Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard put together his best performance in weeks Monday night against the Toronto Raptors, going 7 of 12 from the field (5-8 on threes) for 25 points. It was his most efficient shooting night since the NBA Cup championship.
During his postgame media availability, he conceded that he has not been playing up to his standards. An illness caused him to miss four straight games in late December.
After recovering, he was drained: “I think each game I’ve been feeling better and better. Just coming off being sick, you know, I feel like half the time I just was tired and dragging a little bit. I think tonight I just had better energy.”
The Bucks could certainly use their star as peak performance. The 128-104 victory in Toronto stopped a four-game skid versus opponents with losing records.
A Get-Right Game for Damian Lillard and Milwaukee Bucks
On the season, Lillard brings his scoring to 24.7 PPG on 43.1% shooting. He is averaging 4.4 RPG and 7.5 APG. Across the board, his numbers are almost identical to last season, his first with the Bucks.
Since his return from illness, he had shot just 32.4% from the floor (22 of 68) before Monday’s game. It has taken him a minute to get back in rhythm, spurred on by mounting pressure amid Milwaukee’s struggles.
“After the last couple games your mind is way more engaged,” Lillard said, “because it’s like, ‘we got to win this game’.”
Fortunately, the Bucks didn’t have to stress too hard after the first quarter. Establishing 9-point lead in the opening period, they kept up a comfortable margin the rest of the way, sustained by Lillard’s shotmaking and a triple double from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lillard Credits Study, Accountability, and Confidence for Personal Performance and Milwaukee Bucks Win
The Bucks point guard continued:
“I just tried to be focused into the scouting report, paying attention to tendencies and just being disciplined in those things. Just trying to make the game hard for them and put a lot into that, knowing that if we get stops and we’re not taking the ball out, that means they can’t pressure us and slow us down offensively.”
It was a complete presentation for the Bucks against a Raptors team known for giving up points but also endowed with a healthy starting lineup for the first time all season with the return of RJ Barrett.
Despite the offensive potential Toronto brings to the table with forwards Barrett (team-high 23.4 PPG) and Scottie Barnes, guards Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley, and center Jakob Poetl, the Bucks put them on lock down before easing up a bit after pulling starters in garbage time.
Lillard stressed the need for the players to hold themselves “accountable” to one another in order to fight through difficult stretches, noting that whiles coaches’ input is important, “they’re not running up and down that court.”
As far overcoming individual challenges, he reiterated the importance of maintaining self-confidence:
“It’s just about how you handle those tough stretches. I don’t allow it to make me look at myself differently or change anything that I’m doing. Like I said, I still show up, I still do my same routine. I just stay true to it knowing that eventually I’m going to get the results.”
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