Damian Lillard returns for Game 6; Giannis Antetokounmpo still out

Damian Lillard returns from a 2-game absence and finishes with 28 points on 7-for-16 shooting as the Pacers close out the Bucks in Game 6.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two-time Kia MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Thursday’s Game 6 of the first-round playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, but eight-time All-Star Damian Lillard returned to the court for the Bucks after missing the previous two games.

Playing through a right Achilles tendon injury, LIllard finished with 28 points on 7-for-16 shooting as the Pacers closed out the Bucks 120-98 to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2014.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard had been considered game-time decisions, and both went through pregame workouts before Milwaukee determined their playing status.

Antetokounmpo has not played since straining his left calf on April 9.

Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard returned in Thursday’s must-win Game 6 vs. the Indiana Pacers, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was been ruled out.

Lillard earlier had been upgraded from doubtful to questionable as the Eastern Conference first-round series continued in Indianapolis.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said both players had “great workouts” on Thursday afternoon, prior to Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP, being ruled out on the official injury report.

Antetokounmpo had previously been listed as doubtful because of the calf injury that has kept him out of the series and off the court since April 9.

Lillard has sat out the past two games with a right Achilles injury. The eight-time All-Star averaged 32.3 points in the first three games of the series for the Bucks, who trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

On Tuesday, Rivers described Lillard and Antetokounmpo as “very, very, very close” to playing.

Without Lillard and Antetokounmpo in the lineup for Game 5, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis scored 29 points apiece in Milwaukee’s 115-92 victory over Indiana on Tuesday. The win made the Bucks the first team in NBA history to win a playoff game while missing its top two scorers from the regular season.