This is why Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks teamed up.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, Lillard took on the role of unquestioned No. 1 option for the Bucks against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. He dominated — for a half, at least.
Lillard torched the Pacers for 35 first-half points in his first playoff game with the Bucks. The result was a 109-94 Game 1 Bucks win to calm concerns about playing without Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee’s first-round series against Indiana.
In five regular-season games with Antetokounmpo in the lineup, the No. 3 seeded Bucks went 1-4 against the Pacers. With Antetokounmpo in street clothes, Sunday’s game was over by halftime in Milwaukee’s favor.
Dame dominates first half
The Pacers as a team outscored Lillard by just seven points in the first half as the Bucks built a 69-42 halftime advantage. While Lillard lit up Indiana from long distance and at the rim, Milwaukee’s defense held Indiana’s league-best offense to its lowest first-half point tally of the season. It marked an emphatic victory for newcomers Lillard and head coach Doc Rivers, who was brought on early in the season to transform Milwaukee’s defense.
The playoff game was Lillard’s first since 2021 after the languishing Trail Blazers failed to make the postseason in each of his past two seasons while he was in Portland. He started with a 19-point first quarter capped by his third 3-pointer of the game to beat the buzzer and give Milwaukee a 30-21 lead.
With Lillard resting to start the second quarter, Milwaukee remained in control and used a 10-0 run to extend its nine-point first quarter lead to 44-24. When Lillard returned midway through the quarter, he picked up where he left off.
He pulled up from deep beyond the 3-point arc for his fourth 3-pointer to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 49-39.
His sixth 3-pointer of the half also drew a foul. He made his free throw for a four-point play to…
