INDIANAPOLIS – The Milwaukee Bucks will try to extend their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series with the Indiana Pacers by winning Game 5 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday, April 29.
Milwaukee took a 47-41 lead into halftime as Indiana outscored the Bucks 28-17 in the second quarter. Milwaukee turned it over seven times in the frame. Indiana scored 12 points off nine Milwaukee turnovers and another five points off four offensive rebounds.
AJ Green led the Bucks with 12 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo had eight. Aaron Nesmith scored eight of his 10 points in the second quarter for the Pacers.
The Bucks raced out to a 13-0 lead to start the game and took a 30-13 lead after the first quarter thanks to a ferocious defensive effort. Milwaukee scored nine points off five Indiana turnovers and held the Pacers to 23% shooting.
All eight Bucks who played, scored. The one negative to the effort, however, was that Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. were each called for two fouls in the frame.
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Winning on the road in the playoffs has proven to be a tall task for the Bucks, however, as they last accomplished the feat in 2022 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Boston.
Milwaukee (1-3) will also be without all-star point guard Damian Lillard, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the first quarter of a Game 4 loss on April 27. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said after that game he would have to go back to the drawing board with the staring lineup and the rotation, but it would make sense for the team to turn back to Ryan Rollins in the starting lineup – and perhaps sprinkle in some Andre Jackson Jr. minutes for defensive disruption – to try and get this series back to Milwaukee on May 2.
Bucks change starting lineup in elimination game
The Bucks went through two starting lineup changes in the first four games of the series, beginning with Damian Lillard returning in Game 2 and Gary Trent Jr. joining him in the back court in Game 3. But after Lillard was lost for the series with an Achilles injury – and the team facing elimination – Bucks head coach drastically altered the starting unit for Game 5.
He went with a three-guard lineup of Trent, Kevin Porter Jr. and AJ Green and substituted Bobby Portis Jr. for Brook Lopez.
The new-look lineup began the game by forcing a shotclock violation on the Pacers.
Damian Lillard already planning comeback from torn Achilles
In his first media session since it was determined that Damian Lillard ruptured his left Achilles tendon on April 27, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said he already had long talks with the all-star point guard.
The coach shared a little bit of one of the conversations, which included the point guard telling Rivers, “I’m not going out this way. I can guarantee you that.”
Lillard will turn 35 years in July, and most Achilles tear injuries require a 9-12 month recovery period. He is under contract for $54 million next season and a $58.5 million player option in 2026-27 he will assuredly pick up.
Rivers also said that the team as a whole had begun to bounce back from the deflating nature of Lillard’s devastating injury in the first quarter in what turned out to be a loss.
“The human spirit’s amazing, it really is,” Rivers said before the game. “That was a tough night. Late game, you wait all night to play the game, everybody’s excited, and that happens it definitely deflated probably everybody. But, I think probably (April 28) you could see resolve building back up. By (April 29) we’re up and running and ready to play.”
More: What does being without Damian Lillard mean for the Bucks’ roster in 2025-26 and beyond?
How many times have teams come back from 3-1 down?
13
The last time it happened, however, was in 2020 when the Denver Nuggets did it twice in the “bubble” playoffs during the global coronavirus pandemic. The last time it occurred in a traditional playoff setting on the road was in the 2016 NBA Finals when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame the deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
Is Giannis playing?
Yes. The MVP finalist has not been on the injury report all postseason and shed the protective sleeve that was on his left shoulder a few games ago.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 33.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game through the first four games of this playoff series.
Milwaukee Bucks injury report
- Damian Lillard, out (torn left Achilles tendon)
- Tyler Smith, doubtful (sprained left ankle)
More: What does being without Damian Lillard mean for the Bucks’ roster in 2025-26 and beyond?
Bucks starters
- Guards: Kevin Porter Jr, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr.
- Forwards: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis Jr.
Indiana Pacers injury report
- Isaiah Jackson, out (torn right Achilles tendon)
- Bennedict Mathurin, questionable (abdominal contusion)
- Aaron Nesmith, probable (lower back bruise)
What time is the Bucks game?
It is an early tip, at 5 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
The game will be simulcast on NBA TV with Matt Devlin, Greg Anthony and Taylor Rooks on the national broadcast while locally,FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin will carry the game with Lisa Byington, Marques Johnson and Melanie Ricks on the call.
Bucks vs. Pacers odds, over/under
Indiana is a 7.5-point favorite over Milwaukee and the over/under is set at 222.5 points, per BetMGM.
