Milwaukee and Indiana will face off for the second consecutive game on Wednesday when the Bucks visit the Pacers in Indianapolis.
Indiana secured its third victory against the Bucks this season, taking a 2-1 lead in the regular-season series with a 122-113 win in Milwaukee on Monday. Tyrese Haliburton nearly achieved a triple-double, contributing 26 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds, while Bennedict Mathurin, coming off the bench, scored 25 points and achieved a career-best 13 rebounds.
Mathurin led four Pacers reserves in double-figure scoring, with Isaiah Jackson adding 18 points and nine rebounds, T.J. McConnell finishing with 16 points and nine assists, and Obi Toppin contributing 11 points.
Despite falling short of their NBA-leading offensive average of 126.4 points per game, Indiana held Milwaukee to 113 points, the Bucks’ lowest since Nov. 30.
Milwaukee’s average of 124.6 points per game ranks second in the NBA, trailing only Indiana. While the Bucks scored 140 points in a previous win over the Pacers this season, they have averaged less in all three losses, with an overall average of 118.7 points in those matchups.
This falls below Indiana’s defensive average of 124.4 points allowed per game, the second-highest in the league.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double in Monday’s loss with 30 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading all five Milwaukee starters in double-figure scoring. Indiana limited Damian Lillard to 13 points on 3-of-16 shooting.
Lillard has struggled against the Pacers, scoring less than his season average of 25.5 points in all three matchups. Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, is averaging 46.3 points in four games against Indiana, scoring 54 points in a November win and a career-high 64 points in a December victory.
Antetokounmpo acknowledged the challenge posed by the Pacers, emphasizing the need to analyze their tactics and make adjustments to avoid further losses. The recent defeats to the Pacers marked the end of a run in which Milwaukee won nine of 10 games.
