After the Tuesday night game where the Indiana Pacers leveled the playoff series at one game apiece with a thumping 125-108 win, Bobby Portis, the forward of the Milwaukee Bucks, responded to their brazen posturing and trash talk.
“I mean, just quite frankly, they’re frontrunners, bro,” Portis said Tuesday, per The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “Y’all can just Tweet that or whatever it is, bro.”
“When the sh-t going good, they laughing, clapping, all that. When it’s going bad, they not saying nothing,” Portis continued. “So I think, to answer that question, guys always feel good when they’re having a good game or hitting shots, everybody. I think that’s just human nature and basketball. When you making shots, you feeling good. But when the tough going, you can’t get nothing going, it kind of go the other way. “So, yeah, they’re supposed to feel really good, of course. But Game 3 on the way Friday.”
Bobby Portis calls Indiana out for being ‘front runners’
“I mean, just quite frankly, they’re frontrunners, bro. Y’all can just tweet that or whatever it is, bro. When the sh** going good, they laughing, clapping all that. When it’s going bad, they not saying nothing.”
(Via… pic.twitter.com/TkDJdzncbM
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 24, 2024
Despite his individual performance of accumulating 14 points and 11 rebounds, Portis could not prevent the Bucks from suffering a significant loss.
His shooting percentage took a hit as well, with a disappointing 6-for-16 from the field. The Bucks’ defeat was credited in part to the Pacers showing a significant improvement in their shooting.
One of the pivotal elements behind Pacers’ victorious turn was their rapid shooting enhancement.
Their team shooting percentage saw a dramatic rise from a below-par 39.6 percent in Game 1 to a commendable 55.6 percent.
Their shooting on threes witnessed an even steeper growth, from a mere 21.1 percent to a staggering 44.4 percent.
Notably, Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers was also seen having a face-off moment with Portis during this physical game.
Playoff basketball.#FearTheDeer #NBA pic.twitter.com/0jD0RwUIea
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) April 24, 2024
The successful shooting spree helped the Pacers establish their lead from the get-go. This triumphant feat led to the snapping of the franchise’s 10-game playoff losing streak. The Pacers are hopeful of retaining the momentum through to Game 3.
Portis, on the other hand, is expected to make an impactful return by delivering a stellar shooting performance in the forthcoming game.
There is potential that he might get his seventh start of the season, assuming Antetokounmpo, the Bucks’ two-time MVP, remains sidelined due to a calf injury.
This means that the Bucks would need Portis to step up significantly to compensate for their valuable player’s absence.
