Pacers Fourth Quarter Comeback Denied by Bucks

And now? Instead of a heavyweight fight, we got what felt like a preseason scrimmage with better lighting for three and a half quarters.

Indiana is openly playing the long game, positioning for lottery odds like a franchise that understands February wins don’t hang banners. 

Milwaukee? Well… let’s just say life without Giannis Antetokounmpo has been less “contender” and more “hanging on to play-in contention for...deer...life.”

This was supposed to be must-see basketball.

Instead, it’s two teams in very different identity crises. One tanking with purpose, the other trying to convince itself everything’s fine.

The rivalry didn’t die. It just needs Tyrese Haliburton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and both teams being relevant playoff contenders.

So, even if the game itself lacked juice, there are still a few things worth pointing out to better explain how it all unfolded. Here are my takeaways from Milwaukee's 105-99 victory over Indiana: 

The second and third quarters proved to be an offensive struggle for the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana managed just 36 combined points during that stretch, shooting 13-of-40 from the field. The cold spell found them in a 20-point deficit, as the Milwaukee Bucks found their rhythm on the other end. Milwaukee poured in 60 points over those same 24 minutes, shooting 25-of-59 from the field. Getting outscored 60–36 across two quarters almost guarantees defeat, but the Pacers refused to fold.

Indiana responded with an 18–2 run in the fourth quarter, trimming an 89–69 Bucks lead down to 91–87 and shifting momentum squarely in its favor. However, Milwaukee steadied itself, answering with a 12–5 run to push the lead back to double digits. Key baskets from Bobby Portis and Kevin Porter Jr. halted Indiana’s surge.

It was a valiant comeback attempt, led by Andrew Nembhard, who scored 18 of his 22 points in the final quarter, nearly willing the Pacers back into contention.

Over the last four to six weeks, the Indiana Pacers have leaned more heavily into small-ball lineups, moving away from traditional center groupings due to inconsistent results with those bigger units. Notably, Indiana’s 18–2 fourth-quarter run came with a small-ball configuration on the floor, further reinforcing the staff’s recent rotation adjustments.

That is no disrespect to the traditional bigs who suited up for the Pacers in this matchup, but it underscores why Indiana moved decisively at the trade deadline to acquire Ivica Zubac. The team’s center depth prior to Zubac’s arrival was not equipped to consistently handle starter-level minutes. Addressing that structural weakness was imperative, and the front office acted accordingly.

As a side note, Zubac shared a heartfelt message on Instagram thanking the Los Angeles Clippers and their fan base for the seven seasons he spent in LA. Shortly thereafter, he posted a screenshot of the Pacers’ FanDuel Sports Network broadcast to his Instagram story, signaling to Indiana fans that he was already tuned in to watch his new team.

In the third quarter of Tuesday night’s game, T.J. McConnell moved past Tyrese Haliburton on the Indiana Pacers’ all-time assists list.

Haliburton remains at 2,259 career assists with the franchise after being ruled out for the remainder of the season by President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard during his offseason media availability.

McConnell finished the night with six assists, bringing his Pacers total to 2,262 and moving him into seventh place in franchise history. The next milestone on his climb is former ABA standout Freddie Lewis, who recorded 2,279 assists during his tenure in Indiana.

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