Damian Lillard scores all of his 35 points in the 1st half, including 19 in the opening quarter, as Milwaukee cruises.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard set a Bucks postseason record by scoring 35 points in the first half of Milwaukee’s Game 1 win in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Lillard’s points were the most by a Bucks player in either half of a playoff game. The Bucks’ single-game playoff scoring record is held by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 50 points in a title-clinching Game 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
With Antetokounmpo on the bench nursing a strained left calf Sunday, the Bucks turned to Lillard early and often.
Lillard had 19 points in the opening period, the highest individual first-quarter total in a playoff opener since at least 1997. He had 35 points by halftime, the highest individual first-half total in a playoff game since Kevin Durant had 38 at the break for the Golden State Warriors in a 2019 first-round game with the Los Angeles Clippers.
This was Damian Lillard's third FIRST HALF of his career with 30 or more points in the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel. Since 1997-98, no player has more such halves.
Damian Lillard – 3x
Devin Booker, LeBron James – 2x https://t.co/Qq3RUElooI— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) April 22, 2024
Lillard scored 16 of the Bucks’ first 20 points, all in the opening nine minutes. He capped his 19-point first quarter by hitting a step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer.
He also was fouled while making a 3-pointer and completed a four-point play that gave the Bucks a 30-point lead late in the first half.
Lillard shot 11 of 19 from the floor, 6 of 10 from 3-point range and 7 of 7 on free-throw attempts during that fabulous first-half performance, which wound up accounting for all of his points in Milwaukee’s 109-94 victory.
