Indiana Pacers 129 – Milwaukee Bucks 103 (Apr. 27th, 2025) Game Recap

1. First Quarter

For the second consecutive game, the starters for the Milwaukee Bucks were Damian Lillard, Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez. Indiana’s starters also remained the same with Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. Indiana was playing without Bennedict Mathurin tonight because of an abdominal injury. For the fourth consecutive game, Indiana was the first team to score with a Nesmith floater after a miss from each team on their opening possession. Indiana was quickly ahead 7-2 just over two minutes into the game after Turner scored four straight points. With 6:50 left in the quarter, Milwaukee drew within one point when Antetokounmpo got to the goal and finished with a layup. Indiana responded with a 9-0 run to take the first double figure lead when a Nesmith three rattling in and out, hit the top of the backboard, and went through the cylinder. The biggest lead for the Pacers was 30-18 when McConnell converted a layup. Milwaukee ended the quarter with back-to-back threes from AJ Green and Kevin Porter Jr. to make it a 30-24 contest after twelve minutes. Turner led all players in scoring with 9 points. Lillard only played 6:03 of the first quarter because he left due to a lower leg injury. Milwaukee was led in scoring by Antetokounmpo, Lopez, and Green with 6 points each. Milwaukee knocked down five of its ten three-point attempts in the opening period, allowing the Bucks to stay in the game.

2. Second Quarter

First halves have not been issues for the Pacers. In fact, they have had a double-digit lead in every single game of this series, including tonight. Indiana extended its advantage back to ten when Siakam scored a field goal with nine minutes left in the half. The two teams then exchanged baskets for the next three minutes, and then Indiana was able to pull a little further away from Milwaukee. Obi Toppin’s second triple of the quarter put the Pacers ahead 53-41. It was one of four twelve-point advantages that Indiana possessed until Turner drilled two free throws to give them a first half high thirteen-point lead with 1:56 remaining. The Bucks did score the final two points of the half. Indiana’s halftime lead was 63-52 behind Turner’s 14 points, Nesmith’s 11 points, and Haliburton’s 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. Haliburton paced Indiana in scoring in the second period with 6 points. Kevin Porter Jr. erupted for 12 points in the second to lead all players in scoring in the quarter, and in the half with 15 tallies. He was the only double-figure scorer for Milwaukee in the half. Giannis missed all five of his shots in the period, but did knock down his two foul shots.

3. Third Quarter

The third quarter on Friday night for Indiana was the worst quarter of the series thus far. Milwaukee outscored Indiana 39-18, but this game felt different compared to game three. Doc Rivers made an adjustment with his lineup, but starting Bobby Portis in the second half in place of Lopez and Porter Jr. replaced the injured Lillard. Neither team was able to string together successful offensive and defensive possessions through the first five minutes of the half. Indiana would eventually extend its advantage to fifteen points when Jarace Walker splashed a three halfway through the quarter. Halliburton would go to the line two minutes later and convert one of the two free throws to put his team on top by seventeen points. Milwaukee would come back with a 12-4 run to cut Indiana’s lead down to single digits. Indiana would respond by slowly outscoring Milwaukee by seven to take another 16-point lead with 34.6 seconds left when Haliburton completed a three-point play after an improbable block by Nesmith. Through three quarters, Indiana was in full control, leading 101-84. Giannis did go nuclear in the quarter with 18 points, but none of the role players got going. Porter Jr., Trent Jr., and Ryan Rollins combined to score the other 14 points for Milwaukee. As for Indiana, Haliburton and Turner led the team in scoring with 7 points each. Siakam chipped in with 6 points, and the Pacers bench added 15 points. Through three quarter, Giannis was four points away from his fourth consecutive thirty-point game. Indiana had seven players with 10+ points with Turner leading the way with 21 points. Haliburton had recorded his fourth straight double-double with 17 points and 13 assists heading into the fourth.

4. Fourth Quarter

In the third quarter, Giannis played every second with Lillard out with a lower leg injury. He would start the fourth quarter on the floor with his team down seventeen points. Less than a minute into the quarter, Indiana’s lead reached twenty points after a field goal from T.J. McConnell and another Walker three. Milwaukee was forced to take a timeout with 9:50 remaining in the game because the Bucks were down 22 and Indiana was 4/4 to start the final quarter. Giannis then went to the bench briefly, and the Bucks trimmed six points off their deficit. Indiana would come back by scoring ten of the next twelve points, to lead 122-98 when Nembhard converted a step back jumper with 4:32 left in the contest. Not too longer after that, both coaches elected to put their starters on the bench and roll with the reserves because of the game being decided. Indiana scored the final basket of the game with a McConnell jumper to win game three 129-103.

5. Top Performers

Myles Turner (23p, 5r, 4b, 3a), Andrew Nembhard (20p, 3r, 2a), Tyrese Haliburton (17p, 15a, 8r, 1s), T.J. McConnell (15p, 6a, 3r), Aaron Nesmith (14p, 5r), Obi Toppin (13p), Pascal Siakam (12p, 4a, 3r), and Jarace Walker (12p, 5r, 3a). For Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo (28p, 15a, 6a), Kevin Porter Jr. (23p, 6a, 5r, 2s), and Bobby Portis (14p, 3r). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Indiana and Milwaukee at home are 8-2 between this series and last season
  • Indiana has accounted for both road wins
• Indiana is now 8-2 at home and 3-8 on the road for the last two years in the playoffs
• Indiana’s field goal percentage of 60.2% is the 2 best in franchise playoff history
• Indiana finished 1 point shy of tying franchise playoff record for points in a game
• Indiana had 8 players reach double figures – first time in franchise history
• Indiana has won 2 of the 4 wire-to-wire victories in this postseason
• Teams leading 3-1 have won the series 95% of the time
• Andrew Nembhard has scored 20+ points in 3 playoff games in his career
• Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his 56th career playoff double-double
  • Has recorded a double-double in all three games of the series
• Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 of the 43 points for the Milwaukee starters
• Kevin Porter Jr.’s 23 points are a playoff career high
• Myles Turner has scored 20+ points in 10 career playoff games
• Rick Carlisle improves his coaching record in the playoffs to 34-38
• Tyrese Haliburton recorded his 8th career playoff double-double
  • Has recorded a double-double in all four games of the series

7. Next Up

The series will now shift back to Indianapolis for one game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday night at 6pm. All the coverage can be heard at 5:30pm with Pat Boylan, Mark Boyle, and Eddie Gill on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.