Bucks' Damian Lillard: Catches fire in Game 1 victory
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Lillard finished with 35 points (11-24 FG, 6-11 3Pt, 7-7 FT), six rebounds and three assists in 38 minutes during Sunday's 109-94 victory over Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Lillard scored all of his team-high 35 points in the first half, the most ever through two quarters by a Bucks player in playoff history. Although he failed to score in the second half, the damage was done, leading his team to an emphatic Game 1 victory. With Giannis Antetokounmpo likely to miss at least another game, Lillard will need to come out firing again Tuesday if the Bucks are to secure a 2-0 series lead.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Not listed on injury report
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Lillard (adductor) is not in the official injury report for Sunday's game against the Pacers.
The Bucks are listing Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) as doubtful for the series opener. However, there's no mention of Lillard, and given he practiced Friday with no problems after resting the previous two days, he should be able to handle his regular workload. Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game during the regular season, and his usage rate should increase considerably in the playoffs as long as Antetokounmpo remains out.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Back at practice Friday
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Lillard (adductor) practiced Friday, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports.
Lillard didn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday to rest lingering injuries but is trending in the right direction after putting in a full session Friday. However, his status for Game 1 of the opening-round series against Indiana on Sunday likely won't be known until Saturday afternoon.
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Still not practicing, status TBD
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Lillard didn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday due to lingering groin and abductor injuries, Jamal Collier of ESPN.com reports.
Lillard has been dealing with the injuries for the last three weeks and missed four of the Bucks' final nine regular-season games. The superstar sharpshooter said Tuesday he won't be 100 percent for the postseason but added that no one is at this point in the campaign. Coach Doc Rivers said tests on Lillard's lower body returned clean but added that he still wanted to give his point guard "a little more rest."
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Struggles from field in defeat
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Lillard ended with 16 points (2-14 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 12-13 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 30 minutes during Sunday's 113-88 loss to the Magic.
Lillard returned for Sunday's regular-season finale after missing Milwaukee's previous game with adductor soreness and struggled mightily from the field in one of his worst games of the season. Lillard tied a season-low in field goals made Sunday, though he posted his 11th game with 12 or more three throw made. The Bucks hope Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are able to get healthy and back to 100 percent as the postseason gets underway. The 3-seed Bucks will take on the 6-seed Pacers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Officially available Sunday
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Lillard (adductor) has been cleared for Sunday's game against Orlando.
Lillard will take the court as Milwaukee's leader once again, as Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss a third consecutive contest due to a calf injury. A win secures the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference for Milwaukee, signifying an opportunity for second-round home-court advantage in the playoffs.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Expected to play Sunday
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Lillard (adductor) is listed as probable for Sunday's game versus the Magic.
Lillard is expected to return to action Sunday after missing Milwaukee's previous contest with left adductor soreness. If the star point guard is upgraded to available, either Patrick Beverley or Malik Beasley will likely head back to the bench.
Lillard (adductor) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Thunder.
As expected, Lillard has been downgraded from doubtful to out and will join Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) on the sidelines. Lillard's last chance to suit up during the regular season will come Sunday in Orlando.
Bucks' Damian Lillard: Limited to 12 points Tuesday
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Lillard posted 12 points (5-11 FG, 2-5 3Pt), three rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal across 36 minutes during Tuesday's 104-91 victory over the Celtics.
Lillard didn't have his best performance and delivered his lowest scoring mark since March 24, when he posted 11 points in a 118-93 win over the Thunder. The star floor general hasn't posted the same numbers he used to deliver during his Portland days, but he's still averaging a solid 23.9 points and 8.0 assists per game over his last 10 contests. That figure should increase even more if Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is forced to miss games, which is a realistic possibility given his injury and the fact the Bucks have only three games left in the regular season.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Gets green light
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Coach Doc Rivers said Lillard (hip) is available for Tuesday's game against the Celtics, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports.
As expected, Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring), Khris Middleton (quadriceps) and Patrick Beverley (ankle) have all been upgraded from probable to available. Over two appearances since returning from a three-game absence, Lillard has totaled 59 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Appears on injury report
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Lillard is listed as probable for Tuesday's game against Boston due to left hip soreness.
Lillard being a late addition to Tuesday's injury report is concerning, but he appears firmly on track to suit up in Milwaukee's 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff. The Bucks currently have Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring), Khris Middleton (quad) and Patrick Beverly (ankle) listed as probable in addition to Lillard.
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Bucks' Damian Lillard: Productive outing in return
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Lillard (adductor) tallied 36 points (10-24 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 12-14 FT), six assists, five rebounds and one steal across 38 minutes Friday in the Bucks' 117-111 loss to the Raptors.
Lillard's return from a three-game absence -- the last two due to a right adductor strain and the first due to a personal matter -- wasn't enough to uplift the sinking Bucks, who dropped their third straight game to a sub-.500 team to remain just one game ahead of Cleveland for the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring) sitting out Friday, Lillard took on a bloated 40.4 percent usage rate -- well above his season-long rate of 28.6 percent -- and while he posted some strong overall numbers, subpar shooting took a 40- or even 50-point game off the table. Assuming Lillard's adductor strain didn't cause any complications Friday, he should be ready to play big minutes again Sunday versus the Knicks, though he'll sacrifice some usage if Antetokounmpo is cleared to suit up.
