Damian Lillard put on a show at the 2024 All-Star Game, putting up 39 points and six assists on 53.8% shooting to earn his first All-Star Game MVP award. Lillard led the East in scoring, beating out Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Haliburton. However, it seems the decision to give Lillard the MVP didn’t sit well with the fans in Indiana, who showered Lillard with boos during the trophy presentation.
Dame receives loud boos from Indiana after winning All-Star MVP pic.twitter.com/va72dDVuUs
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 19, 2024
There are so many reasons why Lillard got booed that it’s hard to even pick one as the ultimate reason.
The first reason could be that the Indiana crowd was expecting Haliburton to win the trophy for scoring 32 points on seven rebounds and six assists. shooting 73.3% from the field. The award was voted on by fans through the NBA App, so it’s clear that the Pacers fans in attendance couldn’t spam vote for their franchise point guard to earn the award.
Another reason could be the Milwaukee vs, Indiana rivalry we have seen develop this season. The Pacers and Bucks have met each other five times this season, with the Pacers winning four games and also eliminating them from the In-Season Tournament. This would later result in a major spat with Giannis Antetokounmpo over a game ball.
The third and final reason for this could be the fans’ general dissatisfaction with the game and the entire weekend. Jaylen Brown was rained with boos during the All-Star Dunk Contest as well, showing that these fans are hard to please. Tonight’s product wasn’t something that would get NBA fans extremely excited, so this could be a way for fans to express how upset they were.
Damian Lillard Hoping A Successful All-Star Weekend Puts His Season Back On Track
Damian Lillard has not been having the ideal debut season with the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s averaging 24.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. Lillard was an efficient scoring machine in Portland, but he’s taking his time to adjust to the Bucks this season.
Lillard recently opened up about his personal struggles hurting him on the court.
“As people we all know, you got to go home to your own stuff, everybody that can watch our games they go to their personal stuff, and it plays a part in how you do your job and how your every day goes. As much as I love basketball, and I love my job, I don’t care about it more than I care about my kids. Of course, you carry it with you,” Lillard said. “People say, ‘When I hoop I ain’t thinking about nothing,’ but I’m not 21. I got three kids. I’m tight with my family and I’m going through a divorce.”
Despite his struggles, Lillard was an important part of the All-Star Weekend. He won the three-point contest on Saturday and was awarded MVP this year, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to win an event on Saturday and then be named MVP on Sunday.
Hopefully, this helps Lillard get his season back on track and help the Bucks remain contenders in the East. While Doc Rivers is still getting used to the team, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been performing at an MVP level to keep them competitive. If Lillard can rise to the moment, the Bucks will look dangerous through the end of the season.
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