Giannis Antetokounmpo put up an NBA-leading 54 points but had two critical turnovers following Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining, resulting in the Indiana Pacers defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 126-124 on Thursday night.
Haliburton contributed 29 points and 10 assists, while Bennedict Mathurin added 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who squandered an 18-point lead but managed to stage a comeback after being down 10 points in the final quarter.
Although Antetokounmpo was only one point short of his personal best, his costly mistakes – a turnover and a subsequent strip – hindered the Bucks’ chances of victory. Antetokounmpo expressed how fatigue affected his game, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
During the second half, the Bucks’ head coach, Adrian Griffin, was ejected from the game and missed a significant chunk of the action. This occurred shortly after expressing his concerns about the physical treatment of Antetokounmpo by the opposing team and the referees.
“I thought Giannis was getting hit quite a bit and voiced my opinion,” Griffin said. “Next time I’ll be a little more delicate. He’s such a great human being and doesn’t complain, has such respect for the referees. It is my responsibility to make sure he’s protected.”
Despite playing without the presence of All-Star Damian Lillard, sidelined with calf soreness, the Bucks witnessed a remarkable performance from Antetokounmpo, nearly breaking Michael Redd’s franchise scoring record. Khris Middleton’s late misfire from downtown dashed hopes of a tied score.
Indiana managed to secure their win with clutch free throws from Mathurin and solid contributions from Bruce Brown, ultimately sealing the hard-fought victory. Antetokounmpo’s stellar performance was only second to Zach LaVine’s 51 points earlier in the season.
The Pacers took an early 18-point lead and maintained their momentum throughout the game, eventually edging past the Bucks. Antetokounmpo’s herculean efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Bucks from succumbing to the Pacers’ tenacious performance.
Antetokounmpo expressed satisfaction with his recent form and performance, crediting his improved rhythm for his impressive showing on the court. Milwaukee’s shooting efficiency was noteworthy, despite their struggles from beyond the arc.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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