Pacers vs. Bucks Wednesday NBA injury report, odds, props: Historic total of 260 points possible in rematch of In-Season Tournament semifinal

Last Thursday, the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks played an NBA In-Season Tournament semifinal game in Las Vegas that had a total of 257.5 points, the highest in the league this season and in decades. Personally, we had to lean towards the Under on that massive number here at SportsLine, and Indiana won 128-119 to easily land Under. The teams play again on Wednesday night in Milwaukee and the total is set at 259 on the SportsLine consensus, meaning we might get the first 260 in modern history.

Why would this total be higher than the last one? The intensity was higher for that semifinal game -- and more intensity means better defense -- than it likely will be Wednesday for a mid-December regular-season matchup.

Tyrese Haliburton was spectacular in the semifinal with 27 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and zero turnovers in 37 minutes. Haliburton is the first player in NBA history to record multiple games with at least 25 points, 15 assists and zero turnovers and has done so three times this season. The Pacers outscored Milwaukee 37-25 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

The Bucks got 37 points and 10 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists from Damian Lillard, but the bench was the difference. Indiana's reserves outscored Milwaukee's backups 43-13. The Indiana bench was a combined plus-62 while the Milwaukee reserves posted a minus-46.

Courtesy of ESPN, the highest total found on record before the most recent matchup and was 259 points on March 21, 1991, between Denver and Golden State. The Warriors won in Oakland, 136-116. This was back when the Warriors had the Run TMC trio of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. They were the core of the Warriors' up-tempo offense known as "Nellie Ball" after coach Don Nelson.

Indiana managed only 109 points against a good Lakers defense on Saturday in the In-Season Tournament title game loss but was back to normal on Monday, rolling 131-123 in Detroit. Haliburton had 14 points and 16 assists. Bennedict Mathurin set a season high with 30 points, and the Pacers are now 3-0 this season when Mathurin scores 20 or more.

The Bucks bounced back from that Indiana loss with a 133-129 overtime win over visiting Chicago on Monday, their 10th straight home win to improve to 11-1 at Fiserv Forum. It marked the eighth time this season, all in the past 12 games, that Milwaukee has scored at least 130 points. The team is 8-0 when doing so. Only the Pacers have more 130-point games with 10, in which they're 8-2.

Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and shot 69.2% from the field vs. Chicago, his league-high ninth game this year with at least 30 points on a minimum of 60% shooting. He has shot at least 60% in six straight games overall, one shy of the franchise record. Lillard (2,459) is two made 3-pointers from passing Kyle Korver (2,450) for the fifth-most in league history.

The Bucks are 0-2 in the season series, also losing 126-124 in Indianapolis on Nov. 9 despite a 54-point effort from Antetkounmpo. However, he had two turnovers after Haliburton's go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:29 left. 

Antetokounmpo is set at over/under 51.5 combined points, rebounds and assists Wednesday. Haliburton's number is 45.5.

Indiana remains without guard Andrew Nembhard and forward Jalen Smith. The latter missed the semifinal matchup, while Nembhard had eight points off the bench. Bucks sharpshooter Pat Connaughton is out, his sixth straight on the sideline.  

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