Despite completely decent statistics last season (24.3 points, 7 assists), Damian Lillard did not look like the player who wore the Blazers tunic during his first eleven seasons in the NBA.
His skill, in particular, was at half mast (35% at 3-points and 49% at 2-points). Transferred to the Bucks just before the start of training camp, the All-Star point guard had never managed to find his rhythm within a new team, which quickly separated from its coach (Adrian Griffin) despite a satisfactory record .
Progress through communication
With a full season in Milwaukee, Damian Lillard finally seems at home and his performances show it. His averages are slightly up (25.8 points, 7.6 assists) and his skill is back (37% at 3-points, 54% at 2-points). His automatisms with Giannis Antetokounmpo are progressing game after game, and he finally seems integrated into the Bucks collective.
For Doc Rivers, it all makes sense for a player who simply lacked familiarity last season and was afraid of stepping on his teammates' toes.
“I think he’s just more comfortable.” Everything was new to him after spending his entire career with one franchise,” explained the Bucks coach. “Where it is really obvious is in terms of communication. He and Giannis talk a lot more than last season and the other players talk to him more as well. There’s a familiarity that wasn’t there last season. And Dame speaks more on the field. When he sees something he likes or doesn't like, he goes and talks to the guys. »
This “familiarity” benefits in his two-man game with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two stars look for each other a lot more and play more pick & roll in the last quarter.
“It’s night and day with last season,” Doc Rivers also recognizes. “And sometimes they are too selfless, I need to tell them that they both have to keep playing because it opens up the game for their other three teammates and it's difficult to defend for the opposing team. »
This is what happened at the end of the match against Atlanta. The two players chained pick & rolls on the left side of the field but they showed patience to find the shot they wanted. This is how Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a mid-range shot, followed by a floater from Damian Lillard that killed the game. The leader, who was 3/13 on shots at halftime, was much more efficient in the second half (5/8) to finish with 25 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.
Meet expectations
After the Bucks' victory, Antetokounpo (32 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 blocks) also gave his feelings on the second year of his partnership with the former Blazer.
“We are much more comfortable. Our cohesion has never been as good as now but it’s logical, it takes time. Expectations were high since his arrival and everyone expected us to immediately become the best duo in history but these things take time,” he explained. “This is our second year together, and you can see the difference. We know each other much better. And in money time, we know that we can find our spots and I think our two-man game is now much more effective. Obviously, we can still improve but I'm really happy with our current situation. »
The two players will try to confirm by trying to win the NBA Cup, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
| Damian Lillard | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | POR | 82 | 39 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19.0 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 82 | 36 | 42.4 | 39.4 | 87.1 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 20.7 |
| 2014-15 | POR | 82 | 36 | 43.4 | 34.3 | 86.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 21.0 |
| 2015-16 | POR | 75 | 36 | 41.9 | 37.5 | 89.2 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.1 |
| 2016-17 | POR | 75 | 36 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 89.5 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 27.0 |
| 2017-18 | POR | 73 | 37 | 43.9 | 36.1 | 91.6 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 | POR | 80 | 36 | 44.4 | 36.9 | 91.2 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 25.8 |
| 2019-20 | POR | 66 | 38 | 46.3 | 40.1 | 88.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 8.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| 2020-21 | POR | 67 | 36 | 45.1 | 39.1 | 92.8 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 28.8 |
| 2021-22 | POR | 29 | 36 | 40.2 | 32.4 | 87.8 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 24.0 |
| 2022-23 | POR | 58 | 36 | 46.3 | 37.1 | 91.4 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 7.3 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 32.2 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 73 | 35 | 42.4 | 35.4 | 92.0 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 24.3 |
| 2024-25 | MIL | 21 | 36 | 45.4 | 37.2 | 92.0 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 7.6 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.8 |
| Total | 863 | 36 | 43.8 | 37.1 | 89.8 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 25.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
Comments collected in Las Vegas.
