In back-to-back games the Pacers have dominated their opponent early on the way to a comfortable win. It was a little less comfortable tonight, but the Pacers still finished on top over the Milwaukee Bucks 109-96.
In one of the best halves of Pacers basketball this season (rivaled perhaps by the Bulls game two nights ago), the team took the Bucks by the… antlers on their way to a resounding victory. The second half and fourth quarter weren’t exactly the victory lap that they were when Chicago was in town, but it was still a stress-free win against a division rival.
The key to this game: teamwork. No Pacer had over 20 points tonight, but 7 hit double figures. The team also had an impressive 30 assists on 44 made shots tonight. Also in the same vein – help defense destroyed the Bucks tonight.
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Everyone on the court seemed to be in sync during the first half and shut down Milwaukee in every facet of the game.
Why was this win important? After falling to the Bucks in Milwaukee last week, the Pacers were behind 1-0 in the season series. Knotting it up at 1-1 opens the series back up and allows the Pacers the opportunity to win or at least have an easier time tying the series when it wraps up in March.
It might not seem like much now, but the Pacers and Bucks both finished with a record of 42-40 last season, but a 3-1 series advantage gave the Bucks the 6th seed. That was the difference between having a shot against the Raptors and getting swept by the Cavaliers.
The Good: The Pacers were able to sustain their success from two nights ago against a team that wasn’t on their 5th game in 7 days. The entire team gelled at possibly its highest level all season. Oh, and someone to note: Thaddeus Young. His cold spell might not be cracked completely, but he was excellent tonight.
The Bad: That fourth quarter. While the Pacers starters should’ve been able to receive some well-deserved rest after the end of the third quarter, the bench’s inability to finish caused Victor Oladipo to get put back on the floor.
Sure, they got away with it tonight, but there were some all-bench lineups that looked pretty ugly and won’t fare as well going forward.
MVP: This is the type of game that there is no MVP for. The power of friendship prevailed tonight.
LVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo had a really long streak of 20 point games or whatever. Not anymore.
X-Factor: The paint. They were able to protect on defense (where the Bucks thrive), and dominate it on offense. A 60-42 advantage in points in that area.
Next: The art of the rebuild: trade deadline season
The Pacers continue their homestand against the Miami Heat this Wednesday. Despite Miami’s recent success, the game will be their second game of a road back-to-back, giving Indiana a real chance to earn their third-straight win.