The Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks went at it in a spirited battle during the latest chapter of one of the newer rivalries in the NBA on Tuesday night. Last season, the two squads had a few high-profile battles in both the NBA Cup and the first round of the playoffs.
The Pacers got the better of that first round series last year in six games against a banged-up Bucks squad, and they continued that reign in this one. The Bucks looked like they were going to come out on top, but an improbable four-point play by Tyrese Halliburton with just three seconds left gave the Pacers a 115-114 win.
Halliburton wasn't the only Pacers player to have a moment. During the third quarter, Indiana forward Obi Toppin cut through the lane, received the pass and threw down a monster dunk over Bucks center Brook Lopez.
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That was Toppin's only field goal of the night, so he certainly made it count. The highlight slam gave the Pacers a lot of momentum that allowed them to stay close in this tight contest.
The Bucks had a chance to win it even after Haliburton's heroics. Giannis Antetokounmpo raced up the court and pulled up for 3 at the buzzer, but the shot fell short and the Pacers escaped with a win that had to feel like it was stolen.
Not only is this a big win for the Pacers to get some momentum after a three-game losing streak, it is a massive victory in terms of the Eastern Conference standings. Indiana is now tied for fourth place in the conference with the Bucks as they try to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
As the season winds down, it's possible that this result and that shot by Haliburton plays a huge role in the way the postseason shakes out. Regardless of who ends up as the higher seed, there's no question that there will be plenty of fireworks from Haliburton, Toppin, Antetokounmpo and others if these two rivals square off in the first round again.