Indiana led Milwaukee 61-50 at the half on Monday and lost 110-102, scoring 17 in the final period on the second night of a back-to-back. At 2-2 the Pacers are ninth in the East, and the 76ers visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday.
Where the ball stopped
The first half was Indiana basketball: a 12-0 run, an 8-0 run, and an 11-point lead. Then the possessions got shorter and worse. Fieldhouse Files counted 4-of-22 shooting in the fourth and no Haliburton assist in the period. The Indianapolis Star's Dustin Dopirak counted 12 Bucks offensive rebounds after halftime against 13 Pacers defensive rebounds. Kel'el Ware had 16 points and 14 boards in 19 minutes off the bench. Milwaukee's 8-0 run from 86-86 settled it. Haliburton finished with 22 and 9 assists and Siakam with 20, 13 and 6, but Siakam also had 4 turnovers.
The bodies coming back
Zubac went from out to day-to-day with the left ankle. Nembhard is day-to-day with a back issue after a neck tag a day earlier. McConnell is out with the right hamstring. All three have an estimated return of Oct. 28. Nesmith was cleared, and in 21 minutes he was the only Pacer with a positive plus-minus, at +1. Sheppard is out until an estimated Dec. 1 and Furphy until Jan. 2. With teammates missing, Kobe Brown has played 10 more minutes a night over the last three games and Quenton Jackson nine more.
Philadelphia, then four more
The 76ers come in Wednesday on ESPN. Then it's the Cup game in Miami on Oct. 30, the Nets on Nov. 1 and the Hawks on Nov. 2. Jay Huff closed Monday's game at center and finished minus-8 on 3-of-8 shooting. The open question is whether a healthy Zubac takes those closing minutes, and whether the screening and rebounding he brings is enough to put this offense back on schedule.
Will Ivica Zubac play against the 76ers?
He has been upgraded from out to day-to-day with a left ankle injury, and his estimated return is Oct. 28, the day of the game. Nothing firmer has been announced.
Why did the Pacers lose to the Bucks?
Indiana led 61-50 at halftime but was outscored 60-41 after the break, including 26-17 in the fourth quarter. Milwaukee won on the offensive glass while the Pacers' shots stopped falling.
