Do you think the Bucks were thrilled to get this one underway? It became evident as things started to get real. Milwaukee gained the momentum it needed to rapidly build a double-digit lead thanks to goals from several starters. After one quarter of play, the Bucks led 32-25 thanks to Giannis’ ten points.

Midway through the second quarter, Indiana would rally to regain the lead, but Milwaukee kept things under control. They recovered their composure fast enough to reclaim the lead, leading 62–56 going into the locker room.

Indiana would edge Milwaukee by a narrow margin in the third quarter. During the stanza, Tyrese Haliburton somewhat increased his scoring, which aided the Pacers in cutting into the Bucks’ lead. With one quarter remaining in regulation, Milwaukee maintained a narrow lead, 88-84.

The whole quarter would see things stay close. But Milwaukee’s late-game scoring slump proved to be too much for them, and Indiana capitalised. Haliburton started to connect buckets, maintaining Indiana’s lead secure in the end. In the end, Indiana emerged victorious, defeating the opposition 122-113.

Stat That Stood Out

This came across my timeline midway through the game:

In the end, the Pacers’ perimeter shooting percentage for the game was just 5-of-35. They were nevertheless able to make things up by exploiting other areas in the box score, even with that subpar measure. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 26 points, while TJ McConnell was crucial for the team in the closing minutes as they scored everytime Indiana needed a basket.