MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Indiana Pacers scored at will while the Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t recover from the loss of one of their two superstar players.
Now the Pacers are on the verge of ending the Bucks’ season for a second straight year.
Myles Turner scored 23 points and the Pacers shot 60.2% on Sunday night while winning 129-103 over the Bucks, who lost Damian Lillard to a lower left leg injury midway through the first quarter.
The preliminary examination of Lillard indicated a possible Achilles tendon injury, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not immediately reveal those details.
“Once he kind of looked back, I think we all kind of knew what it was,” Turner said. “It’s a weird feeling to describe because you have to still compete, you have to get out there, but you just never want to see that happen to another athlete who puts in as much time as he does to his craft and to his game, like we all do.
“It’s very disheartening, but it happens fast. It’s the playoffs. You have to be able to move on.”
The Pacers, who beat Milwaukee 4-2 in the first round last year, can eliminate the Bucks again by winning Game 5 on Tuesday in Indianapolis. The Bucks have lost eight straight road playoff games and the last five of those defeats have come at Indiana.
Milwaukee might have to try ending that streak without Lillard, who was helped off the court and into the locker room after suffering a non-contact injury midway through the first quarter.
“They’re going to do an image tomorrow,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Obviously, it’s lower leg. And, just being honest, it’s not very promising.”
The Pacers led 15-12 at the time of Lillard’s departure and seized control without him, as eight Pacers scored in double figures.
Aaron Nembhard had 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 15 assists. T.J. McConnell had 15 points, Aaron Nesmith 14 and Obi Toppin 13. Pascal Siakam and Jarace Walker added 12 points each.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists before leaving with 4:44 left and the Bucks trailing 120-98. Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 points for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter to score more than six points. Kyle Kuzma continued his tough series by scoring three points and shooting 1 of 6.
“I’ve seen injuries deflate teams, but tonight, that one hurt,” Rivers said. “I thought our guys tried, but it was tough. … My job over the next 48 hours or whatever we have is to get us upright again, try to win one game in Indiana and get it back here.
“But my brain right now is at the same place as our players are, and that’s thinking about Dame.”
Two nights after blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a 117-101 loss at Milwaukee, the Pacers bounced back. They won convincingly despite missing Bennedict Mathurin, who was out with an abdominal bruise.
“I feel like we kind of let our foot off the gas pedal (in Game 3),” Haliburton said. “I thought we responded the right way today.”
Turner, who had scored six points while shooting 1 of 9 from the floor in Game 3, had nine points in the first 4½ minutes Sunday as the Pacers never trailed.
The Pacers went on a 10-3 run immediately after Lillard’s exit to extend its lead to double digits. Indiana led 63-52 at halftime and stayed in control by shooting 69.2% over the final two quarters.
