Tyrese Haliburton accomplished a three-point play with 1.6 seconds left, capping his first postseason triple-double in his first dwelling playoff sport to present the Indiana Pacers a 121-118 time beyond regulation victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday evening.
Indiana leads the best-of-seven sequence 2-1, with Recreation 4 on Sunday in Indianapolis. Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo once more sat out for Milwaukee due to a strained left calf.
Haliburton had 18 factors, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. Myles Turner added 29 factors and 9 rebounds, each playoff profession highs, to assist in giving Indiana its first back-to-back postseason wins since taking three straight within the 2014 Jap Convention semifinals.
The Pacers even have their first lead within the playoffs since Recreation 3 of a first-round matchup in opposition to Cleveland in 2018. Indiana hasn’t received a sequence since reaching the 2014 Jap Convention finals.
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton banked in a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to drive time beyond regulation and had an opportunity to drive a second time beyond regulation, however his 3 bounced off the facet of the rim because the buzzer sounded.
Middleton completed with a playoff-career excessive 42 factors and had 10 rebounds and 5 assists after lacking follow Thursday due to a sprained proper ankle. Damian Lillard added 28 factors and eight assists, most coming after he damage his left Achilles late within the first quarter.
It was a wild end in entrance of a festive crowed decked out in gold T-shirts for Indiana’s first dwelling playoff sport since since April 21, 2019 — and with many native favorites in attendance. The gang included former Indiana Fever newcomer Caitlin Clark, former Colts coach Tony Dungy, former Pacers ahead Derrick McKey and present Colts gamers Anthony Richardson, Kenny Moore II and E.J. Pace .
However these followers by no means anticipated the skilled Bucks to methodically trim a 19-point first-half deficit to 90-83 after three quarters or to open the fourth on a 10-2 run to take a 95-92 lead on Bobby Portis Jr.’s putback early within the fourth.
The groups then traded baskets, ties and leads over the ultimate 7 1/2 minutes, with Pascal Siakam’s putback with 19.1 seconds left giving the Pacers a seemingly secure 109-106 lead. However Siakam missed the following free throw, Middleton answered with a midrange and the three to tie it. Siakam’s lengthy 3 to win it hit off the again of the rim on the buzzer.
It was extra of the identical in time beyond regulation — till Haliburton broke free for a 15-foot runner that drew a foul and led to the decisive three-point play.
Bobby Portis Jr. completed with 17 factors and 18 rebounds for the Bucks, whereas Siakam had 17 factors and 9 rebounds for the Pacers.
Clark, the WNBA’s No. 1 general choose and Division I profession scoring chief, drew a standing ovation as she revved up the group within the crew’s pregame IndyCar reproduction.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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