Milwaukee acquired Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023. Lillard is averaging 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 131 games with the Bucks, who won the championship in 2021 but haven't even gotten back to the Eastern Conference Finals since then.

After being acquired at the trade deadline, Kevin Porter Jr.'s game developed with the Bucks. But without Damian Lillard, they need him to be a star.

The Pacers went 4-1 in the five meetings last season, followed by a 4-2 triumph in the first round. Things flipped this season, with the Bucks taking three of four (and the loss coming on Haliburton’s four-point play with three seconds left).