Pacers outlast Bucks in OT to extend win streak to 7
No team will look forward to playing the grit-and-grind Pacers in a seven-game series should Indiana hold on to their playoff spot.
The Pacers downed the Milwaukee Bucks in a scrappy and hard-fought overtime affair on Thursday, 109-103. Indiana has now won its last seven contests and 13 of 15 overall.
The win brings them to within 3.5 games of sixth place as the Pacers await the return of Paul George from a year-long injury.
It was a tale of two halves. The first half was characterized by free-flowing transition play whereas the second half was more of a plodding, back-and-forth battle.
Milwaukee fought back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win at the end of regulation. They ran an isolation for Khris Middleton, resulting in a 19-foot missed jump shot.
The Pacers ran away with it in overtime. The Bucks' offense shriveled up, as they managed just eight points in the extra frame.
Shooting guard Rodney Stuckey came off the bench and gave the Pacers a much-needed boost. He attacked the basket relentlessly, leading to 10 trips to the free-throw line.
Stuckey finished with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists.
The two sides got chippy in the fourth quarter, leading to some reckless plays. On the whole, they combined for 60 personal fouls, two technical fouls and a flagrant.
Michael Carter-Williams put forth a strong effort for the Bucks, scoring a game-high 28 points with eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.