Before the Milwaukee Bucks navigated a rough 2-8 start, won the NBA Cup, traded Khris Middleton, or saw Damian Lillard sidelined with a blood clot, the focus at September`s media day was already on free-agent signee Gary Trent Jr.
His decision to ink a one-year veteran minimum contract surprised many across the league and was widely praised as arguably the best value signing of the summer. Few in Milwaukee knew Trent as well as Damian Lillard, who served as Trent`s veteran mentor when he first entered the league with the Portland Trail Blazers.
“I remember him being extremely confident,” Lillard said at media day. “I remember the first day he walked into the gym. He was trying to convince me that he was really like that. He`s not shy at all. He was really like that.”
Nearly seven months later, Lillard, with two of his children nearby, sat at the same podium inside Fiserv Forum, his earlier assessment validated. With the Bucks` season effectively on the line in Game 3 on Friday night, Trent erupted, draining nine 3-pointers en route to scoring 37 points in a decisive 117-101 victory that narrowed the series deficit to 2-1.
Trent`s nine successful 3-pointers tied Ray Allen`s franchise record for a playoff game, and his 37 points marked a new playoff career high.
“One thing that I told the team when they were trying to get Gary here and when I was trying to make that connection and bring him here, I told them that this is one of the most confident players that I`ve played with and an unshakeable guy,” Lillard stated. “His confidence is steady, his work ethic is steady. Very stubborn and he`s a guy that`s not gonna fold up when moments come. He`ll be there. That`s one thing that I would have stood on the whole time with Gary.”
Desperate for a momentum shift at home, Bucks coach Doc Rivers inserted Trent into the starting lineup in place of Taurean Prince. This turned out to be a perfect strategic adjustment. Rivers was particularly impressed with Trent`s aggressive play on both ends of the court, especially his defense pressuring Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had dominated the series` first two contests.
And then, of course, there was his remarkable shooting display.
“There are players who turn themselves off,” Rivers commented. “Gary`s not gonna do that. When Gary gets it going, he`s gonna go for it, and we love that.”
The Bucks struggled significantly in the first half, shooting just 18 of 48 from the field, including a dismal 4 of 23 from beyond the arc, and trailed by 10 points heading into halftime. The deficit would have been larger if not for Trent`s 13 points, which helped keep the team within striking distance.
On the opening possession of the second half, the Pacers secured a steal and layup to push their lead to 12 before most fans had settled back into their seats. It initially appeared to be another challenging night for the Bucks, but Trent had different plans. He made five 3-pointers and scored 18 points in the third quarter alone, matching the Pacers` entire output for the period and completely changing the game`s trajectory.
By the time Trent sank his ninth 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, executing a smooth pump fake and step-back move to give the Bucks a 20-point cushion, the crowd was chanting his name: “Gary! Gary! Gary!” Trent described the night as a “blessing” and a “testament to my hard work,” expressing humility at being mentioned in the same context as a legend like Ray Allen.
“It`s almost like a fulfilling feeling, because I`ve put a lot of work, a lot of time, a lot of hours. I`ve sacrificed a lot of things going into this,” Trent reflected. “The cream always rises to the top.”
Perhaps the person in the arena most pleased by Trent`s performance, aside from Trent himself, was Damian Lillard.
“When he has a performance like he has tonight, I know how much he really believes in himself,” Lillard concluded. “This type of game doesn`t surprise me and it came at a time when we needed it.”
Jasper Hawthorne