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Watch: Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton eliminate the Bucks in OT
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates a made basket during Game 5 of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Watch: Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton eliminate the Bucks in OT

Playing without Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks were up seven points with 40 seconds to go in overtime to stave off elimination. Then Tyrese Haliburton led a furious comeback, again.

Haliburton drove past Giannis Antetokounmpo for the game-winning layup with 1.1 seconds to go and the Indiana Pacers won the game, 119-118, and the series, 4-1. The 25-year-old point guard's game-winner followed a three-point play by Haliburton with 17 seconds left that put the Pacers within a point.

That had to feel like deja vu for the Bucks, who led by four points in the final seconds of regulation before two free throws and a dunk by Haliburton sent the game to overtime.

It was a brutal loss for the Bucks, who got a monster performance from Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak scored 30 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and handed out 13 assists, along with two steals and two blocks. But he did miss six free throws and turned the ball over seven times while shouldering the offensive load.

For Gary Trent, Jr., one of the biggest games of his career turned into a nightmare in the final seconds. Trent scored 33 points, made eight three-pointers and racked up five steals. Four of those triples came in OT, where Trent scored the Bucks' first 12 points of the extra period.

But in the final 30 seconds, Trent committed his only turnovers of the game at the worst possible time. First, the Pacers trapped Trent and Andrew Nembhard stole his pass. Then with 10 seconds left, and the Pacers trying to foul, Trent lost the ball out of bounds to give Haliburton his game-winning opportunity.

Trent yelled "What time?" at the Pacers crowd after his fourth three-pointer of overtime — referring to Haliburton's mocking of Lillard's "Dame Time" celebration — and then suffered an incredible comeuppance. 

Now the Pacers will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, and the Bucks will go home after one round for the third straight season.

On a night where the Bucks out-shot the Pacers from distance, out-rebounded them and held Pascal Siakam to 10 points, Tyrese Haliburton found a way to save the game. Twice.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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