It’s safe to say Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard did not want to go to Coachella this year.
On Sunday, Lillard carried the Bucks to a Game 1 win over the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
After the game, Lillard was asked about returning to the playoff stage after a two-year hiatus. Lillard revealed he had gone to Coachella, the annual outdoor music festival held in April.
“Last 2 years not being in the playoffs, it sucked. Early vacations. Last year, I went to Coachella. I ain’t ever been able to go to Coachella playing in the playoffs every year. It was like, man, I was over that,” Lillard.
"Last 2 years not being in the playoffs, it sucked…Last year, I went to Coachella. I ain't ever been able to go to Coachella."
– Damian Lillard 😂
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 22, 2024
Lillard certainly played like a man who was happy to be back in the postseason. The 33-year-old poured in 35 points all in the first half of the 109-94 affair.
Lillard’s scoring barrage had Bucks fans buzzing on social media.
Lillard’s former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, had finished among the league’s worst over the previous two seasons. They finished among the West’s bottom three in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.
From 2014 to 2021, Lillard was a constant fixture come playoff time. He averaged 25.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists across 61 playoff appearances over that span.
