INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers took a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series against the Bucks on Tuesday. Indiana beat Milwaukee, 123-115, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 24 points, while point guard Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 12 assists. Forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis scored 34 and 28 points, respectively, for the Bucks.
Indiana was hot from the opening tipoff, and it never trailed at any point during Game 2. A Siakam dunk gave the Pacers a 16-8 lead just four minutes into the game, forcing Milwaukee to take a timeout.
Indiana would lead by as many as 15 in the first quarter behind 60% 3-point shooting. The Bucks would cut the deficit to 10 after one quarter of action.
Emotions boiled over with just under two minutes to play in the quarter as a fight almost broke out between the teams. Order was quickly restored, but guards Bennedict Mathurin and Gary Trent Jr. received technical fouls.
The Pacers stayed in control in the second quarter behind nine points from Haliburton. Indiana led 68-60 at halftime.
A Haliburton 3-pointer early in the third quarter gave Indiana its largest lead of the game at 16. Siakam made it 99-84 with four seconds left in the quarter, but Kevin Porter Jr. made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Milwaukee hope heading into the fourth quarter.
The Bucks continued the rally in the fourth, cutting the Pacers’ lead to just two on a Damian Lillard 3-pointer. Siakam and Andrew Nembhard ended Milwaukee’s run with 3-pointers.
Tempers flared again with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter as both Siakam and Portis were given technical fouls as the teams exchanged words.
Lillard made his series debut after missing Game 1. Lillard has been dealing with a blood clot issue for much of the 2024-25 season.
The Pacers have not lost a playoff series after taking a 2-0 lead at any point in franchise history.
The series now shifts to Milwaukee for Games 3 and 4 this weekend. Game 3 tips off at 8 p.m. at Fiserv Forum on Friday night.