Pacers Eliminate Bucks in OT Thriller, Ending Milwaukee's Playoff Run

INDIANAPOLIS (Day.News) — Tyrese Haliburton blew past Giannis Antetokounmpo for a layup with 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime, sealing a 119-118 victory for the Indiana Pacers over the Milwaukee Bucks and completing a 4-1 series win in the NBA playoffs' first round. The Pacers erased a 20-point deficit with an 8-0 run in the final 40 seconds, forcing two turnovers in the last 17 seconds to eliminate Milwaukee for the second consecutive postseason. Haliburton finished with 26 points and 10 assists, now 9-0 in home playoff games, while advancing Indiana to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Milwaukee, playing without injured star Damian Lillard, mounted comebacks throughout the series but couldn't overcome Indiana's clutch play. Antetokounmpo, the Bucks' two-time MVP and Wisconsin's hoops icon, battled fiercely but watched helplessly as Haliburton drove past him for the dagger. The loss echoes last year's first-round exit to the Pacers, prompting questions about the Bucks' roster depth and coaching under Doc Rivers amid high expectations in beer city.

At Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee's faithful had packed houses for home games, but the road finale in Indianapolis crushed hopes of a deep playoff run for the team that calls Cream City home. With the 2025-26 season ending early, general manager Jon Horst faces pressure to bolster the lineup around Antetokounmpo ahead of next fall's tipoff. Indiana's upset sets up a marquee matchup in Cleveland, while Wisconsin basketball turns to offseason modes like Bucks draft prep and summer league buzz.