The Damian Lillard era has not gone off to the cleanest start this season, but the 7x All-Star isn’t ready to hit the panic button just yet. Speaking to the media after Milwaukee’s clutch win over the Knicks this week, Lillard didn’t hold back on his thoughts on the team’s underwhelming play so far.
“You gotta know that sometimes it might get a little ugly before it gets great, because everybody is used to things being a certain way and operating a certain way,” said Lillard. “So when you put more good players together it’s going to take sacrifice and putting your pride and ego to the side, and wanting to win on winning terms not your own terms, and I think that’s what we all gotta come to the table and do.”
The Bucks are 3-2 this season but it has come with some ugly losses. Against the Hawks and Raptors, Milwaukee lost by a combined 36 points and Lillard played some of the worst games of his career. But even despite how shaky things have been, there is a sense that the Bucks still believe they can make it work.
The Bucks Are Missing Jrue Holiday
One of the more underrated aspects of the Damian Lillard trade was Jrue Holiday, who was sent to the Blazers along with several other assets. Holiday, who is now a Celtic, was huge for the Bucks because of his perimeter defense and perimeter shot-making. While Lillard is obviously an upgrade offensively, the drop-off on defense has been outright silly so far, with the Bucks sitting at 28th in the league through the first two weeks of action.
With the loss of Holiday, the Bucks lost a key piece to their rotation and an essential part of the team’s identity. These problems aren’t helped by first-time head coach Adrian Griffin, who is clearly doing some learning on the fly to keep his team afloat. As of today, it’s still far too early to call the Lillard trade a bust, but it’s clear now that the Bucks are far from unbeatable and they will have their work cut out for them over the next few weeks and months.
Can Damian Lillard Handle The Pressure?
Giannis, Brook, and Khris are already NBA champions and they really have nothing left to prove in terms of their capacity to succeed when the lights are brightest. Unfortunately for Lillard, it makes him the odd man out in this scenario with the Bucks. As the newcomer with a history of falling short in the postseason, Lillard will be facing more pressure than ever to play at his best and ensure the Bucks are succeeding in the East.
After 11 years in Portland, Lillard has experienced many scenarios and he’s always risen to the occasion in the past. Alongside 2x MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, there are no more excuses for falling short and he knows more than anyone the opportunity that faces him this season. As long as Lillard can play his game, the Bucks will be a team to fear in the NBA and he’ll have his best chance yet to come out as a champion for the first time in his career. But before the Bucks can prove themselves, they will have to learn how to play with each other and it could take some time before it starts to gel.
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