Damian Lillard was not pleased with Tyrese Haliburton’s mocking celebration, but Lillard had the last laugh with an impressive performance as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Indiana Pacers 109-94 in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Lillard stepped up in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, scoring 35 points in the first half alone.
After the game, Lillard expressed his mindset of setting the tone in the playoffs and how important it is to establish dominance early in a series.
In response to rumors of unhappiness in Milwaukee, Lillard shared that he was simply happy to be back in the postseason after a two-year absence.
Despite a quiet second half, Lillard’s explosive play in the first half was enough to secure the victory for Milwaukee.
Game 2 of the series is set for Tuesday.
READ MORE: Damian Lillard Responds to Rumors of Being Unhappy in Milwaukee
