NBA IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT

December 7, 2023

Damian Lillard

Milwaukee Bucks

Semifinal Postgame

Pacers 128, Bucks 119

Q. Late in games this year you guys have been so good at taking the care of the ball and getting shots you have up. You have a turnover late and Khris trying to get you the ball. What happened on those two plays?

DAMIAN LILLARD: I think the turnover that I had, I came off the pick-and-roll and I tried to, it, was the same pocket pass that I had been throwing. Myles, he just barely tipped it. He got a hand on it. It's a play that happens sometimes. That ball gets through, Brook is going for a dunk, you know what I mean.

But it was a play that we always make, the ball gets there more times than not. He just made a good defensive play. Got a hand on it the play with Khris, he got the ball on the inbound and I was just running up the opposite slot, and you know, we didn't really have a play call, you know, so I was standing opposite him and I didn't know if he was going to attack or what.

But he wanted to swing it to me and to a step up and I was just kind of in the middle and when he threw it, Bruce Brown just shot the gap, I think it was Bruce and he got to it. His transition, I think he missed it and then you know they had somebody run, trail the play and tip it in. It's two unfortunate plays.

Q. In Miami, we had talked about you and Khris having that really good communication late. Just didn't happen this time around. Like not communicating what you guys were doing?

DAMIAN LILLARD: It wasn't really a moment for communication. They had just scored and we had just inbounded the ball and brought it up. It wasn't really much. It was -- I was just opposite him and you know it wasn't like we drew up the play were we talked about the play or nothing.

But I can tell, I heard him say, Dame, I heard him say my name, and then I kind of saw Brook right there and I could see the action that it could be like a swing and then a step up. I just didn't know. Had I known that, I probably would have walked into my man and tried to give him a better passing lane, but like I said, it's just unfortunate, unfortunate play.

Q. When we talk about In-Season Tournament, Final four, Weber State, playing in college, being in the NCAA Tournament, can you talk about the comparisons of the excitement and maybe bring the fans in on what that felt like as a player to make it to this point, the first ever?

DAMIAN LILLARD: I think it was pretty cool to be a part of just, you know, it's an all-or-nothing situation but it's not the end of the season, so it's not quite like the playoffs but it's something to get up for. It's some new excitement, and you know it's a surprise in the end that everybody is kind of hunting for, and then you look at the trip to Vegas and they roll out the red carpet. Just all of the different things that they have made of it, and you get to be a part of it and you're like, man, this is pretty special.

I think the atmosphere was what it was. You know, it felt kind of like, I don't know, I wouldn't say Summer League vibe but like when I played USAB, that's kind of how I felt, just like the energy in the building felt like USA Basketball in the summer because the crowd was just so neutral. But it was a good experience.

Q. I know you've been preaching patience basically from the start of the season, when you have a situation like this, do you use this as a measuring stick to say, okay, this is higher stakes, this is maybe what we need to work on down the line or do you look at and say this is Game 23, 24, you don't try to make it bigger than what it is?

DAMIAN LILLARD: I think it's a little bit of both. You know, obviously we are not going to make it bigger than what it is because it's December. I think it's one of those moments where it's not like everything because we're going to continue to play but we were playing to stay here, you know, for the game Saturday. You know, you want an opportunity to win the prize, and you want that for your younger teammates, you want to extend your week here and just continue to be part of the event. So, when something is on the line like that, the stakes are higher and it's a good moment to test yourself and see who you are when those moments come and how you're going to respond.

But I would say that's really it. You know, there's nothing more than that. I think more than anything, it's an opportunity for us to build from. You know, it gives us something to build off of, and I think in some of the games where we've struggled most, there's a lot of things that we can take away from it, and in each of those games is very similar, you know, in areas that we struggled and the things that we didn't do well enough. I would say that would be the main thing. I wouldn't -- I wouldn't think too deep into it, you know.

Q. Tyrese, he did like the Dame Time in the game. Being a vet when you see the new kids doing that, or NBA players looking up to you that way, how does it feel seeing someone do that?

DAMIAN LILLARD: 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.

I didn't mind it. It was what it was. I've also known that, you know, 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.

I respected it. We shook hands after the game. I wasn't moved by it left or right.