The Milwaukee Bucks are just way better when Damian Lillard dominates offensively. The numbers prove as much following their Saturday win over the Golden State Warriors.
Milwaukee edged out the Warriors 129-118, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton leading the way. The three combined for 84 points, with Dame Time himself chipping in 27 to go along with six rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Lillard went 9-of-19 from the field, including 2-of-5 from deep for a 47.4 percent overall shooting.
With that performance, the Bucks have now improved to 18-2 in games where Lillard has scored at least 25 points, according to Stat Muse. There have been a total of 16 games where Dame scored 24 points or less, and Milwaukee is 9-7 in those matches.
Furthermore, in the three absences that Lillard has had this 2023-24 season, the Bucks are 0-3.
This only goes to show how important Damian Lillard has been for the team. Moreover, it also highlights how much the Bucks need the 33-year-old guard to maintain his scoring efficiency and provide more help on the offensive end so that Antetokounmpo won’t have to shoulder it every contest.
Lillard’s defense remains suspect, which is a big reason why the Bucks haven’t been as effective as they were on that end in years past. Nonetheless, the reason Milwaukee traded for Lillard is because of his offense, and there’s no denying that when he scores, they are a hard squad to beat.
Damian Lillard Lessens Workload for Milwaukee Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo
The win against the Golden State Warriors is a prime example of how Damian Lillard’s scoring really helps Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks succeed.
Milwaukee scored 46 points in the fourth quarter, which allowed them to pull away from Golden State for the win. In that period, Antetokounmpo scored 15 points, while Khris Middleton added 13.
Lillard, for his part, didn’t score in the fourth quarter. However, he didn’t really need to. It was Dame who carried the offensive load through the first three quarters, scoring all his 27 points in that span–including 12 in the opening frame and 11 in the third.
That offensive production allowed Antetokounmpo to reserve his energy for the fourth quarter. Not to mention that it lessened the pressure on him. In the end, the distribution of the workload between Lillard and Antetokoumpo paved the way for the team’s incredible victory.
Hopefully, Lillard can maintain that level of play. As he and the rest of the Bucks develop their chemistry, things should only get better for them.
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