Preview: Pacers at Bucks

[March 10, 2017]  The Milwaukee Bucks are making a drive toward the postseason in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to gain a game in the standings at the expense of one of the teams in front of them when they host the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The Bucks are winners of four in a row to climb back within spitting distance of the No. 8 spot in the East.

Milwaukee held each of its last three opponents under 100 points and is yielding an average of 96.5 points in the last four as the team prepares for a key back-to-back at home this weekend before embarking on a six-game West Coast road trip beginning on Monday. The Bucks are among a group of four teams, along with Detroit, Chicago and Miami, packed tightly between the No. 7 and No. 10 spot in the East. Just in front of that pack in sixth place are the Pacers, who helped Milwaukee by breezing past the Pistons 115-98 on Wednesday. "It's time for us to make a run for the playoffs and try to get the best spot possible," power forward Thaddeus Young told the team's website after the win. "These are the teams that are chasing us and they're going to play hard. We have to prepare each and every night, we can't keep dropping games. We've got to keep fighting and play the way we did tonight."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, FSN Wisconsin

ABOUT THE PACERS (33-31): Indiana was unhappy with the way the offense moved the ball during a 100-88 loss in Charlotte on Monday night but was in much better spirits after handing out 27 assists and shooting 50 percent from the field against the Pistons. Center Myles Turner recorded five assists in 25 minutes, earning the respect of his point guard. "I just think Myles set the tone, man, when he came out being very unselfish, looking for others and making passes," Jeff Teague told reporters. "And that set the tone for our offense."

ABOUT THE BUCKS (30-33): Milwaukee is used to All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo taking over games and was treated to another sublime performance on Wednesday. The "Greek Freak" recorded 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the win and keyed a third-quarter rally that put the team in front en route to a 104-93 win over New York. "I thought he was aggressive," Bucks coach Jason Kidd told reporters of Antetokounmpo. "He didn't settle. We ran a play there between him and (point guard Matthew Dellavedova) with pick-and-rolls, and he took what the defense gave him. In transition, he got out and ran without the ball and guys found him, and also he was able to get to the free-throw line."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks SG Khris Middleton is shooting 58.6 percent from the field in the last five games.

2. Indiana All-Star SF Paul George is 34-of-56 from the field in the last three contests.

3. Milwaukee took the first two meetings this season by an average of 17 points.

PREDICTION: Pacers 111, Bucks 109

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.