Author: Monojit Mandal
Damian Lillard had an incredible NBA preseason debut for the Milwaukee Bucks, contributing to their shocking 108-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Lillard, the seven-time All-Star point guard acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers just a month ago, demonstrated his exceptional talents and his synergy with Greek giant Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lillard, who just won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, put in an extraordinary effort, scoring 14 points, stealing three balls, dishing out three assists and grabbing two rebounds in just 22 minutes on the court. His shooting chart showed his usual precision and composure under pressure, as he hit 3 of 10 field goals and 2 of 7 from beyond the arc, as well as converting all six of his free throws.
Lillard emphasized his excitement at his debut, adding: “I felt really good. There was usually a bit of rust at the start, but the game was extremely basic. It was just a matter of cheering myself up and getting into the rhythm. They started attacking me at first, which woke me up. It was great to be back on the court“.
Dame with the hoop + the harm! 💪 pic.twitter.com/kK9ZL0TPuU
– Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 16, 2023
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks’ new Greek phenomenon, also shone, leading the team with 16 points and eight rebounds in just over 15 minutes on the court. The long-awaited combination seemed perfect, as they combined their firepower in the first game of two of the top five scorers in the NBA last season, each scoring more than 31 points a game.
“I think my game complements the guys very well, so it’s been perfect,” Lillard said of his relationship with the Bucks. It hasn’t been difficult at all. It’s just a question of being able to play with different teams, getting to know each other and finding out how we’re going to operate out there.“
BP benefits from the pick and roll 🏀#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/W99UxSXfRZ
– Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 16, 2023
Despite the absence of LeBron James, Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Lillard’s experience with some of the Bucks’ offensive methods, due to his former coach Terry Stotts, who is now an assistant coach in Milwaukee, has helped his adaptation. He went on to say:“A lot of what we do offensively is what I did with him for nine years, so it was pretty simple as far as that adjustment was concerned.”