Lillard has been out since March 18 after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
The top seven playoff spots in each conference have been secured. All that's left is determining the No. 8 seeds.
The Bucks were without their star and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the entire series. This year, Antetokounmpo is healthy and has been on a tear. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam noted the presence of Antetokounmpo as an clear difference.
Boom, baby! The Indiana Pacers' G League team has rebranded. The Pacers announced Wednesday that their G League team will be called the Noblesville Boom — the nickname being a nod to longtime Pacers coach and broadcaster Slick Leonard's infamous catch phrase of “boom, baby!” The Boom will begin play next season in Noblesville, an Indianapolis suburb. “We're thrilled to tip off an exciting new era for our G League team, the Noblesville Boom, while honoring the legacy and global brand power of the Indiana Pacers,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said. Leonard was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2014. He played seven seasons in the NBA, then coached the Pacers
Bucks' All-Star Damian Lillard was formally ruled out for Game 1 in the official injury report. Pacers guard Ben Sheppard is probable.
ESPN's Shams Charania offers an update on the 34-year-old Milwaukee Bucks guard. Here's what the Indiana Pacers should prepare for.
Pascal Siakam kept it simple Saturday. The three-time All-Star finished with 25 points and seven rebounds while Tyrese Haliburton added 10 points and 12 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Milwaukee Bucks, 117-98, for a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference best-of-seven first-round series. “It's just playing the game the way it's supposed to be played — not a lot of thinking, just play the game,” Siakam said after going 10 of 15 from the field. Siakam took full advantage of the festive atmosphere as Indiana hosted its first series opener since 2014.
