Bucks dump Pacers, end mini-skid

[March 08, 2019]  Giannis Antetokounmpo produced 29 points, 12 rebounds and five assists to help the host Milwaukee Bucks cruise to a 117-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

Khris Middleton recorded 27 points and three steals for the Bucks, who snapped their first two-game losing streak of the season. Brook Lopez added 13 points, and Eric Bledsoe had 12.

Myles Turner had 22 points, matched his career high of 17 rebounds and also blocked three shots for the Pacers, who lost for just the fifth time in the past 15 games. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points, Kyle O'Quinn added 11 points, and Wesley Matthews and Thaddeus Young scored 10 apiece.

Milwaukee held a 52-39 rebounding advantage and shot 50 percent from the field, including 14 of 35 from 3-point range. Middleton made four 3-pointers.

Indiana made 14 of 37 from 3-point range and shot 38.9 percent overall. Turner matched his career best by sinking four 3-pointers, and he set a career high with 11 attempts from long range.

Bogdanovic connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Pacers within 67-64 with 5:54 left in the third quarter.

Milwaukee answered with 13 consecutive points. Middleton scored six during the surge as the Bucks opened up an 80-64 advantage with 2:56 remaining in the period.

The Pacers crept within 11 before Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova buried a 3-pointer with 1:26 left. The Bucks eventually took an 84-72 lead into the final stanza.

Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) drives for the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe (6) during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee soon blew the game open with a 12-0 burst. Ilyasova and Pat Connaughton drained 3-pointers, Tony Snell scored two baskets, and Antetokounmpo finished the run with a dunk as the Bucks elevated the lead to 96-74 with 8:21 left.

The Pacers moved within 98-82 on a 3-pointer by Matthews with 5:56 left. However, Middleton converted a four-point play 11 seconds later to push the lead back to 20.

Antetokounmpo was pulled with Milwaukee leading 104-85 with 4:37 to go before the Pacers scored five straight points.

Mindful his team blew double-digit, fourth-quarter leads in the past two games, coach Mike Budenholzer reinserted Antetokounmpo after the star spent just 39 seconds on the bench. Antetokounmpo scored all the Milwaukee points during an 8-2 run to again push the lead to 20 with 2:23 left.

Antetokounmpo scored 13 first-half points, and the Bucks led 54-50 at the break.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.