The Bucks needed Lilllard to go off to stave off elimination—and he did.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo was his usual dominant self, Damian Lillard was the biggest star of this year's first NBA Cup elimination game on Tuesday night. He scored 29 points to pair with the Greek Freak's 37 and led the Milwaukee Bucks past the Orlando Magic in the quarterfinal of the in-season tournament.
Lillard, as is his reputation, shined when his team needed him most. The superstar point guard scored 11 of the Bucks' final 13 points, providing an early-season glimpse of Dame Time and getting the fans at Fiserv Forum on their feet. His biggest bucket came with just over 30 seconds left, a layup through the teeth of the Magic defense to give the Bucks a lead they would not relinquish.
Asked about his stellar fourth quarter takeover after the game, head coach Doc Rivers offered a simple explanation: "That's just Dame being Dame."Lillard has certainly had his struggles in Milwaukee but his crunchtime performance has been consistently outstanding, carrying over from his many years in Portland. It serves as no surprise he showed up at the biggest moment in Tuesday's quasi-playoff game.
Dame Time continues in Las Vegas as the Bucks take on the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-New York Knicks grudge match for a spot in the NBA Cup Final.Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Should Darvin Ham Replace Doc Rivers Amid Bucks Troubling Start?Is it time for Milwaukee to turn to Darvin Ham instead of Doc Rivers?
Read more »
Doc Rivers' Position as Bucks Coach Remains Secure: ReportMilwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is reportedly safe as the head coach for the team at the moment.
Read more »
Bucks' Doc Rivers Had Surprising Reaction to Giannis Antetokounmpo's Night vs PistonsBucks head coach Doc Rivers had a surprising reaction to Giannis Antetokounmpo's insane night.
Read more »
NBA Fans Calling For Doc Rivers To Be Fired After Bucks-Hornets GameThe Milwaukee Bucks had another disappointing loss.
Read more »
Doc Rivers Assails Officiating for Nearly Five Minutes After Bucks Lose to HornetsThe Milwaukee coach was none too pleased with the end of Saturday's game.
Read more »
Bucks' Doc Rivers upset over foul call on Giannis Antetokounmpo in loss to HornetsBucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was called for a foul while defending Hornets guard LaMelo Ball with 7.3 seconds left in their 115-114 loss.
Read more »