2 Studs, 1 dud from Indiana Pacers clutch win over rival Milwaukee Bucks

The Indiana Pacers took down their new rival, the Milwaukee Bucks, on Monday night, so here are two studs and one dud from the game.

Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, TJ McConnell, Jalen Smith, Bennedict Mathurin
Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, TJ McConnell, Jalen Smith, Bennedict Mathurin | Patrick McDermott/GettyImages
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Streaky is a great word for the Indiana Pacers. At the start of the season, they were red-hot, and their run in the In-Season Tournament was just as impressive, but they’ve gone through some downs as well.

Right now, however, they’re on an upswing. The Pacers picked up their fourth win in a row on Monday night, taking down the Milwaukee Bucks - the second-best team in the East and a fast-forming rival.

Giannis Antetokounmpo put up a triple-double, but the Pacers were able to contain Damian Lillard, who shot just 3-of-16 from the floor and 1-of-9 from deep.

Indiana’s bench led the way in this one, so let’s take a look at the studs and dud from the Pacers’ 122-113 win over the Bucks.

Stud - TJ McConnell

With Tyrese Haliburton leading the charge, it’s not every game that another point guard gets a chance to show out and help lead the way for the Pacers. In this one, McConnell did just that.

The veteran point guard played a huge role for the Pacers against the Bucks on Monday night, filling up the stat sheet and helping the Pacers overcome a deficit of 15 points.

McConnell finished the game with 16 points, four rebounds, and nine assists while shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 0-of-1 from behind the three-point line.

He ended the night with a +31, which was the second-best mark on the team behind just Obi Toppin, who was a +35 against the Bucks. Both players made a huge mark off the pine for Indiana.

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