Gritty, tough-minded Pacers overcome Middleton's heroics in Game 3 overtime victory; now it's a race against the clock as Giannis tries to return

Is Game 4 a must-win? Damn right it is

They led by 19 in the first quarter; lost the lead when the Bucks, who have a championship pedigree, fought back despite the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

They led by three points near the end of regulation; lost the lead when Khris Middleton, who scored 42 points Friday, knocked down a crazy wing three to tie the game with 1.4 seconds remaining and ultimately sent it to OT.

They led by three points late in overtime; lost the lead after Middleton – yeah, him again – banked in a straightaway three to tie the game with 6.7 seconds left in overtime.

And then it happened.

“Let’s win the game right now!” Tyrese Haliburton yelled during the timeout before the Pacers’ final overtime possession. “Let’s win it right now!”

Then on the inbounds pass, Haliburton let the ball bounce deeper into the backcourt, sending him backward to retrieve it – what the hell is he doing? But then he got a head of steam, was in close to a full sprint as he zigged and zagged and crossed over all the way up the floor, splitting the two defenders, Patrick Beverley and Middleton, approaching the lane and letting go with a tough runner over the outstretched hands of Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr.  

Money.

And a foul.

Moments later, Middleton, who had twice broken the Pacers’ hearts with bloodless three pointers to keep the Bucks within shouting distance, missed a baseline attempt with Aaron Nesmith in his grill, and the Pacers, who are in a race against the clock to put this series away before Antetokounmpo returns, had a 2-1 series lead after a 121-118 OT victory at Gainbridge.