Bucks stop Pacers
The game ended as it began for the Pacers.
Indianapolis: The Indiana Pacers had won six straight games going into the one they hosted for Milawukee Bucks, who had secured seven wins in eight games. Wednesday’s match was also billed as a clash of styles with Bucks being the NBA’s second-best offensive team and the Pacers boasting of the best defence. Going by the form book, the Buck was to stop here. It almost did when Indiana snatched a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, only to slip as their rivals sprung to a 106-97 victory at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse stadium.
With a comfortable cushion at 86-76, Indiana could not keep pace with the racy Bucks who rallied around their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who came up with a triple-double of 33 points, 19 rebounds and 11 assists to keep his side on top of the Eastern Conference going into the All-Star weekend break.
Antetokounmpo was unstoppable. The six-foot-11-inch player ran circles around the Pacers pack, driving into their territory in top gear, soaring over opponents to score and releasing the ball cleverly to unmarked teammates when defenders surrounded him in the danger area.
Pacers coach Nate McMillan summed it up. “He’s a monster. It’s a challenge to stop that kid. He does so much for that team,” he said of the 24-year-old.
The Greek Freak – as Antetokounmpo, son of Nigerian immigrants in Greece is known as – is understandably in the running to be NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Indiana were well on course. The stadium erupted when Tyreke Evans sank a stunning three-pointer to put them 86-76 ahead but their joy was short-lived as the Bucks began to wrest control with about 10 minutes left in the contest. Soon, the game was on the edge with the visitors holding a slender 93-92 lead and then the scores reading
95-95.
That’s when the Bucks pulled ahead with a brilliant run to effectively put the game beyond their generous hosts who missed quite a few chances to allow their opponents to score 23 fast break points.
The game ended as it began for the Pacers. They were forced to play catch up as the Bucks burst off the blocks, leaping to substantial leads on Antetokounmpo’s 14 points to end the first quarter at 26-18.
They extended the advantage into double digits in the second quarter but some late free throws by big Bojan Bogdanovic (who was the Pacers’ top scorer with 20 points) helped the hosts cut some back even as the Bucks led 55-47 at the break.
The Pacers came roaring back in the third quarter to step up their game much to the delight of a roaring home crowd and went into the final quarter with a 79-76 upper hand.
However, they stumbled in the last leg to allow the Bucks back into the game. By the time the final hooter went off the Bucks had blasted through, punishing the Pacers 30-18 in the fourth quarter. Some heat.