5 Key Takeaways from the ‘Insane’ Game 3 Overtime Thriller between the Bucks and Pacers
The NBA has launched its playoff marketing campaign, “Playoff Mode: It’s a Thing.” However, if the league needs a backup plan or wants to get ahead for 2025, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle has an idea.
“The playoffs are intense,” Carlisle said following his team’s overtime victory against Milwaukee at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, winning 121-118. “Players will give extraordinary efforts from their hearts and guts.”
Carlisle added, “The playoffs are all about the details. We need to understand that these games are won and lost by the smallest margins.”
This was evident in Friday’s fiercely contested Game 3, where the Pacers and Bucks experienced 16 lead changes or ties in the final quarter and overtime. Here are five key takeaways from the game, with Indiana now leading 2-1:
1. No Concerns about Haliburton
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton’s performance showed a statistical decline over the last three months of the season. An injury on January 8 against Boston forced him into weeks of rehab, leaving him without some of the explosiveness that earned him a starting spot in the All-Star Game.
However, in this game, Haliburton was solid, despite shooting 8-for-22. He played almost 46 minutes, recorded the second triple-double of his career, and scored the game-winning bucket in only his third playoff appearance.
With just 6.7 seconds left in overtime, a camera captured Haliburton urging his teammate to “win the game right now.” And that’s exactly what happened: Haliburton received an inbound pass deep in the backcourt, giving him a clear path toward the basket. He deceived the Bucks’ Patrick Beverley with a fake to the outside, cut inside, and made a shot just past the foul line, floating it over Milwaukee’s rookie Andre Jackson Jr.
“I thrive in these moments,” Haliburton said. “That’s why I’m here.”
The athlete from Oshkosh, Wis., defeated his home state’s NBA team by contributing 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists.
2. One Prolonged Possession
NBA overtime periods last five minutes. However, on Friday, over a third of the OT, specifically 102 seconds out of 300, were spent on a single possession on one end of the court. This extended possession involved Indiana taking six shots and securing five offensive rebounds.
“I’ve never seen that many consecutive offensive rebounds,” Pacers center Myles Turner commented. “It was unbelievable.”Carlisle asserted that repeatedly providing an offense with opportunities but failing to capitalize on them can “sap the energy” of a team. Nevertheless, the Bucks must have experienced similar frustration as they expended energy on defense only to witness Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith grab yet another offensive rebound, extending the possession. Indiana managed to gather 19 offensive rebounds throughout the game, resulting in 32 second-chance points, which helped offset the Pacers’ early relinquishment of a 19-point lead. Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks commented, “They were crashing the glass from all positions – point guards, wings, and bigs.”
Despite missing a practice session due to a sprained ankle, Middleton delivered an exceptional performance, achieving a playoff-career high of 42 points.
During Game 2, Middleton sprained his ankle early on but continued to play. He did not receive clearance until after passing a warm-up test on Friday. Middleton proceeded to score 42 points on a 16-for-29 shooting performance. He scored the final 14 points for the Bucks and forced the game into overtime with a clutch 3-pointer. He even had another 3-point attempt in overtime that nearly extended the game for an additional five minutes.
Bucks coach Carlisle was in awe of Middleton’s performance and remarked, “I struggle to find words to describe what he accomplished out there, especially with defenders draped all over him.”
Middleton faced the challenge of playing without the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was sidelined with a calf strain, and Damian Lillard, who struggled with knee and Achilles tendon injuries. Lillard managed to score 28 points but had a difficult shooting night, making only 6 of his 20 attempts. The Bucks bench also struggled, being outscored 28-6.
The Pacers’ strategy involved fouling Middleton or Lillard if they possessed the ball in the closing seconds of the game to prevent a game-tying 3-pointer. However, their execution of the plan fell short. Coach Carlisle took responsibility for the unsuccessful strategy.
Lillard endured a challenging series, injuring his knee in the first quarter when Pascal Siakam stepped on his foot. He further aggravated his Achilles injury in the fourth quarter. Lillard informed coach Doc Rivers that he could only serve as a decoy in overtime due to his limited explosiveness.
Middleton’s availability for the game was uncertain until shortly before tip-off. Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, is still recovering from his calf strain. Coach Carlisle indicated that Giannis might make his return during the middle of the playoff series, considering he is one of the premier players in the world.
News Source:NBA.com