- Pacers have never lost a playoff series after winning first two games (11-0).
- Game 3: Pacers at Bucks, 8 p.m. Friday; TV: ESPNU, NBATV, FanDuel
INDIANAPOLIS — Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton both posted double-doubles to help the Pacers hold on for a 123-115 win over the Bucks in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Pacers take a 2-0 lead in the series into Milwaukee. Game 3 will be at Fiserv Forum on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.
Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Haliburton had 21 points and 12 assists. Guard Andrew Nembhard had 17 points and six assists. Center Myles Turner had 15 points, forward Aaron Nesmith had 16 points and guard Bennedict Mathurin had 14 off the bench.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Forward Bobby Portis had 28 points and 12 rebounds.
Pacers saved by huge 3s by Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard
The Pacers controlled most of Tuesday’s game and led by as many as 16 points and never trailed, but the Bucks threatened to wipe it all way in the fourth quarter, charging back to get within two points on a Damian Lillard 3-pointer with 2:33 to go in the fourth quarter and plenty of time to take over.
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However, the Pacers re-took control in the next three possessions, getting a 3-pointer by Siakam, a key rebound on a missed Antetokounmpo layup by Turner and then a late-clock 3-pointer by Nembhard over Antetokounmpo to go back up eight points and managed to maintain that margin the rest of the way.
Siakam gave the Pacers his usual sturdy effort with 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting to go with 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Nembhard had 17 points and six assists and provided strong defense on Lillard
Tyrese Haliburton gets his shot back
Haliburton was aggressive getting downhill, pushing the pace and finding shooters in Game 1 but didn’t have a whole lot of luck with his own shot. He was scoreless in Saturday’s first quarter and had just six points at the break and finished with 10 on 3-of-13 shooting including 0-of-7 from 3-point range. He also dished out 12 assists against one turnover and was +27 in his minutes so there wasn’t much reason for alarm, but the Pacers and Haliburton himself knew that they couldn’t expect as big a win as they had Saturday if he didn’t hit shots.
So on Tuesday, Haliburton had it going from all over the court. He got the Pacers started with two early assists on drives on which he got almost all the way to the rim but hit shooters in the corners for 3s. That seemed to freeze defenders and keep them from overcommitting when he got downhill in the future and he got clear lanes to the bucket on drives on several other occasions with five of his buckets coming in the paint. He also found his range from beyond the arc and finished 8-of-19 from the floor for 21 points and he again posted a double-double with 12 assists against three turnovers.
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Aaron Nesmith spread the floor
Nesmith gave the Pacers solid defensive work and energy in Game 1 but not much in the way of buckets, scoring eight points. The Pacers need defense from him more than they need anything else, but he also happens to be their best floor-spacing wing this season, so it helps if he makes 3s.
On Tuesday, Nesmith continued to give the Pacers a strong defensive effort and also got his jumper back. He hit both of his first-quarter 3s and then his first of the second quarter and had nine points at the break. He finished with 16 on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3.
