Advantage, Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers, fourth in the Eastern Conference, entered their second-round series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers as heavy underdogs. But suddenly, the ball is in their court.

After upsetting Cleveland Game 1, they overcame a 20-point deficit thanks to Tyrese Haliburton to take a commanding 2-0 lead, winning both games on the road.

Indiana had slowly chipped away, but Cleveland looked like they were going to go on the road evening up the series, as they led by seven with less than 50 seconds to go.

But Aaron Nesmith threw down a dunk, and Donovan Mitchell was called for an offensive foul two seconds later. Pascal Siakam hit a layup with 27.1 seconds, making it a three-point game.

The Cavs called a timeout, but it did nothing, as they turned the ball over on the inbound. They then fouled Haliburton, who made just one of two, but Haliburton got his own rebound. He then hoisted up and cashed a stepback three to go up 120-119, which would turn out to be the final score, with 1.1 seconds left.

It was a crusher for Cleveland, whose best player in Mitchell dropped 48 points in a losing effort.

Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers makes the game winning 3 point basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round Two Game Two of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.  (David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

Haliburton scored 11 of his 19 points in the final 12 minutes. 

It’s the first time the Pacers won the first two games of a playoff series on the road since 1994 against Orlando.

The Cavs were missing three key players: NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (left ankle) and key reserve De’Andre Hunter (right thumb) were injured in Game 1, while Darius Garland (left big toe) missed his fourth straight postseason game.

Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round 2 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Game 3 is at Indiana on Friday night, as Indiana looks for a second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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After decades of decline, Detroit is officially on the rise. New census data just released shows a historic surge in the city’s population and for the first time in generations, Detroit is outpacing not just Michigan but the nation.

As soon as nine-time All-Star Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s five-game first round playoff series defeat to the Indiana Pacers, two-time MVP Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s short-term future became the focus of the minds of all 29 other NBA squads.

The 6-foot-11 big man remains one of the league’s most dominant players, despite a complete lack of a 3-point shot. With Lillard done for likely all of 2025-26 and thus probably untradeable, the Bucks’ title window with Antetokounmpo has essentially closed. When healthy, Lillard and Antetokounmpo never quite clicked.

More Milwaukee Bucks News: Bucks Expected to Draft Damian Lillard Replacement in Latest 2025 Mock

The Bucks don’t have enough help around that not-quite-dynamic duo to truly contend, and have leveraged almost all of their future draft equity in deals for first Jrue Holiday and now Lillard. It will be borderline impossible for Milwaukee to survive.

Will Antetokounmpo demand to be deal out of town?

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposes a bold three-team Antetokounmpo trade that could send Antetokounmpo to a Western Conference contender and could give replenish the Bucks’ draft coffers, while giving them the rights to a potential future generational superstar.

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Max Christie, Daniel Gafford, Jordan Hawkins, Caleb Martin, Kelly Olynyk, 2025 No. 1 overall pick, 2026 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans), 2027 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans’ swap rights)

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Dereck Lively II, 2031 first-round pick (via Dallas)

The deal would land the Bucks the right to the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, unanimously expected to be fresh Duke power forward Cooper Flagg, plus two of their own future first round picks (which could incentivize a tank), young-ish starting-caliber pros in 3-and-D wing Max Christie and rim-rolling center Daniel Gafford, intriguing young wing Jordan Hawkins, and some veteran depth.

More Milwaukee Bucks News: Damian Lillard Injury Hurts Bucks in More Ways Than Expected

“Reacquiring control of their next two first-rounders allows them to gorge on losses, juice their draft-lottery odds and add more high-end prospects alongside Flagg, before having to reconcile with making an immediate jump in 2027-28, when control over their first-rounder—plus their next two—belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers,” writes Favale.

The 30-year-old Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, would instantly become the centerpiece on an old-but-solid Mavericks club, next to All-Stars Kyrie Irving (likely done for most of the 2025-26 season, too, with an ACL tear) and Anthony Davis, both whom are 32 or older. Provided all three of those stars can get healthy in time for the playoffs (that’s a big “if”), Dallas can at least make a title run in 2026.

“Gafford is a useful big the Bucks can flip for more draft compensation, or who they can use to fill minutes should Brook Lopez leave in free agency. Christie is on a cheapo deal, only 22 years old, defends his butt off and might have more to offer offensively when placed on the ball. Hawkins is 23, has two years left on his rookie scale and arms Milwaukee’s offense with an uninhibited shot-taker… and sometimes shot-maker.”

This would jump-start a true rebuild for Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst. Would the Mavericks truly give up the rights to a younger (expected) superstar to add an older future Hall of Famer who is, albeit slightly, on the downswing of his career? They’ve literally done that before just three months ago, so yes.

More Milwaukee Bucks News:

Three Bucks Crucial Players Have Tough Decision to Make This Summer

Bucks Assistant Reportedly Being Eyed for Head Coaching Gig

Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Chase Big NBA Markets With Questionable Bucks Future

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Follow in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Footsteps

Wild Trade Proposal Has Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Landing With Warriors

For more news and notes about the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.