(Indianapolis) Obi Toppin scored 21 points, TJ McConnell scored 20 points and added nine assists, and the Indiana Pacers won a playoff series for the first time in a decade, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 120-98 during the sixth game, Thursday evening.
In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Pacers will play against the winners of the series between the 76ers from Philadelphia to the New York Knicks.
The 76ers and the Knicks faced each other later in the evening in the sixth game of their series led 3-2 by the Knicks.
Damian Lillard was back from a right Achilles tendon injury. Although he wasn’t as dominant as he was in the first two games when he scored 69 points, Lillard finished the game with 28 points.
Bobby Portis Jr. had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks. Brook Lopez also scored 20 points, while Khris Middleton scored 14 points, to add to her eight rebounds.
Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Pacers. Former Raptors Pascal Siakam had 19 points and added seven rebounds.
The Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row.
The Bucks, down 33-24 after one quarter, cut the deficit to 38-24 early in the next quarter. The Bucks started the second half with a 9-4 run to get within 63-56.
The Pacers, however, responded with a 10-5 run to improve their lead to 12 points.
An 11-0 run made it 96-78 early in the fourth quarter and the Pacers never looked back after that.