The Indiana Pacers erased a 20-point deficit and clinched a stunning 119-118 overtime victory against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of their first-round NBA playoff series Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With the win, Indiana takes the series 4-1 and advances to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they’ll face the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers.
Haliburton Delivers in the Clutch
Despite struggling for much of overtime, Tyrese Haliburton came through when it mattered most. The All-Star guard, who had missed six shots in OT, including four from deep, scored two key driving layups in the final 30 seconds, including the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left.
Haliburton finished with 26 points and 9 assists, also scoring the final six points of regulation to force overtime.
“You just keep going,” Haliburton said postgame. “I trust my game, even when shots aren’t falling.”
McConnell Sparks Pacers Comeback
After a quiet postseason, T.J. McConnell gave the Pacers a much-needed boost off the bench. He tallied 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, dished three assists, and hit four critical free throws in a strong two-way performance that helped stabilize Indiana during their comeback push.
Pacers Overcome Nightmarish Start
The game started disastrously for Indiana. The Bucks opened on a 13-0 run, and the Pacers didn’t score until the 7:32 mark of the first quarter. Milwaukee dominated early, leading 30-13 after one and stretching the advantage to 33-13 early in the second.
But the Pacers locked in on both ends, clawing back point by point. Aaron Nesmith (19 points, 12 rebounds) and Myles Turner (21 points) led the charge, while Andrew Nembhard’s deep 3-pointer gave Indiana its first lead at 52-51 early in the third quarter.
Bucks Falter Without Lillard
With Damian Lillard sidelined due to a torn Achilles suffered in Game 4, Gary Trent Jr. (33 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (30 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists) nearly carried the Bucks to a win. But Milwaukee fell short for the second straight postseason — this time after blowing a seven-point lead in the final 40 seconds of overtime.
Next Up:
The Pacers will travel to Cleveland for their second-round matchup against the red-hot Cavaliers, who swept the Miami Heat and haven’t lost a game this postseason.
