Had Doc Rivers rolled out the same starting lineup in Game 3 that he used in Games 1 and 2, it very well could have been the final nail in the coffin for the Milwaukee Bucks.
They didn't mesh. There was constant miscommunication, defensive lapses and a consistent lack of energy, which led to countless slow starts. Knowing he needed to switch things up with his team up against the wall as they aimed to crawl out of a 0-2 hole against the Indiana Pacers, Rivers opted to pull Taurean Prince out of the lineup in favor of Gary Trent Jr. in hopes of getting a spark.
Oh, he got one.
Gary Trent Jr. immediately justifies Bucks' lineup decision
Trent embraced the new opportunity from the moment the game tipped off. He knew he was inserted into the lineup to provide some energy, and he gave the Milwaukee Bucks just that. The wing got into a groove right away, pouring in eight points in the first quarter courtesy of a triple, an and-one layup and a mid-range jumper. That was only the beginning for No. 5.
The sweet shooter proceeded to knock down eight more 3-point shots over the next three quarters, catching fire. He was particularly hot in the third quarter, where he shot 5-of-6 from deep en route to tallying 18 points. The Milwaukee Bucks trailed by double digits in the period, but Trent's play helped them fire back and claim a double-digit lead of their own in no time.
Trent erupted for 37 points on nine 3-point makes, tying Ray Allen's playoff record. Not only did Trent go on a scoring binge, but he also flexed his defensive chops with four steals. The Milwaukee Bucks seemed to be much more energized defensively when he was on the court, and a big reason for it, as simple as it may sound, was his intensity and energy.
He made an impact on both ends, showing grit and heart as he made all of the right plays, something the Milwaukee Bucks didn't have much of in the prior two road losses.
With star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo also tallying 37 points, these two became the first Milwaukee Bucks duo to notch 35-plus points in a playoff game. Better yet, these two helped elevate the Bucks to victory with a 117-101 final score to stay alive in this series. It feels safe to say that the wing has cemented his spot in the starting lineup moving forward.
On the other side of things, the Milwaukee Bucks still had trouble slowing down Pascal Siakam, who had 28 points, but they did a solid job of holding Tyrese Haliburton to just 14, Andrew Nembhard to six and T.J. McConnell to zero.
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