Fans React to Bucks' Damian Lillard Making Playoffs Return

The Milwaukee Bucks did not have a great start to their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. They were blown out after a comeback in the fourth quarter came up short.

Milwaukee had to play that game without the services of Damian Lillard. Lillard was not able to play in the game as he recovered from blood clots in his right calf.

Now, Lillard will be back for Game 2 on Tuesday night. The Bucks weren't initially expecting to have him cleared so quickly, but his return could not come at a better time for the team.

Milwaukee now has its starting point guard and its second-best player back. Fans were ecstatic to get Lillard back, thinking that this now makes them competitive in this series against the Pacers.

Pacers fans were praying Lillard wouldn’t return—five times a day. But Allah had other plans…
— Luiz (@luizzwashere) April 22, 2025

LFG!!! #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/VjNECQxLcG
— ⚾️ BrewCrewDad ⚾️ (@BrewCrewDadd) April 22, 2025

Let’s gooo!!!🔥🔥🔥
— -lucasbd (@_lucasbd) April 22, 2025

Fans are clearly excited to watch Lillard try to help Giannis Antetokounmpo out on the offensive end of the court. Milwaukee's offense stagnated in the fourth quarter, which was a big reason why their comeback bid came up short.

How well Lillard will play is still a mystery. He will surely be rusty, as he hasn't played an NBA basketball game in over a month. Still, they need him at the All-Star level already.

Lillard gives the Bucks more spacing on the perimeter and gives them someone to give the ball to when Antetokounmpo gets double-teamed in the paint. They didn't have that luxury in Game 1.

As long as Lillard isn't a complete zero, his return should help the Bucks be better in Game 2. Just his presence on the court will make the Pacers think twice about what they're doing on defense.

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Lillard did talk a lot of smack on the bench in Game 1. In fact, he tried to get into it with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam late in the game.

Fans want to see him back up that smack talk and have him help lead the way to a Milwaukee victory.

In the regular season, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. He is shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

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