Indiana Pacers Struggles Mightily Offensively in Loss to Milwaukee Bucks

1. First Quarter

In games one and two of the series, Milwaukee blitzed Indiana to start the game with Damian Lillard being the source of offense from beyond the arc. With his absence, it gave Indiana an opportunity to get ahead early. It was tight through the first five minutes. The two teams were tied four times during that stretch. Indiana then went on a 9-0 run with Myles Turner starting the run and ending it with two-point field goals. Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppeard had the other two field goals. The Pacers would eventually push it to a game high ten points after a Doug McDermott three that made it 31-21 Indiana with 1:53 remaining in the first. Only two points were scored the rest of the way. After twelve minutes, Indiana led 31-23. Khris Middleton led all scorers with 10 points followed by 7 points from Myles Turner and Bobby Portis. Indiana went 7/13 from three-point range in the first.

2. Second Quarter

At the time, Indiana was feeling good because of its lead and the Milwaukee crowd was relatively silent. Milwaukee outscored Indiana the first five minutes of the second quarter 16-2. Aaron Nesmith was responsible for the only field goal during the stretch. A Patrick Beverley three-point play pushed the lead to 39-33 before a Tyrese Haliburton triple to end the drought. The only three that Beverley made in the first half was the final of his twelve points that put the Bucks ahead 51-43 with 2:36 left in the half. At halftime, Indiana was only down 53-48 despite being outscored 30-17 in the second and 35% from the field. In the second, Indiana was 2/8 from three-point range. Middleton led all scorers with 17 points followed by Beverley with 12 points. Indiana’s leading scorer was Haliburton with 11 points.

3. Third Quarter

Following the disastrous second quarter, if the Pacers were going to make it a game, then this would be the quarter to do that. All season long it has been the team’s best quarter. Tonight, just wasn’t their night. Milwaukee opened the second half with a 9-0 run to take a 64-50 advantage. Indiana would trim its deficit down to nine points twice in the following three and a half minutes. That would be the closest the Pacers would get the rest of the game. Folling Nembhard’s layup that made it 66-57 with 6:46 remaining, the Pacers were outscored 21-10 in the quarter. Indiana simply had no answers for anything Milwaukee did. After three quarters, Indiana was down 87-67 with no pulse. Milwaukee outscored Indiana 34-19 in the third, meaning they outscored Indiana 64-36 in the middle quarters. Portis scored 10 points in the quarter to up his total to 21 points and 10 rebounds. Middleton led all scorers with 24 points while bringing down 10 rebounds. Indiana’s leading scorers with Haliburton and Turner with 13 points.

4. Fourth Quarter

With absolutely no sense of life and playing on the road in a raucous environment, the Pacers were essentially done even though they still had twelve minutes to play. Nembhard made it an eighteen-point game with a floater with 8:42 left in the game before Milwaukee put Indiana away for good. The Bucks went on a 10-2 run to take a game high 107-80 lead with 4:30 remaining following a Portis steal and dunk. That game seconds after Rick Carlisle emptied the bench with five minutes left in the game. Indiana closed the final 4:27 by outscoring Milwaukee by four points to lose 115-92.

5. Top Performers

Bobby Portis (29p, 10r), Khris Middleton (29p, 12r, 5a, 4 threes), Malik Beasley (18p, 4r, 4 threes), Patrick Beverley (13p, 12a), and Brook Lopez (12p). For Indiana, Tyrese Haliburton (16p, 6a, 4 threes), Myles Turner (13p, 5r), and Obi Toppin (12p, 6r, 4a). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Worst playoff loss for the Indiana Pacers since 117-92 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat in 2014
• Indiana Pacers are 6-2 in the playoffs after a 20+ point loss (when the loss didn’t end the season)
• Indiana’s 92 points are the fewest points scored in a game (including regular season)
• Milwaukee Bucks first team in NBA history to win a playoff game without its top two scorers from the regular season
• Milwaukee Bucks now 6-0 (including regular season) when Patrick Beverley scores 10+ points
• Milwaukee Bucks were +36 with Patrick Beverley on the floor and +30 with Bobby Portis on the floor
  • Pat Connaughton was +21
• Patrick Beverley’s 13 points are third most in a playoff game for his career
• Patrick Beverley’s 12 assists are the most in a playoff game in his career
  • First career double-double
• Bobby Portis set a new career high for points in a playoff game with 29 points
• Bobby Portis registered his 11th double-double in the playoffs
• Khris Middleton recorded 17th double-double in his career in the playoffs
• Malik Beasley scored all 18 of his points in the second half
• Pascal Siakam first 2 playoff games – 36.5 ppg, 12.0 reb, 4.0 apg | FG – 64.6% | 3pt – 4/8 | FT – 7/13 (53.8%)
• Pascal Siakam last 3 playoff games – 14.0 ppg, 7.3 reb, 4.3 apg | FG – 41.9% | 3pt – 1/11 | FT – 5/13 (38.5%)

7. Next Up

After one day off, game six will take place on Thursday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Pat Boylan will get things started with the Kroger Pregame Show at 6pm. Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play on 93.5/107.5 The Fan at 6:30pm. The series schedule:

• Game 1 – Sunday, April 21st, 2024, at Fiserv Forum Arena – MIL 109 – 94
• Game 2 – Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024, at Fiserv Forum Arena – IND 125 –108
• Game 3 – Friday, April 26th, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – IND 121 – 118
• Game 4 – Sunday, April 29th, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – IND 126 – 113
• Game 5 – Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, at Fiserv Forum Arena – MIL 115 – 92
• Game 6 – Thursday, May 2nd, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – 6:30pm
• Game 7 (if necessary) – Saturday, May 5th, 2024, at Fiserv Forum Arena – TBD