2 Studs, 4 gigantic duds from Bucks' brutal Game 2 loss to Pacers

Coming off a thrilling victory on their home floor to open the series, the Milwaukee Bucks aimed to take down the Indiana Pacers once again on Tuesday.

As they did in Game 1, the Bucks jumped out to a nice lead early, and it appeared that a repeat of the first game could be on the horizon. However, then Milwaukee's grasp slipped, and they failed to bring that same level of intensity, looking unequipped to deal with the Pacers, who swiftly grabbed the lead. The Bucks made a few runs, but self-inflicted errors and the hungrier Pacers were too much for them.

When the final buzzer sounded, the series was knotted 1-1 as the Pacers snatched a 125-108 win on the road. Now, the Milwaukee Bucks have lost homecourt advantage and will head to Indiana with no clarity on Giannis Antetokounmpo's status. The one word to sum up this one would be disappointing, as the effort shift compared to Game 1 was flat-out staggering.

That said, let us highlight a few studs and duds from a grueling Game 2.

Stud - Damian Lillard

As he did with a historic Game 1 showcase, Damian Lillard did his best to carry the Bucks once again. The guard scored 34 points, one less than he did in the opener, hitting six 3-pointers and showing his skill set as one of the most talented shot-makers in the business. The Pacers did everything possible to limit the guard defensively, and it worked at times, but he still had an impressive scoring outing.

The primary problem in this matchup is that when the Pacers did send the farm at Lillard, very few Bucks could pay off the looks they were given. Of course, there's a Giannis Antetokounmpo-sized hole in the lineup, but that didn't stop the Bucks in Game 1. Outside of the next name on this list, Milwaukee's supporting cast just couldn't get it going.

With 34 points, five assists, four rebounds, one steal and just one turnover, it was a rather nice game for Damian Lillard.