The Milwaukee Bucks (7-9) kept their momentum rolling with a 129-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers (6-10) on November 23. The Bucks have now won five of their last six games and improved to 2-0 in the NBA Cup.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a force of nature, erupting for 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. Damian Lillard was the perfect complement, adding 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 13 assists. Gary Trent Jr. contributed 18 points, and Bobby Portis added 17 from the bench.
Pascal Siakam paced his squad with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 18 points and 9 assists, while Benedict Mathurin registered 20 points and 9 rebounds. TJ McConnell led the second unit with 12 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Pacers out of their slump, dropping their fifth game in their last six. They now sit at 0-2 in the NBA Cup.
Giannis and the Bucks’ Bench Too Much for the Pacers
The Bucks came out of the gates with a 10-0 blast, setting the tone early. The Pacers briefly cut the lead to six with Turner scoring 8 but Portis quickly responded with back-to-back triples to restore their double-digit advantage. Indiana found their rhythm in the second, surging on a 15-5 run to close the gap to two. But Milwaukee fired back with another rally, stretching their lead to 14 by halftime.
The Bucks sustained their offensive assault in the third, pushing the gap to 25 points. But Indiana showed a fight, closing the quarter strong with an 18-7 run to pull within (79-93). Milwaukee poured it on in the fourth, rebuilding their lead to 20 points. The Pacers, however, mounted one final push, cutting the lead to just 6. But Trent Jr. buried a clutch three and Antetokounmpo scored 5 quick points to keep them at bay. While Indiana hit some timely threes, Milwaukee responded with key baskets to seal the win.
The Bucks clash with the Hornets tomorrow while the Pacers host the Wizards on Monday.
