"Hands off until you wife it": NBA fans in shambles as Damian Lillard was warned of bad luck for touching In-Season trophy before loss 

The Milwaukee Bucks were booted out of the NBA In-Season Tournament semi-finals on Thursday and Damian Lillard touching the tournament trophy beforehand was interestingly attributed by some fans as the reason for it.

Lillard and the Bucks were shown the exit door by the Indiana Pacers after losing 128-119 in their semifinal showdown on Thursday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Right before they took the floor, "Dame" eagerly touched the tournament trophy on display, which fans took as ominous.

Here are some of what the fans had to say about it on X, formerly Twitter:

@thatchrischase wrote: Hands off until you wife it. Christian principles!!

@OsheaJacksonJr wrote: Damn. Dame touching the trophy is a wild video now.

@sottees wrote: And now they are losing

@id6klub wrote: The Buck's luck...

@middlenamessean wrote: ruined Giannis’ masterclass, Joel Embiid Jr

@aiKnowsBall wrote: closest bro will ever get to a ring

@itzDannyescobar wrote: Dame should know

@ADHDGoat wrote: He aint used to that, we all know it

@HowUBenFeller wrote: First time he’s been that close to a trophy

@UK_Bucks wrote: Well that’s bad luck

The defeat to the Pacers saw a promising NBA In-Season Tournament campaign for the Bucks come to a sorry end.

Prior to it, they were on an impressive roll led by the team’s All-Stars Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. They swept their four games in East Group B before punctuating their entry into the semi-finals with a 146-122 victory over the New York Knicks in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Against the Indiana, Milwaukee competed throughout but just could not make the needed plays down the stretch to complete the task.

The NBA In-Season Tournament is being implemented for the first time this season to add dimension to the league year. The tournament has a similar format to that of in-season European football tournaments and the WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

Damian Lillard sees value of NBA In-Season play as an entertaining fare

While initially one of those who were “iffy” over having the NBA In-Season Tournament, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks has grown warm to it as the “tournament within the tournament” progressed.

Designed to give the league year added dimension, the tournament has provided exciting action that fans have had a blast feasting on.

In an interview with TNT’s "Inside the NBA", Damian Lillard shared that the players have seen the value of In-Season play, which is why games are being played at a high level.

He said:

"I think it's growing on everybody a little bit more. In the beginning we didn't really know what it was, we just knew that money was on the line. Now it's turned into real entertainment, real competitive basketball. We playing for something.”

Before they were eliminated in the semi-finals of the tournament on Thursday, Damian Lillard was among the top players and was actually in the running for the MVP award.

The winner of the tournament will take home the NBA Cup and $500,000 for each winning player and head coach.