On April 29, Beijing time, the first round of the 2023-24 NBA playoffs G4 is in full swing, and the Pacers continue to sit at home to face the Bucks. In the last game, the two teams played quite closely, and it was not until the last moment that the winner was decided. Haliburton played the whistle to 2+1, leading the team to pull the big score to 2-1, if this game continues to win, will be the first to get the match point. Both teams were injured and absent from the game, with Mathurin absent on the Pacers' side, but the Bucks were hit harder, with Antetokounmpo continuing to hang his waiver card and Lillard also sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury. Middleton will be the Bucks' only scoring powerhouse, while other players will need to step up and score.
In the first quarter, the two teams started a big drama against each other, and the Pacers' firepower was concentrated on the outside, with 11 3-point shots and 6 shots! The inside shots were basically in the hinterland of the Bucks' restricted area, with 5 of 6 shots, and the whole team scored 33 points in a single quarter; the Bucks were 3 of 8 outside shots, and the main scoring points were all concentrated in the Pacers' restricted area, and only 1 shot was conceded under the impact basket, which was quite efficient, and the efficiency was also 33 points in a single quarter; no one from the two teams scored a double in the first quarter, and they both relied on multi-point power to score points. Portis was fouled for two technical fouls in the first quarter, which was a blow to the Bucks.
The second quarter continued, and the two teams continued to open the confrontation mode in this section. The Pacers continued to exert their strength on the outside, and continued to make five more 3-pointers! The inside line resolutely attacked the basket, shooting more than 50 percent, and continued to score 34 points in a single quarter! The Bucks created a lot of shooting opportunities on the outside, but they had no choice but to feel poor, and only hit 2 shots; the outside line was not accurate, but the inside line was full of firepower, creating a lot of shooting opportunities, only conceding 2 shots, and also cutting 31 points in a single quarter. At halftime, the Bucks trailed by three points at 64-67;
Middleton suffered an injury as soon as the quarter began, but fortunately after a short period of treatment, it was fine. But judging from his performance on the court again, it still affected his form, a back hit and a fall, and a back tilt was significantly shorter. On the Pacers' side, Haliburton went berserk, hitting 3 3-pointers in a row to stop the Bucks, and the point difference also came to double digits! After that, the Bucks adopted the strategy of shrinking the defense line and putting the outside line, but the effect was obviously average, and the Pacers' outside hand continued to be hot, and the difference was once stretched to 17 points! At the critical moment, Beverley and Mishen scored 5 points in a row, and after the 3rd quarter, the Pacers led by 13 points at 98-85, and the suspense continued!
In the final quarter, Middleton took the lead in breaking through the basket and scored, Da Luo scored 5 points in a row, and the Bucks chased a 7-0 wave to a 6-point difference! After a pause, Smith made 2 fouls and 2 free throws, Middleton responded with a step-back jumper, and Turner also had a jumper, and the two sides went back and forth, fighting around the 8-point difference! Turner hit 2 consecutive 3-pointers, and the difference returned to 14 points, stopping the Bucks again. The Bucks relied too heavily on Middleton and Da Luo, and the other players scored a total of 10 points in the second half, and the game was simply unplayable. In the end, the Bucks were powerless to reverse the 19-point disadvantage, and the score was fixed at 126-113, and the Pacers won one more game, and the big score was 3-1 to take the lead in getting the match point!
In this game, the Bucks scored 3 double-doubles, Da Luo 27 points, 9 boards, 1 assist and 1 block, Middleton 25 points, 10 boards, 6 assists and 1 steal, these two really tried their best! Beasley 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, Beverley 9 points, 1 board, 3 assists and 1 steal, Jackson 6 points, 6 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals, Gallinari 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists;
The Pacers hit a total of 21 3-pointers in this game, shooting more than 50 percent, including Turner 7 of 9 3-pointers and cut 29 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks, Haliburton 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal, Nembhard 15 points, 2 rebounds and 8 assists, Nesmith 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks, Sika 13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, Toppin 13 points and 2 boards, McConaughey 8 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists.