The Indiana Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 119-118 in overtime Tuesday, winning their first-round series 4-1 to advance in the NBA Playoffs. The Pacers overcame a seven-point deficit in the final 40 seconds of overtime to secure the victory at home.
Tyrese Haliburton provided the game-winning shot with 1.3 seconds remaining in the extra period. The Pacers closed overtime on an 8-0 run, completing a comeback that saw them trail by 20 points in regulation. Andrew Nembhard made a three-pointer and a Milwaukee turnover set up the final sequence.
Haliburton finished with 26 points on 10-of-22 shooting. He also recorded nine assists and five rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks with a triple-double, scoring 30 points, grabbing 20 rebounds, and adding 13 assists.
Gary Trent Jr. contributed 33 points for the Bucks, making eight three-pointers after missing his first seven attempts. A.J. Green added 19 points, including six three-pointers. Andrew Nembhard and other Indiana players like Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith also provided offense for the Indiana Pacers.
The Bucks played without Damian Lillard, who suffered a torn Achilles in Game 4. Lillard's absence left Antetokounmpo with increased responsibilities and casts uncertainty over Milwaukee's future, given Lillard's contract commitments for upcoming seasons.
A post-game confrontation involving players and Tyrese Haliburton's father occurred on the court. Hard feelings after the game were evident, including a tense exchange between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Haliburton's dad. Haliburton later addressed the incident, conceding his father was not in the right.
After the win, Haliburton responded to being voted the most overrated player in the NBA in a recent player poll. He tweeted a brief message addressing his critics.
Milwaukee started strong, opening the game with a 13-0 run and leading 30-13 after the first quarter. Indiana chipped away at the deficit, erasing it entirely in the third quarter. The Bucks' early lead collapse was not this playoffs' most notable large lead lost after a key player injury.
The Indiana Pacers will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. The Cavaliers swept the Miami Heat in overwhelming fashion to advance.
Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed the post-game interaction.
"I believe in being humble in victory," Antetokounmpo said. "Losing a game, emotions run high, having a fan, which at the moment, I thought he was a fan and then I realized, it was Tyrese's dad. I love Tyrese. He's a great competitor. - coming in the floor and showing me his son's towel and saying, 'This is what we do. This is what we f'ing do. This is what the F we do.' I feel like that's very, very disrespectful."
