“I’m not following the NBA as much as I should be following probably, but is there a higher scoring duel than me and Dame in the league?” In early March this year, Giannis Antetokounmpo shut down the doubters of his partnership with Damian Lillard. But when the latter was ruled out indefinitely with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) blood clot in his right calf, just a few weeks later, the Athens native took the onus to be the team’s ball handler. “I feel like when I have the ball, I’m more poised.” And so, they continued a winning streak entering April. Until now.

Walking into the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers for Game 1 of the playoff series on Saturday, the Bucks were without Damian Lillard just how it has been during the final 14 games of the regular season, but little did they know that this would be a thorn in their spine by the end of the day. Despite the Greek-Freak double-double (36 points, 12 rebounds) effort, no other Buck starter was able to log a double figure. Indiana crushed the Bucks 117-98, nullifying all attempts for a 1-0 lead. On a brighter note, things are seemingly getting back on track for Damian.

It was announced on Thursday that Lillard was cleared of deep vein thrombosis and is off blood thinners, which is a sigh of relief for Giannis, sure. But, for the Bucks, this would be a pure manifestation. The very purpose of trading for Lillard back in 2023-24 was to pair the All-Star point guard with their main MVP candidate, Giannis. In reality, the Bucks haven’t ever come to play a playoff game with both of them on the floor. Closing the post-game presser, a reporter asked Giannis, “A lot has changed in the last week since we saw you, meaning, Dame is healthy and cleared. And presumably will come back ’cause he’s working. Just what does that mean personally to hear that news that he’s healthy but then also Damian Lillard is progressing to return to this playoff series?”

Responding to Dame’s update, the 30-year-old forward had two words: “Great news.” He further added, “Happy for him that he’s healthy. He’s cleared now. He’s able to come back and play basketball,” Giannis Antetokounmpo informed the media after the game. “Again, like he had the tag team (which) is one of the best still in the league.

“Hopefully, whenever he’s ready—I don’t know when that’s going to be, game five, game six, game four—I don’t know what that’s going to be. Hopefully, he can come back and elevate our team and help us win games.” So, if we go according to Giannis’s words, there is no possibility of Damian Lillard returning in Game 2 either. Maybe Game 3? (Scroll to know the latest update on his injury)

Injury update: Senior NBA insider Chris Haynes dropped an update just hours ago, stating, “Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2 vs the Indiana Pacers” on X.

But there is no doubt that once Dame is back on the hardwood, the duo, that became the first in NBA history to have 20+ PTS and 10+ AST in back-to-back games in 2024, can continue to set fire to their opponents’ plans. And as Doc Rivers has pointed out too, if they share a total of 20 assists, that pretty much means that the ball is in their court, literally! So, of course, Giannis is counting on those stats to fill the sheet soon.

Amidst the hope in his voice, Giannis Antetokounmpo is aware of how badly his team fumbled on Saturday. He blatantly admitted that there was a lack of urgency in the game that handed them the results they didn’t want. “We didn’t play well, our offense wasn’t good,” the 2x MVP confessed to the reporters. However, he has promised in Game 2, “We will be better.”

Antetokounmpo continued with his trademark aggressive performance on the floor against the Indiana Pacers. But as for the rest, they were pulled by their collars and sat down in a loss, especially Kyle Kuzma. Who knew the once-upon-a-time NBA champ would fall headfirst in a game that meant so much for the team? But wait, he has his reasons.

Kyle Kuzma’s stat line pointed out in the Bucks’ loss, while Giannis Antetokounmpo shone

Kyle Kuzma’s zero-point game added to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co.’s pain on Saturday. “What happened there that you’re wrapped up?” the reporter asked the Bucks’ small forward in the locker room. “I just don’t know what happened. I kind of just got hit by somebody and kind of messed it up a little bit,” Kuzma responded.

Kyle Kuzma walked away from Game 1 against the Pacers with more than just a loss—his left thumb wrapped after a mysterious first-quarter knock. He admitted he “messed it up a little bit,” though he wasn’t sure how it happened. Now, as Milwaukee heads home for a short break, he will probably get it checked before Game 2.

Meanwhile, in a shocking turn, the NBA champ played 22 minutes in the Bucks‘ loss vs. Indiana without recording a single stat. Not even a rebound, assist, or steal. Consequently, he became the first player since Mike Dunleavy Jr. in 2015 to go completely blank in 20+ minutes. It was an eerie silence on the stat sheet for the 6-ft-9 forward who averages 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

So, while Saturday marked just one game, it felt like a gut punch. Even though Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 36, Damian Lillard watched from the sidelines, and Kyle Kuzma disappeared from the stat sheet. As a result, with bruised pride and wrapped thumbs, the Bucks are left with two options– Either they wake up, or they watch the playoffs quietly slip away like last season, in a similar fashion, against the same team.