Pacers Take Game Three in Overtime Against the Bucks
After splitting the first two games of this first-round series both the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers were looking to take the 2-1 advantage after Game Three. Indiana outscored Milwaukee by 17 points during the first quarter. However, the Bucks outscored the Pacers in the last three quarters and Khris Middleton helped push this game into overtime when he knocked down a three-pointer with two seconds on the clock. A three-point play by Tyrese Haliburton with two seconds left in overtime gave the Pacers a three-point 121-118 home win over the Bucks. Indiana will eye to take a 3-1 lead when they play at home once again in Game Four.
The Pacers were dialed in as soon as this game started as they would take a 17-point lead after 12 minutes of action. Indiana shot 63 percent from the field, compared to Milwaukee’s 30 percent and the Pacers outrebounded the Bucks 15-7. Milwaukee would pick up their slack from the first quarter by outscoring the Pacers by five to cut Indiana’s deficit to 12 points heading into halftime. Once again, the Bucks outscored the Pacers by five during the third quarter to cut Milwaukee’s lead to seven points. Khris Middleton was huge for the Bucks in the fourth quarter. He scored 11 out of Milwaukee’s 28 points, and the team’s last seven points of the final quarter of play to push this Game Three into overtime.
During overtime, Middleton scored all seven of the Bucks points. He took five out of the six Milwaukee shot attempts going two for five from the field. Although the Pacers went four for 12 in overtime, they grabbed four offensive rebounds, seven overall to take Game Three in a defining 121-118 matchup. The big problem for the Bucks in this Game Three loss was their rebounding and turnovers. They were outrebounded 50-43 and committed three more turnovers than Indiana. Myles Turner led the Pacers with 29 points in addition to having nine rebounds, an assist, and a steal. After struggling in the first two games of this series, Tyrese Haliburton had a much better outing finishing with a triple-double as he had 18 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists, and a block in the win. Khris Middleton led all scorers with 42 points, he also pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out five assists. Damian Lillard dropped 28 points in the Game Three overtime loss.
