


INDIANAPOLIS >> Pascal Siakam had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 12 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Milwaukee Bucks 123-115 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Indiana has won five of the last six playoff games between the teams and never trailed in this one. The Pacers had lost three of four regular-season games to the Bucks. The teams will meet for the 18th time in the last two seasons on Friday, when Game 3 is played in Milwaukee.
Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists, and All-NBA guard Damain Lillard had 14 points in his first game back from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. Lillard was 4 of 13 from the field in 37 minutes, his first game action since March 18 and his first playoff game with Antetokounmpo, who heard a steady diet of countdowns on his free throws.
Bobby Portis Jr. finished with 28 points, including six 3-pointers, and 12 rebounds for the Bucks.
The game had a little bit of everything. There was a scuffle in front of the Pacers bench that led to double technical fouls, words between multiple players in the final minutes, players repeatedly hitting the floor, a little zone defense, a smattering of full-court pressure and, of course, plenty of points.
But, Indiana controlled the entire game after racing to a 31-16 lead in less than 7 1/2 minutes. The Bucks used a late 13-0 run to get within 115-113 with 2:31 to go before Indiana closed it out with an 8-2 run to end the game.
Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99 >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, and Oklahoma City dominated Memphis to take a 2-0 lead in its first-round playoff series.
Jalen Williams added 24 points and Chet Holmgren had 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City delivered a strong follow-up to its record-setting 131-80 win on Sunday in the series opener. The Thunder have won all six games against the Grizzlies this season by double digits.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 26 points and Ja Morant added 23 for Memphis, which will host Game 3 on Thursday.
Oklahoma City opened with a 9-0 run and held Memphis scoreless for the first 3 1/2 minutes as the Grizzlies missed their first 10 shots.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who had been off for the first five quarters of the series, found his shot in the second quarter. He hit two 3-pointers 55 seconds apart to put Oklahoma City up 55-38.
Oklahoma City led 70-52 at the break after setting a team playoff record with 12 3-pointers in the first half.
Memphis started hot in the third and cut its deficit to single digits, but the Thunder took a 90-79 lead into the fourth.
Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace faked out Zach Edey, then went baseline for a one-handed jam that put the Thunder up 97-79 and brought the crowd to its feet.
The Thunder held Memphis scoreless for nearly four minutes to start the fourth.
Timberwolves’ Edwards fined $50,000 for obscene gesture >> Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been fined $50,000 for directing inappropriate language and making an obscene gesture toward a fan during a playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers, NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell announced.
Edwards intervened when teammate Rudy Gobert was being heckled in the third quarter of the Timberwolves’ 117-95 win in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Edwards, standing along the sideline, told the nearby fan how many millions of dollars Gobert has. The exchange ended with Gobert making a lewd gesture and comment.
The teams played Game 2 on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Pritchard wins sixth man of the year award >> Payton Pritchard came off the bench and changed games for the Boston Celtics this season.
He was the only player in the NBA with more than 1,000 points in games that he didn’t start. He set the league record for 3-pointers made by a backup. And the voters took notice of all that and more, picking the Celtics guard as the league’s sixth man of the year this season.
Pritchard edged out Detroit’s Malik Beasley and Cleveland’s Ty Jerome for the award.