Damian Lillard Sets New Postseason Record with 35 Points in Half: Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Rivalry Heats Up

Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States of America
Bucks secured a significant lead over Pacers without Giannis Antetokounmpo
Damian Lillard sets new postseason record with 35 points in half against Indiana Pacers
Lillard scored 19 points in the first quarter and 16 points in the second quarter
Pacers believe they can defeat Bucks despite absence of Antetokounmpo
Regular season saw Pacers outperform Bucks with a record of 15-11 against top eight teams in the East
Damian Lillard Sets New Postseason Record with 35 Points in Half: Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Rivalry Heats Up

In the opening game of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, Damian Lillard set a new postseason record for points scored in a half with 35. This remarkable performance helped secure a significant lead for the Bucks against their Central Division rivals.

Lillard's impressive first-half display included 19 points in the opening quarter, which was the highest individual total since at least 1997. His scoring prowess extended into the second quarter, where he added another 16 points and completed a four-point play late in the half.

The Pacers faced a tough challenge without their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was nursing an injury. In his absence, Lillard took charge and led the Bucks to a commanding lead.

Despite Lillard's outstanding performance, the Pacers are not intimidated by the Bucks. According to NBA analyst Charles Barkley, they believe they can defeat Milwaukee even without Antetokounmpo. The series promises to be an exciting one as both teams showcase their strengths and strategies.

The regular season saw the Pacers outperform the Bucks with a record of 15-11 against top eight teams in the East. They boast a potent offense, improved defense, and a strong bench led by players like Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell.

The Bucks, on the other hand, have their own weapons in Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. Middleton had an impressive performance in Game 1 with 25 points, ten rebounds, and four assists.

As the series progresses, fans can expect intense competition between these two Central Division rivals. The Pacers aim to prove their worth against the Bucks and advance to the next round. Meanwhile, Milwaukee will look to capitalize on Lillard's formidable performance and secure a victory.



Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Could Lillard maintain his formidable performance throughout the series?
  • Was the performance of the Pacers bench significant enough to challenge the Bucks without Antetokounmpo?

Sources

94%

  • Unique Points
    • The NBA playoffs started on April 21, 2024.
    • Damian Lillard scored 35 points in the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series between the Bucks and Pacers.
    • Hris Middleton scored 25 points, had ten rebounds, and four assists in the Bucks’ win.
    • Pascal Siakam scored 36 points and had fourteen rebounds in the Raptors’ win against the Pacers.
  • Accuracy
    • Four first-round series began on this day.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a dichotomous depiction by stating 'The Celtics and Thunder are the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, and they're both facing eighth-seeded opponents who are not at full strength.' This creates a false dilemma between the two teams being strong or weak due to their opponents' situation. Additionally, there is an appeal to authority when mentioning the players' statistics: 'Damian Lillard: 35 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 6-11 3P', 'Khris Middleton: 25 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast', and so on. The article also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the Clippers' performance as 'dominant'.
    • The Celtics and Thunder are the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, and they're both facing eighth-seeded opponents who are not at full strength.
    • Damian Lillard: 35 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 6-11 3P
    • Khris Middleton: 25 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

66%

  • Unique Points
    • Charles Barkley predicts Indiana Pacers will defeat Milwaukee Bucks in playoff series
    • Pacers do not fear Bucks, regardless of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (10%)
    Emmett Prosser makes editorializing statements expressing his opinion that the Milwaukee Bucks will lose to the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. He also makes a statement about the Bucks' coaching situation that is not factual and could be considered emotional manipulation.
    • They’re not a championship contender...
    • They own this team. They don’t fear this team, even with Giannis...Without Giannis, they should come out and punch this team in the mouth.
  • Fallacies (75%)
    Emmett Prosser makes several fallacious statements in the article. Barkley's opinions about the Bucks and Pacers are presented as facts, which is a form of informal fallacy called an appeal to authority. Additionally, Barkley's statement 'They should lose this series.' is a prediction and not a logical argument or assertion about the Bucks or Pacers, so it should be ignored when evaluating fallacies in the article.
    • ]They own this team. They don’t fear this team, even with Giannis[...]They can’t beat them with Giannis (The Bucks were 1-4 against the Pacers this year). Without Giannis, they should come out and punch this team in the mouth.[
    • They're not a championship contender, let’s get that out of the way, Barkley said.
  • Bias (50%)
    Emmett Prosser expresses bias towards the Milwaukee Bucks by stating that they 'should lose' the playoff series against the Indiana Pacers and criticizing their coaching decisions. He also makes unfounded assumptions about their ability to compete without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
    • The organization screwed this thing up.... this goes up to the top.
      • They should lose this series.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      • Unique Points
        • The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers are set to face each other in the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time in 24 years.
        • Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 64 points against the Pacers five months ago.
        • The Bucks were outscored by 23.2 points per 100 possessions without Antetokounmpo this season.
        • The Pacers have a potent offense, an improved defense, and a record of 15-11 against top eight teams in the East.
      • Accuracy
        • The Pacers won the regular season series, 4-1.
        • Antetokounmpo suffered a left calf strain and is uncertain to play in Game 1 of the series.
        • Both teams have top-six offenses in the league.
        • The Pacers allowed a league-high 56% of their opponents’ shots to come in the paint during the regular season.
        • The Bucks ranked 28th in percentage of shots taken in the paint (43%) and connected on just 31.7% from beyond the arc against the Pacers.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      100%

      • Unique Points
        • Damian Lillard scored 35 points in the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series between the Bucks and Pacers.
        • This is a Milwaukee Bucks postseason record for points scored in a half.
        • Lillard had 19 points in the first quarter, which is the highest individual first-quarter total in a playoff opener since at least 1997.
        • He had 38 points by halftime, which is the highest individual first-half total in a playoff game since Kevin Durant had 38 for the Golden State Warriors.
        • Lillard scored 16 of the Bucks’ first 20 points and capped his first quarter with a step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer.
        • He was fouled while making a 3-pointer and completed a four-point play that gave the Bucks a large lead late in the first half.
      • Accuracy
        No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication