Damian Lillard might have had a tough time adjusting to his new Milwaukee lifestyle, but his contribution to the team never raised questions. Dame Time came clutch for his side several times and did the same in the absence of the team’s ace, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks opened their playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, where the latter failed to hold off Damian Lillard. The guard entered his beast mode in the first half and contributed 35 points along with grabbing 6 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists. He shot 11 buckets from the field and successfully converted six 3-pointers out of 11 that he attempted.
DAMIAN LILLARD'S ELECTRIC FIRST HALF LEADS THE BUCKS TO A GAME 1 VICTORY 🦌 pic.twitter.com/6gulopcbiA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 22, 2024
Although he didn’t score a single point in the second half of the game, his explosive start had given the Bucks enough points to secure a 109-94 victory. The 8-time All-Star stepped up for the team when they needed him the most and showcased a stellar performance.
Besides him, Khris Middleton also showed up with his double-double consisting of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Despite Pascal Siakam’s game-high 36 points and 13 rebounds, the Pacers suffered a loss.
Damian Lillard shouldering the responsibilities of Milwaukee’s offense is all that the Fiserv Forum crowd had hoped for till their Greek-Nigerian forward comes back from injury.
Giannis Antetokounmpo injury timeline
The Bucks entered the post-season tournament without their leader Giannis Antetokounmpo. During a game on April 9 against the Boston Celtics, the Greek Freak picked up a contactless injury on his left calf muscle which refrained him from participating in the final few games of the regular season.
As per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there’s a possibility of Giannis’ return to the series from his left soleus strain, however, the date remains unknown.
ESPN Sources: The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their opening round series against the Indiana Pacers, but are hopeful treatment on his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in the series. pic.twitter.com/8p0wCiRSRl
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2024
Although he is rehabbing, there are doubts about his return to the first-round series. With Damian Lillard’s stellar performance, the Bucks might consider giving Antetokounmpo rest even in Game 2 on Tuesday.
