Tyrese Haliburton made sure to dazzle everyone for his first home playoff game.
Haliburton dropped his first career playoff triple-double and completed the game-winning three-point play with 1.6 seconds left, lifting the Indiana Pacers past Milwaukee in overtime Saturday (PHL), 121-118, for a 2-1 series lead in their round 1 showdown in the Eastern Conference.
WHAT. A. GAME. 🍿
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 27, 2024
Turner: 29 PTS | 9 REB
Haliburton: 18 PTS | 10 REB | 16 AST
Siakam: 17 PTS | 9 REB | 4 AST
The Pacers take a 2-1 series lead over the Bucks!
📸: @Pacers pic.twitter.com/2x5cW595wm
Haliburton capped off his18-point, 10-rebound, and 16-assist night with a clutch floater off two defenders plus a foul. He then proceeded to sink the bonus free-throw, putting the finishing touches to the Pacers' incredible win in extra time.
Pacers pull out the thrilling Game 3 victory in OT 121-118 to take a 2-1 series lead. https://t.co/skTVoBTRIe pic.twitter.com/TjhtUdIrww
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, who had his own clutch moment earlier, had a chance to send the game to another overtime. However, his three-pointer rimmed out as Indiana held on even after wasting an early 17-point lead.
Trailing 115-113 with 1:35 left in overtime, Andrew Nembhard scored five straight points for the Pacers, starting off with a jumper before he followed it up with a clutch three-pointer to give way for a 118-115 lead with 15 seconds remaining.
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 27, 2024
Middleton then went on to answer back with a triple of his own, banking a top-of-the-key trey to tie things up again at 118-all with 6.7 seconds left. This all set-up Haliburton’s game-winning play.
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024
6.7 REMAINING. PACERS BALL. ESPN. https://t.co/YFVr8ct9iq pic.twitter.com/Yko1YyTzDk
Struggling all-game long, Hali delivered when it mattered the most as Indiana took a 2-1 series lead for the first time since their 2018 East round 1 series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Myles Turner topscored the Pacers with 29 points, Pascal Siakam added 17, and Nembhard chipped in 16.
Obi Toppin also put up a solid game off the bench, collecting 15 points and six boards in just 17 minutes.
Meanwhile, Middleton led the way for the Bucks with a playoff career-high 42 points and 10 rebounds, with Damian Lillard adding 28 points. Brook Lopez contributed 17 and had 18 boards.
The 2021 champion became the 4th Bucks player to record a 40-point double-double in the playoffs, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Terry Cummings, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Milwaukee, who is still without two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a strained left calf injury, held its breath early with Lillard appearing to hurt his left Achilles late in the first quarter but returned.
— ESPN (@espn) April 26, 2024
The Bucks rallied from a 39-22 deficit in the first and had their first taste of the lead at 93-92 after a Lillard triple with 9:42 left in the fourth.
Middleton then hit a game-tying triple from the left wing with 2.1 ticks, knotting up a 111-111 deadlock as the game went to overtime shortly after a Siakam missed triple.
Game 4 of the series is on Monday (PH time) in Indianapolis.MIDDLETON TIES THE GAME AT 111 🤯🤯🤯
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024
PACERS BALL... 1.4 SECONDS REMAINING ON ESPN 🍿
