INDIANAPOLIS — Giannis Antetokounmpo shook off four first-half points to finish with 30 points and 12 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 120-112 on Tuesday.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP who missed the last three games due to a non-COVID illness, stepped up in the second half after the Bucks fell behind 83-64 in the third quarter. The NBA leading scorer made 11 of 20 shots from the field and 8 of 13 from the line and added five assists.

Brook Lopez scored 16 points and Bobby Portis Jr. had 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who outscored the Pacers 67-48 after halftime.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 25 points. Pascal Siakam had 20.

Takeaways

Bucks: Just when it looked like the Bucks were headed for a third straight loss, they went on a 12-0 run to cut their huge deficit to three points early in the final quarter. The strong second half made up for the sluggish first half.

Pacers: Every time Indiana gets close to .500, there’s a setback with another disappointing loss. Losing such a big lead at home could be painful for a while.

Key moment

Gary Trent Jr. hit two crucial 3-pointers late, the first with the Bucks ahead and the second with a two-point lead, just as the shot clock expired and the score was 115-110 with 1:39 left.

Key statistics

Damian Lillard missed all seven shots, including three 3-pointers, and committed two turnovers in an unforgettable first half while being chased by the Pacers’ top defender, Andrew Nembhard. Lillard finished with nine points on 3-for-14 shooting.

Next

The Bucks host Brooklyn on Thursday and the Pacers visit Miami on Thursday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba