This is the highest total of the NBA season. I'm not buying it. I get that the Pacers are the No. 1 scoring team in the league at 128.4 points and have gone above 120 points in each of their five tournament games. The Bucks are the third-highest scoring team in the NBA at 122.3 points and have gone Over in their past four games.

But this matchup is different. It's a semifinal game of the NBA's tournament so the stakes are higher than normal. That means at least a semblance of defense should be forthcoming.

"We've got to be ready to defend those guys,'' Bucks guard Damian Lillard was quoted as saying about the Pacers. If Lillard is saying this then the Bucks must be serious about defending the Pacers since Lillard isn't exactly known for his stellar defense.

Keep in mind, too, this game is at a neutral site, Las Vegas. These teams aren't familiar with this setting. It's also a West Coast day time start so that could throw them off.

The teams met earlier this season on Nov. 9 at Indiana. The Pacers won, 126-124, for a combined 250 points. The Bucks shot 53 percent from the floor and made 23 of 26 free throws. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 54 points. Indiana shot 48 percent from the field and sank 18 of 20 free throws. Yet there weren't more than 250 points scored.