Grade the Game: 3 Studs, 2 duds from Indiana Pacers win vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The Indiana Pacers entered Thursday night with a huge challenge in front of them in the form of the Milwaukee Bucks. Damian Lillard didn’t play, but Giannis Antetokounmpo alone is enough to give opponents fits.

But fresh off two wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz, the Pacers walked into their tilt against the Bucks full of confidence, and it paid off in a big way.

Indiana jumped out to a huge lead in the first quarter, up by as many as 18 points early on. But the Bucks battled their way back throughout the game.

They had a chance to steal the game from the Pacers in the fourth, but a clutch shot from Tyrese Haliburton helped put the game away 126-124, bringing the Pacers’ record to 6-3 on the season.

Let’s take a look at three studs and two duds from the game, handing out a grade to each player.

Stud - Myles Turner

With Lillard out, two of the Bucks’ three best players on the court were Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. Despite that, Myles Turner still found a way to shine.

He wasn’t able to slow down Antetokounmpo, a task that few players in the world are capable of, but he made up for his struggles in that area by excelling elsewhere.

Turner finished the game with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, and one block while shooting 8-of-16 from the field and 4-of-9 from behind the three-point line.

His success on the offensive end is enough to earn him a spot on the stud list, but his problems when guarding Antetokounmpo, who finished with an absurd 54 points and 12 rebounds, prevent him from getting a super high grade.

Grade: B

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Dud - Obi Toppin

For the second game in a row, Obi Toppin failed to stay in the game for significant time despite being a part of the starting lineup for the Indiana Pacers.

Last game, against the Utah Jazz, Toppin was relatively ineffective. Despite starting at the power forward position, he played the second-least minutes in the game.

Against the Milwaukee Bucks, it was more of the same from Toppin in that department. He started but only played 12:55 - the third-smallest total in the game, ahead of just Isaiah Jackson and Daniel Theis, both of whom came off the bench.

Like Myles Turner, Toppin also struggled when guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo, but again, that’s not exactly a matchup most players are comfortable taking on.

Unlike Turner, Toppin’s stats didn’t make up for his struggles on the defensive side of the ball. Toppin finished the game with seven points while shooting 2-of-3 from the floor and 1-of-2 from deep.

His efficiency was fine, but it was on extremely low volume, as head coach Rick Carlisle chose to play guys like Aaron Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson, and Daniel Theis over him on the bench.

It was just an all-around rough game for Toppin, who could be in jeopardy of losing his starting spot sooner rather than later.

Grade: C-

Stud - Benedict Mathurin

Last year, Bennedict Mathurin was one of the best rookies in the NBA. Coming off the bench for the majority of the season, his scoring and foul-drawing abilities stood out.

Unfortunately, over the course of the first few games of the season, Mathurin failed to match that level of play. He struggled with his efficiency, and his minutes reflected his struggles.

But over the past two games, Mathurin has been red hot, making his impact felt all over the court. He was great against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, and on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, he was just as awesome.

The 21-year-old finished the game with 26 points (second-most on the team), 11 rebounds (most on the team), two assists, one steal, and one block while shooting 9-of-18 from the floor and 3-of-7 from behind the three-point line.

And if that weren’t enough, Mathurin’s one steal on the night was a clutch one.

With just over 30 seconds left in the game and the Pacers up by a single point, Mathurin got switched onto Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks star drove, but Mathurin stripped him, getting possession back for Indiana.

He was hyped after the play, screaming in triumph while he walked down to the offensive end of the court. Mathurin’s performance on both ends earned him a high grade.

Grade: A-

Dud - Buddy Hield

Before the start of the year, rumblings started up that the Indiana Pacers could look to trade Buddy Hield, as the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension.

However, Hield remained on the team, and he’s been an integral part of the Pacers’ rotation thus far, putting up some pretty solid numbers overall.

So far this season, Hield has been what he’s always been - one of the best three-point shooters in the league. He’s paid to shoot the ball, and that’s what he’s been doing.

Unfortunately, he failed to do that on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. His shot just wasn’t there, and when Hield isn’t shooting well, his value on the court plummets.

Against the Bucks, Hield finished the game with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal while shooting 4-of-14 from the field and just 2-of-11 from behind the three-point line.

As one would expect, Pacers fans were less than thrilled with Hield on social media during and after the game despite the fact that the Pacers walked away with a win.

Hield isn’t going to be lights out from distance every single night. Nobody is. But on the nights where he doesn’t have it, his grade will reflect his struggles.

Grade: D+

Stud - Tyrese Haliburton

On most nights, expect to see Tyrese Haliburton in this spot: As the best player on the Indiana Pacers. He’s playing at an unreal level this season, and Pacers fans should be very excited about the future of the team with him at the helm.

Not only is he one of the best playmakers in the league, but his scoring has taken a major jump this year, and he’s clearly more comfortable acting as the Pacers’ primary scoring option.

He’s had some amazing performances this year, but considering his showing against the Milwaukee Bucks ended with a win, this may take the cake.

Haliburton ended the night with a team-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and one block. He shot 10-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-9 from behind the three-point line.

With Haliburton at the helm, the Pacers should feel like they have the ability to win any game they play in. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s incredible performance, Haliburton ended the night on top.

After making his first All-Star team last year, Haliburton is en route to making another this year, and he could make a bid for an All-NBA Team this season, too.

He led the way for the Pacers, as he usually does, on Thursday against the Bucks, and he deserves the best grade of the night.

Grade: A+