The NBA playoffs continue with the Pacers hosting the Bucks, who have won three of the previous five games between the two teams and are currently leading 3-2. If the Pacers win this game, they will enter the second round of the playoffs again in 10 years.
From the start of the game, the Pacers' players played very aggressively and toughly, with Haliburton and Siakam both playing well on the court. After coming off the bench, the advantage of the Pacers was even greater, and McConnell and Toppin were very eye-catching. McConnell, in particular, was completely unable to limit his play, and in the end, the Pacers defeated the Bucks 120-98 to advance to the second round.
The biggest contributor to the Pacers' victory was McConnell, who got 20 points, 9 assists and 4 steals in the game, with a plus/minus of +22. The individual offense was efficient, and the tandem offense was also very good, completely revitalizing the team's offense. Defensively they are still very aggressive and energetic on the court.
Another bench Topping also performed very well, scoring 21 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 8-of-15 from the field, hitting a few key three-pointers, and his performance in the fast break was very eye-catching, and he did a very good job of impacting the basket. He was very aggressive on the defensive end and worked very hard to get rebounding.
Haliburton, the Pacers' number one star, had a double-double of 17 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists. Due to McConnell's wonderful play, Harry Potter has not been on the court for a long time, but as a top playmaker, he still connects the team's offense very well. Let the Bucks chase points are weak, and lead the team to the second round in the playoffs in the first year. It's fair to say that Harry Potter has grown into a truly top player.
Siakam, another star of the Pacers, had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, although he didn't feel well in the first half. But in the second half, Siakam regained his offensive touch, especially in the third quarter, scoring nine points in a single quarter, curbing the Bucks' momentum of chasing points. With Siakam's consistent play, the Pacers can go for a better result.
The last time the Pacers advanced to the second round of the playoffs was in the 2013~2014 season, when the team's coach was Vogel, and the team's number one star was Paul George. Now, the Pacers, led by Harry Potter and Siakam, are once again in the second round, which also heralds a complete renaissance of the Pacers, and this year's results are worth looking forward to.