Milwaukee Bucks eradicated from playoffs with Sport 6 loss to Pacers – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

INDIANAPOLIS – The disjointed season for the Milwaukee Bucks is over after simply six video games within the playoffs.
The Indiana Pacers rode their quick tempo and feverish residence crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a 120-98 victory on Thursday evening.
That gave the Pacers a 4-2 victory within the collection. They superior out of the primary spherical of the playoffs for the primary time because the 2013-14 season.
The Bucks had plenty of ups and downs, together with the midseason firing of head coach Adrian Griffin and the following hiring of Doc Rivers.
Ultimately, Milwaukee couldn’t overcome the injuries to stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the finish of the season, although Lillard returned in Game 6.
BOX SCORE: Pacers 120, Bucks 98
Lillard scored a game-high 28 factors. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 factors and 10 assists for the Pacers, who additionally received nice video games from Obi Toppin (21 factors) and T.J. McConnell (20).
“They’re only a powerful workforce,” Rivers mentioned. “Clearly we had guys out and all that. And that is arduous.
“Simply give them credit score. I believed they performed terrific.”
Middleton had been carrying the Bucks’ offense throughout the series. He put up 25 or extra factors in three straight video games, including 42 points in Game 3.
However Middleton, who additionally battled accidents to each ankles, appeared to expire of steam in Sport 6. He scored simply seven factors within the first half on 3-for-10 capturing.
“I additionally thought bringing Dame again, in some methods, as a result of (Middleton) was so exhausted, he was, like, you go do it,” Rivers mentioned. “And I believed that was nice of him, however I believed we should always have concerned him far more.”
He completed with 14 factors on 6-for-15 capturing, subbing out of the sport with simply over 5 minutes remaining.
“Ankles are sore, however everyone’s going by one thing within the playoffs,” Middleton mentioned. “In the event you can play, when you can play by it, received to go on the market and play. No excuses about it.
“Simply tonight, did not have it. As a workforce, they got here out and set the tone to be further bodily. Push the tempo as a lot as they might, like they had been attempting to do all collection. They had been in a position to execute their recreation plan. We could not as a lot.”
The Pacers additionally had a transparent benefit in depth.
The Bucks’ bench gamers scored only one level within the first half – on a free throw from Danilo Gallinari.
The Pacers had 19 bench factors within the first half, with all of them coming from Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell.
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Pacers beginning heart Myles Turner picked up his fourth foul early within the third quarter. Whereas that often be welcomed information for the Bucks, it simply meant extra enjoying time for Toppin.
By the point Rivers began placing in his deep reserves late within the fourth quarter, the Pacers had a 44-6 benefit in bench factors. McConnell and Toppin mixed for 41 of these factors.
“They had been large,” Rivers mentioned. “I believed Toppin had a hell of a collection general. Simply his vitality, his velocity, enjoying a number of positions allowed them to change plenty of stuff.
“And T.J. is only a ache within the ass. He simply actually is. He did not do nice offensively for them (for the collection), however he was a pest defensively. He does what he does.”
Middleton sank a three-pointer to get the Bucks inside 71-61 within the third quarter.
That was the primary triple for a Bucks participant not named Damian Lillard. At that time, the Bucks had been 4 for 17 from deep with Lillard going 3 for 9.
The Pacers didn’t shoot the lights out. They had been simply 11 for 34 (32.3%) by three quarters.
However McConnell nailed a triple with 12.9 seconds left within the third quarter for a 93-79 benefit. That capped an 8-0 run by the Pacers to finish the quarter.
McConnell added one other three to begin the fourth quarter and the house followers may sense the collection victory. The Pacers’ greatest lead was 24 factors.
The Pacers completed 13 for 40 (32.5%) on threes, whereas the Bucks had been simply 7 for 27 (25.9%).
“They’d home-court benefit,” Bucks guard Malik Beasley mentioned. “The gang was rocking. It is a powerful loss.”
Now the Bucks must reckon with a second straight exit within the first spherical.
“All we wished to do was win and take it again to Milwaukee and hope we get Giannis subsequent recreation,” Beasley mentioned. “It did not occur. We simply received to get our relaxation and prepare for subsequent season, I suppose.”
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Giannis Antetokounmpo was listed as uncertain on the harm report on Wednesday. The 2-time MVP strained his left soleus (calf) muscle April 9 and, although he has continued to get on the court docket, he hasn’t carried out any dwell, full-speed exercise. He has been listed as uncertain for the primary 5 video games of the collection. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers did not decide to a standing replace on Antetokounmpo earlier than Sport 6, however an up to date harm report listed Antetokounmpo as out for the sport.
Lillard was listed as uncertain on Wednesday’s preliminary harm report, however the guard was upgraded to questionable on Thursday. Lillard sustained knee and Achilles injuries in Game 3, nevertheless it was tendinitis — irritation — in his proper Achilles that stored him out of Video games 4 and 5. Lillard then went by his pregame routine on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court docket earlier than Sport 6, and the Bucks upgraded Lillard’s standing once more to out there.
Bucks: Middleton is carrying the injury-riddled Bucks, averaging 26.8 factors per recreation within the collection. Milwaukee is hoping for one more standout efficiency from Bobby Portis, who had a playoff career-high 29 factors in Sport 5.
Pacers: Indiana scored a season-low 92 factors in Sport 5. The Pacers made 22 three-pointers of their final residence recreation within the eries.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday
ESPN Stats & Information offers the Bucks a 42.5% likelihood of profitable.
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