Pacers 104 - 102 Bucks
Final
  for this game

Copeland's floater lifts Pacers past Bucks

Apr 10, 2014 - 5:23 AM Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - The Indiana Pacers' starters will be well rested for Friday's upcoming showdown against the Miami Heat.

First things first.

Chris Copeland's go-ahead floater with 1.2 seconds remaining lifted the Pacers to a 104-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Indiana is one-half game ahead of Miami for the top seed in the Eastern Conference after the Heat fell at Memphis, 107-102.

Head coach Frank Vogel announced during Wednesday's shootaround that he would sit his entire starting five against the NBA-worst Bucks after his team had dropped eight of its last 11 coming in.

"It was very cool for us to get out there and get a win and show the starters that we've got their backs when they need rest," Copeland said.

Milwaukee's Khris Middleton was fouled while attempting a potentially game- tying 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds left and sunk all three bonus shots to knot the game at 102-102.

Following a timeout, Copeland got the ball at the top of the arc, drove down the right side of the lane and got his floater to drop to put Indiana in front.

Luis Scola had 24 points and nine rebounds, while Evan Turner added 23 points, nine assists and seven boards. Donald Sloan was the other starter alongside Turner in the backcourt and Rasual Butler and Ian Mahinmi joined Scola in the frontcourt.

Copeland finished with 18 points off the bench.

Brandon Knight tallied 25 points and 10 assists and Jeff Adrien provided 13 points and 17 rebounds for the Bucks, who have dropped 14 of their last 15 tilts.

"It was kind of like a smack in our face," Adrien said of Indiana sitting all of its starters.

Indiana led 51-48 at the break after the game was tied 25-25 following a quarter of play. The Pacers outscored Milwaukee 19-17 in the third and took a 72-67 cushion into the fourth.

A Copeland triple staked the Pacers to a 90-83 lead midway through the fourth before Adrien capped an 8-0 Bucks flurry to put them ahead, 91-90, with 4:16 to go.

Game Notes

Indiana shot 48.2 percent (41-of-85) from the floor and 45.8 percent (11- of-24) from beyond the arc ... Middleton had 16 points and seven rebounds ... Milwaukee shot 43.7 percent (38-of-87) from the field.






Related News