The Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard before the 2023-24 season started in order to have that much-needed scoring option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. While there have been days when Dame looked nowhere near his old self scoring-wise, it has been made clear that Milwaukee is nearly unbeatable when he’s at his best.
On Tuesday in their NBA In-Season Tournament against the New York Knicks, Lillard exploded for 28 points to fuel the Bucks’ 146-122 win. Dame Time actually kept Milwaukee ahead to start the contest, scoring 19 in the first half and even drained a clutch triple before the second quarter ended to put them in front 75-72.
It’s the 13th time this 2023-24 season that Lillard actually scored 25 points or more. Interestingly in those contests, the Bucks are 12-1, per Stat Muse. In the other six games that he scored less, Milwaukee is 3-3. The team also lost in the two games it missed the services of Lillard.
Dame tonight:
28 PTS
7 AST
8-13 FG
5-7 3PBucks are 12-1 when Dame has 25+ points. https://t.co/YxVqGYIn7i
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 6, 2023
This stat only goes to show how important Damian Lillard is to the Bucks. As long as he keeps getting buckets, they have a good chance at winning the game.
While his defense leaves so much to be desired, the fact of the matter is the Bucks traded for him because of his scoring. In the 2023 playoffs–during which Milwaukee exited in the first round–the Bucks have learned that they need another superstar alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. By the looks of it, they have found their guy in Lillard.
Bucks Need Damian Lillard To Step Up
It goes without saying that the Bucks need Damian Lillard to always be at the top of his game in order to win. Luckily for them, they have the perfect avenue to test how they perform in high-pressure situations through the NBA In-Season Tournament.
The Bucks are now heading to Las Vegas for the semifinals of the competition. They’ll be facing the high-octane offense of the Indiana Pacers, which should be a good test for Lillard and Co,
It’s a good thing that the Bucks are gelling nicely with the addition of Lillard, with Dame himself recently heaping praise on the team for their growth.
“I really like how we’re starting to learn each other. It’s been some bumps in that process where we don’t play great some nights but we’re still able to win those games and I think now, it’s just starting to get a little more smooth,” Lillard said of the Bucks.
Hopefully, we get to see more improvement from Milwaukee as Lillard continues to develop his chemistry with the rest of the team.
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