In their Eastern Conference playoff opening against the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence and scored all 35 of their points before halftime, defeating the team 109-94.

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The Milwaukee Bucks would be just fine without Giannis Antetokounmpo in their playoff opener thanks to Damian Lillard’s outstanding start.

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Antetokounmpo did not play in Sunday’s 109-94 Milwaukee Bucks victory over the Indiana Pacers, while Lillard scored all 35 of his points before halftime.

“I know I need to be a little bit more aggressive and step forward a little bit more assertively, but I don’t think it’s all on me,” Lillard stated. “It’s important to set the tone for the postseason. We’ll be seeing this team a lot, so you want to make a name for yourself, especially at home. Coming out and attempting to set the tone was just my way of thinking.

Without Antetokounmpo, whose comeback date is questionable due to an injured left calf, which also prevented him from playing in Milwaukee’s final three regular-season games, the Bucks needed Lillard to step up. Tuesday is Game 2 of the playoff series in Milwaukee.

Lillard delivered, breaking the previous record for points scored by the Bucks in either half of a playoff game. The Pacers tried to slow him down in the second half, but by then the damage had already been done. He didn’t score at all and only attempted five shots.

His mindset is that of a prizefighter, according to Doc Rivers, the coach of the Bucks. It appears as though he is getting ready for battle. He appears to be prepared when the bell sounds.

Lillard hadn’t played in the postseason since 2021. Before being traded to the Bucks, he played his first 11 seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers.

“It was awful not making the playoffs the last two years,” said Lillard. Early getaways. I attended Coachella the year before. I ain’t never been able to go to Coachella. It’s participating annually in the playoffs. I was over that, man, even just having that lengthy summer.

The Pacers, who averaged a league-high 123.3 points per game and hadn’t scored fewer than 99 points in the regular season, were led by Pascal Siakam’s 36 points and 13 rebounds. The Pacers made 8 of their 39 3-point attempts.

Indiana is playing in its first postseason since 2020, having defeated the Bucks four times in their five regular-season games. Since 2014, the Pacers have not progressed past the first round.

“It’s easy to just say we missed shots and now we’re nervous or whatever,” said Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, who had nine points, eight assists and seven rebounds. It doesn’t matter what you guys choose to chase after. Ultimately, I believe that we were short on shots. There was no hopping ball. Additionally, they made shots in the first half, which kind of put us in danger.

Khris Middleton had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, while Bobby Portis added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Lillard had 19 points in the opening period, the highest first-quarter point total by any player in a playoff opener since at least 1997. He had the highest first-half point total for any player in a postseason contest since Kevin Durant had 38 at the break for the Golden State Warriors in a 2019 first-round game with the Los Angeles Clippers.

He then got some help from his teammates while taking a well-deserved breather. Milwaukee outscored Indiana 14-3 while Lillard was on the bench for nearly the first five minutes of the second quarter.

Once Lillard returned, he picked up right where he’d left off. He sank a 3-pointer while getting fouled and completed a four-point play to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 65-35. The Bucks were ahead 69-42 at halftime.

“The first half was embarrassing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “No excuses. We’ve simply got to come out better. It was ugly, and we all own it.”

Indiana closed the third quarter with nine straight points to get Milwaukee’s lead down to 83-71, but the Bucks regained control.

Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start an 8-0 run that extended Milwaukee’s lead to 99-77 with 8:10 left. Milwaukee stayed ahead by at least 14 the rest of the way.