Haliburton: Bucks-Pacers Rivalry at Full Throttle After Pacers Take 2-0 Series Lead

The bad blood between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers reached a boiling point on Tuesday night, with Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton making it clear just how heated things have become. Following Indiana’s 123-115 win over the Bucks in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series, which put the Pacers up 2-0, Haliburton didn't mince words about the rivalry.

"We don’t have to sit here and act like it’s any secret," Haliburton said. "We don’t like them, they don’t like us, and that’s just what it is. And I think they live for this, we live for this, so I could [not] care less. I’m out here just trying to help my team win a game."

The intensity between these two teams has only increased over the course of the last two seasons. The two squads have faced off 18 times since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, including regular-season games, last year’s NBA Cup semifinals, and a six-game playoff series. This familiar history has only added fuel to the fire, with tensions flaring during both of the first two games in this series.

Game 1 featured a confrontation between Haliburton and Bucks star Damian Lillard, who had been sidelined for nearly a month due to a blood clot before returning to action on Tuesday. In Game 2, the two All-Stars/Olympians had another clash, and the tension escalated further when Milwaukee’s Gary Trent Jr. and Indiana’s Pascal Siakam wrestled for a loose ball, with Siakam hitting the floor hard.

Haliburton reflected on his run-ins with Lillard: "Just competitors. He wants to win, I want to win. It’s the highest level. We’re in the highest level in the most contentious moment here in the playoffs."

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, acknowledging the rivalry, said, "I feel like there’s a lot of animosity, a lot of back and forth. But I try to stay away from it. I try to stay away from it as much as I can and just focus on what I’ve got to do to help the team win."

Despite the rivalry, Antetokounmpo's focus remains squarely on the task at hand, as the Bucks find themselves in a 2-0 hole. "If you poke me, I’m right there. I’m not backing down," Antetokounmpo continued. "My mindset right now is Game 3. We know the f---ing deal man. I just know the deal. I know what I’ve got to do."

The Pacers appeared to be on the verge of another blowout, leading by as many as 16 points, just as they had in Game 1 when they built a 28-point lead. However, Milwaukee mounted a late comeback, going on a 13-0 run in the final minutes to cut the Pacers’ 15-point lead to just two points with 2:33 remaining. Lillard, in his first game back from injury, hit a crucial 3-pointer to bring the Bucks within two, but the Pacers answered with a pair of threes to secure the win.

Lillard played an impressive 37 minutes despite his long layoff, contributing 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Antetokounmpo once again led the Bucks with 34 points, while Bobby Portis added 28. The Pacers had a balanced scoring effort, with six players reaching double figures, including Siakam, who led with 24 points. Haliburton contributed 21 points and 12 assists.

Looking ahead to Game 3, Haliburton made it clear that the intensity isn’t going anywhere. "I’m sure you’re going to continue to see that through the course of the series," he said. "Everybody says the league rivalries aren’t here anymore. Well, it’s right here. So, this is an interesting series. We’ve played each other, it feels like, a million times over the last two years."

With the series shifting to Milwaukee for Game 3, expect more heated moments and high stakes as both teams continue their playoff battle.