Damian Lillard’s first two games for the Milwaukee Bucks have been a roller-coaster ride. He balled out in his debut against the Philadelphia 76ers, only to come crashing back down to earth in Milwaukee’s blowout loss against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
At this point, there’s no denying that Dame is still trying to figure out the ins and outs of being with his new team, including having to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Damian Lillard Vocal on Struggles Vs. Hawks
Lillard went for just six points on 2-of-12 shooting to go along with six turnovers against the Hawks. It was a forgettable performance from the seven-time All-Star, to say the least.
Speaking to reporters after their 127-110 defeat at the hands of Trae Young and Co., Dame got honest about his learning curve alongside the two-time NBA MVP:
“We’re still learning each other,” Lillard said of Giannis, via Jamal Collier of ESPN. “It’s a process of when I do have a start like this or have a game like this, how do I find it without holding onto the ball? Or in the past I would search sometimes, but I don’t have to, so it’s where do I find those moments and those opportunities to get myself going so I can be a positive out there?
“That’s part of the process. It’s just our second game. We haven’t played a bunch of games together. I think as we go, we’ll figure that out and get better at it.”
Giannis Offers Unwavering Support for Lillard
For his part, Antetokounmpo acknowledged the fact that his new superstar teammate struggled mightily against Atlanta. However, Giannis remains steadfast in his confidence in Dame:
“I know how good he is,” said Giannis. “At the end of the day, we need him to keep shooting, we need him to keep on being great. Obviously we didn’t win the game, but he’s our guy now.
“It’s game two. It’s very, very early. We’re still figuring ourselves out. We’re figuring out what works. We’re figuring out what we are good at, what we are not good at.”
Lillard, Antetokounmpo, and the rest of the Bucks have another game on Monday and it’s up against none other than the defending East champs in the Miami Heat. It goes without saying that this is a tremendous opportunity for this new-look Milwaukee squad to flex their dominance in this early-season marquee matchup.
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