Is Damian Lillard playing tonight against Miami Heat? Latest on 7X All-Star's status for the NBA In-Season Tournament matchup (Nov. 28)
The Milwaukee Bucks, after a tough loss against the Boston Celtics, are on back-to-back wins after Damian Lillard's matchup against his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers.
The team is set to go up against the Miami Heat for the second time this season. The NBA In-Season Tournament game will be held at the Kaseya Center on Tuesday, November 28.
During the Bucks' last game against the Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard had 31 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Leading the charge was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tallied 33 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
Entering their upcoming game against the Miami Heat on the road, the team has two players listed on the injury report.
Khris Middleton is still 'questionable' to play as he may need more time to heal his Achilles injury. The other player is veteran Jae Crowder, who is expected to be back on the team by mid-January.
With that, all other players, including Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, were cleared to play against the Miami Heat.
Damian Lillard relishes going against former team for the first time
The return of Damian Lillard to playing in front of the Portland Trail Blazers crowd was a homecoming after the off-season blockbuster trade. This was the first time that the former Weber State Wildcat played in the Moda Center wearing a different jersey.
For Lillard, it has been a nostalgia trip as he recalls great memories from playing 11 seasons with the team.
“Once I walked in, I saw a lot of familiar faces,” Lillard said after the game. “I thought about going to the visitors’ locker room for a second. I was like, ‘Man, this is a little bit different.’ Then when we got to the court, I saw everybody, and it was a weird feeling. But once we started playing, I kind of got over it quick. Just like before, I didn’t think it would be a big thing or a crazy thing, and it wasn’t.”
Damian Lillard averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 11 seasons playing for Portland. This season, he has been giving the Bucks 25.6 points, 6.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15 matches so far.
After this match against the Miami Heat, the Milwaukee Bucks wrap up their two-game road trip by going against the Chicago Bulls on November 30. The team returns to the Fiserv Forum on December 2 to take on the Atlanta Hawks.