NBA roundup: Pacers, Thunder go 2-0 up, Lakers tie series

The Indiana Pacers managed to overcome another impressive display from Milwaukee's star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with the return of Damian Lillard, securing a 123-115 victory over the Bucks to establish a 2-0 advantage in their NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Tuesday.

Pascal Siakam recorded 24 points and secured 11 rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 21 points and 12 assists for the Pacers, who managed to maintain a lead that was reduced from 15 points to just two due to a 13-0 scoring surge by the Bucks in the fourth quarter.

The Pacers ultimately achieved a wire-to-wire victory, and the top-seeded Oklahoma City team in the Western Conference also maintained a lead throughout their match, defeating Memphis 118-99, just two days after a significant 51-point win over the Grizzlies in the first game.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo topped all scorers with 34 points, along with 18 rebounds and seven assists. Nine-time All-Star Lillard, returning to play after five weeks due to treatment for a blood clot in his right calf, scored 14 points and provided seven assists in 37 minutes of play.

Lillard's three-pointer with 2:33 remaining brought the Bucks within 115-113, but Siakam quickly answered with a three-pointer of his own. Andrew Nembhard then hit another three, allowing the Pacers to secure their victory. Nembhard finished with 17 points, contributing to a total of six Pacers scoring in double figures during a game that was intense throughout.

A brief altercation in the first quarter led to technical fouls for Milwaukee's Gary Trent Jr. and Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin, while Siakam and Milwaukee's Bobby Portis also received technicals with under two minutes remaining, amidst considerable verbal exchanges.

"It's fun," Haliburton said. "This is what everybody lives for. We're all competitors, so having a lot of fun competing right now."

Haliburton's recent performance follows his designation as the most overrated player in the league, as determined by anonymous votes in an official league poll. Head coach Rick Carlisle has publicly defended his player amidst this criticism.

In Oklahoma City, the Thunder demonstrated resilience, showcasing no signs of a letdown after achieving the most significant game-one victory in NBA playoff history, defeating the Grizzlies 118-99.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 27 points, while Jalen Williams contributed 24 points and Chet Holmgren recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocked shots. The Thunder initiated the game with a 9-0 run and maintained a lead of up to 23 points.

In the first half, Oklahoma City successfully converted 12 of their 15 three-point attempts. They dominated the Grizzlies in fast-break points, outscoring them 21-3, and also led in points scored in the paint, 54-46.

For the Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 26 points and Ja Morant added 23 points. Although the Grizzlies showed some improvement in the third quarter, Oklahoma City responded by starting the fourth quarter with another 9-0 run, ensuring the Grizzlies could not close the gap to within 15 points for the remainder of the game.

In another matchup, the Los Angeles Lakers triumphed over the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85, leveling their NBA Western Conference playoff series at one game each. Luka Doncic was the standout performer with 31 points, while LeBron James contributed 21 points. Doncic, who was acquired in a significant trade in February, also recorded 12 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Lakers maintain a lead of up to 22 points in a physically demanding game at Crypto Arena.

Following a fragmented performance in their initial game loss, the Lakers surged ahead, establishing a 10-point lead with 5:07 remaining in the first quarter and sustaining a double-digit margin until the middle of the fourth quarter.

James, in pursuit of his fifth NBA championship in his 22nd season, contributed 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, who endured a physically demanding match that resulted in a total of 46 personal fouls between the teams.

Initially caught off guard by the Lakers' heightened defensive pressure, the Timberwolves were able to exert some influence in the final quarter, during which the Lakers struggled to score.

Although the Lakers managed only 13 points in the closing period, Minnesota, spearheaded by Julius Randle's 27 points and Anthony Edwards' 25, failed to generate sufficient offensive output to take advantage.

"We played hard for 48 minutes," Doncic said. "We played physical, that's how we've got to play over the whole 48 minutes."