No Giannis Antetokounmpo? No Damian Lillard? No problem for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Facing the Indiana Pacers in a must-win Game 5, the Bucks stepped up, delivering a resounding 115-92 victory despite missing their top two players at the Fiserv Forum on Wednesday (PHL time).
The Pacers came out strong in the first quarter, hitting 7-of-13 from beyond the arc to establish an early 10-point advantage.
The Bucks, however, responded with intensified defense and mounted a comeback in the second, propelled by the efforts of Khris Middleton and Patrick Beverley as they grabbed a 53-48 lead heading into halftime.
Spinning and-one for Pat Bev! pic.twitter.com/ZJz4LXKvCa
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 1, 2024
Riding on their momentum from the first half, Milwaukee asserted its dominance in the third quarter, seizing control of the game and later securing the victory.
No player from the Pacers managed to score more than 16 points against the Bucks’ defense.
Milwaukee also found its offensive groove through stellar performances led by Middleton, who finished 29 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, marking his third consecutive game surpassing the 25-point mark.
Straight Khash. 💸 https://t.co/uzGxfUaI3e pic.twitter.com/zGOEeqh9iv
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 1, 2024
Bobby Portis, meanwhile, rebounded impressively from his early ejection in Game 4.
A vital emotional leader for the Bucks, Portis thrived off the energy of the home crowd, achieving a new playoff career high with 29 points and adding 10 rebounds to his impressive stat line.
Turning defense into offense! pic.twitter.com/sz4aq6qSiH
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 1, 2024
In addition to Portis' heroics, all five of Milwaukee’s starters contributed double-digit scoring. Malik Beasley tallied 18 points, Brook Lopez added 12 points, and Beverley secured a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists.
Tyrese Haliburton paced Indiana with 16 points, while Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam added 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
The series now shifts to Indiana for Game 6 on Friday (PHL time).
