Myles Turner scored 23 points and the Indiana Pacers won 129-103 on Sunday night to grab a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks, who lost Damian Lillard to a lower left leg injury.
The Pacers can eliminate Milwaukee in the first round for a second straight year by winning Game 5 on Tuesday in Indianapolis. The Bucks have lost eight straight road playoff games and the last five of those defeats have come at Indiana.
Milwaukee might have to try ending that streak without Lillard.
The seven-time all-NBA guard was helped off the court and into the locker room after suffering a non-contact injury midway through the first quarter.
“Just being honest, it’s not very promising,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after the game.
The preliminary examination of Lillard indicated a possible Achilles tendon injury, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. Further evaluation will take place Monday, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t immediately reveal those details.
The Pacers led 15-12 at the time of Lillard’s departure and seized control without him. Indiana shot 60.2% from the floor, and eight Pacers scored in double figures.
Andrew Nembhard had 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 15 assists. T.J. McConnell had 15 points, Aaron Nesmith 14 and Obi Toppin 13. Pascal Siakam and Jarace Walker added 12 points each.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists before leaving with 4:44 left and the Bucks trailing 120-98. Kevin Porter Jr. added 23 points for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter to score over six points. Kyle Kuzma continued his tough series by scoring three points and shooting 1-of-6.
Two nights after blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a 117-101 loss at Milwaukee, the Pacers bounced back. They won convincingly despite missing Bennedict Mathurin, who was out with an abdominal bruise.
Turner, who had scored six points while shooting 1-of-9 from the floor in Game 3, had nine points in the first four-and-a-half minutes Sunday as the Pacers never trailed.
The Pacers went on a 10-3 run immediately after Lillard’s exit to extend their lead to double digits. Milwaukee couldn’t get the margin below five points the rest of the first half and trailed 63-52 at the break.
Indiana stayed in control the rest of the way by shooting 69.2% in the second half.
This matchup between two familiar foes continued the chippiness that has been evident throughout this series.
A double technical was called on Porter and Nesmith in the second quarter. Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis received a taunting foul in the third period after standing over Nesmith and trying to grab the ball from the Pacers forward, who had taken a spill on a drive to the basket. Walker and Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins received a double technical in the third period.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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