Damian Lillard is not supposed to play yet in the Milwaukee Bucks playoffs series with the Indiana Pacers but he somehow did got involved although in a negative way.
The star guard, who was cleared early this week from deep vein thrombosis diagnosis, had a verbal argument with Pacers counterpart Tyrsese Haliburton after a certain play late in the fourth quarter when the hosts were already leading by 15 points.
Pascal Siakam stepped in for his teammate and he and Dame were both assessed with a technical foul.
Lillard was unavailable for comment post-game but Siakam was.
“I don’t have anything to say about that,” Siakam told reporters.
“It’s a lot of talking today. I just want to play ball.”
Instead, he is more focused on commending the way his team played.
“I think every time you step on the floor, you want to take care of business. I thought our energy was good in the beginning… It’s playoff basketball. We’re excited. We want to continue to play the way we’ve been playing.”
Pacers won the game, 117-98.
Damian Lillard’s bitter history with Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton is a marked man for Lillard since arriving to the Bucks in 2023.
“You’ll see” is what he allegedly told Haliburton during the argument close to the Bucks bench.
Damian Lillard letting Tyrese Haliburton know… pic.twitter.com/HtkNo5Ww5V
— Follow HeavenlyBuckets (@Heavenlybuckets) April 19, 2025
Haliburton is not really a friend to Lillard and to the Bucks community in general.
Aside from eliminating the Bucks last season, also in the first round, he has a history of dissing the team after winning the game.
In December of 2023, Haliburton rubbed it in Lillard’s face when they won against the Bucks in an NBA Cup game by flaunting the latter’s signature celebration of Dame Time.
“I know I kind of pounded my chest and said it was my time, whatever, but I think really looking at it, it’s our time. It’s our time as a group,” Haliburton said about his celebration.
Their time did not really arrive.
As for Lillard, he saw it as a sign of respect but he also preached about being humble.
“When you are having your moment, it’s important to be careful, to be humble in your moments because you just never know how the tables are going to turn or when they are going to turn,” Lillard said.
“I learned as a kid, when you dish it out, you’ve got to be willing to take it. For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it, you know what I mean. I think that’s also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history and knowing what I do.”
It is still unknown when Lillard will suit up but latest reports claim he can return to action next week.
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