Milwaukee Bucks Eliminated After Collapse in Overtime

The Milwaukee Bucks looked ready to extend their first-round series to Game 6 after taking a seven-point lead with 40 seconds left in overtime. However, after a series of turnovers and poor execution, the Bucks allowed the Indiana Pacers to score quickly, making it a one-point game where Indiana had the final shot.

Tyrese Haliburton drove past Giannis Antetokounmpo to make the game-winning layup and end Milwaukee’s season. This brought a catastrophic end to the series, losing 4-1. Now, the Milwaukee Bucks have a daunting offseason ahead of them with the status of Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in question.

A Catastrophic Collapse

The Milwaukee Bucks had Game 5 in hand on multiple occasions. They got off to an excellent start, outscoring the Pacers 30-13 in the first quarter. Milwaukee led by as many as 20 points, but the Pacers did not take long to completely chip away at that lead. After the Bucks dominated the first quarter, Indiana dominated the second. They won the second quarter 28-17, and at halftime, the Milwaukee Bucks held a 47-41 lead. Holding the high-powered Pacer offense to 41 points in a half is impressive, but they allowed their large lead to slip away quickly.

In the third quarter, the Pacers’ offense continued to pummel the Milwaukee Bucks. They outscored them 34-28, making it a tie game going into the final quarter. From here, it looked like Indiana would secure the series. They had completed the comeback and began to build a lead in the fourth quarter with their home crowd rocking. To their credit, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks battled back to tie the game. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. hit key three-pointers, and they led by four with less than a minute to go. But the Pacers tied the game up, making way for overtime.

This is where the Milwaukee Bucks collapsed. Trent Jr. caught fire, knocking down four three-point shots for a 33-point game. An Antetokounmpo layup extended Milwaukee’s lead and seemingly the series. But Andrew Nembhard made a quick three, and Trent Jr. threw a bad pass, resulting in a turnover. Then, Haliburton was fouled on a layup, making it a one-point game. Still, the Bucks had the ball and simply needed to hold on. But, after passing it around, Trent Jr. bobbled a pass thrown through his legs, and it went out of bounds. This gave Indiana the final shot, and Haliburton scored. In a matter of seconds, the Milwaukee Bucks’ season was over.

The Milwaukee Bucks Offseason

After their season ended in a stunning collapse, the Milwaukee Bucks have an offseason full of decisions ahead of them. The biggest is the status of Antetokounmpo. Many believe that Milwaukee has failed at building a championship team around him since their 2021 title win. They have lost in the first round of the playoffs the last three seasons and have made some questionable moves. One of the most recent is trading Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson for Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma did not have a good playoff series, while the Wizards steadily improved without him, making the trade look poor for Milwaukee.

Then, there is Lillard. Lillard suffered a torn Achilles after recovering from blood clots for the playoffs. The 35-year-old will miss considerable time, potentially closing the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship window. With Lillard out for the foreseeable future, the Bucks may not have the pieces to contend for another title. Many believe Antetokounmpo could seek a trade this offseason.

Final Thoughts

The way the Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 5 is one for the storybooks. And what makes it even more interesting and tragic is that it could be Antetokounmpo’s last game with the Bucks. After another disappointing end to their season, Milwaukee has an arduous offseason to look forward to.