The Pacers treated legend Reggie Miller to fantastic finish at the Fieldhouse while also keeping pace in the Eastern Conference standings.
Walking into the Fieldhouse early on Tuesday felt different. No jacket needed thanks to the warm air and the sun still shining, well before setting after the 7:30 p.m. TNT tip off time.
Felt like a playoff game, with a perfect opponent in the Bucks to heighten the atmosphere. Couldn’t help but wonder it maybe the Pacers would feel the same way making their way into the building focusing on snapping their three-game losing streak with a 115-114 win over the Bucks highlighted by Tyrese Haliburton’s 4-point play with three seconds remaining.
With Haliburton back in the lineup, it sure seemed like the Pacers felt the urge to show up and show out for a possible playoff rehearsal against Giannis, Dame and the Bucks. For 48 minutes, the Pacers played far better than they did on the road when losing to Atlanta and Chicago. The focus and intensity was far better throughout the regular rotation as the Pacers enjoyed a big game from Pascal Siakam (25 pts, 12 rebs) and great contributions from the bench with Bennedict Mathurin, TJ McConnell and Thomas Bryant delivering like they haven’t collectively all year.
This was a playoff-caliber effort, which was critical to hanging on for the win since the execution wasn’t always great. Well, the play execution was pretty good, but the Pacers struggled getting the ball in the hoop, with several of their 26 missed 3PAs being of the wide open variety.
The Pacers didn’t score for three minutes late in the fourth quarter which saw the Pacers 110-105 lead flip to a Bucks 112-110 lead. Finally with six seconds remaining, Andrew Nembhard, who missed two open threes for the lead in a prior possession, was fouled but could only make on free throw. Dame Lillard then made two free throws setting up the magical finish with the 4 verts football play the Pacers call Colts.
Photo:@Pacers
This is a highlight that you couldn’t avoid on Wednesday regardless of which social media account you were viewing. It repeatedly showed up and was repeatedly watched in its entirety. Not sure I’ll ever not watch the replay with lightly shaking my head in disbelief.
pacers
A post shared by@pacers
The final play and shot and, well, the win was utterly shocking. Watching the Fieldhouse explode like that, with Reggie Miller on the call for TNT to witness what he made that joint feel a few times, was all just incredible and one of the most memorable moments I’ve witnessed in a regular season game.
Now what?
Hopefully, the Pacers felt the same way as all those fans leaving the Fieldhouse and can use that juice as a boost for the stretch run of the regular season. The playoff-level effort was there, even if it was clunky at crunch time until it wasn’t, and that response against a rival in the East should verify that when healthy, this team can compete with anyone for 48 minutes.
Now it goes back to consistently bring that type of effort, not just game-to-game but quarter-to-quarter. The Pacers are in Philly on Friday to play a Sixers team that is done trying in earnest. Joel Embiid is out, Paul George is considering medical options while reports have the Sixers considering trade options for PG.
Can the Pacers show up from the tip in Philly, outplay the 11-point spread and reserve some energy for Saturday? The rematch with the Bucks in Milwaukee will decide the tie breaker between the two teams, but once again, the Pacers will be on a travel deficit, facing the Bucks with a day off at home after rolling past the Lakers on Thursday.
The Pacers showed on Tuesday they have plenty of options when those players step up ready to attack. After feeling that warm air and showing up strong in a playoff simulation, the Pacers certainly have something to build on for the last four weeks of the season.
Pacers vs. 76ers
**Where:**Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
When: Friday, Mar. 14, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
Odds: Pacers -11
Projected Starters
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner
76ers: Quentin Grimes, Jared Butler, Kelly Oubre Jr., Justin Edwards, Andre Drummond
Injuries
Pacers: Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out
76ers: Andre Drummond (toe) - questionable, Justin Edwards (ankle) - questionable, Alex Reese (shoulder) - questionable, Joel Embiid (knee) - out, Paul George (groin) - out, Eric Gordon (wrist) - out, Kyle Lowry (hip) - out, Tyrese Maxey (back) - out, Jared McCain (knee) - out, Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) - out
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