Damian Lillard had another forgettable outing on Sunday night as the Milwaukee Bucks suffered another loss. This time around, it came at the hands of the Utah Jazz, who used a blistering 40-13 fourth quarter to take down a shorthanded Bucks side that did not have the services of Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.
Lillard has had his fair share of moments with the Bucks in his debut campaign with his new team, but for the msot part, it’s been an up-and-down ride for the 33-year-old this season.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Damian Lillard’s Bold Claim
For his part, Lillard isn’t denying the fact that he’s been inconsistent throughout the season. In fact, the eight-time All-Star knows in his heart that he hasn’t reached his final form for the Bucks just yet:
“My best ball is coming,” Lillard asserted in an interview last January, via Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
“I’m gettin 25 and seven (assists), and people acting like I fell off. Of course it’s not gonna look like Portland. I haven’t shot the ball as well as I’d like to but being productive is being productive. Winning a lot of games and playing a part in those wins …
“I had a stage in my career where they said, ‘Oh, he’s doing this. He’s scoring 30-plus points. And 50 and 60 and 70 points, but his team ain’t [winning].’ I was making the playoffs, I just didn’t win a championship, and that was an issue.”
He’s not wrong — both with how it’s just not right to compare the Bucks version of himself to his time with Portland, as well as with all the criticism he endured as the Blazers’ cornerstone superstar.
‘We’re Not a Finished Product’
Despite all the trials and tribulations, however, Dame has stood strong. He’s also come up with occasional offensive explosion, which is living proof that he still has a lot of gas left in the tank.
“It shows what I bring to the table,” Lillard said. “Opening night [win vs. Philadelphia], that was a brick. I ain’t even in form right now, I get 39. Down the stretch, zipping the game up. I’ve had plenty of moments like that through the season.
“But I’m not a finished product,” he continued, “we’re not a finished product.”
Once the Bucks get to where they want to be, the rest of the NBA better be ready.
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