Damian Lillard and Bam Adebayo go way back. In fact, Adebayo actually played a key role in recruiting Dame to the Miami Heat before he ended up landing with the Milwaukee Bucks.
These two stars got a chance to battle it out on the court on Tuesday in a contest that ultimately saw the Bucks taking down their Eastern Conference foes, 131-124. Lillard, however, noticed something significantly different about his buddy.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Damian Lillard Shares Thoughts on Bam Adebayo
Speaking to Five Reasons Sports after the game, Lillard revealed the message he delivered to Adebayo once the final buzzer sounded. Apparently, Dame noticed the significant improvement in the Heat big man’s game:
“I’m real close with Bam,” Lillard said. “After the game, we shook hands and I told him: ‘You got better.’ I always loved his game, but he actually got better. He knows I wouldn’t just say that. So, I mean, that’s the best thing I’d say — he’s got better.”
Asked Dame about Bam:
“He’s gotten better.” pic.twitter.com/LLa0s76Oif
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) November 29, 2023
Adebayo did all he could for the Heat on Tuesday as the team went into battle without Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro. The two-time All-Star finished with a team-high 31 points on 13-of-27 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in 42 minutes of action.
Adebayo, as always, was a menace on the defensive end as well. One play that stands out is Bam’s crucial block on Lillard during crunch time:
Apesar da derrota, não podemos ignorar a defesa de Adebayo no clutch time contra Damian Lillard!
— Aprofundando basquete (@Aprofundabaska) November 29, 2023
Dame looked like he had gotten the better of Adebayo after busting out one of his famed jab steps. The Heat center, however, timed his jump perfectly to emphatically erase what would have been a go-ahead basket from Lillard.
It’s no wonder Dame thought Adebayo had taken his game to yet another level.
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