The 2023-24 NBA season has been a figurative roller coaster for Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard. Despite his desire to be traded, leaving the Portland Trailblazers was not an easy thing to do. Moving halfway across the country just weeks before the regular season could not have been easy. Add in the news that he and his wife, the mother of his three children, are getting divorced and, well, it was a tough time.
The regular season, too, has not gone how Lillard or anyone in the Bucks organization may have initially envisioned. Lillard is averaging 24.6 points per game after averaging 32.2 last season. His shooting numbers have gone down from 46.3% overall and 37.1% from three to 42.3% and 34.1%.
Milwaukee also fired rookie head coach Adrian Griffin halfway through the season despite having the second best record in the NBA at that point. The Bucks went 2-1 under interim head coach Joe Prunty, but have since gone 3-7 since Doc Rivers took over.
The team’s struggles, and those of Lillard in particular, have led many to question whether trading for Lillard was really in the team’s best interest. With All-Star Weekend now taking place, and Lillard participating in the three-point contest, the hope was that the break would help the Bucks reset and, perhaps, the three-point contest would help the eight-time All-Star find his shot.
Milwaukee Bucks Guard Damian Lillard Wins His 2nd-Straight 3-Point Contest
Lillard and Bucks teammate Malik Beasley were two of the eight NBA players selected to participate in the three-point contest. Beasley was eliminated in the first round, but Lillard tied Trae Young, Tyrese Haliburton, and Karl Anthony-Town with 26 points in the opener. A shoot-off occurred, and Lillard advanced to the final round against Young and KAT.
Going last, Lillard won the contest with a last second shot to give him the victory over Young, prompting players and fans in the arena to signal Dame Time on their wrists.
Lillard is just the second Bucks player to win the NBA three-point contest. Ray Allen won the event back in 2001.
Milwaukee Bucks Fans React to Damian Lillard Winning the Three-Point Contest
After watching Lillard play below his standards for most of the season thus far, Bucks fans were ecstatic that he got the win on Saturday night. Many hope that it gives him his confidence back and will lead to better play down the stretch:
Dame really toyed with us 😂 that last rack 😂😂😂
CHAMP. pic.twitter.com/XmqtBJVExn
— Bucks Lead (@BucksLead) February 18, 2024
DAME STILL GOT IT https://t.co/3fCAgNKzuf pic.twitter.com/FYRgNv9lUR
— 🦌⌚️ (@GiannisEffect) February 18, 2024
I have no choice but to believe that Dame is #Back
I will not be taking questions
— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) February 18, 2024
DAMIAN LILLARD!!!
— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) February 18, 2024
MILWAUKEE BUCKS GUARD, DAMIAN LILLARD
— Rohan Katti (@RKattiJr) February 18, 2024
DAMIAN LILLARD CANNOT BE STOPPED pic.twitter.com/oTQRJjX5Kh
— Giannis Lamar (@GiannisLamar_) February 18, 2024
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