"Doc Rivers gonna run this team into the ground" - Fans erupt as Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Bucks drop Game 1 to Pacers in playoff-opening blowout
The Damian Lillard-less Milwaukee Bucks struggled on both ends of the floor against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1. As a result, Milwaukee was blown out 117-98 and now trails 1-0 in its opening-round series.
The series is far from over, and the complexion of this matchup could change if Lillard returns.
However, some fans think the nine-time All-Star should take his time before returning to action, despite his team falling behind 1-0 — and one even said Bucks coach Doc Rivers would ruin the team’s chances anyway.
"Doc Rivers gonna run this team into the ground don't rush him," one fan tweeted.
"(Lillard) shouldn't rush it," one person chimed in.
"He should come back for Game 3," one fan suggested.
Meanwhile, other fans shared their predictions about what would happen if Lillard returned.
"If Dame returns in game 2… Bucks in 5," one person tweeted.
"Dame about to come back and drop 40," another said.
"Dame dropping 40 next game, (Tyrese Haliburton) messed up," another commented.
The Milwaukee Bucks were without Damian Lillard for the final 14 games of the regular season due to a blood clot in his right calf. There was no clear timetable for his return, but the team received a positive update just ahead of Game 1.
According to the team, Lillard has recovered from the blood clot issue and is already participating in team practices, ramping up for his return. The expectation is that he'll suit up for Game 2 or 3.
Also read: Massive update on Damian Lillard's injury timeline drops with hours before Game 1 vs Pacers
The Indiana Pacers outperformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every major statistical category in Game 1
The numbers don't always tell the story in a basketball game. However, in the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers, the statistics reflected which team was better.
Indiana defended better, rebounded better and moved the ball better, which resulted in its victory. The Pacers narrowly outrebounded Milwaukee 43-41, but that small advantage was enough. Indiana also had 28 assists as a team, 13 more than the Bucks..
Milwaukee also struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over 10 times compared to Indiana’s five turnovers.
In the shooting department, Indiana made 51.9% of its shots (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 76.9% of its free throws. Meanwhile, Milwaukee converted just 41.7% of its attempts (24.3% from downtown) and 67.9% from the charity stripe.
The Bucks briefly led early in the first quarter, but their advantage never grew larger than three points. The Pacers led for most of the game and at one point held a 28-point advantage.
Giannis Antetokounmpo hadhad a game-high 36 points and 12 rebounds, but it still wasn’t enough.