Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard Enters Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Territory After Crazy Playoff Scoring

The Pacers, on the other hand, had Pascal Siakam lead the way by making 36 points on 60 percent shooting from the field, 13 rebounds, and two assists. Myles Turner added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton had an off-night with only nine points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.

The win helped the Greek Freak’s team gain an early lead in the series, an advantage that will come in useful since Antetokounmpo isn’t 100 percent healthy yet. The loss, however, highlighted Haliburton’s regression after the All-Star break, especially when facing an elite guard like Dame in the playoffs.

Damian Lillard Makes Milwaukee Bucks History After Crazy Franchise Playoff Debut

After the game, Dame’s numbers were in and it’s one for the team’s record books. In a post shared by StatMuse on X:

“Most points in playoff debut with the Bucks:

36 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

36 — Gary Brokaw

35 — Damian Lillard

The only players to put up 35+ points,” StatMuse tweeted.

Although Gary Brokaw didn’t have a lengthy career like the All-Star guard, achieving a record close to Abdul-Jabbar is certainly one feat to proud of. With just one point separating him from the NBA legend, Dame Time’s debut for the franchise is a high point for both him and the team.

It remains to be seen whether Dame can keep up his momentum in Game 2 against the Pacers. If he does, Indiana will be in a world of trouble soon in the playoffs. Haliburton and company may find themselves in a deeper hole too if Antetokounmpo returns as the talent they’ll face is going to be too much to handle.