The Golden State Warriors have victimized a lot of teams during their incredible and dynastic run over the last decade, including Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard’s former team, the Portland Trail Blazers.
During a recent appearance on Jeff Teague’s Club 520 podcast, Lillard looked back at the playoff battles he and the Blazers had against Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
(h/t Farbod Esnaashari of Sports Illustrated):
“We’d be up nine and there would be five minutes left in the third quarter, we go into the fourth quarter down eight. It happens fast,” Lillard said. “They hit one three, you hear the crowd, see everybody stand up. Somebody taking the ball up, and you just looking around like, “Damn, it feel like we down 20.’ They come back, hit another one, that’s the only crowd I’ve played against at Oracle, where we could be winning and it felt like the game was slipping away. That’s how crazy it was in there. Steph hit a three, Klay hit a three, timeout. That walk back to the bench was like, ‘Damn.'”
Lillard first faced the Warriors in the postseason in the second round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs. The Warriors went on to win that series, 4-1, but Lillard said he believed it could have been the other way around.
“Golden State just tough because playing them in the playoffs,” Lillard said. “We played them my fourth year in the second-round… we was up double digits in every game. We lost 4-1, but we could have beat them 4-1.”
Now with the Bucks, Lillard is hoping that he could taste at least some of the same success the Warriors have had during that Curry-Klay Thompson era. He can believe it that, as Milwaukee is among the favorites to win the NBA title this coming 2024-25 NBA season.
For More Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, And Wisconsin Sports:
Follow us on Twitter at @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
