Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee Bucks kept their playoff hopes alive in dramatic fashion, cruising to a 117-101 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of their first-round matchup at Fiserv Forum. Behind twin 37-point eruptions from superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks cut the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1 and regained momentum on their home floor.
Giannis was in MVP form, stuffing the stat sheet with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in 32 minutes of work. Lillard matched his co-star shot for shot, drilling deep threes and driving with authority to match the 37-point output of his own, along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The Bucks, trailing 2-0 in the series, started the game in sync, trading blows in the first quarter before pulling away in the second and sealing the game with a dominant 39-point third quarter. Gary Trent Jr. also chipped in 37 minutes of hard-fought hustle, contributing critical floor spacing.
The Pacers, meanwhile, leaned on Pascal Siakam, who notched 28 points, and Tyrese Haliburton’s 14-point, 10-assist double-double. But their second-half offense went cold, and Milwaukee’s defense, led by Bobby Portis Jr. and Brook Lopez, stepped up in crunch time.
Milwaukee out-rebounded Indiana 48-40, hit 15 threes, and kept their turnovers to just 13 compared to Indiana’s 14. The Bucks shot 47.2% from the field and 81.8% from the free-throw line, a marked improvement from previous games.
This win not only keeps Milwaukee in the series but sets up a pivotal Game 4 with renewed energy and home crowd momentum. All eyes now shift to how Indiana will respond—and whether Giannis and Dame can keep up this electric pace.
