The Milwaukee Bucks have started their journey in the 2024 NBA Playoffs without their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a calf injury that occurred on April 9th in a game against the Boston Celtics and has yet to ramp up his activity to return.
In years past, this would have been a death blow for the Bucks. Without Antetokounmpo on the court, they would struggle to pick up victories. But, that has not been the case this season because of the presence of Damian Lillard.
While Lillard has had his ups and downs this season, not performing up to the standard we have become accustomed to, he has helped keep the Bucks afloat whenever Antetokounmpo was sidelined. In Game 1 of their series against the Indiana Pacers, he carried the team to a victory to get off on the right foot.
Lillard finished the game with 35 points, six rebounds and three assists. His performance drew the attention of NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith, who spoke glowingly of Lillard during a segment of First Take earlier this week.
“This is what makes him a future Hall of Famer. One of the greatest guards to have ever played in the NBA. He’s a closer. … The bigger the moment, the more he rises to the occasion,” Smith said.
Lillard certainly came out of the gate hot, helping stake the Bucks to a large early lead they used to cruise to the end. But, calling him a closer after that Game 1 performance is a bit peculiar as the exact opposite occurred.
For how explosive the first half was for Lillard, the second half was the polar opposite. He didn’t score a single point in the third or fourth quarter, which is a trend to keep an eye on during the series against the Pacers.
In Game 2, which Milwaukee lost 125-108, it was more of the same. Lillard was hot in the first half keeping the Bucks in the game, but went ice cold in the second half, allowing the Pacers to run away with the win and even things up.
With Antetokounmpo not being close to a return, the level of nervousness in Milwaukee is likely on the rise. They need Lillard to put together a solid performance for four quarters and win at least one game on the road in Indiana. If they don’t, their 2024 NBA Playoffs are going to end much earlier than anticipated.
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