Bucks Back in Playoff Thriller: Trent, Giannis Save Season!

April 25, 9:57 PDT

Key Points Summary – Bucks Back in Playoff Thriller

Gary Trent Jr. ties Bucks playoff record with nine 3-pointers, scoring 37 points in a must-win game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo matches him with 37 points and 12 rebounds, dominating the paint.
Bucks roar back with a massive second half, outscoring Pacers 70-44.
Milwaukee cuts Indiana’s series lead to 2-1 and regains momentum heading into Game 4.
Damian Lillard struggles but Trent’s heroics ignite a new spark for the Bucks.

Get ready, NBA fans—the Milwaukee Bucks are officially back in the playoff hunt!

In a must-win Game 3 that had fans on the edge of their seats, Gary Trent Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a dazzling show to crush the Indiana Pacers 117-101. With their backs against the wall, the Bucks delivered big, cutting the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1 and reminding everyone why Milwaukee is still a serious threat in the East.

Gary Trent Jr. – The Unlikely Hero!

Nobody saw this coming: Gary Trent Jr. tied a franchise playoff record by draining nine 3-pointers, finishing with a career-high 37 points in the postseason.

Stepping into the starting lineup, Trent played like a man possessed—hitting shot after shot, and suffocating Tyrese Haliburton on defense.

“My mindset was just to come in and get a win,” Trent said. “Be aggressive. Let them know I’m here.”

And boy, was he ever. Trent caught fire early in the third quarter, hitting three 3s in rapid succession to erase a 10-point halftime deficit and shift all the momentum back to Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo – The Greek Freak Does It Again!

While Trent lit up the scoreboard, Giannis Antetokounmpo did what he does best: dominate everywhere else.

37 points
12 rebounds
Unstoppable energy

From powerful dunks to key defensive plays, Giannis looked every bit the superstar that Milwaukee needs him to be.

“We have to stay humble,” Giannis said. “It’s just one game.”

Sure, Giannis. But what a game it was!

Second-Half Explosion

The Bucks looked dead in the water at halftime, trailing 57-47 and bricking 3s left and right (4-for-23 from deep).

But then—BOOM! Milwaukee outscored Indiana 70-44 after the break, riding Trent’s hot hand and Giannis’ relentless attacks.

By the fourth quarter, the Bucks had a 20-point lead, and the Pacers simply couldn’t keep up.

How It Happened

First Half: Bucks struggle, Pacers control the tempo.
Third Quarter: Trent’s fireworks light up Milwaukee; Giannis bullies his way inside.
Fourth Quarter: Bucks’ defense locks down Indiana; lead balloons.

The Bucks’ three-point shooting flipped dramatically—after shooting horribly in the first half, they went 11-for-18 from deep in the second.

Meanwhile, the Pacers just fell apart.

“They were great, we were bad,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said bluntly.

What About Damian Lillard?

Surprisingly, Damian Lillard had a rough night:

7 points
2-of-12 shooting
1-of-8 from 3-point range

But the beauty of playoff basketball is that sometimes a new hero steps up—and Friday night, it was Gary Trent Jr.’s time to shine.

Imagine what the Bucks can do once Lillard heats up again.

Bucks Defense Wakes Up

It wasn’t just offense. The Bucks made life miserable for Tyrese Haliburton, holding him to 14 points and 10 assists—modest numbers by his standards.

Trent’s gritty defense on Haliburton was exactly what Doc Rivers had planned when he inserted him into the starting five.

“We wanted somebody aggressive to attack Haliburton,” Rivers said. “Gary did exactly that.”

Mission accomplished, Coach.

What’s Next? Game 4!

When: Sunday
Where: Milwaukee
Series: Pacers lead 2-1

If the Bucks can tie it up 2-2 at home, this series heads back to Indiana with all the pressure on the Pacers.

Milwaukee has momentum. They have belief. And with Trent, Giannis, and (hopefully soon) Lillard firing together—they have firepower.