Category: Damian Lillard

Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Uses Old Damian Lillard Quote to Troll Patrick Beverley
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Uses Old Damian Lillard Quote to Troll Patrick Beverley

The Indiana Pacers are headed to the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton pulled no punches when gloating over the series victory, taking to X and referencing an old quote from Bucks point guard Damian Lillard in order to take a shot at Patrick Beverley.

"Con man. Flip from above the rim," wrote Haliburton on X, quoting an old post of a video in which Beverley was talking trash about Haliburton's game to reporters.

Lillard and Beverley, who are now teammates in Milwaukee, haven't always gotten along. In a previous spat between the two guards, Lillard used that same quote to compare Beverley to Bernie Mac's character, Flip, from the 1994 film, "Above the Rim."

Suffice to say, Flip isn't a character most would want to draw connections to, and Haliburton made his own feelings on Beverley abundantly clear with his seven-word tweet on Thursday.

It's not the first time that the Bucks have been eliminated by Indiana this year. The Pacers knocked Milwaukee out of the in-season tournament, a game during which Haliburton did his fair share of showboating, which prompted a response from Damian Lillard in a postgame press conference.

After ending the Bucks' season with their 4–2 series win, Haliburton once again was eager to celebrate and took the opportunity to troll Beverley in savage fashion.

Damian Lillard, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Patrick Beverley, Tyrese Haliburton
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NBA World Pleads for TNT to Mute Loud Pacers Fan During Game 6 Broadcast
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

NBA World Pleads for TNT to Mute Loud Pacers Fan During Game 6 Broadcast

The Indiana Pacers hosted the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series on Thursday night, a game televised nationally on TNT.

It didn't take long for NBA fans to grow frustrated with the audio on the broadcast, thanks to the behavior of one supporter in the stands at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, who happened to be seated distractingly close to the TNT broadcast's microphone.

The fan in question was constantly heckling the Bucks, loudly and relentlessly shouting at players on the road team throughout the game. All of his antics were picked up by the TNT microphone, leading to a rather unpleasant viewing experience for fans at home.

The fan had distinct trash talk for different members of Milwaukee, including Damian Lillard, Bobby Portis and Danilo Gallinari, among others, and he was incessantly letting them hear it.

The basketball world on social media voiced their frustrations with the booming Pacers fan, and urged the broadcast to mute the microphone.

Damian Lillard, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA
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Bucks' Damian Lillard to Return From Injury for Game 6 vs. Pacers
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Bucks’ Damian Lillard to Return From Injury for Game 6 vs. Pacers

The Milwaukee Bucks will get some much-needed reinforcements for Thursday's tilt against the Indiana Pacers.

With their backs against the wall, facing elimination, star point guard Damian Lillard is set to make his return to the lineup in Game 6 after missing the previous two games with an Achilles injury, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports.

The Bucks trail the Pacers 3–2 in the series, and they'll be on the road at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as they look to keep their season alive.

Lillard's return will provide a big boost toward those efforts. In Games 1 to 3, Lillard averaged 32.3 points, 5.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds while making 5.3 threes per game at a 44.4% clip. Milwaukee was 1–2 in the series with the 33-year-old in the lineup.

Although Lillard's expected to return for Thursday's game, the Bucks will still be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who remains sidelined with a soleus strain. Antetokounmpo has yet to feature in the series, and will need Milwaukee to force Game 7 if he's hoping to contribute at all against Indiana.

Lillard appeared in 73 games during the regular season, averaging 24.3 points, 7.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks
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Bucks-Pacers Game 6 Odds Move After Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Report
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Bucks-Pacers Game 6 Odds Move After Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Report

The third-seeded Bucks are clinging for their playoff lives and hoping for reinforcements ahead of Game 6 against the sixth-seeded Pacers on Thursday night. 

It looks like they could get some help, but oddsmakers are guessing both of their stars won’t return from injury. 

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday afternoon that Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (Achilles) are both trying to play tonight but it’s “still unclear if either will be able” to suit up. 

After the news, the spread for Bucks-Pacers moved from Pacers -8.5 to -6.5 at BetMGM Sportsbook. That indicates that at least one of them will play, but likely not both. 

Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left calf and hasn’t played since mid-April. Lillard injured his Achilles tendon during in Game 3 and missed Game 4. 

In Game 4, the Pacers were -10 point favorites with both of the Bucks' stars out. The Pacers won that game by 13 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.

The Bucks staved off elimination with a win in Game 5 at home, but now travel back to Indiana where they haven’t won a game in this first-round playoff series. 

The odds movement is substantial enough to warrant belief that either Lillard or Antetokounmpo will play, but it doesn’t seem oddsmakers believe both will. If they did, the line would have moved even lower than Pacers -6.5. 

Antetokounmpo is the longer shot given the precariousness of a calf strain and potential for further injury. 

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA, NBA Odds
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