The Milwaukee Bucks made it back-to-back wins on Sunday with a convincing 140-129 victory against the Phoenix Suns. What made this win even more impressive is the fact that they did it without the services of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was a late scratch due to a hamstring injury.
With Giannis sidelined, it was on Damian Lillard to make sure that his team had a fighting chance against a powerhouse Phoenix side. Well, Dame did just that, and then some.
Damian Lillard Leads Milwaukee Bucks to Another Vitory
At this point, it’s safe to say that Lillard was on one on Sunday. He went off for a game-high 31 points on 10-of-19 shooting, to go along with four triples, five rebounds, 16 assists, and a steal in 39 minutes of action. Bucks fans were treated to a vintage Dame performance just when the team needed it the most.
Milwaukee is obviously a different team without Giannis in the mix. However, what is clear is that whenever Lillard is on his game, the Bucks are a very difficult team to beat — and he has the numbers to prove it.
As pointed out by Bucks report Gabe Stolts of Brew Hoop, Milwaukee is undefeated in the 17 games wherein Dame has eclipsed the 30-point mark. They also haven’t lost in each of the 11 times Lillard has dished out at least 10 assists:
The Bucks are now 17-0 this season when Damian Lillard scores 30+ points and 11-0 when he tallies double-digit assists.
— Gabe Stoltz (@Stoltzy3) March 17, 2024
It is also worth noting that including Sunday’s win over the Suns, Giannis has now missed four games this season. The Bucks have gone 3-1 without their talisman in the picture and in those three wins, Lillard has averaged 36.3 points.
Despite Dame’s heroics, though, the Bucks will need to get Giannis back for their next game. This comes in the form of a marquee Eastern Conference matchup against the league-best Boston Celtics on Thursday at the TD Garden. It goes without saying that Milwaukee will need to be at full force if they hope to stand a chance against a red-hot Boston side on their home floor.
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