Myles Turner & the bench steamroll the Bucks for Game 4 win

On the rubberbanding and counterpunching of the Pacers

By: Samson Folk I @samfolkk

Smash mouth hoops, baby. Bodies were colliding early and often to kick off Game 4. Both teams jumped handoffs. Both teams put shoulders squarely in chests. Fiserv Forum boomed for every possession. Myles Turner, who struggled so much in Game 3, granted his finesse to the Pacers early on to take a 13-7 lead after the initial flurry of action. As has been the case for much of this series, the Pacers were finding offensive answers in a physical environment.

Also of note: a well-timed, yes, well-timed double on Giannis Antetokounmpo led to a turnover. Much to consider.

The defense was quite strong in the first quarter. Mostly everything got buttoned up quickly, and the breakdowns were largely a result of transition/pseudo transition. Also, I have to point out that an early injury to Damian Lillard – it looked like his ankle, hopefully not his Achilles – simplified some of the matchups for the Pacers.

All in all, the Pacers controlled the first quarter. A rush of 3-point shooting from AJ Green and Kevin Porter Jr. allowed the Bucks to climb back within 6 (30-24), but the Pacers informed the style and pace. A good spot, considering Pascal Siakam hadn't been able to provide any offensive pop to this point. McConnell & Haliburton had provided a good bit of driving pop to help keep things afloat. 

Note: McConnell is doing a lot of great things on offense, but ohmydays he is getting fried on defense. 

Note #2: Haliburton is really, really driving the ball well. Breaking the Bucks into pieces each time. Unfortunately, Porter Jr. is popping off on the other end. 

The second quarter was unlike any other in the series. Haliburton carried the Pacers offense almost exclusively through drives (although he banged a triple late and had some good fun jawing with Bobby Portis); and the Bucks were getting next to nothing from Antetokounmpo as they waited for role players to hit shots. That style of play allowed for a very natural push and pull that eventually saw the Pacers take an 11-point lead into the 2nd half (63-52), as Haliburton's hand on the wheel drove the Pacers more steadily forward. 

I believe the term for when stats normalize rapidly after being out of sorts is called: rubberbanding. Well, Turner was the disruptive kid in the class the way he was rubber banding. With Game 3 firmly in the rearview, his shot-making not only kept the Bucks at bay early on, but throughout the opening push of the third quarter. His return to form was transformative in how the Pacers were able to attack, and succeed, against the Bucks. A sight for sore eyes. 

The Bucks continued their tried and true process of using Antetokounmpo as a battering ram and expecting the role players to comport themselves around him, and they did it to some effect. The Pacers though, were perfectly fine counterpunching. Some more productive looks for Siakam. McConnell came back in to worm his way to the bucket – very wormy, by the way – and Toppin on the money as a spot up shooter. All of it contending with the Bucks drive and kick game, which continued to ramp up as Antetokounmpo hit the gas. 

There was a sequence, an unbelievable sequence, that saw the Pacers blast out to a commanding 16-point lead. A leak out to Portis, who had the bucket dead to rights, an assured layup, and Nesmith jumped out of nowhere, like Batman interceding in a carjacking, to pin Portis' layup. The ball squirted up the court, and into the hands of Haliburton, who scooped low, writhed and wriggled through a foul, and found the layup and the free throw for a huge swing. 

(Nesmith may have injured something on the play. He left the game, but was smiling off to the side. Something to keep track of. NEVERMIND HE IS MADE OF TOUGHER STUFF AND IS BACK IN THE GAME.)

A risky-for-everyone-but-not-Haliburton outlet pass to Toppin turned up the heat and put the Pacers up 17 heading into the final frame. Hot Girl Basketball had its moment. 

Still smash mouth. Everything smash mouth. In that environment, McConnell's ability to break through that first, aggressive line of defense helped give the Pacers an edge every time down the floor. Jarace Walker canned his 3rd triple of the night. Nembhard cleared out and got to a bank shot. Toppin flashed middle and hit a floater. A tidal wave of shots from the Pacers lesser known players allowed them to steam roll the Bucks to open the 4th quarter as they opened up a 22-point lead. 

Bench woes? Not present. Bench woah's? A present. The bench had shown its presence. Yes'cer.

That dominance passed on from the bench to the starters, who calmly closed the game out. Whether it was high-low zone busting, or pull-up jumpers, or catch-and-shoot looks - they worked the ball until they found their shots. The Bucks got a run from Porter Jr. – the kind they might not get again in this series – but they still had to look to Antetokounmpo everytime down the floor. His stamina was low, and the game was out of reach. The death rattle rang throughout the arena very early. 

After 4 games in this series, the Pacers look like the better, more complete team. Their best player of the series, Siakam, had a very underwhelming game on offense, and they still bashed the Bucks. They've been able to find success out of so many looks and formations. The Bucks look, repeatedly, like a team that needs shot variance to swing greatly in their favor to steal even a quarter of basketball. 

There's still time for things to change, but even in regards to the war of attrition against Antetokounmpo's bashing and crashing against the Pacers glut of wings and forwards, the Pacers look strong. Not every game is a Walker game, but he's found enough. Siakam has certainly had enough. Nesmith battles. Bodies. Attention. Collision. The Pacers are taking body shots and the feet still dance, and the counterpunches flow - and with force. 

The Bucks are up against it. We'll see. 

Have a blessed day.