INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton played the perfect pair for the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Again.
Now they’re two wins away from ousting the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. Again.
Siakam had 24 points, 11 rebounds and a crucial 3-pointer to start Indiana’s decisive final run, while Haliburton added 21 points and 12 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Milwaukee Bucks 123-115 for a 2-0 series lead.
“He’s been a steady presence for us all year, so glad that he’s on our team,” Haliburton said, referring to Siakam. “I think he could be the most underrated player in the NBA to be honest. I think what he does on a nightly basis is amazing. So consistent, so steady.”
The Bucks are learning that the hard way.
Indiana has won five of the last six playoff games between the teams, leading this one wire to wire. And against a team that won three of this season’s four regular-season matchups, the Pacers still haven’t trailed since the early minutes of the first quarter in Game 1.
They’ll meet for 18th time in the last two seasons on Friday, when Game 3 is played in Milwaukee.
“It’s kind of hard to play from behind,” two-time league MVP Gianis Antetokounmpo said after finishing with 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. “We need to be more urgent. Both games, both halves they were really able to set the tone, get that feel. Need to play with more urgency at the start of the game, start of the half.”
Bucks guard Damain Lillard had 14 points in his first game back from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. He was 4 of 13 from the field in 37 minutes, playing for the first time since March 18 — and for the first time in the playoffs with Antetokounmpo, who missed all six games in the playoffs last season with a calf injury.
Bobby Portis Jr. added 28 points, including six 3s, and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee.
The game had a little bit of everything.’
There was a scuffle in front of the Pacers bench that led to double technical fouls in the first half, words between multiple players in the final minutes that drew more technical fouls, players repeatedly hitting the floor, a steady of 10-second counts on Antetokounmpo’s free throws, a little zone defense, a smattering of full-court pressure and, of course, plenty of points.
And a crowd featuring WNBA star Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammates, Super Bowl winner Reggie Wayne, 2022 Indianapolis 500 champion Marcus Ericsson and former Pacers star Lance Stephenson all got a front-row seat to one of the most entertaining playoff games so far.
On the court, the Pacers were in complete control after they built a 31-16 lead just 7 1/2 minutes into the game until the Bucks went on a late 13-0 run to get within 115-103 with 2:31 left.
That’s when Siakam hit the 3 to spur the 8-2 run to close it out.
