The Damian Lillard era closed smoothly neither for him nor the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the star pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team never escaped a playoff round or reached the highs hoped. Now Lillard is back home in Portland, which he left in the Milwaukee trade two years ago. Disappointment notwithstanding, he remains steadfast in his belief that he and Giannis were a once-in-a-lifetime duo.
Lillard reflects on Milwaukee Bucks tenure playing alongside Greek Freak
During their short-lived union, Dame and the Giannis were the league’s highest-scoring pair, as everyone and their grandma has reiterated by now. Last season, they combined to average 55.3 points and 13.6 assists per game. Certainly injuries had something to do with their postseason unraveling. Both were healthy for only four and a half quarters of playoff basketball.
After being waived by the Bucks, Lillard signed a three-year deal to return to the Trail Blazers, the only other team he has known in 13 NBA seasons. His time out East ended unceremoniously, but as quoted by Jim Owzcarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he has only love for his Bucks partner in crime.
“As a tandem with him, I felt like we can go and win it all with the two of us,” Lillard said. “We can go on a run and just dominate. I’m not sure I’ll ever experience that again. But it was great playing with him.”
That was the plan. Dominating, winning it all. Injuries and a subtle or sometimes not-so-subtle lack of cohesion frustrated those notions. Lillard is right though. Giannis will almost surely be the best talent he ever plays with. As far as pure star power is concerned, that’s been the case vice versa as well thus far in Antetokounmpo’s career.
“It was truly a pleasure and a luxury to play with a guy that dominant and also a guy who cares that much,” Lillard continued. “I think was that something I really appreciated. I’m a guy who cares, even when I’m mad, even when I’m not doing well, I care about the team doing well and put everything I can into that – how I take care of my body, how I train and prepare.”
One thing even detractors can’t pin on Dame is a lack of drive and preparation. Miraculously, he spent barely over a month sidelined with a blood clot before returning for the playoffs – too soon, as it turned out.
In Portland, Lillard will spend the year recuperating, as was planned even before he left the Bucks. He isn’t likely to see the court this season for the Trail Blazers. When he does in 2026-27, though, on a young team hungry for success, and possibly accompanied by fellow former Buck Jrue Holiday, Portland can count on him pouring his most dedicated self onto the floor.
Said Lillard of himself and Giannis, “I do everything I can to position myself and the team to do well and he’s a guy that does all of those things with the same energy and worry. That was something I really appreciated, too.”
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
