INDIANAPOLIS _ A chance to clinch a playoff spot was wasted Thursday night by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Now there are just three games remaining to get it done, with the Eastern Conference race getting even tighter.
A desperate Indiana Pacers team, energized by the return of Lance Stephenson in the past week, defeated the Bucks, 104-89, before an enthused crowd of 17,010 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Paul George led Indiana (39-40) with 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Pacers moved within one game of Milwaukee (40-39). Chicago (39-40) beat Philadelphia and also pulled within one game of the Bucks. Point guard Jeff Teague had 15 points and seven assists for Indiana.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes for Milwaukee, and Mirza Teletovic added 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
Milwaukee lost its third straight game. It will end a three-game trip at Philadelphia on Saturday night before ending the season against Charlotte at home on Monday and at Boston on Wednesday.
The Bucks trailed, 56-50, at halftime with Antetokounmpo keeping them close with 16 points.
Indiana took a 15-point lead in the third quarter before Tony Snell sank a corner 3 and Khris Middleton converted a three-point play.
But the Pacers answered with a 7-0 run, including a three-point play by Kevin Seraphin and jumpers by George and Teague to extend their lead to 83-67 with 2:39 left in the third quarter.
Teletovic and Snell drained 3-pointers but Teague hit a 7-foot pull-up shot to give Indiana an 85-73 margin entering the final quarter.
Stephenson sank a 3 to help the Pacers pull away in the fourth quarter. He finished with nine points and five assists while playing 23 minutes off the bench.
