Damian Lillard did not take kindly to Tyrese Haliburton mocking him with a Dame Time celebration when the Bucks and Pacers met during the NBA In-Season Tournament.
But Lillard got his revenge when he scored 35 points in the first half alone tonight as Milwaukee beat Indiana 109-94 to take a 1-0 first-round series lead.
Lillard said postgame he knew he’d have to step up with Giannis Antetokounmpo out with an injury.
“I don’t think that it’s all on me but I know that I’ve got to be a little bit more aggressive and I’ve got to step forward a little bit more assertively,” he said.
“In the playoffs … it’s about setting a tone. We’re going to see this team a lot of times, and you want to establish yourself, especially on your home floor. That was just my mentality, to come out and try to set the tone.”
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Lillard added that he was just happy to be back in the postseason.
“Last 2 years not being in the playoffs… It sucked,” he said. “I went to Coachella. I ain’t ever been able to go to Coachella.”
It was a strange night for Lillard, who followed his 35-point first half with a zero-point second half. He only attempted five shots after half-time as the Pacers focused their energy on slowing him down. But the Bucks star had essentially already won the game for Milwaukee with his explosive play.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday.