead on their next possession, but the Bucks quickly answered. The upcoming stretch was going to be critical for both teams.
They traded blows, and the lead, for the next few possessions. Neither group was able to capture momentum. A technical foul on Portis gave the blue and gold a free point to tie the game with about eight and a half minutes to go.
With six minutes to go, it was still tied. Neither squad was able to create separation in the fourth quarter, which made for an intense game.
Mathurin broke the tie and gave the Pacers 100 points before the Bucks. But Milwaukee quickly answered and tied things up again. One run was going to be the difference down the stretch, but neither team was able to create one.
Finally, with just over four minutes to go, Indiana created some separation. Some tough shots from T.J. McConnell, combined with some excellent defense, were key in the Pacers run. They were playing great when the game was hanging in the balance.
Their lead got as high as eight, which was their best number of the game to that point. The Pacers were in control with just a few minutes to go, but the Bucks were still going to be difficult to close out.
Indiana kept pushing, though. They were attacking Malik Beasley often in the final stretch of the game, and they were getting good shots out of it. With two minutes to go, they led by nine points. They had to finish strong if they wanted to win, though.
The next stretch went poorly for Indiana, who watched their lead drop to four with 90 seconds left. They needed a few more big plays to close things out.
Haliburton gave it to them with a massive floater with 1:20 on the clock. He nailed the shot and was fouled, and the Pacers were up seven with moments remaining. They were on the cusp of a big win.
With one minute left, the blue and gold led by eight. They either needed one more bucket or one more stop and they would have control of the game.
They got two important points from Myles Turner at the foul line, meaning they just needed to play the free throw game well down the stretch and they were going to win.
The Pacers got it done. McConnell knocked one down before Turner made two more, and the blue and gold had an insurmountable lead. They held on to win 122-113 and improved to 18-14.
It was Indiana's fourth-straight win, and they clinched the season series over the Bucks. Mathurin had 25 points while Haliburton led Indiana with 26 and 11 assists. The two teams will meet again on Wednesday night in Indiana.
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