Halftime Rewind
The Pacers will need a second half comeback to close out their first round series with the Bucks on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana fell behind by as many as 20 points in the first half of Game 5, but a strong close to the half pulled them back within six at 47-41.
Playing to keep their season alive, the Bucks raced ahead early. The Pacers got off to a sluggish start, failing to score on their first five possessions. On the other end, AJ Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bobby Portis each made a 3-pointer on three straight Milwaukee possessions and then Antetokounmpo got to the basket for a layup to put the visitors up 11-0 just 3:10 into Game 5, forcing an early timeout from Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.
Another Antetokounmpo basket after the timeout made it 13-0 before the Blue & Gold finally got on the board when Myles Turner knocked down a three with 7:32 remaining in the opening frame.
But it remained a struggle on the offensive end for Indiana in the first quarter. The Pacers shot just 4-for-17 (23.5 percent) from the field, including 1-for-8 from 3-point range, and committed five turnovers which Milwaukee converted into nine points on the other end. The Bucks, meanwhile, went 12-for-19 (63.2 percent) and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in the frame to jump out to a 30-13 lead.
A Kyle Kuzma three at the start of the second quarter pushed the margin to 20. The Pacers responded by reeling off eight straight points, only for the Bucks to counter with a 7-2 spurt.
The hosts made another charge later in the frame, with a 12-2 capped by a Turner three that trimmed the deficit to 42-35. Green ended the run with a three on the other end, but two baskets by Aaron Nesmith in the final 1:34 pulled Indiana within six by halftime.
Turner led Indiana with 10 points and six rebounds in the first half, while Nesmith also scored 10. Both players went 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
Green led all scorers with 12 points on 4-of-6 3-point shooting. Gary Trent Jr. added nine points, while Antetokounmpo tallied eight points, six boards, and seven assists.
Milwaukee made three changes to its starting lineup for Game 5. Kevin Porter Jr. started at point guard in place of All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who tore his left Achilles tendon in the first quarter of Game 6. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers also elected to start Green and Bobby Portis in place of Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez.
