Giannis Antetokounmpo set a Milwaukee Bucks franchise record with 64 points in a single game to lead his team to a 140-126 win over the visiting Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo also added 14 rebounds on the night. Damian Lillard scored 21 along with six assists. Bobby Portis came off the bench to score 19.
Indiana was led by Tyrese Haliburton, the Oshkosh, Wis., native, with 22 points and seven assists. Myles Turner matched him with 22 points and also grabbed nine boards.
It was another back-and-forth, high-scoring first half between these teams. After trailing early, Milwaukee went on an 18-7 run to close the first quarter and take a three-point lead into the second.
In the second, Lillard hit a shooter’s milestone. He tied Kyle Korver for 5th all-time in made 3-pointers with his 2,450th. He later passed him and is now nine behind Reggie Miller in third place.
Despite a Pacers rally just before the half, the Bucks would go into the halftime break with a 70-63 advantage.
Antetokounmpo had 21 points and seven boards while Haliburton scored 19 with six assists, including a poster dunk over Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr. right at the end of the half.
The third quarter appeared to be when Milwaukee was pulling away, getting a lead as high as 16 thanks largely to 17 more points from Antetokounmpo. However, with the Bucks star on the bench, the Pacers closed out the quarter on a 14-5 run to bring them within seven, 101-94.
Things got heated in the fourth. A skirmish broke out after Aaron Nesmith had Antetokounmpo wrapped up around the neck while going up for a layup. Portis and others confronted Nesmith and ultimately Nesmith received only a flagrant one.
Portis was eventually ejected after picking up a technical for confronting Nesmith and another one shortly after for continuing to jaw with Pacers players.
After the theatrics, Milwaukee was able to hang on to their lead in the final frame. Antetokounmpo put Milwaukee up by 18 with back-to-back layups.
While appearing to put the game out of reach, Indiana would hang around enough for Antetokounmpo to stay in the game.
Indiana misses out on the chance to clinch the season series over their division rival for the first time since the 2017-18 season. These teams will play two consecutive games on Jan. 1 and 3 to close out the series.
–Field Level Media