The Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks played the most thrilling game of the series, with Tyrese Haliburton emerging as the hero in the end.
We witnessed a phenomenal game in Indiana. The hosts, after a break, were highly motivated to continue their journey, needing just two potential victories in front of their fans to advance to the next NBA playoffs round.
The Indiana Pacers had a brilliant start to the game. Their performance was impressive on both ends of the court, especially defensively, where they excelled. This was reflected in the score, as they held a commanding 17-point lead after the first 12 minutes of play. The Milwaukee Bucks managed to reduce the deficit to 14 points by halftime.
In the second half, the Milwaukee Bucks came out more aggressively, but it seemed like the home team would maintain control of the game. However, Khris Middleton’s performance shifted the momentum in favor of the Bucks, narrowing the gap to single digits before the decisive final 12 minutes. The lead continued to dwindle, and the Indiana Pacers appeared to struggle, lacking direction. In the last minute, we saw a tie, and Middleton sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer just over a second before the end.
Overtime was fiercely contested on both sides. Tyrese Haliburton sealed the victory for the home team, first with a three-pointer and then with free throws, securing a lead that his team didn’t relinquish this time. The final score after Middleton’s miss was 121:118.
Myles Turner led the winning team with 29 points. Haliburton had a phenomenal performance with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists. Pascal Siakam played well with 17 points and nine rebounds. On the other side, Middleton scored 42 points with 10 rebounds, while Damian Lillard contributed 28 points. Bobby Portis also had an excellent game with 17 points and 18 rebounds.
The next game is scheduled for Sunday night/Monday morning at 1:00.