If the NBA season ended right now, the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers would face-off within the first spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. If Tuesday night time’s appetizer was any indication, basketball followers can be in for an incredible collection if it occurs.
The Pacers shocked the Bucks, 114-113, within the Central Division showdown. There’s a lot current historical past between these two groups, and this recreation added one other memorable chapter.
The groups traded the lead backwards and forwards within the fourth quarter. Milwaukee took the lead with simply over a minute left on an superb move from Giannis Antetokounmpo to teammate Gary Trent Jr. for a nook three. The Bucks held the lead into the ultimate seconds till the Pacers referred to as timeout and drew up a play on their closing possession.
The timeout superior the ball to heart court docket, however Pacers nonetheless lined up close to the other three-point line. Indiana seemed preferred they had been in a shotgun formation with 4 vast receivers, and so they ran a superb play to spring Tyrese Haliburton free. All Haliburton did was catch the ball within the nook and drain a three-pointer whereas getting fouled. He made the free throw for the game-winning four-point play.
You gained’t see many higher game-winners within the NBA this season. Watch the play right here:
I’ve performed sufficient Madden in my day to know that’s 4 Verts. My soccer writing colleague JP Acosta stated it’s truly Shallow Sting. Both method, that’s an unimaginable play by Indiana to win a recreation over a rival in an unimaginable state of affairs.
Previous pal of this system Caitlin Cooper covers the Pacers higher than anybody at Basketball, She Wrote. After all, Cooper is throughout this play. Cooper interviewed Pacers assistant coach Jenny Boucek over the summer season, and she or he broke down the precise play Indiana used to win the sport. Watch Cooper’s interview clip right here:
March is likely to be the doldrums of professional basketball, however moments like this remind us that the NBA Playoffs are going to be unimaginable. We’d like a Pacers-Bucks collection.
