The Indiana Pacers made a big step towards the playoffs, with a big win last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Paul George had 23 points and ten rebounds, adding four steals to his stats while shooting 9 of 14 from the field. Jeff Teague added 15 points and seven assists for the home team. As usual, Giannis Antetokounmpo was a leader for the Bucks. "The Greek Freak" had 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, but he didn't get any support from his teammates.
This was Indiana's second straight win, while Milwaukee had lost three straight games.
That creates a real mess in the half of the Eastern Conference standings with just a few days to go in a regular season. The next game for the Pacers will be on Saturday at Philadelphia, while Milwaukee will play against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center, also on Saturday.
The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks both won last night, so the Bucks are not in the comfortable situation anymore. They still need one more win, but there are just three games left for them.
The effect of Lance Stephenson
The Lance is back in town! Obviously, Indiana is the only right place for Stephenson, as he gets a warm welcome from the crowd. The 26-year-old from Brooklyn has changed five teams in the last three years, and he was unable to find his rhythm away from Indiana.
He had played with the Hornets, Clippers, Pelicans, Grizzlies and the Timberwolves before he came back to Indianapolis. A controversial guard already brought a positive energy to his teammates, as they managed to win a crucial last two games. He played 23 minutes off the bench last night while adding nine points and five assists.
The Portland Trailblazers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves to regain the 8th spot, behind Damian Lillard's excellent overall performance. Lillard scored 22 points with nine assists and eight boards. Allen Crabbe added 25 points off the bench with the eight three pointers. The Blazers are now one and a half games ahead of the Denver Nuggets, as the Nuggets will host the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.
Here are the standings for all teams with an undefined playoff status:
Eastern Conference
5. Atlanta Hawks (40-38)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (40-39)
7. Chicago Bulls (39-40)
8. Indiana Pacers (39-40)
9. Miami Heat (38-40)
10. Charlotte Hornets (36-43)
11. Detroit Pistons (35-43)
Western Conference
8. Portland Trailblazers (39-40)
9. Denver Nuggets (37-41)
