The surging Milwaukee Bucks have undoubtedly turned a corner on their season, having won 11 of their last 14 contests. They’re set to face the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas for a semi-final showdown in the NBA Cup on Saturday to cap off their four-week run. Several weeks ago, the Bucks were in shambles. Two and half weeks before Christmas, they have found life again. There are a few things that can be attributed to their recent success. One of those is Bucks superstar Damian Lillard‘s impact.
Dame Time’s Change Up is Right on Time for Surging Bucks
Bucks Superstar Damian Lillard Is Finally Complimenting Giannis Antetokounmpo
Last season, Lillard’s relocation to Milwaukee was the loudest move of the year. Many had the Bucks in the finals from the start, if not winning it all together. Instead, a coach was fired, and a new one was brought in. Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled to complement each other essentially from game one to 82. An expected finals appearance dissolved into a first-round exit. The Bucks were shelled last season for propping up legions of excuses from Doc Riversdown. Just one season down, Lillard was lightly in trade rumors throughout the offseason, which was unlikely to happen realistically. In season two, what started in disastrous fashion has turned into something else—something much better and more promising. A significant cause for the Bucks change in fortune has much to do with a change in Lillard’s game.
Brook Lopez, a stalwart centerpiece for the Bucks for the past seven seasons, has seen first-hand Dame’s shift and complimented him on being a catalyst for Milwaukee’s season turnaround.
“It’s like completely changing your game and for someone that’s been the best at what he [Damian Lillard] does his whole career, who’s going down as one of the greatest of all time, that’s such a wild ask,” Lopez said. “But for him to still be as good as he is and our team to be successful and winning right now, it’s a testament to the player he is. It shows he is one of the greatest of all time.”
Lillard has finally adjusted his game to match, or better yet, compliment his teammates. More importantly and specifically, he’s matching Giannis‘s game. We are witnessing the results of what Lopez alluded to—a superstar sacrificing what is needed to level with his running mates to reach greater success. Right now, the Bucks are looking like success more than they did just a month ago when they were starving for wins.
Dame’s Playmaking at the Root of it All
Dame will always be known, and rightfully so, remembered for his pull-up threes. When he releases, and they go down, an entire NBA arena is electrified. On the season, he’s shooting 37.2% from beyond the arc and 25.8 PPG. That said, it’s not only his shooting per se that has improved significantly this season, but his playmaking has shifted considerably for the better.
The Bucks are 16-2 in the last two seasons and 6-0 this season when Lillard has ten or more assists in a game. That’s evidence that when he’s setting his teammates up, the Bucks play their best basketball. Also, this year, he’s averaging 2.6 assists to Giannis compared to 2.1 connections last season. Staying within the assists theme, Dame ranks 11th in the league in assists per game (7.6). That mark is the second highest for his career (8.0 in 2019-20). He is also creating 19.7 assist points per game off of his passes, which is also up from last season (17.9). So, while his shooting and efficiency have helped the Bucks score points lately, his improved playmaking is making a massive difference. The change is helping Giannis in a big way.
Winning the NBA Cup Could Be Huge
Considering how the season started for Milwaukee, winning the in-season tournament has the makings of something significant and crucial for the remainder of the season. Talk about a substantial confidence boost if the Bucks were able to leave Las Vegas as winners. Talk about a wild opening two and a half months into the season. Thanks to Lillard’s willingness to adapt to his team and his superstar partner, Giannis, we may finally see what these two major players can be together.
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