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Bucks defeat Pacers in Game 5 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard

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Bucks defeat Pacers in Game 5 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard


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The Milwaukee Bucks weren’t ready for their season to end.

The drastically short-handed team, playing once again without stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, got contributions from up and down the roster in a dominating 115-92 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 on Tuesday at Fiserv Forum that cut the Pacers’ series lead to 3-2.

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Game 6 is on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“I believed in them anyway,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “I said that after the game last game.

“This team, they’re giving it to me. They’re doing everything. They really are. They’re playing together. They know we’re down men. They know we have to do it together. No one is trying to be the hero.”

Khris Middleton starts hot in first quarter

If there has been a hero for the Bucks this series it has been Khris Middleton. He has been carrying the Bucks’ offense with the absences of Lillard and Antetokounmpo, even with Middleton suffering injuries to both ankles in recent games. He came into Game 5 averaging 26.3 points for the series.

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He started strong by scoring 10 of the Bucks’ first 14 points.

The Pacers were also hot in the first quarter after knocking down 21 three-pointers in Game 4. They made seven from long distance to take a 31-23 advantage after the first 12 minutes.

Middleton battled some foul trouble in the second half but finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds.

“He’s been battling stuff all year,” Bucks guard Malik Beasley said. “The fact that he came back last game even though he got hurt, came back in the game. Played his ass off.

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“To do what he did tonight, he’s our leader right now. Especially with those two guys out, he’s helping us a lot.”

Pat Beverley stands out as instigator

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers likes to call veteran guard Pat Beverley an “instigator.”

Beverley was that in every sense of the word in the second quarter.

He scored 12 points in the quarter as Milwaukee took a 53-48 lead into the break.

Beverley also handed out 10 assists.

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“His scoring was good, but I thought his playmaking was unbelieveable tonight,” Rivers said.

Beverley also drew a technical foul on the Pacers’ Obi Toppin by trying to grab the ball out of Toppin’s hands. Toppin took exception and shoved Beverley into the Bucks’ bench. Toppin was given the technical after a video review by the referees.

Bobby Portis helps Bucks take control in third quarter

The Bucks took control of the game in the third quarter, starting with a 9-0 run.

The Pacers started cutting into the lead, getting within 66-57 on a layup by Andrew Nembhard.

But Bobby Portis, who was ejected in the first quarter of Game 4, pushed the lead back to 72-57 when Bobby Portis knocked in a layup and then fired up the crowd after Indiana called a timeout.

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“Bobby, he knows how important he is to this team,” Beasley said. “Today before the shootaround he apologized (for the ejection). We need him out there.

“He’s a beast. He makes plays. He gives us energy. We need everybody.”

The Fiserv Forum crowd really ignited when Beasley knocked down back-to-back three-pointers for a 82-63 lead.

Malik Beasley among the standout contributors

Pat Connaughton blocked a three-point attempt by the Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith at the third-quarte buzzer.

That was among the standout moments by players who made the most of their opportunities for the Bucks.

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Danilo Gallinari played 20 minutes and pulled down six rebounds. The 35-year-old did not play in the first three games of the series.

“It’s honestly not easy, I’ve never been in this situation before,” Gallinari said. “I’ve always been a guy that played 30-plus minutes and even when I started coming off the bench in Atlanta, I played a lot of minutes.

“It’s pretty new for me. This is something you learn how to do it. It’s all mental. The body, you work every day to get the body ready but the mental part, it’s such a mental game.”

Beasley also had a strong game, scoring all 18 of his points in the second half.

“He needs to see the ball go in,” Rivers said. “I need to see the ball go in, too, for him.”

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He played big minutes in the third quarter when Middleton picked up his fourth foul, with Beasley guarding the Pacers’ Pascal Siakam.

“Today, we made sure we were scrambling and helping each other,” Beasley said. “I ended up being on him a few times, but my teammates had my back.

And the Bucks stayed alive to see another game.

“I just saw something that we’re the first team to win (in the playoffs) without our top two scorers (from the regular season),” Beasley said. “That just shows how deep we are as a team.

“No matter how many guys we got out. No matter foul trouble or not. Hurt or not. We got to be prepared. It’s the playoffs, we got to do whatever we can to win.”

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Five numbers

79 — Career playoff starts for Khris Middleton, tying him with Giannis Antetokounmpo for first on the Bucks all-time playoffs games started list.

4 — Games with at least 20 points for Middleton in the series.

6 — Technical fouls called on the Pacers in the series.

2 for 10 — A.J. Green’s three-point shooting in the series.

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8 — Made three-pointers for Malik Beasley over the last two games



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Attempted murder suspect arrested in Indianapolis for Bloomington shooting

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Attempted murder suspect arrested in Indianapolis for Bloomington shooting


BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A Bloomington man was arrested Wednesday in Indianapolis on an attempted murder charge after police say he fired seven to eight rounds into a white GMC SUV occupied by three adults and four children last month in Bloomington before fleeing the area.

A news release issued Thursday from the Bloomington Police Department said members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s special weapons and tactics team took Kafern P. Johnson, 32, into custody near the intersection of West 84th Street and Allison Avenue in Indianapolis without incident.

The arrest came more than two weeks after the June 23 shooting in the 1000 block of North Summit Street. That’s in a residential area next to Crestmont Park in Bloomington.

Monroe County Central Emergency Dispatch received 911 calls at 7:41 p.m. June 23 reporting gunfire in the area.

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Responding patrol officers and detectives determined Johnson had fired into the SUV following a verbal fight with the vehicle’s driver. Police said the dispute stemmed from an argument over a relationship.

No injuries were reported despite the number of people inside the vehicle.

Following his arrest, Johnson was taken to an IMPD facility for questioning and later booked into the Marion County jail. On Thursday morning, he was booked into the Monroe County jail.

The release said Johnson could face felony charges of attempted murder, criminal recklessness with a firearm, and pointing a firearm. No formal charges have yet been filed, according to online court records.

Bloomington police asked anyone with additional information to call 812-349-3324.

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This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.



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FAIRFIELD NATIVE AND HIS WIFE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR NEWBURGH, INDIANA HOME

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FAIRFIELD NATIVE AND HIS WIFE FOUND DEAD IN THEIR NEWBURGH, INDIANA HOME


Fairfield native, David K. Wells, 69, and his wife Aileen, were found dead inside their home in Newburgh, Indiana, Monday night. Warrick County Sheriff Michael Wilder said that deputies responded to the residence just before 8:00 p.m. after dispatch received a call around 7:40 p.m. from a friend of the family requesting a welfare check. When officers didn’t get an answer at the door, they entered through the back of the home and found the couple deceased. Officers cleared the home and waited for detectives to arrive. Investigators also obtained a search warrant to do a further examination of the residence. Authorities were able to notify family members and conduct interviews to gather additional information. Sheriff Wilder said investigators believe the couple had been dead for less than 24 hours before they were found. He also said there is no indication of any forced entry or an intruder. Sheriff Wilder has not made a formal determination as to what happened. Autopsies for the couple were scheduled for yesterday morning to help determine a cause. David Wells grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1975. He had a long career in television commercial production in Evansville and had more recently operated the Cigar! Cigar! tobacco store in Evansville.



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Indiana sees significant drop in number of homeless veterans

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Indiana sees significant drop in number of homeless veterans


INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — Indiana saw a significant decline in veteran homelessness last year, despite the total number of homelessness rising across the state.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) annual estimation of the homeless population, known as the Point in Time (PIT) count, Indiana saw an 18.7% decline in veteran homelessness in 2025 compared to the year before.

That marked the second-largest decline of any state by percentage.

Helping Veterans and Families (HVAF) of Indiana specializes in assistance for veterans facing homelessness. CEO Emmy Hildebrand told News 8 the formula that’s finding success is the same that works with any at-risk group: housing and wrap-around services.

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Hildebrand said that the formula needs support from the state.

“There is no state funding supporting homeless services in our state,” Hildebrand said. “And very little local funding outside Indianapolis.”

Safety net programs have faced budget cuts, with lawmakers eliminating funding for the Housing First program in 2025. It supported organizations helping people secure stable housing.

And housing advocates have criticized Indiana’s public camping ban as essentially making it illegal to be homeless.

HVAF client Terri Massey, a 34-year-old Navy veteran, said the stigma of being homeless was the most difficult challenge to overcome.

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“I’m still trying to provide for my kids,” Massey said “I’m (not) out here being lazy or not trying to do better.”

Massey was working, supporting her children, but found herself sleeping in cars and hotel rooms because she didn’t have stable housing. “Going to that work, working 10 hours, leaving, going to sleep in my car.”

HVAF helped place Massey in a permanent apartment. HVAF also placed Massey in a different kind of “bootcamp” years after her time in the military, learning job skills. She’s looking for a job, but thankful to do it from a place she can call home.

“I am beyond grateful and thankful. I literally pray and thank God every day,” Massey said. “Because for the longest I felt like I was alone. And I had to figure everything out by myself. I didn’t.”

It’s estimated that seven percent of Indiana’s homeless are veterans. Hildebrand said there are federal funds for organizations working with veterans, which support HVAF’s programs.

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Still, finding permanent housing is a struggle.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, for every 100 extremely low-income households in Indiana, just 34 rental homes are affordable and available.

“There are so many people on the bubble that are just one emergency away from living in their car, staying with friends and family, or living on the streets because we don’t have the appropriate system here in Indiana,” Hildebrand said.

Hildebrand said lawmakers assured her they would work to support homeless services, but she hasn’t seen any drafted legislation that might be introduced in the next legislative session.

Across the country, about one in 25 people experiencing homelessness previously served active duty in the armed forces, according to numbers from HUD. Veteran homelessness declined 56% between 2009 and 2025.

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