3 Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks' gut-wrenching Game 3 loss to Indiana Pacers

Coming off a disappointing loss in Game 2, the Milwaukee Bucks aimed to bounce back on the road against the Indiana Pacers.

Early on, it looked like they were well on their way to another defeat, coming out with the same lack of energy that doomed them in Game 2. Pretty soon, the Bucks were down 19, and it looked like this one might get ugly. However, then the Bucks, ever so slowly, started chipping away. Early in the final frame, the Bucks took the lead and went back and forth with Indiana down the stretch and into overtime.

The Milwaukee Bucks had their chances, but they just could not outlast the Pacers, who sealed the deal with a Tyrese Haliburton and-one in the final seconds of overtime. With the 121-118 win, they have now won two games and lead this series 2-1. When the final buzzer sounded, it felt like a pure punch to the stomach, given how this one slipped out of Milwaukee's grasp.

That said, let us pick out three takeaways from the contest.

Khris Middleton still has the juice, and the Bucks need it

After injuring his ankle in Game 2, Khris Middleton's status for Game 3 was uncertain until moments before tip-off. Ultimately, not only did the forward give it a go, but he delivered one of the best playoff performances of his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He was in a groove on offense all night, knocking down tough shot after tough shot. Down the stretch of the fourth quarter and overtime, Middleton hit a pair of 3-pointers that were flat-out jaw-dropping to keep the Milwaukee Bucks alive. With Damian Lillard playing through injury, Middleton was forced to take on more of the workload, and he delivered, scoring 18 in the fourth and overtime.

In total, Middleton finished with 42 points on 55.2 percent shooting, 10 rebounds and five assists. The cherry on top would have been a win, but many factors, one of which will be talked about next, just prevented it from happening. It's a shame the Milwaukee Bucks could not get it done, but this game showed that Middleton can still produce on the big stage.

With Lillard banged up and Giannis Antetokounmpo's status still uncertain, the Milwaukee Bucks will need Middleton to keep playing at a high level to keep them afloat in this series.

The Bucks need to spend the next several days focusing on rebounding

Milwaukee's rebounding, or lack thereof, very well may have been the deciding factor in this matchup. The Pacers hauled in seven offensive rebounds across the fourth quarter and overtime, as there was simply no resistance down low from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Indiana's Andrew Nembhard, a 6-foot-5 guard, had three offensive rebounds in overtime on a single trip on offense, constantly battling to keep his team in the game. He was about to grab another one as well but was instead fouled by Khris Middleton. He wasn't alone, as three other Pacers had four or more offensive rebounds, led by an astounding five by Tyrese Haliburton.

Bobby Portis had five, and Khris Middleton had three, but no other Buck had multiple. The Bucks just cannot get beaten this badly on the offensive glass if they want to survive. A significant part of this was simply the Pacers outmatching Milwaukee's athleticism and energy, something that has been a major concern all year. Of course, Giannis being out also hurts.

Rightfully, a lot of eyes will immediately go to Brook Lopez, the towering 7-footer. He's never been a rebounder despite his size, but four rebounds in a game like this is inexcusable, especially without a near-seven-footer like Giannis Antetokounmpo next to him. The Bucks need him to be a factor on the glass much more than he was in this loss.

The Milwaukee Bucks have to find a way to be better on the glass coming out of the gates in Game 4.

The Bucks need to roll with the young guns

Due to that aforementioned lack of energy and athleticism in town, Bucks fans have been pleading for months for Doc Rivers to give the young guys a shot. Despite the clamoring, he's only used them on occasion but finally gave them some burn in Game 3. Unsurprisingly, they played quite well, and the team played some of their best basketball with them on the court.

It was a breath of fresh air to see Andre Jackson Jr. get non-mop-up duty minutes. Though the box score numbers do not jump off the page - two points, three rebounds and a steal - his mark was left on this game with a vicious put-back dunk, some pesky defense and a freakish swipe to show off his hops. He was all over the place, constantly making hustle plays.

As for AJ Green, he still hasn't had that 3-point barrage that many had hoped for him to deliver in this matchup, but he's doing the little things when given an opportunity. He had four points and three rebounds in this one while playing fine enough defense, proving to be a positive in his limited action.

Interestingly enough, Green was a +10 in this one, while Jackson was a +7, both of which were the highest marks on the team. The team just plays better when these two are on the floor because they can somewhat combat the Pacers' speed and athleticism, which veteran players like Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley have failed to do.

These two need more minutes, and it would be perplexing if Rivers chose the veterans over the young guys the next time the Milwaukee Bucks take the floor. Time will tell who he rolls with.

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