Damian Lillard’s first season with the Milwaukee Bucks may have been disappointing for some, but he knew better than anyone that he could have done better to help Giannis and the team place better at the end of the season.
While the point guard is committed to playing better for the Bucks, there aren’t many things for him and Bucks fans to focus on. The lack of basketball content has everyone thinking about the past more often as there’s no basketball to look forward to in the next couple of months.
Lillard was recently asked a question that had him going down memory lane and looking back at some of the league’s biggest stars when he was still an up-and-coming guard for the Portland Trail Blazers. His insight on a future Hall of Famer is something worth considering.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard thought Russell Westbrook was a nightmare to guard during his early years in the NBA
In a recent Club 520 appearance, the guard shared his take on how tough it was to guard Russell Westbrook during his first years in the NBA.
Per Fadeaway World’s Nico Martinez:
“In my first five to six years, he was the bully… I remember when I was a rookie and in my second year, he used to try to give me 50 every time. He would be shooting on me so much, that [Kevin Durant] would be getting mad, like, ‘Pass the ball!’”
It’s understandable why Lillard would think Westbrook was such a menace during his early years in the league. From the 2012-13 season until the 2016-17 campaign, Brodie averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 44% from the floor and 32% from deep. He was at the peak of his powers as a triple-double threat, winning four All-Star nods during this time.
However, things have changed since then. While Westbrook is still a great guard to have on any NBA roster, Lillard’s game has translated better. He’s now Giannis’ costar with the MIlwaukee Bucks while Westbrook is handling a reduced role with the Denver Nuggets.
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