Bucks beat Pacers, Giannis Antetokounmpo scores 30 points in return
Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, Dec. 31. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - Giannis Antetokounmpo shook off a four-point first half and finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied from a 19-point deficit and beat the Indiana Pacers 120-112 on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP who missed the previous three games with a non-COVID illness, stepped up in the second half after the Bucks fell behind 83-64 in the third quarter. The NBA scoring leader made 11 of 20 shots from the field and 8 of 13 from the line while adding five assists.
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Brook Lopez scored 16 points and Bobby Portis Jr. had 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who outscored the Pacers 67-48 after halftime.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 25 points. Pascal Siakam had 20.
Takeaways
Bucks: Just when it seemed as if the Bucks were headed to a third consecutive loss, they went on a 12-0 run and trimmed a huge deficit to three points entering the final quarter. The strong second half made up for a sluggish first half.
Pacers: Each time Indiana nears .500, there’s a setback with another disappointing loss. Blowing such a big lead at home could sting for a while.
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Key moment
Gary Trent Jr. hit two clutch 3-pointers late, the first with the Bucks leading by one and the second with a two-point lead just as the shot clock expired to make it 115-110 with 1:39 remaining.
Key stat
Damian Lillard missed all seven shots, including three 3s, and committed two turnovers in a forgettable first half while being hounded by top Pacers defender Andrew Nembhard. Lillard finished with 3-for-14 shooting for nine points.
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Up next
The Bucks host Brooklyn on Thursday, and the Pacers visit Miami on Thursday.