Milwaukee and Indiana are set for a rematch on Wednesday as the Bucks visit the Pacers in Indianapolis. This will be the second encounter between the two teams in as many games.

Indiana clinched their third win against the Bucks this season, leading the regular-season series 2-1 after their 122-113 victory in Milwaukee on Monday. Tyrese Haliburton almost achieved a triple-double, contributing 26 points, 11 assists, and securing nine rebounds. Additionally, Bennedict Mathurin delivered an impressive performance off the bench with 25 points and a career-best 13 rebounds.

Mathurin led a group of four reserves from the Pacers who scored in double figures. Isaiah Jackson added 18 points and nine rebounds, T.J. McConnell finished with 16 points and nine assists, and Obi Toppin contributed 11 points.

Although Indiana’s score of 122 points fell short of their season-leading average of 126.4 points per game, they managed to restrict Milwaukee to 113 points, the Bucks’ lowest score since Nov. 30.

Milwaukee’s average of 124.6 points per game places them second in the NBA, just behind Indiana. However, in all three of their losses against Indiana, including a defeat in the in-season tournament semifinals, they scored below their average, with an overall average of 118.7 points in those games.

This is significantly lower than Indiana’s defensive record of 124.4 points per game, the second-highest in the league.

In the recent loss, Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved a triple-double with 30 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists. He led all five Milwaukee starters in double-figure scoring, with Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton both contributing 21 points.

Indiana effectively limited Damian Lillard to 13 points on 3-of-16 shooting, marking the third game in a row against the Pacers where he scored less than his season average of 25.5 points per game.

Lillard’s scoring against the Pacers in his last five outings has been inconsistent, including a 128-119 loss in the in-season tournament semifinals.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo has been outstanding in the four matchups against Indiana, averaging 46.3 points. He notably scored 54 and 64 points in two previous encounters against the Pacers.

The recent loss saw Antetokounmpo scoring his lowest against Indiana this season, with 30 points. Despite the defeat, Antetokounmpo acknowledged the learning experience, stating, “At the end of the day, this makes us better.”

Following losses to the Pacers in the in-season tournament semifinal and the recent contest, Milwaukee’s performance had seen an impressive run with nine wins in ten games.