The Pacers walked into Milwaukee on Monday night with a cushion, then watched it disappear in the second half as the Bucks turned a shaky 0-3 start into their first win of the season, 110-102.
Indiana had enough early to build an 11-point halftime lead, but everything tilted after the break. The Pacers’ offense stalled hard, and the long ball that had helped them stay in front went cold in a big way. They finished the second half just 3-for-22 from beyond the arc, and Milwaukee used a 10-point edge in the third quarter and a nine-point advantage in the fourth to take control.
The rebounding battle told the story just as clearly. Indiana was beaten 45-34 on the glass and gave up 24-8 in second chance points.
With Ivica Zubac sidelined by the ankle injury he suffered Sunday, the Pacers had no answer for Milwaukee’s extra possessions. Former Indiana Hoosier Kel'el Ware grabbed 14 rebounds for the Bucks, and it felt like every critical second-half sequence ended with Milwaukee getting another look.
Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while former Pacer Myles Turner was held to six points but made his impact felt in the paint late with multiple blocks in key moments. Turner is now 5-0 against his former team.
Obi Toppin was one of the few bright spots for Indiana. He kept his early-season scoring streak alive with 14 points and six rebounds, giving him double figures in all four games so far.
Toppin is averaging just under 16 points per game and is already doing damage from deep after last year’s injuries limited him to 24 games. He went 2-for-7 from three on Monday, but he’s still shooting 44% from beyond the arc this season.
The Pacers were also hurt at the line, making just 11 of 18 free throws. And they did it without several key names, including Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell.
It was a tough ask on the second night of a back-to-back, but this is still one Indiana will want to clean up. The Pacers had a double-digit lead and let it slip against a Milwaukee team that was sitting at 0-3 coming in. Haliburton and Siakam have been strong so far, but Indiana is going to need more support around them if it wants to keep pace in a better Eastern Conference.
Next up is a Wednesday night matchup in Indianapolis with LeBron James and the Sixers.
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Bucks Off To Brutal Start As Early Pressure Builds On Key Starters
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Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner are among the key pieces who need to settle in quickly if the Bucks are going to stop the slide. There is still a sense that the group should improve as players get more comfortable with Jenkins system and with one another, but the longer the mistakes pile up, the more pressure builds for Milwaukee to show progress soon. [Read more 🡒]