Leading the series 1-0, the Milwaukee Bucks will look to complete a perfect homestand at the Fiserv Forum. It was Dame-time at their home arena in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers as the superstar guard Damian Lillard dropped 35 points in his playoff debut as a Buck. The veteran had to put the team on his back in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed the game due to a calf injury.
Advertisement
The superstar guard will likely have to repeat his heroics in Game 2 on Tuesday night as the NBA’s latest injury report suggests Antetokounmpo is ‘Doubtful’ for the fifth successive game. Having won Game 1, the Bucks might be able to afford a Game 2 loss and bank on their chances to win in Indiana to reclaim the advantage in the series rather than fielding Antetokounmpo on Tuesday and risking losing him for an extended period.
Hence, he’ll probably sit out in the next game, continue rehabbing his injury, and target a return to action in Game 3. Moreover, the Bucks guard seems to be freer without the Greek Freak on the court, or so the number suggests.
Life’s good for Damian Lillard without Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence from the Bucks’ lineup should theoretically hurt the team and the players. However, it had the opposite impact on Damian Lillard’s output.
Including Game 1 against the Pacers, the superstar guard has played nine games without his MVP award-winning co-star and averaged 30.4 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. In the 65 games they’ve shared the court, the guard averaged 23.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.4 rebounds.
Lillard thrives as the first option in the offense. Given his lack of defensive proficiency, the Bucks should let the veteran superstar lead the offense and ask Antetokounmpo to be their lynchpin on defense. The former Defensive Player of the Year focusing on excelling on one end of the court and supplementing his superstar co-star on the other, could be the elusive winning formula for the Bucks.
Lillard showcased that he can lead Milwaukee to victories if they trust him to run the offense. It remains to be seen if this revelation prompts head coach Doc Rivers to hand him the keys to the castle through the rest of this playoff run.
