MILWAUKEE — With the clock winding down towards the tip of the primary quarter, Bucks level guard Damian Lillard put an exclamation level on his Recreation 1 masterpiece.
With a crossover, he created house and stepped again right into a 28-foot 3-pointer, a classic transfer from Lillard to knock down a shot previous the outstretched hand of Pacers guard T.J. McConnell because the first-quarter buzzer sounded. Lillard then trotted down the court docket, basking within the adulation of a sold-out crowd at Fiserv Discussion board.
“What time is it?” the general public handle announcer requested.
“Dame Time!” the group roared.
“That is what y’all introduced me right here for,” Lillard yelled to the group as he beat his chest.
With two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined by a calf pressure, Lillard carried the Bucks to a 109-94 victory over the Pacers on Sunday in Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff collection. Lillard completed with 35 factors, all within the first half, to assist construct Milwaukee a halftime cushion that was by no means threatened.
“Within the playoffs, it is about setting the tone,” Lillard stated. “We will see this staff a number of occasions, and also you need to set up your self, particularly on your private home flooring. That was my mentality, to come back out and attempt to set the tone in that method.”
Recreation 2 is Tuesday night time in Milwaukee.
Lillard’s 35 factors within the first half had been the second-highest whole by any participant within the first half of an NBA playoff recreation prior to now 25 years, trailing solely Kevin Durant’s 38 factors in 2019, in line with analysis by ESPN Stats & Data. Lillard set a playoff profession excessive for factors in a half and scored extra factors than any Bucks participant in a primary half since Antetokounmpo within the 2021 NBA Finals.
“He carried us,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated. “He was unbelievable.”
Even with Lillard going scoreless within the second half whereas the Pacers pressured the ball out of his arms, his teammates had been in a position to decide up the slack. Khris Middleton scored 23 factors on 9-of-14 capturing, whereas Bobby Portis added 15 factors and 11 rebounds.
However it was the aggressive method Lillard got here out that helped carry the Bucks.
“I’ve seen that on tv lots,” Middleton stated. “He got here out, threw the primary punch and actually obtained us off to an amazing begin with an amazing lead that lasted the entire recreation.”
Lillard practically matched Indiana (42 factors) within the first half because the Pacers, who completed second within the NBA in offensive effectivity through the common season, struggled to generate factors of their first playoff recreation. They missed their first 12 3-pointers, and their 42 factors had been their fewest in any half this season.
It was the primary time Indiana shot under 40% in a recreation this season.
Pascal Siakam scored 36 factors, however Tyrese Haliburton was restricted to 9 factors and 9 assists, whereas his teammates shot 9-of-26 off his passes.
“Everyone was lively, adopted the sport plan,” Rivers stated.
This was the tenth straight postseason loss for the Pacers, courting again to the 2017-18 season.
“It is easy to only say we missed photographs and now we’re nervous or no matter,” Haliburton stated. “No matter you all are going to run with, it does not matter. I simply really feel like we missed photographs, on the finish of the day. The ball wasn’t hopping. And so they made photographs within the first half and that form of dug us a gap.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was extra succinct.
“The primary half was embarrassing,” he stated. “No excuses. We have merely obtained to come back out higher. It was ugly, and all of us personal it.”
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead within the collection with out Antetokounmpo, who has not performed since April 9, when he strained his left calf. Rivers stated earlier than Recreation 1 that he didn’t have any readability on when Antetokounmpo can be able to play once more.
So the Bucks wanted this sort of efficiency from Lillard, who was traded from the Portland Path Blazers to Milwaukee every week earlier than the beginning of coaching camp. His first season in Milwaukee was stuffed with ups and downs, adjusting to a brand new staff and enjoying subsequent to a different famous person for the primary time in his profession. Lillard averaged 24.3 factors on 42% capturing (35.4% from 3) in 73 video games through the common season, a down yr by his lofty requirements.
However after getting by the common season, Lillard stated he felt the joy this week of getting into his first playoff run with Milwaukee and an opportunity to compete for his first championship.
“The final two years not being within the playoffs, it sucked,” Lillard stated. “Early holidays. Final yr, I went to Coachella. I ain’t by no means been in a position to go to Coachella.
“Simply having that lengthy summer time, I used to be over that. With the ability to be in a playoff collection on a championship staff, championship group, understanding that we obtained a possibility for it, that was the factor I used to be wanting ahead to most.”
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
