The spotlight is firmly on the Pacers this week as they make their way to Las Vegas for the Semifinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
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The spotlight is firmly on the Pacers this week as they make their way to Las Vegas for the Semifinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Following a thrilling Quarterfinal victory against the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday, where they captivated a packed crowd and a nationwide TV audience, the Pacers (11-8) are gearing up to face another formidable Eastern Conference contender in Vegas.
The Milwaukee Bucks (15-6), led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, secured their spot in the Semifinals with a commanding 146-122 win over the Knicks in Tuesday’s other East Quarterfinal.
The Pacers and Bucks clashed earlier in the season, and it was the Pacers who came out on top with a narrow 126-124 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. In that game, All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton showcased his usual brilliance, notching a double-double with 29 points and 10 assists.
His sharpshooting from beyond the arc was particularly impressive, hitting 5 out of 9 attempts, including the crucial go-ahead three-pointer with just 1:29 left on the clock. Center Myles Turner also delivered a standout performance, contributing 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while showcasing his prowess from long range by going 4-for-9 from beyond the arc.
For the Bucks, Connaughton and Crowder will not be playing the game due to ankle and groin injuires. As for the Pacers, Smith will not be available for the game due to a heel injury.
On Thursday, the Pacers face the challenge of figuring out a more effective strategy to contain Antetokounmpo. In their previous encounter, the Greek Freak unleashed chaos by scoring an impressive 54 points, securing 12 rebounds, and displaying remarkable accuracy with a 19-for-25 field goal record and a 16-for-18 success rate from the free-throw line against the Blue & Gold. His two-way dominance was evident in Tuesday’s Quarterfinal victory against New York, where he notched 35 points on 15-of-22 shooting, grabbed eight boards, dished out 10 assists, and swiped three steals.
Preventing the 6-11 Antetokounmpo from dominating the paint and frequenting the free throw line is no simple feat, but anticipate Indiana making some strategic tweaks from their previous encounter in an effort to somewhat impede his impact.
The Pacers boast their own standout point guard in Haliburton, who has been nothing short of sensational throughout the season, particularly in In-Season Tournament action. The 23-year-old has been averaging an impressive 28 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists over five IST games, showcasing a shooting accuracy of 50.5 percent from the field and an impressive 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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