The Milwaukee Bucks are hurting right now. With Giannis Antetokounmpo inactive, they must get a herculean effort from their other superstar, Damian Lillard, if they are going to vanquish the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Playoffs. Alas, the star point guard could be dealing with his own health concerns.
Lillard suffered what looked to be an ankle injury when Pascal Siakam stepped on the back of his heel, via ClutchPoints. He limped off the court and eventually headed to the locker room. Luckily, the 33-year-old returned to action at the start of the second quarter. Bucks fans are holding their breath, fearful that any setback could be their official postseason death warrant.
Bucks need Damian Lillard to bring it
As it stands, the Pacers have all the momentum. Myles Turner appears to be headed for another big showing and Obi Toppin is hot off the bench. Milwaukee only has to grab one of these two road games to regain control of the best-of-seven series, but its battle scars are already quite noticeable.
Lillard is struggling from the field, but perhaps the clock will not strike Dame Time until the fourth quarter. That would mark a distinct change from the last two games versus the Pacers. He torched the defense early before fading into the background in the second half. Considering the questions surrounding the rest of the roster, a complete effort from the eight-time All-Star is essential.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers must also figure out how to stifle the Pacers' energy level. This team feeds off the crowd and a fast tempo. Forcing Indy to work from its half-court offense more often can allow Milwaukee to stay in striking distance long enough before it ascends to another gear. Otherwise, the No. 3 seed is going to be in a precarious spot going forward.
Bucks must avoid another early NBA Playoffs exit
This franchise's championship aspirations essentially evaporated into thin air when Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a left calf injury late in the regular season. He is only just starting to move on the floor, so the road to recovery still has multiple checkpoints for him to clear.
If he returns for the latter part of this series, or the next one (if the Bucks advance), then this group could be back in business. Or can it? Milwaukee was showing holes in its armor before the face of the franchise went down. Who is to say those problems have been solved?
Although the Pacers boast multiple All-Star-caliber players and a damaging offense, the Bucks have the experience advantage. A Damian Lillard at the top of his game should conceivably lead this team into the second round in the Eastern Conference. But he might be vulnerable himself.
He has 24 points on 6-of-18 shooting and seven assists at time of print, with Milwaukee and Indiana neck-and-neck in the fourth quarter. It is unfortunate that Rivers has to rely on Lillard's best to survive the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, but that is the reality of this situation. The Bucks are in desperation mode.
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