Gary Trent Jr. tied a franchise playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo also had 37 and the Milwaukee Bucks used a big second half to beat Indiana 117-101 on Friday night and cut the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1.
The Pacers led 57-47 at halftime, but Trent hit three 3-pointers early in the third to pull the Bucks even at 62. The Bucks grabbed a 72-69 lead on Antetokounmpo’s three-point play and led 86-75 at the end of the quarter.
The lead grew to as many as 20 in the fourth and Trent finished 9 for 12 behind the arc to tie Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s mark for most 3-pointers in a postseason game.
Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which hosts Game 4 on Sunday. A.J. Green scored 12 points and Bobby Portis had 10 for the Bucks, who took on the Pacers for the 18th time in the past two seasons.
Indiana had won five of the last six playoff games between the teams and ousted the Bucks from the playoffs in the opening round last season.
Pascal Siakam had 28 points and Aaron Nesmith scored 18 for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 14 points and 10 assists.
After trailing throughout Game 2, the Bucks grabbed an early lead. Antetokounmpo and Trent, who got a rare start, combined to score Milwaukee’s first 21 points. No other Bucks player scored until Green sank a 3-pointer with 2:28 left in the opening quarter.
Milwaukee shot 4 for 23 from 3-point range over the first two quarters but was 11 for 18 after halftime.
Bucks star guard Damian Lillard was held to seven points on 2-of-12 shooting. He made just 1-of-8 3-pointers.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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