Keys to the Pacers closing out the Bucks on the road
By Scott Conrad
Three-Pointers, Assists and Turnovers... Oh My!
Game 1 is the only occurrence where the Bucks made more three-pointers than the Pacers. They netted six more than Indiana, who shot only 21% from behind the arc. In Games 2, 3, and 4, the Pacers connected more times from downtown than the Bucks.
In Game 2, four players for Indiana made three field goals behind the arc. The five starters boasted a three-point percentage of 46. As a team, the Pacers also scored three more three-pointers than Milwaukee in Game 3.
In Game 4, the Pacers set a franchise playoff record with 22 three-pointers made. They had six more than Milwaukee did.
Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith both made a trio of three-pointers. They shot a combined 66.7% on Sunday. Tyrese Haliburton went 5-12 and Turner only missed two of his nine three-point attempts in Game 4.
Another battle the Pacers have been winning in their last three wins has been the assists and turnover stats. In Game 1, Indiana only had 20 assists compared to 13 turnovers.
In Games 2, 3, and 4, the Pacers have not turned the ball over more than eight times in each contest. They had 28, 32 and 33 assists, respectively. That's better than a 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Out of the sixteen teams in the NBA playoffs, only one of them has hit the +30 assist mark in a game. That would be the Pacers who have done it three times now. Maintaining that level of discipline on the offensive end should pace Indiana and lead to a fourth victory this series.
Do NOT Blow Any Big Leads
The Pacers' biggest lead in Game 1's defeat was two points. The Pacers have averaged about 20 points as their biggest lead in those other three playoff contests.
In Game 2, the Pacers led by as many as 23 and won the game by 17. However, in Games 3 and 4, the Pacers' biggest lead was 19. Indiana gave up a game-tying three-pointer by Khris Middleton to force overtime. The home team would go on to win by three points after the extra period of play.
In Game 4, the Pacers maintained their lead better by finishing the game with a twelve-point win. With Game 5 in Milwaukee, Indiana will look to light up the scoreboard as they did during the regular season.
Next. Next story. There were no winners in this midseason Pacers trade. dark
Only three teams have ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The key here will be for the Pacers to not relinquish any lead they create.