‘We can do this all night’ – Dame-Giannis pairing off to impressive start،
LOS ANGELES — It didn’t take long for Giannis Antetokounmpo to realize how different life would be for him playing alongside seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard compared to the rest of his 11-year NBA career.
It was almost a possession in the two’s first preseason game together Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers when things became clear for the two-time MVP.
“I’m going to be very honest,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks’ 108-97 victory. “I’ve never been so open. And first of all, I’ve never seen anyone double-team on the first possession of the ball in a game.”
Lillard, acquired by the Bucks in a three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers last month, said teaming up with a player like Antetokounmpo made the Lakers’ defensive plans easy to digest.
“Having another guy who is just dominant,” Lillard said after Antetokounmpo scored 16 points in 15 minutes on 7-of-10 shooting. “He can dominate a game and win you a game. … The first few games , they’re blitzing me, they’re trapping me and the guy I’m throwing the ball to is Giannis. So I’m like, ‘Uh, we can do this all night. You know what I mean?’
The duo officially recorded their partnership in the scorebook midway through the first quarter when Lillard stole the ball from Lakers center Christian Wood and sped up the court, delivering a passing ball to rack up an assist on a dunk transition from Antetokounmpo. Lillard didn’t attempt his first shot until the next possession, with 6:24 left in the first, when he was fouled by D’Angelo Russell from beyond the 3-point line.
They ran together across half court. Sometimes Lillard would handle the ball and Antetokounmpo would set the screen; Sometimes the roles were reversed and Lillard used his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame to outstretch the Bucks star.
“We’re going to have a lot of options,” Lillard said. “There will be times when he is ready to play against me, and vice versa, as we saw today.”
Milwaukee held a 56-53 lead at halftime when Bucks coach Adrian Griffin gave Antetokounmpo the rest of the night. Lillard finished with 14 points on 3-of-10 shooting, including 6-of-6 on free throws, and added four steals and three assists. He started the second half, giving him a chance to control the action without Antetokounmpo on the floor, before being rested in the fourth quarter.
As limited as the dress rehearsal was, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard ultimately sharing the court for just a few quarters in Game 3 of the Bucks’ five-game exhibition run, Griffin was impressed with what he saw.
“Today was a big first step in the right direction,” Griffin said. “You can see these guys already love playing together. And not just Dame and Giannis, but everyone was pulling for each other.”
Antetokounmpo, 28, praised Lillard, 33, as much for the person he is as for his status as a player.
“I feel like it’s like a little version of me,” Antetokounmpo. “A guard version. … Calm. Goes about his business. Takes care of his family. Shows up. Trains really hard. Helps his teammates when he needs to express himself. … And when the game starts , he’s just a killer.”
“I’ll be very honest, I’ve never been this open. And first of all, I’ve never seen anyone double-team on the first possession of the game.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo
While the Bucks big man has helped his team win more than 50 games in four of the last five seasons and win a title in 2021, he has been an eager student of Lillard during training camp – especially when it comes to Milwaukee’s new offense. , implemented by assistant coach Terry Stotts, who was Lillard’s head coach in Portland.
“I learned so much from him,” Antetokounmpo said of Lillard. “He knows how to play this game. He puts himself in position to succeed. He helps us and puts me in position to succeed.”
Lillard anticipates the failures his new team will experience while moving toward his championship goal, knowing it won’t be a linear process to success.
“It might be a while before Giannis has to get mad at me about something,” Lillard said with a laugh. “Something has to happen for you to really start learning who we are and how we come together.”
Antetokounmpo said Lillard has nothing to worry about.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be mad at him,” Antetokounmpo said. “What he does for this team is such that you can never be upset. … What he does, just by being out there, he creates so much attention. It makes our game easier. … In doing nothing, just walking around, just being Damian Lillard.”
