Pacers 109-94: One-man-show from Lillard for 1-0 Milwaukee

With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined with a calf problem, the Bucks need a backup to start the playoffs. And Damian Lillard was there to serve in that role early Monday morning (4/22), as a stunning first-half performance set the stage for a 109-94 victory over the Pacers and a 1-0 in a row.

When and if the Greek Freak will play in the first round, no one knows at the moment. What everyone knows is that they have to “survive” without him and for now they seem capable of doing so.

Dame put up 35 points in the first two periods (5/9 2-pointers, 6/10 3-pointers, 7/7 field goals in 19 minutes), with an amazing one-man-show against everyone, against different kinds of defenses than the Pacers, before Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis took the baton to keep the margin high and lock the result along with Malik Beasley and Pat Beverley who stuffed his statistics (5 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists).

Doc Rivers went to an eight-man rotation (Lillard, Beverley, Middleton, Portis, Lopez the starters, Beasley – Connaughton – Crowder the bench players) with AJ Green also having some time but also three missed shots. The experienced coach will rely on eight-nine players when Antetokounmpo returns, with the aim of course that everything starts from the defense.

Bad night for the Pacers, who in the regular season had the Bucks 4-1. Tyrese Haliburton has long been far from the standards of the first few months, Ben Mathurin’s absence deprives the Indianapolis team of a high-volume scorer in the role of the sixth man, Pascal Siakam was the leader, but also desperately alone. The experienced big man finished with 36 points and 13 rebounds, but took 25 shots to Halliburton’s seven.

Rick Carlisle’s up-tempo offense didn’t work, the shots didn’t go in (the Indians started 0-for-13 on three-pointers) and life goes on as the two teams square off again in two nights before the series moves to Indianapolis.

The program of the series

• Game 1: Bucks – Pacers 109-94
• Game 2: Bucks – Pacers | in the early hours of April 24th at 03:30
• Game 3: Pacers – Bucks | in the early hours of April 27 at 00:30
• Game 4: Pacers – Bucks | dawn of April 29 at 02:00
• Game 5: Bucks – Pacers | early morning of May 1 (if necessary)
• Game 6: Pacers – Bucks | early morning of May 3rd (if needed)
• Game 7: Bucks – Pacers | early morning of May 5 (if needed)

34-40 points on the racket, 7-12 points on surprise, 20-19 points from substitutes, 13-6 points from mistakes by both teams, 6-16 points from second chances (offensive rebounds), with 39.6%, the Pacers shot a total of 20.5% on three-pointers and 66.7% on shots.

THE DODECALEPTA: 30-21, 69-42, 83-71, 109-94

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (Doc Rivers): Middleton 23 (8/10 2-pointers, 1/4 3-pointers, 4/4 shots, 10 rebounds, 4 assists), Portis 15 (7/13 2-pointers, 11 rebounds), Lopez 11 (1 3-pointer, 4 rebounds , 3 assists, 3 blocks), Beverley 5 (1 3-pointer, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals), Lillard 35 (5/13 2-pointers, 6/11 3-pointers, 7/7 shots, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers ), Beasley 9 (3/7 3-pointers, 4 rebounds), Connaughton 6 (1), Green, Crowder 5 (1)

INDIANA PACERS (Rick Carlisle): Nismith 7 (1/7 3-pointers, 4 rebounds, 3 assists), Siakam 36 (14/20 2-pointers, 1/4 3-pointers, 5/10 shots, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks), Turner 17 (2/7 2-pointers, 3/10 3-pointers, 4/6 shots, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Nemhardt 6 (1), Halliburton 9 (1 3-pointer, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 turnovers), McConnell 10 (5/13 shots), Smith 2, Toppin 4, Shepard 3 (1), Jackson, McDermott

Milwaukee Bucks team stats: 27/50 2-pointers, 14/37 3-pointers, 13/13 shots, 51 rebounds, 21 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks, 9 turnovers, 22 fouls

Indiana Pacers team stats: 28/51 2-pointers, 8/39 3-pointers, 14/21 shots, 56 rebounds, 20 assists, 3 steals, 5 blocks, 11 turnovers, 16 fouls