win<\/a> these games.\u201d<\/p>\nThe end results were only part of what defined the series. It also became emotional and, at times, nervous.<\/p>\n
An argument over a missing game ball led to a bizarre postgame scene in December when Antetokounmpo sprinted toward the Indiana locker room. Bucks forward Bobby Portis was ejected from a game, and in Las Vegas, Haliburton drew the ire of some for imitating Lillard by pointing to his wrist after making a late 3-pointer while the Bucks were on the point of being eliminated.<\/p>\n
The final regular season game of this series only added fuel to the fire.<\/p>\n
Indiana fans repeatedly counted the seconds Antetokounmpo took to shoot free throws, Milwaukee's bench was called for a technicality in the third quarter, and Lillard and Bennedict Mathurin chatted between third and fourth quarter. Mathurin had 16 points.<\/p>\n
Then, in a foul-prone fourth, after Pacers swingman Buddy Hield threw a pass off the backboard to Isaiah Jackson for a dunk to make it 118-100 with 9:41 left and after a time death from Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo was hit hard. floor. Players gathered near the basket and after an official review for hostile act, Milwaukee rookie Andre<\/a> Jackson Jr. and Obi Toppin were both called for technical fouls.<\/p>\nBut the difference in this game was Indiana's third-quarter blowout.<\/p>\n
Milwaukee came out of a first half with a 68-66 lead, but the Pacers opened the second half on a 21-6 run and extended the lead to 113-97 after three quarters, and the Bucks couldn't get closer than 10 for the rest of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would just say we did a good job of digging in and stopping when we needed to.\u201d Haliburton said.<\/a> \u201cWhen we play in transition, we are a very difficult team to beat.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n