Damian Lillard has always been known as a prolific scorer throughout his career in the league. The thing is, he may not be the Milwaukee Bucks’ top scorer next season, if an NBA analysis by Bleacher Report is to be believed.
Lillard began his professional career with the Portland Trail Blazers after being selected as the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He quickly made a name for himself, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award in his debut season. Over the years, he became known for his clutch performances, earning the nickname “Dame Time.” His tenure with the Blazers saw multiple All-Star selections and All-NBA Team honors, showcasing his exceptional skills as a point guard.
Throughout his career, Lillard has consistently demonstrated his scoring ability, highlighted by a standout performance in the 2020-2021 season when he averaged 28.8 points per game. He also played a pivotal role in leading the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. After a successful decade with Portland, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.
In addition to his on-court achievements, Lillard has been recognized for his contributions to the game with numerous awards, including multiple selections to the All-NBA First Team. He was also part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo in 2021.
The Reason Why All-Star Guard Damian Lillard Won’t Be Milwaukee Bucks’ Top Scorer Next Season
Although he has made a name for himself as a scorer, Lillard isn’t projected to become his team’s leader in that category. In an NBA analysis by Grant Hughes for Bleacher Report, that honor is likely to go to two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo’s cushion is large enough to make him the pick here, even while acknowledging that Damian Lillard is likely to improve in several areas as he settles into his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lillard endured off-court difficulties, including a divorce, just as he was acclimating to a new team for the fist time in his NBA career. He told Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill that stretch had “probably been the hardest transition in my life.” We should expect more from Lillard than last year’s 24.3 points per game, his lowest average across a full season since 2014-15.
That said, Giannis has averaged over 30.0 points two years running and has hung around in the high 20s for the last seven seasons,” Hughes wrote.
During his first season in Milwaukee, Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists. In contrast, his best performance came during the 2019-20 campaign for the Trail Blazers when he notched 30.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.0 assists.
It remains to be seen whether the Greek Freak can do his thing again or Lillard comes up big for the Bucks next season. In any case, Milwaukee fans will have to keep a close eye to see who’ll emerge as the top scorer for the franchise.
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