Facing elimination, the Milwaukee Bucks had to come out with some semblance of pride against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 to keep this series going.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both still out of the lineup due to injuries, it wouldn't be easy for Milwaukee to pull this one out. Without his top two players, Doc Rivers has been forced to dig deep into his bag of coaching tricks, and Game 5 would be no different. With their backs against the wall, the Bucks had to do whatever it took to stay alive.
They didn't come out of the gates guns blazing, falling into a 10-point hole toward the end of the first period after a hot start by Indiana. However, the Bucks did not fall victim to their slow start, heating up in the second quarter and beginning a rally. After taking the lead midway through the second quarter, the Milwaukee Bucks held onto it the rest of the way.
Backed by a fiery Fiserv Forum crowd, the Bucks became the first team in NBA history to win a playoff game despite not having their top two scorers from the regular season, per Matt Williams of ESPN. It was a tremendous showcase of what the Bucks can do despite being shorthanded, and let's look at several studs and duds from the contest.
Stud - Patrick Beverley
Outside of a few plays occasionally, it has been a rather quiet series for Patrick Beverley despite him being a starter. That all changed on Tuesday night with one of his most complete games in a Bucks jersey to date, doing a bit of everything for Milwaukee to help them secure the W.
Beverley shouldered more responsibility in the scoring department, putting up 13 points while hitting four of his seven shots. He upped his aggressiveness with the ball, earning five free throw attempts, the second most on the entire squad. The guard clocked 12 of his 13 points in the second quarter, helping fuel a massive run by the Milwaukee Bucks to help them capture the lead.
Spinning and-one for Pat Bev! pic.twitter.com/ZJz4LXKvCa
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 1, 2024
Yet, his impact didn't stop there. When he cooled down scoring-wise, Beverley utilized his passing skills to his advantage, having dished out 12 assists. Per StatMuse, it was the sixth double-double Beverley has notched in his 70 career NBA Playoff appearances to date, and it came at a big time for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The guard also brought his trademark defense, hounding Pacers players at every turn. Active hands helped him snatch two steals, and the 6-foot-2 guard even got up for a big block on T.J. McConnell. Given just how easily the Pacers have been scoring the basketball this series, the Bucks needed their defensive-minded guard to make his mark.
All in all, hats off to Patrick Beverley for delivering a stat-sheet-stuffing performance to help keep the Milwaukee Bucks alive.
Stud - Khris Middleton
With Antetokounmpo and Lillard both missing time, Khris Middleton has had to shoulder a significant workload in this series despite nursing injuries of his own. The veteran forward poured in 29 points, the second-most he's scored in the five games this first-round matchup has had to offer thus far, 12 boards and five assists.
In what was yet another complete game, Middleton showed off his difficult shot-making skills with an array of tough jumpers while also being sure to get his teammates in on the action. His main defender, Aaron Nesmith, logged five fouls in the contest, struggling to stick with Middleton as he showed off his arsenal on the offensive end. This was exactly what the Bucks needed from their star forward.
Stud - Pat Connaughton
In a series where their bench has largely struggled, the Milwaukee Bucks needed someone among the reserve unit to step up to give themselves a shot in Game 5. Pat Connaughton answered the call, delivering an all-around impactful performance that showed shades of 2021 Connaughton, who was a playoff hero for the team.
Connaughton's fingerprints were all over this game, as he chipped in nine points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. That block, a stunning blocked 3-point try at the third-quarter buzzer, certainly had Fiserv Forum rocking, providing some momentum that carried over into the final frame. There's no denying Connaughton was a much-needed jack of all trades in Game 5.
Stud - Malik Beasley
It's been an incredibly turbulent series for Malik Beasley, going from basically being out of the mix for the team to reclaiming his starting role. Many were wondering if he would back up some head-turning comments he made about the Pacers previously, and while he still has a ways to go, he certainly did his part on Tuesday.
The guard had 18 points, sinking four triples in the process. While the scoring and shooting were both welcoming, Beasley's defense was perhaps his most eye-catching contribution of the night, having finished with three steals due to some very active play. This type of production from him on both ends could swing this series in Milwaukee's favor, so he must keep it up.
Dud - Brook Lopez's three attempts from 3-point range
To be fair, there are not too many duds to pick out from this contest. While Brook Lopez had a quality game overall, having finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two blocks, he had a handful of odd shot attempts in Game 5 that he would have been better off avoiding, including all three of his looks from the perimeter, none of which went through the net.
Lopez has established himself as a solid outside shooter, but there are times when he needs to get in the paint and go to work. When he did, it oftentimes resulted in a dunk down low. With no Giannis, this is something he needs to rely on more often rather than constantly camping out on the perimeter to settle for a 3-point look. His biggest strengths have always been close to the basket.
Stud - Bobby Portis
Game 4 was one to forget for Bobby Portis. With his team needing him, the big man let his emotions get the best of him, and he was ejected in the early going, forced to spend most of the meeting in the locker room. After watching the Milwaukee Bucks lose that game, Portis was bound to come out with a fire lit beneath him in Game 5. Indeed, he showed up with something to prove.
In 39 minutes, Portis was firing on all cylinders, particularly as a scorer. He finished with 29 points, a new playoff career-high. With the Bucks on the brink of elimination, Portis showed off his versatility on offense, hitting everything from tough turnarounds to thunderous throwdowns, and everyone in the building loved every second of it.
To go along with his 29 points, Portis hauled in 10 rebounds, notching his 11th career double-double in the NBA Playoffs. Rounding out his night with an assist, a steal and a +30 rating, Portis had one of the greatest playoff games of his entire career, helping keep his team afloat at a much-needed time. The Milwaukee Bucks will need this type of impact from the veteran for the remainder of the series.
The Pacers lead the series 3-2, with it shifting back to Indiana for Game 6. Let's hope the Bucks can build momentum off of this performance and deliver another impressive outing their next time out.
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