Bucks Outshine Pacers in Second Half, Take Game 3

The Bucks outshone the Pacers in the second half, erasing their 10-point halftime deficit to take Game 3 with a convincing 117-101 win.

The Pacers were unable to keep up the pace, being outscored 39-18 in the third quarter alone.

“When we’re unable to get stops, it’s hard to get the ball out and go and play the way we want to play,” said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. “We were bad on both sides of the ball. They were great, we were bad. We made mistakes and had problems defensively, and offensively, the ball needed to move more.”

Pacer guard Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged that his team was on their heels, which hindered their offense. “I felt like that’s where we’re at our worst offensively, and I think maybe that, I mean, not maybe, but that definitely played a part in it. We’ve got to do a better job of getting downhill, playing faster, and that starts with me. I’ve got to be better. I’ll be better in Game 4.”

Pacer center Myles Turner saw the series as an opportunity for growth. “Adversity is good,” he said. “I think adversity is good in a playoff series. I’m glad that we are kind of looking it in the face now. I think things are set out for us to go out here and just compete again in the coming days.”

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, while Haliburton added 14 points and 10 assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent Jr. both had a huge game for the Bucks, scoring 37 points each. Antetokounmpo shot an impressive 14-19 from the field, adding 12 rebounds, while Trent was on fire from three-point range, shooting 9-12.

The Pacers struggled from beyond the arc in Game 3, shooting just 31.7% compared to their previous games at home where they shot 38.2% and 44.4%. The team has also struggled on the road, with a dismal 2-7 record away from home last season.

The series will continue with Game 4 on Sunday in Milwaukee at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.