The score reached 10–5.
Possession returned to the Knicks.
Holding the ball at the top of the key in the frontcourt, Chen Xi looked with satisfaction at Middleton, who had switched onto him, then turned and passed to George on the other side.
George caught the ball and squared up to attack.
Facing Giannis, who had no choice but to step out and hedge, he decisively called for a pick-and-roll, then accelerated into the paint off Horford's screen.
He drove in from the wing, drew a double-team, and kicked the ball back outside.
Al Horford caught it and took a wide-open three-point shot.
Unfortunately, it missed.
The ball hit the back of the rim and bounced high. Brook Lopez tipped it out, and it finally landed in Lillard's hands.
Lillard caught the ball, turned, and accelerated into transition.
He pushed all the way into the frontcourt against the defense, then chained a front crossover into a retreat step and a hesitation bait Buddha, followed by another burst of acceleration. He beat Strus, reached the three-point line, gathered, and jumped for another pull-up shot!
A moment later, the ball swished through the net!
The chasedown three-pointer was good!
Damian Lillard! He was on fire to start the game!! He helped the Bucks stretch their lead even further!!
In front of the New York Knicks' bench, Thibodeau promptly called his first timeout of the game, hoping to break Lillard's rhythm.
The whistle sounded.
Cousin turned around and looked confidently toward the fans at courtside, then performed his signature gesture, holding his left arm across his chest and tapping his wrist with his right index finger.
"Dame Time!!"
Unlike Chen, who was playing at home, Lillard's swaggering display earned him nothing but waves of boos from the Knicks fans.
But Cousin seemed to