Pacers Stun Fans with OT Comeback as Haliburton Game-Winner Eliminates Giannis, Bucks

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana hero.

The Indiana Pacers guard spearheaded his team's stunning comeback to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round for the second consecutive season. He scored five straight points in the last 17 seconds of overtime, including two on the game-winner, as the home team closed on an 8-0 run to win 119-118 and clinch the series 4-1 in five games.

Haliburton didn't only save his heroics for the end of overtime.

He also drained two free throws and then drove into the lane for a dunk on Indiana's last two possessions of regulation to force the extra period after it seemed like Giannis Antetokounmpo had done enough to secure the win for the visitors.

Haliburton finished with 26 points, nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks, while Antetokounmpo posted a triple-double of 30 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals and two blocks in a duel of the stars.

Social media reacted to Haliburton's heroics:

While many likely expected the Pacers to set an immediate tone at home with Damian Lillard sidelined with a torn Achilles, it was the Bucks who jumped out to a 13-0 lead and expanded the advantage to 30-13 by the end of the first quarter.

Still, Indiana closed the gap to just six by halftime and started to feel inevitable when it took the lead in the third quarter with back-to-back triples by Andrew Nembhard. Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith also provided a lift, which was key since Pascal Siakam was quiet on the offensive end on his way to 10 points.

Yet the Bucks refused to go away.

Antetokounmpo continued to get to the free-throw line and overpower Indiana's interior defense, while Gary Trent Jr. (33 points and eight three-pointers) and AJ Green (19 points and six three-pointers) caught fire from the outside.

Even T.J. McConnell's spark off the bench in the fourth quarter wasn't enough for the Pacers to put Milwaukee away, as Antetokounmpo had an answer for every run. And the attention he drew also opened up Trent for multiple threes down the stretch of regulation as well.

Trent remained on fire with a shocking four three-pointers in overtime alone, which seemed like enough to keep the Bucks alive and force a Game 6.

However, Nembhard hit a three, Haliburton converted an and-1, the Bucks turned it over and Haliburton scored the game-winner to set up a second-round showdown with the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.