12/8/23 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Friday
8 December 2023 Sports
Tyrese Haliburton hit his third 3-pointer with less than a minute left, pounded his chest, and looked down at his wrist to let everyone know one thing: “It’s our time!”
Haliburton had 27 points and 15 assists and the Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-119 to advance to the championship game in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.
On Saturday night, the Pacers will face the winner of the second semifinal between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans.
Myles Turner added 26 points for Indiana. Obi Toppin had 14 on 6-of-8 shooting, Isaiah Jackson chipped in 11 and Bruce Brown had 10.
Indiana is averaging a whopping 132.6 points during the tournament. Overall, they are averaging 128.3 this season – 131.7 over the last 14 games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee. Damian Lillard added 24 points, Khris Middleton had 20 and Brook Lopez 18.
Most important, however, was Indiana’s reserves outscoring Milwaukee’s backups 43-13. Indiana’s bench was a combined plus-62, while Milwaukee’s reserves were minus-46.
It was most evident in the second quarter, when Bennedict Mathurtin and T.J. McConnell came into the game with the Pacers trailing by two, and sparked a 16-7 role that gave Indiana 43-36 lead while setting the tone for the starters as they eased back into the lineup.
Down three after three quarters, the Pacers opened the fourth with a 14-8 run to take a 105-102 lead. Turner, Brown and Haliburton accounted for 17 points during a game-ending 21-13 run.
After scoring a season-high 146 points and making 23 of 38 3-pointers in a quarterfinal victory over New York, the Bucks were 12 of 33 on 3s and 43 of 96 overall from the field.
The Pacers will face the Lakers in the Tournament title game Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The Bucks host Chicago on Monday night.
In G-League action Saturday night, the Wisconsin Herd are at the Windy City Bulls.
The Packers returned to the practice field Thursday. The Packers got back in the playoff race over the last month. And all they have to do to nail down a postseason spot is take advantage of a weak schedule during the final five weeks.
The Packers (6-6) will look for a fourth straight win and fifth in six games when they face the Tommy DeVito-led New York Giants (4-8) at MetLife Stadium on Monday night.
The game kicks off a stretch for the Packers that will feature games against Tampa Bay (5-7), Carolina (1-11), Minnesota (6-6) and Chicago (4-8).
Not only does the schedule appear fairly easy, playing in December has been the best of times for the Packers since Matt LaFleur took over as coach in 2019. The team is 16-0 in the month, with those December performances helping the Packers make the postseason in three of the last four years. They missed last season with an 8-9 record.
The only team to win more consecutive December games was the San Diego Chargers with 18 straight from 2006-09, before their move to Los Angeles.
LaFleur isn’t taking anything for granted and he has told his team to stay focused, especially with the Giants riding a two-game winning streak.
“As soon as you start feeling yourself and you feel like you’ve arrived, this league has a way of knocking you off,” LaFleur said. “And the bottom line is, we’re a .500 football team. We’re 6-6 right now. We’ve clawed out of a tough spot, but every week, you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game.”
The Packers have done that in overcoming a 2-5 start to the season.
The Giants started 1-5 in a season marred by injuries, particularly on the offensive line and at quarterback. DeVito has progressed from an undrafted rookie free agent who made from the practice squad to a starter with injuries to Daniel Jones (ACL) and Tyrod Taylor (ribs).
New York has not been eliminated, but it cannot afford another loss.
One of the biggest differences with the Packers during their recent surge is the way the offense performs at the start of games.
The Packers have scored touchdowns in their first two series in each of their last two games – a 29-22 Thanksgiving Day victory at Detroit and a 27-19 home triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs.
That’s quite the turnaround for an offense that failed to score a single first-half touchdown in five straight games earlier this season.
The Packers haven’t allowed more than 24 points in any of their last eight games. That’s the Packers’ longest such streak within a single season since 2010, when they gave up 24 points or fewer in nine straight games.
The Giants average 13.3 points, second worst in the league. The Patriots ranked No. 32 at 12.3 points.
In Thursday Night Football the Patriots shocked the Steelers in Pittsburgh, winning 21-18.
The Steelers’ playoff hopes suffer huge blow with second straight stunning loss. The Steelers’ hopes for making the postseason have cratered the past four days. They’re suddenly 7-6, having dropped three of the past four games, needing some help with four tough games remaining. Coming off one of the worst losses in the Mike Tomlin era in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, one might have expected the Steelers to come out with their hair on fire against the lowly Patriots. Instead, New England promptly marched down the field for an opening-drive TD. The offense countered with a field goal, but Mitchell Trubisky’s pick deep in Pittsburgh territory turned into another Patriots score. Shortly after that, it was 21-3. It was 21-10 at halftime.
Patriots quarterback Baily Zappe was 19 of 28 for 240 yards, there touchdowns and an interception. Two of the touchdown passes went to Tyler Henry and the other to Eziekiel Elliott, who also rushed for 68 yards on 22 carries.
The Steelers Mitchell Trubisky was 22 of 35 for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Steelers managed just 82 yards rushing.
The Steelers drop to 7-6 , their second straight loss while the Patriots improve to 3-10.
In college basketball Saturday #23 Wisconsin is at #1 Arizona.
Notre Dame at #8 Marquette
Ripon College is at Knox College/
UW-Oshkosh at Whitman College
Women’s Basketball
Ripon College at Knox College.
Boys Basketball (Thurs.)
Lourdes Academy 74, Wautoma 70
Tomah 68, Adams-Friendship 35
Fall River 63, Markesan 55
Princeton/Green Lake 58, Cambria-Friesland 55
Pardeeville 74, Randolph 63
Central Wisconsin Christian 38, Sheboygan Christian 37
Horicon 52, Dodgeland 43
Kohler 85, Oakfield 41
Hustisford 68, Valley Christian 55
Girls Basketball (Thurs.)
Berlin 54, Ripon 35
Kewaskum 47, Plymouth 31
Waupun 67, Winneconne 21
Sheboygan Falls 50, Kiel 31
Pittsville 72, Tri-County 31
Omro 59, Campbellsport 19
Laconia 82, North Fond du Lac 35
Lomira 40, Laconia 22
Winnebago Lutheran 79, Saint Mary’s Springs 45
Fox Valley Lutheran 43, Clintonville 31
Denmark 42, Little Chute 11
Westfield 54, Baraboo 28
Reedsburg 65, Wisconsin Dells 55
Pardeeville 51, Central Wisconsn Christian 37
Fall River 67, Rio 39
Boys Basketball (Fri.)
Kettle Moraine Lutheran at Ripon
Westfield at Berlin
Kewaskum at Winneconne
Plymouth at Waupun
Campbellsport at Winnebago Lutheran
Laconia at Saint Mary’s Springs
Lomira at Omro
Mayville at North Fond du Lac
Milton at Beaver Dam
Xaiver at Menasha
Seymour at New London
West De Pere at Shawano
Weyauwega-Fremont at Manawa
Tri-County at Pietsville
Fond du Lac at Neenah
Kimberly at Hortonville
Oshkosh North at Oshkosh West
Clintonville at Luxemburg-Casco
Oconto Falls at Fox Valley Lutheran
Denmark at Freedom
Waupaca at Marinette
Lacrosse Logan at Mauston
Wisconsin Dells at Lakeside Lutheran
Girls Basketball (Fri.)
Neenah at Fond du Lac
Kimberly at Hortonville
Oshkosh North at Oshwest
Sturgeon Bay at Clintonville
Freedom at Waupaca
Portage at Nekoosa
Valley Christian at Dodgeland
Horicon at Wayland Academy
Oakfield at Hustisford
Pardeeville at Cambria-Friesland
Randolph at Markesan
Montello at Princeton/Green Lake
(Sat.
Omro at Ripon
Chilton at Berlin
Laconia at Randolph
Green Bay Preble at Shawano
Tri-County at Gresham Community
Wild Rose at Green Bay NEW Lutheran/Providence Academy
Adams-Friendship at Black River Falls
Onalaska at Mauston
Edgewood at Wisconsin Dells
Ellsworth at Fall River
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