Damian Lillard’s first season with the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t go as planned.
When Milwaukee brought in the All-Star guard, fans expected an unstoppable duo with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The idea of their two-man game was thrilling.
But problems arose. Brook Lopez’s performance dropped, and Khris Middleton wasn’t at his best either. The hope that Lillard and Antetokounmpo could cover up these issues quickly faded .
Challenges and Questions:
The Bucks faced a second straight first-round playoff exit, raising questions about their roster’s ability to compete at a high level. Some even speculated that Lillard might be declining. However, Lillard strongly disagreed with this notion.
โIโm not a player thatโs breaking down,โ he told Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. โI live a clean, good, healthy life, so I can do it. I can do the same s— I did two, three years ago. I can do it right now.โ
In 73 games for Milwaukee, Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7 assists while shooting 42.4% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range.
Fans might think these stats show he had a solid season despite what critics say.
Lillard is often criticized for his defense but had his best defensive season yet with Milwaukee according to Dunks & Threes (+0.9 Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus). He ranked in the 82nd percentile among guards.
The partnership between Lillard and Antetokounmpo also worked well together on the court; they outscored opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions when playing together (Cleaning The Glass). So clearly, other parts of the roster were problematic despite media narratives suggesting otherwise.
Lillard embraces being underdogs in the East behind teams like Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers: โThe fact that weโre there and weโre under the radar is perfect because theyโre gonna think nothing of us…You gotta face the truth eventually.โ
This summer saw new additions like Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Delon Wright aiming to add balance and depth to Milwaukeeโs lineup. If Middleton and Lopez step up their game from last season then Milwaukee will be formidable contenders again โ something Lillard believes too!
Don’t count out Milwaukee just yet! What do you think?
