Gary Trent Jr. made the most of his rare chance to start for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Trent tied a team playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored a career-high 37 points, leading the Bucks to a 117-101 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night in Game 3 of their first-round series.
Trent, who only started nine games this season, said he learned Thursday morning that he would be starting.
“My mindset was simple — come in, play hard, and help us win. We knew losing this game would hurt us,” Trent said.
He made two quick 3-pointers to give the Bucks an early lead — something they never had in their last game when they fell behind 2-0 in the series.
Even after briefly leaving with a shin injury, Trent kept the Bucks in the game with his shooting. Despite his efforts, Milwaukee was down by 10 at halftime. But in the second half, Trent stayed hot, hitting three quick 3-pointers to tie the game and helping the Bucks take control as fans chanted his name.
Trent shot 9-for-12 from three-point range, tying Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s record for most 3-pointers in a Bucks playoff game.
“It’s a blessing,” Trent said. “I worked really hard for this. I grew up watching Ray Allen and looked up to him.”
Bucks guard Damian Lillard said he had pushed the team to sign Trent because of his confidence and toughness.
“He’s one of the most confident players I’ve ever played with,” Lillard said. “He’s stubborn in a good way. He shows up in big moments.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also scored 37 points, praised Trent’s all-around performance.
“Gary played an incredible game, not just scoring but on defense too,” Giannis said. “He really set the tone for us.”
Trent and Giannis are the first pair of Bucks teammates to each score 35 or more points in a playoff game.
