Unlikely heroes key closeout win for Pacers in Game 6 vs. Bucks

Toppin was only 3 of 10 on his threes, but was a perfect 5 of 5 from inside the arc with most of those shots coming from the restricted area.

Their performances were key parts of Indiana's overwhelming 50-10 advantage in bench points. The Bucks starters more than held their own, outscoring the Pacers' starting five, 88-70. Guard Damian Lillard led all scorers with 28 points.

But forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's calf injury, which loomed large throughout the first-round series, was too much for Milwaukee to overcome, particularly with Indiana's "others" giving oversized performances.

McConnell entered Thursday's game with only two career playoff performances of at least 10 points. Toppin was eighth on the team in points per game (10.3) during the regular season.

It's a positive sign for Indiana going forward that its bench is capable of taking over and winning games.

This is the first time Indiana has advanced to the second round of the playoffs since 2014 when Paul George and David West were dueling with "The Big Three" era Heat.

The Pacers had five consecutive first-round exits from 2016-20. They will play either the Knicks or 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.