The Indiana Pacers’ matchup against Orlando Magic had a rather surprising outcome, as the Pacers were defeated 129-115. While it was a tough one to take, there were still a few bright spots in this disappointing defeat. One of them was rookie Johnny Furphy’s performance. The youngster showed that he has some great potential. Moreover, the Pacers were able to rest some of their key players. Now, with just one game to go, everyone knows that Rick Carlisle and his team have one eye on the playoffs. Despite the defeat, Indiana has secured a fourth seed in the East, and that has guaranteed them a matchup with a familiar foe in the first round of the playoffs. However, a lot of things will be different this time around.
The Indiana Pacers will be up against the Milwaukee Bucks in a rematch from last season’s first round. Last season, Indiana locked horns with an injury-riddled Milwaukee team and got the better of them, winning the series 4-2. However, this time, things will not be the same. Firstly, the Pacers will have the home-court advantage this time around as they hold the fourth seed. But the major difference won’t be on which court the game is played first. Instead, it will be the presence of Milwaukee’s franchise player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed last season’s series due to an injury. The Greek Freak is set to be set to play a vital role in this year’s series, and Rick Carlisle is well aware of what’s to come his way.
The Pacers’ head coach made a tough admission after their recent loss against the Magic. “I mean, it’s they’re they’re great. They got one of the best players in. They have got two of the best players in the world, and um, you know, we’ve, we’re all too familiar with how lethal they are as a team, and you know they’ve gotten better this year; you know they’ve they’ve got more depth. they’ve got more shooting, um, more size, better defense, and so, uh, many challenges.” Carlisle stated.
The Pacers coach knows that it will be a much more difficult task to get past Milwaukee this time around. He also pointed out that there’s no doubt Giannis’ presence will be massive, as the whole team has improved a lot from last season. While missing Giannis would have affected the Bucks in any playoff series, against the Pacers, his absence made things worse.
Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dribbles during the 3rd quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup championship game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
That’s because he absolutely dominates against Indiana. Giannis Antetokounmpo is already lethal as it is, but against Indiana, he’s scored 30 or more points in three of the last four appearances. He’s also averaged 12.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists in those games. To top it all off, Bucks lead this year’s regular-season series 3-1.
So, it will be quite the contest this time around. But despite having Giannis back, the Bucks might still go into this series short-handed once again. That’s because their other superstar, Damian Lillard, is suffering from an unfortunate injury. However, that could soon change as they’ve received an update on the 34-year-old point guard that might further tilt the series in Milwaukee’s favor.
Milwaukee receives a massive update on Damian Lillard’s fitness
The Milwaukee Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, are gearing up to face the Indiana Pacers once again. While they have one of their superstar for this massive first-round clash, they might be without their other superstar, Damian Lillard. The 34-year-old Milwaukee point guard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and missed each of the team’s last 13 games. While the Bucks have fared well in the meantime, they will need Lillard in the playoffs, no matter what. Keeping this in mind, Milwaukee has received a massive update on Lillard as they gear up to face the Pacers.
“There is optimism that Damian Lillard will be cleared at some point before the playoffs.”
– @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/1LYstKYn0j
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 13, 2025
According to multiple reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the blot clot, and will continue regular testing. While he’s still recovering, the positive news is that he will be available at some point during the playoffs. There’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding his fitness, but this might just give Milwaukee fans a bit of relief knowing he can return during the playoffs.
Lillard has truly been the Bucks’ number two option this season behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was averaging 24.9 points to go with his 4.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. That’s quite impressive! Moreover, Doc Rivers has also been optimistic about Lillard’s return. “(The timeline) definitely has changed, medically,” he said last week.
Despite this, Lillard’s status for the playoffs remains unclear. If he doesn’t play, this will be the second straight season he’ll miss the postseason due to an injury. Last year, he missed two of the team’s six games against the Pacers, which also proved to be one of the deciding factors in the series. As Milwaukee gears for the season finale and then the playoffs against Indiana, the next set of tests for Damian Lillard will be crucial. They will clear the picture and help everyone understand his status for the postseason. Till then, we can only wait and hope that the Milwaukee star is able to make a comeback to the court.
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